Back in Detroit after a two-year hiatus in Jacksonville, Marvin Jones thinks this year's Lions can do something special.
Marvin Jones surely thought he knew dysfunction, based on the last years of his first stint with the Detroit Lions under Matt Patricia. Then he played a season (or nearly a season) under Urban Meyer with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.
Jones also got to experience a turnaround in Jacksonville last year, as the Jaguars finished the season strong, won the AFC South and won a playoff game in epic comeback fashion. Now back with the Lions after signing in free agency this offseason, Jones has already seen the difference compared to his first time with the team.
Jones talked to Tim Twentyman of the Lions website last week, on the "Twentyman In The Huddle" podcast. He talked about coming back to the Lions, and the team's chances to do something notable this season.
Marvin Jones sees some parallel between the 2023 Lions and the 2022 Jaguars
Jones talked about the Jaguars' late-season run last year, after a blowout loss to the Lions in Week 13.
"The trajectory of our seasons last year was kind of the same. After our loss to us,” Jones said, in reference to the Jaguars' blowout loss to the Lions, “I don’t think we lost a game after that and we got into the playoffs, got the division, got the home playoff game in which we won.”"
Jones thinks the Lions have the pieces to make a playoff push like the Jaguars did last year.
"Obviously that’s a goal, but it starts here. It starts in our preparation and what we do. Obviously we have the pieces, talking about last year and how they finished but this is a new year. There is that expectation but we have to put in that work and that’s what we’re doing now,"
Jones is lined up to be a key piece of the Lions' offense, especially over the first six games of the season while Jameson Williams serves his suspension. But beyond whatever on-field production he has, Jones' experience and veteran leadership will be just as important.