The 2022 NFL season is firmly on the horizon and over the coming weeks the Dimers crew will break down the chances of each and every team, all vying for Super Bowl 57 glory in Glendale, Arizona come February.
Let's take a look at the key factors to consider when betting on the Detroit Lions in 2022.
With the Lions appearing on HBO's Hard Knocks, they have become a betting favorite entering the season. But will Detroit take a big step forward in Dan Campbell's second year as head coach?
It took a dozen weeks for the Lions to put a notch in the win column in 2021, and although they split their final six games, they finished in the NFC North basement for a fourth consecutive year. Adding insult to injury, former longtime starting quarterback and fan favorite Matthew Stafford won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams after a swap for Jared Goff and a pair of first-round picks.
Compared to last offseason, this past spring and summer was quite vanilla for Detroit with the lone exception of the draft. It selected former Michigan standout Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall, and the Lott Trophy winner (presented to college football’s biggest impact defender) is bound to improve a pass rush desperate for a difference-maker. The Lions also jumped up to grab former Alabama WR Jameson Williams, an All-American talent who had 79 catches, 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Tide.
A clean bill of health will go a long way in determining if the Lions can get back to respectability. They last made the playoffs in 2017. Cornerback Jeff Okudah has played just 10 games in two seasons since being chosen No. 3 overall in 2020. Taken 32 picks later in the same draft, running back D’Andre Swift has missed seven games over his first two seasons. Free-agent addition DJ Chark was often inactive for Jacksonville but is a weapon if healthy. A trio of Amon-Ra St. Brown (90 receptions for 1,013 yards as a rookie), Chark and Williams on the field at the same time would be a welcomed sight for Goff.
“We feel good about Jared, the way he finished the year with all the adversity he faced,” Detroit GM Brad Holmes said of Goff during an interview on The Rich Eisen Show.
DimersBOT: In our model's 10,000 simulations of the upcoming NFL season, the Lions averaged 6.55 wins per year. With that in mind, this is nothing but a coin flip in our eyes. If we had to pick, we'd say to go with the Over.
Goff’s debut season with the Lions didn’t go as well as Stafford’s inaugural campaign with the Rams. The Detroit faithful endured a three-win season and their beloved ex-QB won a Super Bowl ring. Goff only threw eight interceptions, but also only 19 touchdowns. He probably has just a few months to prove he deserves a longer look before the front office starts looking elsewhere.
It will be years before a Super Bowl wager on the Lions isn’t laughed at. Detroit came away with one of the highest-rated draft classes, so there’s some exciting young talent on the roster but anything better than third in the NFC North would be a surprise.
DimersBOT: The Lions are going to get more Super Bowl bets than they should because of Hard Knocks, but don't fall for the same mistake as everybody else. Detroit's offense might be fun this season, but this team has work to do on defense.