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The Detroit Lions are preparing for a new season, and as they do, fans are thinking about just what type of season the team will have.
Early predictions have seen a wide range of outcomes, from the Lions perhaps challenging for the NFC North and making the playoffs, to bottoming out further and collecting yet another high draft pick in 2023.
It’s safe to say, though, that perhaps no prediction has been quite like the one that Pro Football Focus analyst Sam Monson recently unveiled for the team.
Putting together a new piece for the site making some bold calls for 2022, Monson took a closer look at the Lions, and did project the team to make the playoffs as perhaps his boldest prediction of all.
“The Lions’ rebuild has been progressing well over the past couple of years, and it wouldn’t take much of a jump this season for the team to insert itself into the wild card race,” he wrote.
Detroit’s schedule has been cited as a big reason the team could make a run, and that is seen here as a major factor within this prediction, in addition to the team’s offense as well as the offensive line.
Interestingly enough, though, Monson’s other two predictions are wildly opposite.
Monson Predicts Awful Result for Lions Defense
To make the playoffs, one would think the Lions would have to be average on defense. In Monson’s mind, that’s simply not going to happen. He pegs Detroit for a bottom five defense in the NFL this year.
“Detroit’s defense allowed a successful play by the offense on 38.9% of snaps last season, 30th in the league. The Lions have made moves but are relying on a lot of unknowns to get better,” Monson wrote.
In terms of recent history, stats help show why it is never a bad idea for analysts to proclaim the Lions defense will be terrible. The team had a dreadful season on the field in 2021, ranking 24th in passing defense having given up 244 yards per-game as well as 28th against the run, allowing 135 yards per-game on the ground. The team placed 29th in total defense as a result.
Combined with an inability to generate sacks (30) as well as interceptions (just 11 total), the team struggled last season across the board. It was merely a culmination of years of problems, though. In 2019, the Lions placed 31st in total defense, and 32nd in 2020. That was in spite of employing supposed defensive guru Matt Patricia.
Obviously, cleaning up a mess takes time, and the Lions showed some strides last year in spite of their problems. There is hope even more strides can be made, but it might take a while to get the team out of the statistical basement completely.
Lions’ Offensive Line Projected for Big Year
A ray of hope that could pull Detroit’s defense out of trouble is the team’s resurgent offense. According to Monson, the revolution for the Lions will start along the team’s offensive line.
As his final bold prediction, Monson predicts that Detroit’s offensive line will be a top-five unit in the league. This is due mostly to the young players they have and the unique way the team finished 2021, looking solid. If they give Jared Goff time to throw, the offense could be in good shape.
As Monson put it, “Detroit’s offensive line could be the strength of the offense.”
Would an elite offense and offensive line be enough to drag a rough Lions’ defense over the finish line in 2022 and into the playoffs? Monson thinks it’s the case, making this perhaps the most interesting trio of 2022 predictions made about Detroit.
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