Lions rookie LB Jahlani Tavai
With the 2019 season looming less than two weeks in the future, the Detroit Lions have gained no positive attention in regard to the media. Despite the additions of Trey Flowers, Justin Coleman, Jesse James, CJ Anderson and more via free agency and the drafting of TJ Hockenson and Jahlani Tavai no one seems to believe the Lions will take a step forward in the second year of Matt Patricia’s tenure as head coach.
Despite what appears to be an improved roster, with what appears to be a top-5 defensive line, Las Vegas has given the Detroit Lions an over/under win total of 6.5. This number got me thinking about what I, as a Lions fan, believed to be the best- and worst-case scenarios for the 2019 season.
Unfortunately, I could not come up with only one best-case scenario, instead I have two that could happen….
The first best-case scenario is that the Lions go 10-6 and earn a wildcard spot with the chance to win a playoff game for the first time in Matthew Stafford’s career. In being a wildcard, it will show that the player’s have bought into Patricia’s system. Also, a playoff berth will give fans a glimpse into how this team can handle the pressures of high stakes games.
The second best-case scenario is the Lions dropping yet another season and finishing 5-11. This will prove to us that Patricia is not the answer and he will be ousted from his position of head coach. It will show what GM Bob Quinn has built here in Detroit is not working and having a defensive mindset in this pass happy league is not the way to go. Bob Quinn will remain in his role of GM but will be on the hot seat entering the 2020 season, a season in which he must turn the Lions organization upside down and find a new head coach and a new philosophy.
And now the worst-case scenario….
The lions finish the 2019 season with an 8-8 record and miss the playoffs. The Lions front office will be happy with the result and the “turnaround” from last seasons 6-10 disaster. The Lions PR team will be spouting BS about the team taking a step forward, Patricia’s system falling into place, and that 2020 will be the year the Lions make their surge into the playoffs and win. This would mean that all people in important positions within the Lions organizations would be safe for at least the 2020 season.
Let us know what you think DSA Nation! Will the Lions surprise the NFL and make the playoffs? Will they finish near the bottom of the league and earn a high draft pick? Or will they be the Same Old Lions and finish 8-8 and spread false hope via their organizational propaganda?
Let me give you one more thing before you leave, here’s my BOLD ASS prediction for the Lions season…..
Detroit Lions owner Martha Ford
After being surrounded by massive amounts of negativity headed into Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, including Vegas having the game as a pick-em’ at one point in time, the Detroit Lions hold-off Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray’s air-raid offense and win 30-17. After jumping on Arizona the Lions drop 7 games straight for a 1-7 record at the half-way point of the season. An unhappy Marth Vader (thank you Mike Valenti) is tired of losing fires Patricia and Quinn. Defensive Coordinator Paul Pasqualoni takes over as interim head coach. The Lions finish the 2019 season with a 4-12 record, earning the No. 1 overall draft pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. With the No. 1 pick the Lions select Tua Tagovailoa to replace Matthew Stafford.