With weapons at the receiver position, and a new addition in the running back room, the Detroit Lions could have an explosive offense next season.
Despite being weak defensively last season, the Detroit Lions still seemed promising offensively. Even without having QB Matthew Stafford at the helm for half the year, the Lions offense was still able to somewhat compete game in and game out.
Going into the 2020 season, Stafford will be back from injury, along with WR Marvin Jones Jr, and RB Kerryon Johnson. These three guys alone provide a threat for defenses, not to mention they have other threats around them. Two of those guys being rookie RB D’Andre Swift, and WR Kenny Golladay.
These five guys have the potential to lead the Detroit Lions to have one of the most explosive offenses this upcoming season. They have a two-headed monster in the backfield, along with two proven studs at the receiver position. With a gunslinger under center, the sky is the limit for this offense.
Then you add on sleepers like veteran WR Danny Amendola, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, defenses are going to have their hands tied trying to contain everyone on the field. While these two guys aren’t studs, Amendola is a proven veteran, and Hockenson is only entering his second year. If you leave these guys open, they’re going to make plays.
There’s only two things that can contain this Detroit Lions offense this season. Those things are injuries, and the inability to be two-dimensional. Over the past two seasons, both Marvin Jones and Kerryon Johnson have missed a bulk both years due to injury. Stafford suffered a back injury last season that kept him out for the second half of 2019.
One chronic weakness for Detroit year in and year out is the ability to pose both a passing and rushing threat. It seems like every possession for the Lions is first down, run. Second down, run. Then Stafford has to come up with some miracle on 3rd and long to keep the drive alive. You just simply can’t win in the NFL, at least not consistently, if you rely on solely on the passing game.
The Detroit Lions have to find some way to be able to run the ball effectively this upcoming season. They’ve shown spurts of it in the years that KJ has been with the team. Now with Swift in the backfield with him, there’s no reason why the running game should be difficult.
On paper, this offense looks good, key word, paper. Obviously, once the season starts, everything changes. Anything could happen, ranging from injury, COVID-19, or players simply just not being up to par. Either way, it’s not a bad thing to look at this offense and get a hint of excitement for what could be in 2020.