The Detroit Lions go into the 2020 NFL campaign looking for their first winning season in four years. In 2019 they ended the campaign with a 3-12-1 record which left them in last place in the NFC North.
A new season brings fresh opportunities for Matt Patricia’s side. Here are three reasons Lions fans can be hopeful that 2020 is a good year for their team.
Lions Should Be Strong Defensively
Detroit has done a good job in the offseason of adding some real quality to their roster on the defensive side of the ball, so we should see them improve this year.
One of their acquisitions is Jamie Collins from the New England Patriots. The outside linebacker has now joined up with his former defensive coach in Boston. Collins is an experienced player who had an excellent year in 2019.
The Lions were third overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they used their pick to select the leading cornerback on the board in Jeff Okudah. He has the potential to be an immediate star in the NFL. The former Ohio State player was named in the College Football All-American Team in 2019.
Question Marks About NFC Rivals
The Lions have not won a divisional title since 1993 so Detroit fans have waited a long time to celebrate a crown at the end of the regular season. They last reached the post-season in 2016 where they lost to Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round. Patricia’s side are 12/5 in the Space Casino betting to return to the playoffs at the end of 2020.
This season the NFC North is one of the most open divisions in the NFL. All four teams are closely matched and there are question marks about each one of them, so it is hard to see anybody running away with it.
The Green Bay Packers came out on top in the NFC North in 2019. Surprisingly, they have not provided quarterback Aaron Rodgers with any notable targets this year. Their success may depend on AR12 staying fit and healthy in the campaign.
Patricia Has Had Time Now to Adjust His Team
This season will be Matt Patricia’s third as the head coach of Detroit. The Lions overcame a number of rivals to secure the former Patriots defensive coordinator’s signature back in 2018.
Patricia now has a team he can call his own. It is much different to the one he adopted when he left Foxborough to take up the first head coaching job of his career. The pressure will now be on for him to deliver.
This latest Lions team has a lot to like about it. It has been reported that they are a close group of players who get on very well and enjoy working under Patricia. They will want to get the results their head coach needs on the field to ensure he remains at Ford Field for years to come.
It is set to be a tough opening schedule for the Lions but if they can remain in contention in the final weeks of the regular season, they will be in with a great chance of finishing with a winning record.
