How Competitive Will Lions be in 2021?

[boogerlovejoy]

How many more people does Aaron Donald need to beat up before he gets suspended? 2 or 3?...lets root for that.

We play them.....how bout we sign a random OL of the street to chop block him until....

1. He blows out a knee

or

2. He retaliates like Myles Garrett and swings a helmet at someone.

 

[tomdalton22]

How can every team get better?

although VERY unlikely, every team could get better, but the net W/L record will always remain .500

 

[mhughes0021]

Itd be such great Karma if Stafford left the lions and in the same year Aaron Rodgers retires to become a full time game show host.

 

[LKP]

Vikings better. Peterson, Dalvin Tomlinson, Michael Pierce back, Hunter back, Barr back, Kendricks healthier. The defense will be back.

Bears worse right now, don't know if draft can save them from Andy Dalton. Added Desmond Trufant while cutting Kyle Fuller. Oline needs. Beat them once last year

Packers didn't really change anything. Lost Williams but have Dillon. Bakhtiari healthy is key. They need one Oline and CB for next year and ILB and one DE. Back to back 13 13 but with Stafford we were competitive against them. Let's see with Goff

at Falcons about the same bad. Can we beat them again with Gurey gone now
Eagles worse right now in a rebuild. But clearly they could still beat us
Broncos a little better but Drew Lock has to improve or they find a new QB

Rams better with Stafford but lost things on defense including a good DC and Johnson/Brockers

Cardinals better going in for Murray. Somehow we beat them

Seattle looks worse right now and Wilson drama

49ers should be better and getting rookie QB. Will have more healthy but secondary changes for them

Browns better
Steelers worse but still good
Ravens about the same and still good
Bengals will probably get better. Depends on Burrows injury

 

[zyxt9]

How can every team get better?

Being better is a relative thing.

Saying "The Lions will be better!" is moot because that is only comparing the Lions to themselves.

The Lions will improve after the Draft, as every team will. Now, will the Lions only improve by 10% while their opponents improve 15+%? So, while the Lions improved, their opponents improved even more and therefore the Lions likely win fewer games than last year.

On the other hand, maybe the Lions improve by 50% while their opponents only improve by 5%. Then the Lions likely win more games than they did last year.

The baseline is also different for each team. Say a team has 50% better talent than the Lions to start with can afford a 5% improvement because the Lions would need to improve by over 55%...which will not happen unless they score an All-Pro with every single pick, which has never happened in NFL history.

All of it is relative, but every team improves after the Draft compared to their situation before the Draft. Adding young talent to compete and replace less talented players results in an improved team...but it is relative to the improvement other teams, combined with where each team starts out, that matters more.

So while the Lions will undoubtedly improve after the Draft...how much better will they be compared to how much better their opponents will be is what must be analyzed.

 

[mhughes0021]

Being better is a relative thing.

Saying "The Lions will be better!" is moot because that is only comparing the Lions to themselves.

The Lions will improve after the Draft, as every team will. Now, will the Lions only improve by 10% while their opponents improve 15+%? So, while the Lions improved, their opponents improved even more and therefore the Lions likely win fewer games than last year.

On the other hand, maybe the Lions improve by 50% while their opponents only improve by 5%. Then the Lions likely win more games than they did last year.

The baseline is also different for each team. Say a team has 50% better talent than the Lions to start with can afford a 5% improvement because the Lions would need to improve by over 55%...which will not happen unless they score an All-Pro with every single pick, which has never happened in NFL history.

All of it is relative, but every team improves after the Draft compared to their situation before the Draft. Adding young talent to compete and replace less talented players results in an improved team...but it is relative to the improvement other teams, combined with where each team starts out, that matters more.

So while the Lions will undoubtedly improve after the Draft...how much better will they be compared to how much better their opponents will be is what must be analyzed.

That analysis also means we have the greatest upside to improve by subtraction.

Does losing patricia make us better?

If Tavaii never sees the field does that make us better?

Having WRs that actually run routes instead of ride bikes....does that make us better?

 

[boogerlovejoy]

Being better is a relative thing.

Saying "The Lions will be better!" is moot because that is only comparing the Lions to themselves.

The Lions will improve after the Draft, as every team will. Now, will the Lions only improve by 10% while their opponents improve 15+%? So, while the Lions improved, their opponents improved even more and therefore the Lions likely win fewer games than last year.

On the other hand, maybe the Lions improve by 50% while their opponents only improve by 5%. Then the Lions likely win more games than they did last year.

The baseline is also different for each team. Say a team has 50% better talent than the Lions to start with can afford a 5% improvement because the Lions would need to improve by over 55%...which will not happen unless they score an All-Pro with every single pick, which has never happened in NFL history.

All of it is relative, but every team improves after the Draft compared to their situation before the Draft. Adding young talent to compete and replace less talented players results in an improved team...but it is relative to the improvement other teams, combined with where each team starts out, that matters more.

So while the Lions will undoubtedly improve after the Draft...how much better will they be compared to how much better their opponents will be is what must be analyzed.

It is relative, but to assume everyone gets better every year is not accurate at all. EVERY year in the NFL teams like the Lions jump from 5 wins to 9 or 10......and some teams will go from 10 to 5. Every team does not improve each off season. As Hughes mentioned.....we likely will be better this year just because that fat piece of "rocket scientist" coaching excrement isn't calling the shots.

 

[biggunsbob]

I just want the Lions to win. The 2020?s will be the decade of the Lions !

 

[LKP]

I just want the Lions to win. The 2020?s will be the decade of the Lions !

The roaring 20s

 

[mhughes0021]

Finish the oline... you have a chance to be mediocre.

 

[tomdalton22]

Finish the oline... you have a chance to be mediocre.

mediocre...that's typically the Lions ceiling.

 

[mhughes0021]

mediocre...that's typically the Lions ceiling.

Oline id say optimistically we're off to a good start. SOlidify that RT spot with a stud and id dare to even say we'd have a good oline. Establish the run with Swift and Williams. Minimize Goffs tendancy to make mistakes. We could win a couple games. Some games Goff will lose. Most of the games the defense will lose.

Ya, id say mediocre is their ceiling.

 

[LKP]

Jones/Amendola/Cephus top 3 WR targets last year

Waddle/Williams/Perriman. Every WR would be improved. Plus Hock and Swift and run game already even with Crosby at RT and new system and Williams over Peterson.

I would say we could get mediocre that way too.

 

[detrisin]

I think Anthony Lynn has a chance to get the running game in order without a whole lot more resources dedicated to it. He's coached up some good ground games more than once. Sure feels like Swift is the real deal and Williams was a good pickup IMO. Let's see if the Round 4 mauler Stenberg lives up to his run game rep at G. Let Vaitai and Crosby hang for RT.

On defense, Aaron Glenn has his work cut out for him. Hopefully the addition by subtraction of Patricia is a major step. It could happen, but the main thing I will be looking for on D is a level of competence not seen in years. Anybody remember the Chad Beebe TD vs. Minn? That and similar really bad plays (10 men, mental lapses) were too much the normal under Fat Matt.

As for the draft...anything but QB. They're trying to see if Goff is worth anything. The only way to do that is let it ride with him. If he comes through, problem solved. If he sucks (I'll be blunt...I think he will suck) then you're drafting your preferred QB high next year. I'm sure they have looked at that scenario. And next year they would not pick the 5th QB off the board.

Best case this year, trade down a few and still get Parsons. That's my hope.

 

[tomdalton22]

I think Anthony Lynn has a chance to get the running game in order without a whole lot more resources dedicated to it. He's coached up some good ground games more than once. Sure feels like Swift is the real deal and Williams was a good pickup IMO. Let's see if the Round 4 mauler Stenberg lives up to his run game rep at G. Let Vaitai and Crosby hang for RT.

On defense, Aaron Glenn has his work cut out for him. Hopefully the addition by subtraction of Patricia is a major step. It could happen, but the main thing I will be looking for on D is a level of competence not seen in years. Anybody remember the Chad Beebe TD vs. Minn? That and similar really bad plays (10 men, mental lapses) were too much the normal under Fat Matt.

As for the draft...anything but QB. They're trying to see if Goff is worth anything. The only way to do that is let it ride with him. If he comes through, problem solved. If he sucks (I'll be blunt...I think he will suck) then you're drafting your preferred QB high next year. I'm sure they have looked at that scenario. And next year they would not pick the 5th QB off the board.

Best case this year, trade down a few and still get Parsons. That's my hope.

the 5th QB off the board this year may be Fields or Lance. There is a good chance that those guys are better than the first QB off the board in the 2022 draft.

 

[Mitchrapp]

If Cincy takes a WR, which some think (Chase played with their QB), if we're lucky and we can grab Sewell line is fixed and we can run more often more effectively. Offense is 70% better.

 

[detrisin]

the 5th QB off the board this year may be Fields or Lance. There is a good chance that those guys are better than the first QB off the board in the 2022 draft.

No thanks to either one of them.

 

[tomdalton22]

No thanks to either one of them.

I'm with you...the Lions need a lot and I think they should be trading back if possible. My point was just that if Goff doesn't pan out, the guy they are choosing next year may not be as good as Lance or Fields. Basically, if Goff doesn't pan out, the Lions might be in real trouble.

 

[mhughes0021]

ive been doing a ton of those mock draft simulators. You really only need 1 trade down to cover all the starter holes.

What happens in a majority of the instances is you end up getting a guy like Parsons later....but the OT you get in rd 2 or 3 im not 100% sure will be an upgrade over Crosby.

LB x2, Slot WR, RT, S....you really need 5 picks in the first 3 rounds to make it work. Then theres a lot of quality DT depth you can pick up in rds 4 or 5.

If you stick and pick a stud RT at 7...i wonder if it almost puts you in a better situation? Having that solid core oline as a finished product.

I think id be equally fine with both scenarios. trade down and get more picks will net you more starters to fill holes. Sticking at 7 and picking a OT will finish your rebuild on your oline.

 

[tomdalton22]

ive been doing a ton of those mock draft simulators. You really only need 1 trade down to cover all the starter holes.

What happens in a majority of the instances is you end up getting a guy like Parsons later....but the OT you get in rd 2 or 3 im not 100% sure will be an upgrade over Crosby.

LB x2, Slot WR, RT, S....you really need 5 picks in the first 3 rounds to make it work. Then theres a lot of quality DT depth you can pick up in rds 4 or 5.

If you stick and pick a stud RT at 7...i wonder if it almost puts you in a better situation? Having that solid core oline as a finished product.

I think id be equally fine with both scenarios. trade down and get more picks will net you more starters to fill holes. Sticking at 7 and picking a OT will finish your rebuild on your oline.

the more I think about it, the more I think OT is the only position that they should pick at #7. WRs are a dime a dozen.