Detroit Lions: Very unlikely to finish towards bottom of NFL

The Detroit Lions aren’t getting much love coming into the 2019 season. But the idea that they would finish last is hard to fathom.

On Monday, USA Today’s Nate Davis picked the Detroit Lions to finish with the worst record in the NFL for the 2019 season.

Clearly, Davis thinks the NFC North will be one of the best divisions in the NFL, and that will have a negative impact on the Lions.

Here was Davis’ prediction for each of the four NFC North teams (Source: USA Today):

• Minnesota Vikings (12-4)
• Chicago Bears (11-5)
• Green Bay Packers (9-7)
• Detroit Lions (3-13)

Those wins for the Vikings, Bears, and Packers have to come from somewhere, and that place seems to be the Motor City. The Detroit Lions losing thirteen games would not be good for the current management or players in terms of job security. But Davis made some good points as to why the Lions might struggle:

"“Four of their eight home dates come against 2018 playoff outfits — a figure that doesn’t include the Packers or Vikings. Two West Coast trips in season’s first half unlikely to help, either.”"

The difficulty of the schedule could play a big role in things going sour this season. But the improvement of this roster should balance out the tough schedule – specifically on defense and at the tight end position. General manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia look like they have a plan – now, it’s just about executing it on the field.

That plan involves balancing the offense and remaking the defense. For the offense, the running game should be good – as long as running back Kerryon Johnson is healthy.

If Kerryon plays in all sixteen games, he should be a Pro Bowl player. He has that kind of skill. Plus, running back C.J. Anderson should help to carry the load – and is a legit starter if another injury occurs to Johnson.

Then there is the defense. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it looks like defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison and cornerback Darius Slay both plan to show for training camp when it opens today. That is a huge win for the defense because without these players (and really even only missing one of them), this defense was doomed.

But what this defense will count upon most is the continued development of the Quinn/Patricia picks from the past two drafts. And, of course, the big acquisition of free agent defensive end Trey Flowers, who fits exactly what Patricia loves in players: versatility. The goal is to become a top five defense, and the sooner the better for all concerned with this team.

At this point, this franchise is locked in for six to eight wins. Which is disappointing in many respects. Sure, at the high end of that spectrum, it is just on the cusp of being a playoff contender. But can the roster get better with this kind of win total?

Honestly, having a three win season could be the best outcome for the team. If the team were picking at the top of next year’s draft, it would give the Detroit Lions better options. But will it happen? It is doubtful.

The only way that things could go to 13 losses is if quarterback Matthew Stafford is unable to play. Which, with Stafford, might take his arm literally falling off of his torso – as even a back injury couldn’t keep him from playing last season.

A Stafford injury is the only scenario in which ownership would allow the Quinn/Patricia brain-trust to stay intact with such a bad record. Well, probably, you never know with the Lions when it comes to how much losing they can tolerate.

That’s the impact of the quarterback position. Although, sometimes, it is hard not to wish that Stafford’s impact was enough to get this team to 13 wins by being there, instead of 13 losses by not. But he is what he is. And at this point, building around him is the only practical way to move forward.

It would be nice to get out of the middle ground. Go out and win the division and surprise everyone with a tenacious defense and balanced offense. Or just bottom out and acquire another important piece to that championship puzzle. But this season looks to be headed for another disappointment on both fronts.