Detroit Lions: End-of-season 2018 award predictions

With expectations high and hopes higher, let’s take a look at who will play the biggest roles for the Detroit Lions in the coming season.

It’s the time of year when hope is the highest and every team’s fan base is predicting that they will hoist the Lombardi Trophy come February.

With expectations high and hopes even higher, let’s take a look at who is expected to make the biggest jumps and play the biggest roles for the Detroit Lions in the coming season. The awards include Offensive MVP, Defensive MVP, Comeback Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year.

Offensive MVP: Matthew Stafford, QB

This one is a gimme — If the Lions offense is an engine, Matthew Stafford is the gasoline.

Since Jim Bob Cooter took over as offensive coordinator in 2015, Stafford’s play has reached another level that has taken him to the upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks, even to the point of being called a future Hall of Famer.

The point is that this offense doesn’t run without Matthew Stafford at the helm, as Lions fans painstakingly noted in Week 13 of last season when he went down with an injury. Backup quarterback Jake Rudock, widely considered a formidable backup quarterback going into the season, made it clear how much the offense relies on Stafford’s otherworldly talents.

This year should be no different. With a revamped offensive line and most of the same weapons from last season, expect Stafford to capitalize and have a great year.