The Detroit Lions hope for a bounce-back season will be tested by how well their depth steps up.
The Detroit Lions are in the same boat as every other team in the NFL. No offseason workouts, no exhibition games, but there is still the expectation to be ready to win on opening day.
For head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn, there was already the understanding that ownership has mandated the Lions be competitive and play ‘meaningful games in December’. No pressure, right?
In a calendar year that no one has experienced before, every NFL team is trying to find a winning formula. Every team is trying to find the best way to maximize training camp after having no offseason program to start assimilating rookies and newly acquired veterans into their system.
In short, every NFL team is playing with the same handicap this year. The teams that are smart and find the most effective ways to train and prepare themselves for the season will give themselves an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
Teams that do not handle this unprecedented year will struggle. More than ever the idea of working ‘smarter not harder’ is relevant.
The Lions worked hard this past offseason to improve the talent level of their roster and find as many good fits for Matt Patricia’s system as possible. Which always means going back to the well in New England.
On paper, they have done a pretty good job, but games aren’t won on paper. How well the new acquisitions pan out will be a combination of their ability to transfer what the coaches are teaching them to the field and using the talents they have been blessed with.
Not to be overlooked will be the ability to build cohesiveness. The offensive line gelling, the defensive backfield all being on the same page, and everyone understanding the assignment they are called upon to execute each play.
It’s a lot to cram into training camp alone without the extra time offseason workouts would have provided or opportunities the preseason offers to execute in game situations. Yet beyond all of that, perhaps the greatest obstacle every team will encounter will be overcoming injuries.