Getty Devin White hits Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
Like the rest of the NFL world, the Detroit Lions watched the Tampa Bay Buccaneers claim Super Bowl LV on Sunday night amid a surprising blowout performance against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Naturally, there are plenty of things a team can learn from a squad which has just claimed the Super Bowl, so pairing things down can be hard. In this case, it’s easy for Detroit to pick up some helpful tips that might aid them in the future as they attempt to end their own Super Bowl drought.
What else do the Lions need to remember? Here’s a look at the top lessons they can learn from the latest champions of the league as they apply to Detroit.
Believe in Your Quarterback
While many thought that Tom Brady was washed up or on the way down last year at this time, the Buccaneers saw enough in Brady to build him up and build around him for the 2020 season. That might not seem hard to do given Brady’s status as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. Still, the Lions are going into a new season with Jared Goff, and the fact that the front office believed in him enough to put him in the mix is a good start. Now, the Lions have to continue to supplement Goff’s talent with players around him as they build him up. If Goff is the guy, the team has to own it and believe in him. The Buccaneers showed how this can be done with Brady no matter what folks on the outside might say, so it serves as a good example for the Lions as they start over in 2021.
Speed on Defense Is Significant
Devin White might have been the fastest player on the field all night, and it made the difference for the Buccaneers, as he was an eraser that contained several of Kansas City’s quickest players on the edges. The Buccaneers also turned loose plenty of speed up front with Jason Pierre-Paul, Shaquil Barrett, Ndamukong Suh and others. That was hard for the Chiefs to deal with. Detroit’s defense needs a makeover this offseason, and they’d be wise to look at how the Buccaneers have managed to pull theirs off. Speed at every position is a must, and the Lions need to take note of that as they get set to think about how to make over their own defense for next season and the future.
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Running Back Depth Is Paramount
The Buccaneers don’t have only one guy they can throw at a team, but rather waves of runners. With Ronald Jones, they have some solid speed and a guy who can break into the open field. With Leonard Fournette, the Buccaneers have a hammer they can slam at teams in order to wear down a defense. The Lions have one solid runner in DAndre Swift, but the question persists as it relates to if they have another in Kerryon Johnson. The search for one elite runner has eluded Detroit lately, but having a pair of players can be even better for balance.
The Right Coordinators Make a Difference
Tampa Bay has Byron Leftwich and Todd Bowles calling the shots, and both have experience as former players as well as a long history of coaching in the league. The Buccaneers were able to build around these coordinators and keep them in the fold. Detroit has hired a solid staff that mimics what the Buccaneers have been able to do on the field recently. Like Bowles, Anthony Lynn is a former head coach. Aaron Glenn is a former player and teacher at defensive coordinator. Detroit hasn’t had the right combination of coordinators in the last few seasons, but in hiring a former coach and a former player with teaching success, they look poised to be able to deliver on better results in the future.
A Winning Culture Can Happen Fast
The Buccaneers weren’t the closest thing to a budding champion even a few seasons ago. From 2015-2019, the team was a pedestrian 32-48 on the field and only had a single winning season to their credit. As recently as last season, the Buccaneers were 7-9 with much of the same team minus Tom Brady. Obviously, Brady made a big impact on the roster, but culture flips can happen fast given the right ingredients and variables. The Lions may seem like they are light-years away from contention now, but if Dan Campbell and company can press the right buttons and the team can catch fire as they turn over a new leaf, anything is truthfully possible.
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