Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals will struggle this year: OVERREACTION. We know the Bengals will be there in the AFC championship game. With Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase they will be hard to beat, and this team has big game experience.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys are legit after a definitive victory against the Giants: LEGIT. Did anybody see that Cowboys D? Dak Prescott didn’t play the greatest, but that was ok. He’ll get better along with that feisty Cowboys D.

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs will struggle after losing Eric Bieniemy: OVERREACTION. Yes Bieniemy was a very good offensive coordinator. But they Chiefs still have Mahomes, Kelce, Chris Jones and other key players. They will battle to play in the AFC championship game.

Green Bay Packers: The Packers won’t skip a beat with Aaron Rodgers gone. OVERREACTION. Jordan Love played a great game and they won, but don’t expect that the rest of the season. They will struggle and probably finish around .500.

Detroit Lions: The Lions are a serious contender in the NFC. LEGIT. When you have Dan Campbell at the helm and a stingy D with Aidan Hutchinson, your in good shape. Jared Goff looked poised leading the offense, and expect to see the same throughout the whole season.

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Before the season started head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Gibbs would be eased into his role with the Lions. It’s a smart move on the Lions part so he doesn’t get too overwhelmed with the pro game. Fellow running back David Montgomery received a majority of the touches including a go-ahead rushing touchdown. While this was aggravating for Gibbs owners it’s important to be patient with him.

We all could see that Gibbs was the more explosive back and when you look at the stats, they back that up. Gibbs averaged 6.7 yards per touch including a game-high 18 yard run. In contrast, Montgomery averaged just 3.5 yards per touch and lacked explosiveness. We expected to see speed from Gibbs but he also had 6 broken tackles in the game.

Gibbs owners should stand pat as his usage will start to ramp up. It’s only a matter of time until he gets a majority of the touches. When that happens you can expect big-time results for your fantasy team.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Detroit Lions have a ton of fire under the former NFL tight end Dan Campbell heading into the 2022 season. Campbell was infamous for wanting his team to bite knee caps off last off-season and he has more interesting metaphors this off-season. He didn’t quote anything from Shakesphere, but he did compare Joshua Reynolds to the Preying Mantis and “a fricking serpent”.

Campbell’s eccentric behavior shouldn’t wear off anytime soon, to say the least.

Campbell may have a ton of swagger, but he still needs to rally his team to show noticeably more improvement than last season. With that enunciated, should Lions fans sincerely expect Campbell to their ring leader beyond the 2022-2023 season?

I do like the Lions chances of winning several games and keeping their HC intact beyond 2022. The Lions actually had a modest 2021 performance from Jared Goff (19 passing touchdowns to 8 interceptions) and I like the outlook for D’Andre Swift – who hasn’t quite lifted off yet. Furthermore, the Lions will have new-found explosion from Jameson Williams and a healthy T.J. Hockenson (as he sadly missed five contests last season). Hockeson was on pace for a terrific 2021 season: 583 yds in 12 match-ups. Per CBS Sports, the Lions are looking to extend him in 2022, as well.

The Lions will not only garner production form the pivotal QB spot, but I forsee the Lions witnessing a DROY season from Aidan Hutchinson in 2022. Per Sports Betting Dime, Hutch is the favorite to win DROY. He’s already looked like a Greek God in training camp (in numerous ways) – according to the mighty Penei Sewell.

I also believe the Lions should take positive steps forward next season, while having a Rudy-like victory against the Vikings or Packers. The spirit of the Lions should be released against a bigger foe in 2022 (after the Lions uphended the AZ Cardinals in 2021) – which should be another key element in Campbell keeping the keys to the team in 2023.

There may be a sexy trend with GMs hiring offensive-minded coaches (preferably offensive minds that know Sean McVay), but the Lions should continue to build their puzzle in a proper, methodical manner w/ the old school, team builder in Campbell. Rest assure – the Dan Campbell-led Lions will continue to climb the ladder beyond 2022. The question is: Can the Lions be the new NFC North alpha after Rodgers exit?

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By: Jake Rajala

The Detroit Lions had an exciting NFL Draft and it’s time for the promising Dan Campbell to elevate his squad from their 2021 outcome. The Lions will ride with Jared Goff, but they believe that they can be a competitive NFC team with the former NFC Champion at QB. With that said, I’m going to untwine recent reports of the Lions 2022 direction with Campbell and Goff.

• Fly Eagles Fly

The Lions will battle the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1 at Ford Field. The Eagles snuck into the playoffs last season and it’s clear that Jalen Hurts will aspire to be a Pro Bowl-caliber QB next season. The Eagles brought Haason Reddick back home and retained Fletcher Cox. The Eagles also ranked first in rushing YPG last season, while the Lions ranked 28th in rushing defense last season. I believe that the Lions should lean on their new rookie WR Jameson Williams and new FA WR D.J. Chark, Amon, Hockenson, and ask Hurts to battle through the passing game.

• Lions will play the Bills on Thanksgiving

“So, you’re telling me there’s a chance”

The Lions will host the mighty Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving. It may seem like the Bills will mop the floor against the Lions in the Holiday show-down, but the Lions did edge out the Arizona Cardinals last season. The Lions will truly need to cook up a gameplan to harass Josh Allen.

• Aidan Hutchinson = DROY?

There was a lot of belief that the Lions selected the “best overall player” in Aidan Hutchinson during the 2022 NFL draft. Sports Illustrated has nicely pointed out that Hutch is an early favorite for DROY. I fully expect a lot of eyes to be on the former Wolverine and he could be a key factor in the Lions divisional showdowns against Aaron Rodgers.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Detroit Lions really struck gold on the first day of the NFL draft. Dan Campbell opted to beef up his DL with the draft pick of Aidan Hutchinson second overall and then Motor City welcomed the arrival of wide receiver Jameson Williams 12th overall. It may have been easy for DET to land Hutchinson, but they did a fantastic job of sticking to their guns with the selection of the former Michigan Wolverine. Furthermore, they managed to grab a blistering fast WR in Jameson Williams. If the Lions want to invest in a potential starting QB for the future, they may be able to still land a QB (Malik Willis, Matt Corral) in the second round.

With that enunciated, the question is: what exactly are the draft grades for the Lions first-round draft picks? Well, I’m going to outline the grades for the two new Detroit lions players.

Aidan Hutchinson: A-

I love that the Lions didn’t panic and pick a QB second overall (or 12th overall) in the draft. After the Lions selected Penei Sewell in last year’s draft, the Lions made the right choice in landing Hutchinson in this year’s draft. He’s arguably the most talented player in the entire draft class and he will really help his DL harass Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, and Justin Fields. If he can have similar production to the likes of Nick Bosa (a common pro comparison), the Lions will have a decade-like talent at their edge rusher spot.

Jameson Williams: B

I believe that Jameson Williams will be a quality player for the Lions. Although I’m not convinced that Williams is as talented all-around as Chris Olave. William’s latest still injury shouldn’t hold him back from an excellent pro career. He might seem like an excellent partner for the gutsy Hutchinson, but I am not the biggest fan of DET picking a WR right now. I would have preferred to see the Lions select the ferocious defender Kyle Hamilton and then the Lions could really build a defense similar to the Bears defense that carried Nick Foles to the playoffs.

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By: Girvane Bola

What are the realistic expectations for Dan Campbell in the 2022 season? 

Last season saw the Detroit Lions in their first season without Matthew Stafford. While Stafford left to get his elusive Super Bowl ring, the Lions finished with the record of 3-13 with one tie.

But there were signs of hope for the future and with the Lions now confirmed as the latest NFL team to feature on HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer, here is what to expect from them in the 2022 season.

2021 saw a considerable improvement in the offensive line. The run blocking was a massive improvement after finishing in the top ten in the NFL in road rushing yards per game, with 131.4. A vital component of this improvement was rookie OL Penei Sewell. Drafted at number seven from Oregon, Sewell has shown promise in a solid debut season. The offensive lineman played a significant role in helping the running game become what it is currently.

Sewell is a talented athlete who was able to learn and adapt quickly. He started as a left tackle to playing Right tackle, and he looked brilliant. During last season, he was the highest-graded offensive tackle according to Pro Football Focus. That shows the potential Sewell has. However, he was not the only one who showed promise.

Look down to the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and you will find WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. Drafted from USC, St. Brown has proved to be a deal. In their Week 18 win against the Green Bay Packers, St. Brown broke the franchise record for most receiving yards with 912 and most receptions in a season by a rookie, with 90. The wide receiver will look to build on his fantastic season and potentially become one of the most dependable receivers in the NFL.

But the draw comes from the head coach, Dan Campbell. Despite not a perfect season, His fiery and direct approach was refreshing after the days of Matt Patricia. He is a coach the players loved, willing to give it their all every game. He has the support of the players, but what must improve in Year 2?

Firstly, he needs to improve his over-aggressive ways in games. The Lions broke the NFL record previously held by the 1995 New England Patriots for most fourth-down conversion attempts, with 40. While exciting to watch, the Lions will not be unable to sustain this while aiming to be competitive in the NFC North. Failing to do so could cost the Lions going forward.

Furthermore, Campbell needs to add more firepower in the pass rush. The Lions need to pressure quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Justin Fields. It is an issue they need to solve. With only 30 sacks last season, this was poor as the Chicago Bears racked up 49 sacks.

Lastly, they need to upgrade the secondary as this gives quarterback Jared Goff more opportunities with the ball. Last season, there were merely opportunities for interceptions. But they need a cornerback to turn that into actual interceptions. In doing that, the chances of a restful defence over four quarters increases too. The Lions’ defence needs to give the platform for Goff to be efficient and not throw 50 passes to win games.

While the Lions will not win the NFC North, a realistic expectation will be to catch up with the Chicago Bears and accumulate the same number of wins or more than them. Last season saw Chicago record six wins, while the Lions lost nine times to teams in their conference. If they can solve the issues of last season and add key pieces on defence, a season where Goff makes an improvement, and the Lions finish above the Bears with a record of at least six wins is achievable.

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By: Andy Davies

Plenty of uncertainty surrounds the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans going into the 2021 season. Their quarterback situations are far from clear and their overall rosters are mediocre at best.

The same goes for their head coaches, with all three going into their first seasons at the franchise. Neither of Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, or David Culley has been a full-time head coach in the NFL. Campbell is the only one to have some experience, with his spell as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2015.

Here is why you should be expecting the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the three worst records in the league in 2021.

Saying Goodbye To A Franchise Legend In Detroit. Struggles For The Replacement

Matthew Stafford was the number one overall pick in 2009, with the entire city of Detroit hoping he would be the man to turn around the fortunes of the franchise. Despite three seasons of making the playoffs, the Lions and Stafford never won a single postseason game as the wait continues. The Lions remain the team with the second-longest period without a playoff win, their last taking place on January 5th, 1992.

Stafford had some great individual moments as a Lion, most notably his Mic’d up moment during his 2009 rookie season. In a week eleven game against the Cleveland Browns, he overcame injury to produce a moment of pure heroism. He played with a separated shoulder despite the efforts of the medical staff to keep him off the field, leading the Lions to a touchdown-winning drive.

Jim Caldwell guided the Lions to these playoff appearances but was not seen as good enough to take them to the next step. New England Patriots assistant head coach Matt Patricia was brought in but never took to life as head coach. The Lions had three consecutive losing seasons under the coaching of Patricia. They will hope that they have found their guy in Dan Campbell. His press conference was certainly not dull, with Campbell referring to “biting kneecaps”. As a former Lions player, he knows what it takes to play in the league. He also knows about the city of Detroit and his intentions are both positive and clear. If he is given time, he has the desire to bring the good times back to Detroit. However, he is inexperienced as a head coach and the roster is below average.

New quarterback Jared Goff has the potential to struggle. This is despite the drafting of offensive lineman Penei Sewell at seventh overall, a selection that had Campbell and new General Manager Brad Holmes very excited.

Despite his brilliant 2018 season that saw the Rams reach Super Bowl 53, Goff had a poor game and struggled in 2020 as he and head coach Sean McVay’s relationship deteriorated.

Goff struggled despite a plethora of offensive talent around him. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp form one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. He is going to a franchise that let go of their two best wide receivers and failed to replace them.

The Lions have a schedule that features the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. There are also two games against their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. The Lions do not have it easy.

Prediction: 3-14

Trouble In Philadelphia; Reason For Hope?

The Eagles have seen three years of gradual decline after winning Super Bowl 52. The 2017 season saw the Eagles lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time after two previous attempts.

Doug Pederson was the head coach to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl but was fired after the conclusion of the 2020 season. His decision to bench rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in order to lose and gain a higher draft pick appeared to be the final nail in the coffin.

Carson Wentz had an MVP caliber season before an injury derailed hopes of winning the award. Backup Nick Foles stepped in and guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl 52 win. He also stepped in a year later and guided the Eagles to a shock Wildcard Round win against the Chicago Bears, with thanks also going to a Cody Parkey missed field goal.

Both Foles and Wentz are no longer Eagles players. Out of the starters in that Super Bowl 52 win, only seven remain with the franchise. Their decision to draft Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson continues to be mocked by rival fans and nobody knows how new head coach Nick Sirianni will do in the role.

The schedule is mixed for Philadelphia. Whilst they face the New York Jets, Lions, and twice play the New York Giants, they also have to face the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.. This is as well as facing a rising Washington Football Team twice as well as playing the Dallas Cowboys both home and away.

Reports have surfaced in recent days of the Philadelphia Eagles being the favourites for Deshaun, with talks said to be “heating up”.

This could be a move that transforms the franchise. However, Deshaun Watson had his best statistical season yet the Texans only managed four wins all year. This proves that whilst it is very important to have a good quarterback, you need more around to be successful.

Unless the Eagles do something in what remains of the offseason, they will continue to be mediocre if their roster continues to be this poor. If they get offensive or defensive talent in the next one or two offseasons, then they are a team that will compete for years to come. Otherwise, the Eagles will fail to be a threat to both the NFC and NFC East.

This is why Deshaun should avoid the Eagles at this present time. He will be going into a situation no different to what he experienced in Houston.

Prediction: 4-13

What A Difference A Year Makes

Where do we start with the Houston Texans? The 2019 season saw them take a 24-0 lead against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. However, they allowed 41 unanswered points as they lost 51-31. What has unfolded since in the following nineteen months has been reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

Head coach Bill O’Brien, who also was general manager, made the unusual decision to trade star wide receiver, Deandre Hopkins. In exchange, the Texans received a running back past his sell-by date in David Johnson, one second-rounder and one fourth-round pick. O’Brien only lasted four games in the 2020 season as they finished the campaign with just four wins.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 season, franchise legend J.J Watt has left and there continues to be an uncertain future surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston’s quarterback requested a trade in January before allegations of sexual assault arose. These have lingered throughout the remainder of the offseason. It is unclear if Watson will play in the NFL at all in 2021 but even if he does, it is unlikely that he will be wearing a Texans jersey.

Houston has said they would listen to trade offers for Watson, with the franchise said to be wanting three first-round picks. They have also acquired Tyrod Taylor via Free Agency and used their first pick in the draft on Davis Mills in the third round. Even if the Eagles stick with Hurts, there will be plenty of other suitors.

Even with Watson, the Texans are light on the ground when it comes to elite talent. Linebacker Zach Cunningham and Laremy Tunsil are talents and despite adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram to the running back room, the roster is one of the league’s worst.

David Culley has developed somewhat of a worrying reputation after his time with the Eagles, Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. During his fourteen-season spell with the Eagles, his four seasons with the Chiefs, and two years with the Ravens, he had 0 wide receivers earn a PFF grade of 80 or above.

The Chiefs wideouts went an entire season without a touchdown under Culley. With a wide receiver room featuring Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins and Anthony Miller, this is not exactly a position of strength for the Texans. Culley is unlikely to see any of these receivers score high PFF grades.

Whilst the Texans might be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars twice and the Jets, they have a tough schedule. They will face the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. Houston will also play the Los Angeles Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers as well as the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans twice.

They are unlikely to win many of these games. Fans should be expecting a difficult season.

Prediction: 2-15

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By: Ladarius Brown

If you are a football fan (or a Lions fan for that matter), the Lions organization has not been great for some time. Over the last two years, it has been the defensive side of the ball that has taken a major hit. In 2018, this Lions team was 10th in the league in total defense with players like DE’s Romeo Okwara, Da’Shawn Hand, and 3x Pro Bowler & All-Pro CB Darius Slay. However, in 2019 & 2020, the Lions finished 31st and 32nd respectively. As they are rebuilding their secondary, most notably with drafting Ohio State CB Jeff Okudah in the 1st round in 2020, the defensive line needs some depth.  

One option that is out there is 4x Pro Bowler and All-Pro DE Justin Houston. Houston played for the Colts in 2020 in which he had eight sacks and 19 total sacks in his two seasons in Indy. In 2014, he led the league with 22 sacks as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, who finished 7th in total defense that year. Another reason that Houston is an ideal fit for the Lions is the flexibility he can provide. 

The Lions’ new defensive coordinator, former 15-year NFL veteran Aaron Glenn, will bring in a 3-4 defensive scheme. Here, DEs who are typically starting with their fingers in the field will have their stance be upward as an LB. Houston played LOLB in his 1st eight years in the league with the Chiefs and the transition will be seamless. Also, two of the current DE’s on the roster, the aforementioned Okwara, and Trey Flowers, will be making the move to outside LB.  

What also bodes well for Houston is that Lions general manager Brad Holmes drafted only one true DE in the 2021 Draft: Derrick Barnes in the 4th round out of Purdue. Glenn alluded to is, in nickel packages, he visualizes using a five-down front at times, with LB Jamie Collins as one edge rusher. Veteran Michael Brockers and rookie second-round pick Levi Onwuzurike are defensive ends who will play as inside rushers in sub-packages in the Lions’ new defense. This Glenn-led will have various looks, taking advantage of players who have played as DEs and LBs. Houston fits the bill in this respect and more.  

The biggest question is how much playing time Houston would see on the field. In the last two seasons for the Colts, he averaged 641 defensive snaps, or 62% of the Colts snaps on that side of the ball. Given the players currently on the roster, there is an opportunity for the 10-year vet to get a starting job. Because of his familiarity with playing in a 3-4 scheme, he has an edge on the younger players on the roster. 

Given that the Lions’ front seven are have experienced players such as Collins (8 years), Brockers (9 years), Houston would be great as added depth with the chance to compete. Regarding his price tag, he made $12 million a year in Indy when he signed in 2019. Now, at 32 years old, another question is he worth $12 million a year, even for one year. If he is willing to take a pay cut (1 year, $5-6 million), he would be well worth the risk in kickstarting this Lions defense.  

The post Why the Lions should sign pass rusher Justin Houston appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Ladarius Brown

This division has a brand-new coach in the Motor City and one who could be under immense pressure this season. Also, two coaches will have the chance to prove they can develop a quarterback. That being said, here are head coaching rankings for the NFC North.  

4. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions 

This is Campbell’s first full-time head coaching gig after being an interim head coach for the Dolphins in 2015 after the firing of Joe Philbin. He went 5-7 in this time there. The biggest goal that he has to accomplish is not so many winning games. Campbell has to change the culture there. Since 2000, they have the 2nd fewest wins in the NFL with 119 wins. The last time they won a division was 1993, six years before Campbell’s rookie season in the NFL. 

They traded arguably the best quarterback in their franchise’s history in Matthew Stafford and replacing him with Jared Goff. I am not saying Goff is the answer for the future of the Lions but given his age (26), he could be. There is talent on this roster, including RB D’Andre Swift, TE T.J. Hockenstein, and CB Jeff Okudah. Throw in the fact their offensive line has three 1st rounders (LT Taylor Decker, C Frank Ragnow, and their 2021 1st round pick: RT Penei Sewell).  

Campbell has former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn as his offensive coordinator, a move that I love. Lynn is a great offensive mind and what happened last season in Los Angeles was not 100% on him. Seeing how he works with Goff and what he can do with the run game. If the Lions want to turn it around, it has to be on the defensive side of the ball. Veterans such as LB Jaime Collins, DE Trey Flowers, and DT Michael Brockers, who was acquired via a trade with the Rams, will be leaned upon to turn it around. They might have to bite some kneecaps and wear racing helmets but it can be done. 

3. Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears 

Before diving in, Nagy won a division with Mitchell Trubisky under center and that, on its own, was great. When it comes to Nagy, I think he has won games despite having a general manager in Ryan Pace who is still somehow gainfully employed. Outside of trading the farm for All-Pro LB Khalil Mack and hiring Matt Nagy as head coach, the Ryan Pace era is nothing to write home about. Nagy has bailed out Pace since being hired. Why do I say that? Before hiring Nagy from the Chiefs in 2018, Pace was 14-34 from 2015 to 2018 as a general manager.  

Nagy inherited Trubisky and turned lemons into a palatable tasting pitcher of lemonade. Then, Pace trades for Foles because he was supposed to be an upgrade over Trubisky. Yet, it was the equivalent of trading in a unicycle for a bicycle: you can travel slightly further. Foles was not bad but it felt as though the Bears did not have direction at the quarterback position, a feeling that has been lingering for some time. However, in this year’s draft, something happened. 

The Bears traded up after quarterback Justin Fields was still left on the board and they drafted him. This was a move made more so by Pace at the behest of Nagy. Nagy wanted to bring in his guy, a luxury he was not afforded when he was hired. Nagy could be higher on this list but I cannot because of his play calling. The Bears’ offense was and is not a juggernaut but, in some games last year, it was bad and with Andy Dalton starting the season at quarterback and Fields somewhere along the way, he has to get it right in this department.  

2. Mike Zimmer, Minnesota Vikings 

Zimmer is one of these coaches who I feel gets overlooked for some reason. Entering year eight as the head coach of the Vikings, he is the longest-tenured coach in the NFC North. In his tenure, his teams have never finished last in the division (two 1st place finishes, two 2nd place finishes, and three 3rd place finishes). One thing that I like about Zimmer is that for a coach with a defensive background, he is well-rounded and is evidenced by how he has drafted because, since 2014, the Vikings have had nine 1st round picks and, of those nine, five were on the offensive side of the ball and four on the defensive side.  

He has the 3rd most wins amongst Vikings head coaches all-time (64) behind Bud Grant (158) and Dennis Green (97). This year, he could win the division for the 3rd time in eight years because this team looks stronger on defense and, I almost forgot, they have RB Dalvin Cook. Cook has been a reliable back for Zimmer and this Vikings offense, especially the last two years. In 2019 & 2020, Cook had a combined 2,692 rush yards, 29 rushing touchdowns, and averaged 96.1 yards/game. He was 2nd to Titans running back Derrick Henry in all of the above stats in that timeframe.  

I can make a case that this could be Zimmer’s best team since 2017 because of the emergence of WR Justin Jefferson. Entering his 2nd year, Jefferson is coming off 1,400 yards receiving in his rookie campaign. Despite the youth of his defense, he has a strong veteran presence, led by safety Harrison Smith. It is no conjecture to say Zimmer could be a Coach of the Year candidate by season’s end.  

1. Matt LeFleur, Green Bay Packers 

When you have back-to-back 13-win seasons in your 1st two seasons as a head coach, that is pretty impressive. Also, having a future 1st ballot HOF quarterback in Aaron Rodgers helps too. This is not to say that LaFleur is not a great head coach because you can see how the Packers have improved entering year three. Under LaFleur, they are running the ball more as is evident by finishing in the top 10 in the league in average time per drive. They finished 1st in 2019.  

For further proof, RB Aaron Jones has two 1,000 rushing yard seasons (2019 & 2020). In his 1st two years in the league, he had 1,176 rushing yards combined. The defense improved from 18th in 2019 to 9th in 2020. Also, throw in that they have WR Davante Adams, an All-Pro last year with 1,374 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. There is a reason, an obvious one, as to why I mentioned these elements. 

If you were binging on Netflix or HBO Max, Aaron Rodgers stated he wants out of Green Bay or hinted at the possibility of retirement. Now, they have Jordan Love, their 1st round pick in 2020, taking the majority of snaps in OTAs. The longer Rodgers is a no-show, the greater the likelihood that Love will be the Week 1 starter at New Orleans. LaFleur will lean on his run game, his top 10 defense, and his All-Pro WR should Love be the guy. The biggest question surrounding this franchise is Can LaFleur mold Jordan Love enough to be loved by Packers fans.  

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By: Chris Thomas

After the third disappointing season in a row under head coach Matt Patricia’s administration, the Detroit Lions have blown up their organization. They started their offseason by hiring Los Angeles Rams Director of Scouting Brad Holmes as their new general manager. Then Detroit made an unorthodox hire at head coach in former Miami Dolphins interim head coach and New Orleans Saints tight end coach Dan Campbell. But the largest change to the Lions that occurred this offseason happened at the quarterback position. The Lions executed a blockbuster trading 12 year starter Matthew Stafford to the Rams for 2016 1st overall pick Jared Goff, a 2022 first round pick, and a 2023 first-round pick. This gave Detroit the ammunition they need to complete what appears to be a long-term rebuild.

Expectations are not super high for Lions in 2022 since they have made it clear they are trying to build their roster towards the future, but after a fantastic draft adding some great foundational pieces the Lions may be able to shock some teams an win some close games down the stretch. The key for the Lions season in 2021-22 is running back D’Andre Swift.

Last offseason the Lions selected Georgia running back D’Andre Swift with the 35th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Many viewed Swift to be the top running back of the class, but he fell to the second round and was the second running back taken that year. When Swift got on the field he showed why he was RB1 on many peoples draft boards. During the 13 games he played during the 2020-21 season, Swift had 114 rushing attempts for 521 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 46 catches for 357 yards and two more touchdowns. Those numbers may not look fantastic, but when Swift got double digit carries during a game he averaged 71.2 yards rushing yards per game which would have been good for tenth in the NFL a season ago between David Montgomery and Josh Jacobs.

Head Coach Dan Campbell has already publicly said that he and the teams coaching staff has a lot of confidence building their offense around Swift. He also said he could have the potential of receiving “25 carries per game”.

There have been multiple context clues that the Lion’s have shown through other transactions this offseason that have shown that Swift could be the focal point of not only their offense, but their entire team. For starters they added both Anthony Lynn and Duce Staley to their coaching staff. Both are are former NFL running backs who have prioritized running backs during their coaching career.

New Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn has gotten great production out of the running backs he has coached over the years. During his time in Buffalo as the Assistant coach and running backs coach he got three Pro Bowl seasons out of LeSean McCoy. When he was the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers he got two outstanding statistical seasons out of Melvin Gordon and developed Austin Ekeler from undrafted free agent to a dangerous NFL starting running back.

Duce Staley has become one of the most respected running back coaches in the NFL. He returns to that role in Detroit and is also the Assistant Head Coach. He has gotten the opportunity to work with some great veteran backs in Philadelphia including LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles, DeMarco Murray, Ryan Matthews, LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi, Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, and many more.

The trade for Jared Goff also is a sign that the passing game may take a backseat this next season. Despite being a two time Pro Bowler, Goff has been more of a distributor than playmaker over his career. He only plays at his best when he has great pieces around him, including a dominant running game. His past two seasons in Los Angeles where the running game was not headline the Rams offense got the organization thinking that he may not be the teams long term answer at the position, especially since they are in win-now mode. Goff is a perfect quarterback for the Lions because he is a 26 year old former first overall pick who has shown potential to play at a high level, but can be easily moved off of after this season.

Detroit’s draft and free agent transactions were also very telling on what they prioritized offensively. During free agency Detroit shockingly let former Pro Bowl wide receiver Kenny Golladay and their leading receiver from the season prior Marvin Jones Jr. hit the market and sign with other teams. The Lions replaced them with veteran receivers Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman who are veterans who can stretch the field but may be more equipped to be a teams third option in the passing game. Instead they chose to extend former first round pick offensive lineman left tackle Taylor Decker and center Frank Ragnow. During the draft Detroit elected to take Oregon tackle Penei Sewell with the seventh overall pick over Heisman winner Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith. The Lions didn’t take a wide receiver until they took Amon-Ra St.Brown in the fourth round. St. Brown has the upside to be a very solid wide receiver at the next level, but was not looked at a potential primary target in an NFL passing game.

By prioritizing the offensive line over pass catchers throughout the offseason it shows that they want to give running back D’Andre Swift every opportunity to not only succeed but to make an impact on every play. Nothing shows more of a “bite your kneecap off” mentality on offense than a strong running game. It is expected that Swift is the focal point of the Lions offense and the entire team because by if Swift can control the clock late in games it will help the Lions young defense stay off the field and keep opposing teams from scoring on them.

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