No NFL team starts out each season in training camp aiming for mediocrity. The motto “go big or go home” rings true for every football player and team who plays this game. For the Detroit Lions this season, “going big” doesn’t necessarily mean the going to the Super Bowl. Sometimes the big wins come in smaller, more realistic ways and the Lions could and should have a stronger 2022 overall record when all is said and done.
Lions 2021 season overview
The Detroit Lions finished up the 2021 regular season with a disappointing 3-13-1 record. Exasperation was the Lions mantra last year. Head coach Dan Campbell had that emotion written all over his face after many games. However, the Lions also lost three games to field goals as time expired and these games could have gone the other way giving the Lions a possible 6-10-1 record in 2021. A 6-10-1 record is nothing to brag about but certainly would have put the Lions in better company statistically and removed the “bottom feeder” status for this proud organization.
2022 expectations
I’m sure that many Lions fans would love to see the Honolulu Blue & Silver in the Super Bowl next February and while that would certainly be nice, it’s not in the cards for the Lions-yet. Offensively speaking, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown had a breakout rookie season last year and should continue to lead all Lions receivers this season. QB Jared Goff had TE T.J. Hockenson as a top passing target as well and with over 60 receptions last year, Hockenson should provide additional passing firepower this year as well. RB’s D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams look to be a powerful one-two running combo and help expand the Lions ground game.
Defensively, the Lions are excited to have first round pick and Michigan native DE Aidan Hutchinson who could be the top defensive rookie this year in the whole NFL and provide an elite level of pass rushing if he fully adjusts to the higher level of competition at the professional level. LB Malcolm Rodriguez may have only been selected in the sixth round but the excitement surrounding his performance in the preseason points to him having a breakout rookie year. Rodriguez earns a starting LB spot by Week Three of the season.
Final season predictions
It would be awesome to say that the Lions will turn things around in 2022 and finish with a winning 9-8 record and make a wild card push. However, it takes about three years to turn around a losing team into a winning organization. Realistically, the Lions will finish up this season going 6-11 and double the wins from last year. The games against the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and New York Jets are truly tossups matches. The Lions could conceivably pull those games into the W column and 6-11 becomes 9-8 and the Lions become a turnaround success story for 2022.