The Detroit Lions 2024 campaign was nothing more than a bittersweet tale.
They proved all regular season just how dominant this team can be with the best points differential in the league by a wide margin while overcoming an absurd amount of injuries on the defensive side of the football.
Yet, the bitter ending came at the hands of the Washington Commanders completely dissecting this overwhelmed defense and the offense uncharacteristically turning over the football in the team’s disappointing one-and-done performance in the postseason.
This begs the question…
Let’s start here. A 15-2 record last season certainly suggests the window isn’t closed for the Detroit Lions.
The talent on the roster isn’t really the question here. It is how much of an impact does consecutive postseason letdowns have on this group of players?
They had the San Francisco 49ers on the ropes in the 2023 NFC Championship Game and came up short. They had home-field advantage entering the 2024 NFL postseason, and came up short against a rookie quarterback — despite having the superior roster.
Now, this coaching staff lost their offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason — which could have a bigger impact than many expect.
Jared Goff has been great over his last three seasons in Detroit. He has topped 4,400 yards and 29 touchdowns during that span and was even in the MVP conversation at times throughout the 2024 NFL season.
Yet, Goff’s performance could be under a microscope this year without offensive coordinator Ben Johnson calling the plays in 2025. Goff’s production in 2021 — his only year in Detroit without Johnson as the OC — was the worst since his rookie year.
Admittedly, this offensive roster looks vastly more explosive entering 2025 than it did back in 2021 — but it will be interesting to see how Goff, and this offense, performs without an elite playcaller.
When just analyzing the roster, it is hard to find too many concerning areas. The offensive line is elite, they have explosive playmakers at every skill position, an elite edge rusher, and some great pieces in the secondary.
Cornerback and a complementary edge rusher to Aidan Hutchinson feel like the biggest needs on the roster entering the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Lions were able to overcome these shortcomings on the roster last season with elite offensive production.
Ultimately, the Lions still have a Super Bowl-caliber roster in the NFC. Yet, one can’t help but feel like 2025 could be a make-or-break year for some of these key contributors on the roster.
