5 reasons to be optimistic about 2022 Lions, the NFL’s most popular underdog pick
Detroit Lions fans experience an odd feeling heading into the 2022 season. There’s a kind of inexplicable warmth that spreads throughout your body as you read about your favorite, albeit down-to-earth, team.
Is it… could it be… hope?
The NFL world seems optimistic about the Lions as Dan Campbell enters his second year as coach of the team. They are among the teams most bet on to win an over 6.5 and rookies Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams are causing fans to be optimistic. Despite going 3-13-1 this year, the Lions’ presence will be at a peak as they feature on HBO’s Hard Knocks.
But where does all this optimism come from? Usually you can look at an off-season and identify a move or two that a team is making that makes them better. But for Detroit, it was a slow burn. Jared Goff is still an underperforming, overpaid QB1 and the Lions haven’t made that one big step for a difference maker.
That being said, GM Brad Holmes and HC Campbell have an infectious optimism about them. Unlike the previous regime of Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia, they seem to be building something. And Lions fans hope those efforts bear fruit this year.
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With that in mind, here’s the reason for the optimism surrounding these Lions, along with some realistic expectations for this season.
5 reasons to be optimistic about the 2022 Detroit Lions
1. You finally have some weapons on offense
Wide receiver has been a pain point for the Lions since Calvin Johnson retired in 2015. Last year, Caliph Raymond and Tyrell Williams were the top two on the depth chart.
Things will look very different in 2022. DJ Chark and Jameson Williams are on the outside with Amon-Ra St. Brown and the always underrated Josh Reynolds in the slot, giving Goff far better options than last season. The Lions are also hoping for progress from D’Andre Swift running back, but the receiving corps alone gives cause for optimism.
The Lions may not have that one first goal set just yet, but they’re hoping Williams can become that guy. There will likely be some growing pains, but there is plenty of excitement surrounding the young recipient.
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2. The offensive line should only get better
The Lions’ offensive line is an oddity. Penei Sewell and Jonah Jackson both have another year under their belts, and Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow are the mainstays. According to the PFF, the Lions are expected to be on the top tier of the NFL’s offensive lines in 2022.
How true is that? Only time can tell. Hank Fraley’s group has to prove itself, and if it’s good, Goff has to capitalize on it.
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Sewell has the potential to be among the top tackles in the NFL, and the Lions know it. But what would be nice to see is a little more versatility from the line than hole. The Lions are a team that should be able to run the ball. This is where the O-Line should improve this season.
3. The Lions should have a passing rush
The Lions ranked 31st in the NFL in team pass rush win rate, scoring 33 percent, two percent better than last-place Denver Broncos.
The Lions put the pressure on with the call-up of Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson won 25 percent of matchups in 2021 with the Michigan Wolverines, fifth among pass rushers and just over two percent better than Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux.
The Lions still lack some depth at the position, but it’s certainly a start for a position the rest of the league has prioritized that the Lions have neglected. They’ve got a motorized player in Hutchinson and are hoping for more production from Charles Harris, who had 7.5 sacks last year.
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4. The Lions were generally competitive last year
No one wants to hear that, but the lions weren’t necessarily blown out regularly last year.
They started the season 0-8 before tying with the Steelers, and three of those games were one possession games. If Campbell can prioritize and improve situational play, Detroit could start winning those close encounters.
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In fact, the basis is there. They won two of those close games, and their third win was a wire-to-wire win over the Cardinals. Cultivating a winning culture will help the Lions get over that hump and stop being the “Fast” team.
5. Sheila Ford Hamp wants to win
When an owner cares, it shows. Since Sheila Ford Hamp became the Lions’ principal owner in 2020, she has taken steps to improve the club’s relationship with Calvin Johnson and attract good footballers to lead the team.
That’s reflected at Holmes and Campbell despite a bumpy first year, but the energy around the team is contagious. Campbell, in particular, has been racking up bets on Coach of the Year, which is essentially a playoff confirmation these days.
Those are high expectations, but they are the expectations the Lions have set for themselves. They’ve clearly gotten better over the past year, so after an off-season can they turn that into success? We’ll find out soon.
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Realistic expectations for the Lions this season
There’s a problem with the “value” bets in the Super Bowl and the Coach of the Year election: The Lions still have a seemingly lame duck at quarterback, whether they admit it or not.
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Even with Davante Adams in Green Bay, they’re favorites to win the division as long as Aaron Rodgers is in Wisconsin. The Lions still have work to do to catch them, and the first task is to find a real future quarterback because Goff is unlikely to be the one.
The over/under of 6.5 wins is fair to them, and they might well break that barrier. With NFC Games vs. NFC East and AFC Games vs. AFC East, they have a manageable schedule. But a playoff berth for them this season is a reach.
This season is still part of a conversion that will take some time. There’s a good chance CJ Stroud and Bryce Young will finish in the top three or five next season. If the Lions’ goal is to get one of them, seven wins would likely put them out of contention.
However, a lot can still happen before then. Meanwhile, this Lions team will not go to the sandbag. They’re a better team than last year, and people are rightly optimistic about them — even if some people are getting a little overboard on the hype train.