Getty Dan Campbell coaching the Lions during a 2021 game against Arizona.
When the Detroit Lions embark on the 2022 season, most expect the team to be improved, but the focus now for folks is on what type of year would be successful for the team.
Most think the Lions would do well to have a winning record, improve upon 2021’s three-win total or even show modest signs of improvements. Now, a clear list of goals has been established for the team courtesy of Good Morning Football.
The latest Lions news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lions newsletter here!
During its July 11 airing, the GMFB crew examined some potential realistic goals for the team during the 2022 season. Included on the list was a shoutout to Dan Campbell’s famous kneecap rant, but also, the show said they believe the Lions need to win over 6.5 games and have a memorable edition of Hard Knocks in order to impress.
What does a successful season look like for the teams in the NFC North?
We have some checklists:
For these purposes, the Hard Knocks angle is most interesting. The show is a good proving ground for teams, and the Lions could use it to leverage their position in the league. If the Lions have a “Hard Knocks to remember,” the national conversation about the team will begin to shift in a major way.
Add it all up and it seems the Lions are poised to take advantage of this in a big way. They need to in order to help the rebuild move forward and shift the narrative in their direction.
Lions Cracked ‘Hard Knocks’ This May
Earlier this offseason, the Lions were revealed as in the mix for Hard Knocks. The show offers a behind-the-scenes look at teams in the NFL as they prepare for a season. Detroit had long been rumored to be in the mix for a potential show role in the past, but finally, it played out with the team being selected back in May.
Combined with the NFL draft coming to Detroit in 2024, the city is embarking on a whole lot of football headlines. At the time of Hard Knocks selecting the Lions, folks erupted and were very excited about the Lions getting into the mix with a personality like Campbell at the helm of the team as well as fun personalities like Jamaal Williams and company holding things down from the players.
Getting the team into the mix for a well-known show is good news in order to help the franchise turn things around in the long term.
Why Lions Will Be Entertaining for ‘Hard Knocks’
This offseason, the Lions didn’t make a coaching change, nor have they made the playoffs the last two seasons. Those facts qualified them to be featured on the program, along with the likes of the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers.
Neither the Jets nor the Panthers are teams that generate nearly as much excitement and media hype as the Lions, especially given Campbell’s presence. Folks have been wanting to get a closer look at Campbell for a while, and being on Hard Knocks would allow the kind of behind-the-scenes glimpse at the team. Now, folks will get to see what makes the Lions tick.
Detroit is not typically a team that generates much NFL press, but being on Hard Knocks could get them to the point where they can use the publicity as momentum for the future. Just a few years ago, the Cleveland Browns managed to leverage their situation on the show and use it as a building point for the future. Now that Detroit is the choice, they could manage to do the same thing.
The hope for many is that the Lions show up well on Hard Knocks and impress people while there. That has to be a goal for the team when all is said and done.
READ NEXT: Lions Pushed for Key Extension Ahead of 2022 Season