The collapse didn’t come on the game’s biggest stage and the Detroit Lions’ failure to secure its first division title in 23 years will be overshadowed by the Falcons’ self destruction in the Super Bowl. But for long-suffering Lions fans it was another kick in the midsection. Detroit lost its final three games last year, including the finale to Green Bay to finish a game back of the Pack in the NFC North. They did win nine games, but the stumble at the end of the season carried over into the playoffs. There’s talent to duplicate last season’s success, led by franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Detroit Lions Futures Odds at BookMaker.eu
Lions Over 7.5 Wins + 116
Lions Under 7.5 Wins - 140
2017 Detroit Lions Offense Preview
Stafford flourished when Jim Bob Cooter was promoted to offensive coordinator in the middle of the 2015 season and that carried over to last season. There was talk two seasons ago that the Lions should move on from their former No. 1 pick, but Stafford silenced those critics with impressive numbers last season, throwing for 4,327 yards and 24 touchdowns. And he accomplished that while playing the last month with a busted finger on his throwing hand.
The lack of a running game and big-play receiver following the retirement of Calvin Johnson left a few holes in the offense and the unit wasn’t as efficient as it could have been. But things are looking better for the 2017 version. The Lions’ 30th ranked run game should be bolstered by the return of Ameer Abdullah, who was lost for the year in Week 2.
Stafford also has a new toy in the passing game to play with following the drafting of Kenny Golladay. He’ll join Marvin Jones Jr., Golden Tate and tight end Eric Ebron to form a talented group of receivers. Detroit failed to score a touchdown in two of its final four games, including the playoff loss to Seattle, and the offense needs to pick up the D, which won’t be able to win games on its own.
2017 Detroit Lions Defense Preview
When the Rams can score 28 points, you know the defense was too soft. There were other issues that were hidden by Stafford’s ability to pull out games in the fourth quarter, but those were glaring at the end of the season when the offense stumbled.
The defense had a hard time getting off the field and was miserable on third-down. They were equally bad at getting to the quarterback, ranking next to last in sacks with 26. That resulted in opposing quarterbacks having the highest rating against Detroit’s defense. The return to good health of Ezekiel Ansah, who recorded 14.5 sacks in 2015, should help. But the Lions already suffered a blow when last year’s sack leader Kerry Hyder was lost for the year in a preseason game.
The Lions used their top two picks in the draft on defenders, taking linebacker Jarrad Davis in the first round and corner Teez Tabor in the second. Both players are expected to compete for starting jobs immediately. If nothing else they will give added depth to a group that was picked apart at the end of last season.
2017 Detroit Lions Schedule Analysis
The schedule has both extremes with matchups against the hard-hitting AFC North and the pass-happy NFC South. In all, it looks to be a difficult chore for the Lions to reach .500. Pittsburgh is a Super Bowl contender and the Browns won’t be a push over. Heck, the Lions struggled against the 3-win Bears last year, losing once and winning the other by just a field goal.
Detroit’s defense will be tested early with games against some of the best QBs in the game. Carson Palmer, Eli Manning and MVP Matt Ryan are the first three up in 2017, and if some of the same problems from last season exist, it could be a rough start.
The Final Verdict
The Lions only have to be a .500 team to cash this futures bet and while the schedule appears to be more challenging, the team has upgraded enough to counter that. The offense will be improved now that Stafford has established himself in the league and the Lions are essentially getting another top pick back in the lineup with the return of Abdullah.
There were injuries in the back end that caused the pass defense to be one of the worst in the league and the depth issues were addressed. Look for Ansah to rebound after an ankle injury limited him last season and Darius “Big Play” Slay will continue to man the secondary. Not only will the Lions exceed the win total, if they get some positive bounces, they could end their streak of seasons without a division title.
NFL Odds: Detroit Lions Over 7.5 Wins ( + 116 )
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