I’m thinking that if the Lions start winning they are gonna need their guys like Goff, Swift, Ragnow, etc. to play up to their level.
But…for the winning to start we are gonna need all kinds of guys to step up. Guys who we don’t know what their ceilings are. That is who I am talking about.
There is opportunity here for these second level guys and we need them to step up.
Levi is a 2nd rounder. Time for him to step up. For example.
Barnes is a 4th rounder and we need a LBer to step up.
Okudah was a top 3 pick. This club needs him now.
I listed Elliott as we don’t have a strong safety. If we start winning games chances are he will play a big part of that.
That is what I am looking at. Those kind of guys that we need to win games.
For sure, so many wildcards on defense. If we’re going to turn it around and win some game those guys must take big steps forward. The attacking scheme might really help Barnes and Levi.
He sux. More often than not he’s not even in the camera when his man makes the reception. Most of his INT’s were because of bad throws by the opposing QB.
Amani sucks?
"Because of the turnovers, Oruwariye has one of the best passer ratings against when targeted this season. Among cornerbacks who have played at least 50% of their team’s defensive snaps, his 69.8 passer rating against is tied for 10th, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s allowed 31 completions on 47 targets for 430 yards and two scores, to go with the five takeaways. "
Amani IS a solid CB. He just turned 26 in February. He is still getting better and he is an answer in the secondary for us. Add to this piece that the Lions were 30th in sacks in 2021 with 30 and it is easy to see that Amani will be even better if he gets a little help from the DL. The fact that he had some gimme INTs in 2021 doesn’t cloud his ability. Amani still made the plays.
For years the Lions have had solid playmakers and legit Pro Bowlers whether we are talking about Stafford, Calvin, Golladay, Marvin Jones, Darius Slay, Ziggy, Glover Quin, Quandre Diggs and Suh. The Lions have always been KILLED when it comes to those secondary players that needed to step up but never did when it counted most.
I am looking at the guys NOT considered top Lion players but the Lions season likely hinges on the guys I listed to step up if this Lions team has any hope of winning games in 2022.
A team needs their top guys to play well AND a team needs all those other guys, guys who have professional level talent but are not top players…to win games week-in-and-week-out in the NFL.
Denver and Seattle KILLED the Lions in 2022, not because they have so much more top talent. But because all their middle level guys KILLED our middle level guys. In 2022 we have a shot at flipping that script.
Dude played 98% of snaps at the time of that article.
That is Big Time, especially when they were again down to playing the hot dog vendor at nickel after Okudah, Parker, Price, Jacobs and one other guy went down between week 1 and 13…
I don’t care if he is Lucky Charms…how many times do you see a CB get a ball floated right to him and he gakks it, like he’s never held a football in his life? Oh, every week. So let’s not mindlessly discount that when a chance comes his way, he converts it because it looks easy…it ain’t
He is unlikely to repeat 6 picks because it doesnt happen often for anyone, partially because teams dont pick on that guy as much next time around…
I would start with Levis and Alim. The Dline is in rebuild mode and the Lions added even more high draft assets to that unit with Hutch and Paschal.
The second year guys need to lead the way with Brad and Dan’s vision. Levis was one of my favorite draft pieces last year and my biggest disappointments. Lots of reasons for his struggles have been revealed and it sounds like he’s done a lot of work to straighten himself out. We’ll see if it pays off.
The others for me would be players that were given more than a one year deal on a new contract. Walker, Charles Harris, Cabinda and Josh Reynolds all signed past this season. Walker received a three year deal, the rest were two year deals. The point being is that a team that this team has been rebuilding with one year deals, they gave some extra security to those players. They need to show that they were worth the extra incentive that other players did not get…including Chark. However, Id think Chark needs to show why he received 10mil to join this team.
I think this thread is about X-factors/unknowns. Could shake down many ways…
All of these guys are unknown variables that could have big impact on the team.
Because of the coaches, I think all of them play near or above their potential.
Goff
Levi
Okudah
J-Will (WR)
Swift’s health
Entire LB unit
Elliot
Hutch
Joseph
On the other side of it…there are 3 things in life you can ALWAYS count on…
-Death
-Taxes
-Jack Fox
Jefferson has the fire, determination, runs with all he has, he showed me heart despite of injury, showed me he wants to be here and contribute, and that he is willing to put in the work . I can live with guys like that .
There was some talk earlier in this thread about being able to replace guys with players like the Rams did. But that ain’t happening here. Ring chasers are not coming to the 2022 Lions.
This club will swim if our top players AND these other players step up for the Lions. That is our best hope for winning in 2022.
Callin’ me a dog, well leave a dog alone
Cause nothin’ can stop me from buryin’ my bones
In the backyard of someone else’s house
Ol’ Dirt Dog, but I’m not dogged out
Here comes Rover, sniffin’ at your ass
But pardon me bitch, as I shit on your grass
That means ho, you been shitted on
I’m not the first dog that’s shitted on your lawn
