The Detroit Lions will go as far as the lines carry them
By Robert Jones
The Detroit Lions’ success in the 2020 season will depend almost entirely on how they fair in the trenches.
The Detroit Lions will open training camp this week and for the first time since the Super Bowl, the NFL will actually have on-field activities. For the first time since the Super Bowl players will be in pads. Despite all of us living through it, this drought in actual on-field action still seems very strange, but at least an end to it seems to finally be in sight.
Yes, this week we will have players on the field. This week there will be football. And as fans, we couldn’t be more excited.
The Lions will arrive at training camp this week filled with optimism. General manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia are staking their jobs on the fact that this team will be competitive and at least, still be playing meaningful games in December.
Many fans believe that is the case. Others remain understandably skeptical. After only nine wins in two seasons and coming off a 3-12-1 year, any meaningful contention this season will be a big step forward.
If the Lions are playing ‘meaningful games’ in December or as we usually call it, in the playoff race and looking good doing it, then the decision to keep Quinn and Patricia will be vindicated. Anything less than that will only prove keeping this regime in place was a waste of time. Any true Lions fan is hoping that keeping Patricia was the right move, if for no other reason than if they are finally competitive under his guidance.
Yet as we prepare ourselves for training camp and to live and die over every clip or picture we see of the Lions in action, ultimately how far these Motor City cats go will be determined in the trenches. That’s really the unsung key for every team each year, but if we look at the Lions really hard, it is especially true of this team, this season.