Super Bowl XLIX is over, and it is officially time to look forward to next season.
But first, we need to take one last analytical look at what happened to know how to move forward.
There is much to be praised about this Lions team, which had the organization’s winningest season. However, the season ended early, so work still needs to be done. It would be very easy to say, “Yeah if everyone were healthy things would have been different.”
But there’s no going back— guys were hurt, interceptions were thrown, tackles were missed, and there is no reopening the ‘24 season.
Season Grades
Jared Goff – B+
Jared Goff did exactly what he was supposed to do all season.
However, the team’s three losses came from the games in which Goff had the most pass attempts. Correlated or not, this is a fact.
Goff is undeniably a great quarterback. He had 12 games with a passer rating over 100. However, his lowest performance affected the team, demonstrating the importance of a good quarterback. Given the 30-year-old’s high-quality performance throughout the season — including recovering from a five-interception game — Goff is getting a high rating.
His performance was beyond just complete passes— he was the leader of the team. His grade, however, dropped with a poor performance on the final project (post-season), as he gave up his opportunity. The team had a phenomenal performance during the game; however, Goff’s interceptions put the team in troubling positions.
Montgomery and Gibbs – A+
Everyone knew something was special when the pair came out this season calling themselves Sonic and Knuckles. Both are in the top 10 for rushing touchdowns this season. Jahmyr Gibbs made the top 10 leaderboards for all-purpose and rushing yards. Montgomery would likely be on this list had he been fully healthy. Gibbs showed exceptional speed, holding the third and tenth-fastest ball carries this season.
https://twitter.com/NextGenStats/status/1850592663395053998
The two proved to be an unstoppable force. The team averaged 149 rush yards per game, ranking third in the league. Handing the ball off was an easy option for the Lions this season. They also contributed to several key plays, including a few trick plays and adding a passing touchdown to their season stats.
https://twitter.com/Spenmorax/status/1840986736748278101
https://twitter.com/LionsLeadSM/status/1889752666412085412
St. Brown – A+
Amon-Ra St. Brown was an easy go-to receiver for the Lions this year.
He received 27% of the targets this season, earned his third Pro Bowl appearance, and made the AP 1st team for the second consecutive season.
His stats were impressive, as he held the fifth most receiving yards this season while only logging four drops. He also had the speed and agility necessary to carry the Lions’ receiving room.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1873926001237110912
Wide Receivers – B
The Detroit Lions were second in the league in receiving yards and fourth in touchdowns this season.
Most of this was led by St. Brown, Montgomery, and Gibbs. Jameson Williams earned himself 1,001 yards this year. Kalif Raymond was more popularly used on the return team than lining up for receptions. Overall, the receiver room was impressive but not as used or depended on as the rest of the offense.
Offensive Line – A
https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1877079325645877426
The Lions were sacked the tenth fewest times this season. The offensive line was the base of Detroit’s offense this season. They created the perfect gaps for running backs and plenty of thinking time for Goff. Of course, you cannot forget Dan Skipper’s receiving touchdown. In a heavily offensive team, the Detroit People Movers were the ones who made it happen all season.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1868422626080964883
Secondary – B
Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph were two people a quarterback did not want to see near their pass.
Joseph led the league in interceptions this year. The issue in the secondary came from penalties. They received 19 PI calls, the second most in the league, giving up 274 yards. Overall, the defensive backs surrendered 413 yards this season. These numbers did not lose any games but did not make certain wins feel comfortable.
Defensive Line – B-
The excuse has been made time and again about the number of injuries on the team.
Aidan Hutchinson’s early exit during an otherwise flawless game in Dallas was only the start. He began the season leading the league with seven tackles. Z’Darius Smith was a massive addition to the line to help with pass protection and QB pressure. Jack Campbell was an impressive player on this defense as he was able to step into a leadership position with the loss of Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone.
Despite injured players, those who had to step up held prevented well as the team ranked 11th in points allowed.
https://twitter.com/Lions/status/1832983862412239223
Special Teams – A+
Jake Bates and Jack Fox were a stellar combo for the Lions’ special teams.
Despite not punting during three games, Fox proved himself to be the best in the league, even earning a pro-bowl spot. He had great ball placement, dropping several punts just before the endzone. His job also played a crucial role as the holder for Jake Bates, who only missed five kicks all season and was perfect from beyond 50 yards. Impressively, he scored two game-winning field goals. They were a reliable duo for the Lions when they were needed.
Overall – A
No Lions fan should look back at this season with despair. The team had their winningest season and set several single-season records. Despite their early exit, the Lions seemed to be one of the best teams in the league and are the hungriest for September.
Leave a comment