Detroit Lions: Positives to take from the 2018 season
By Zac Snyder
The Detroit Lions did not live up to expectations for the 2018 season but there are still some positives to take from it as they head into 2019.
The 2018 season is in the books and it was mostly one to forget for the Detroit Lions.
The Lions struggled out of the gate and, while there were some signs late in September and into October that the Lions might make something of it, the season went into a death spiral instead of seeing the Lions make a late-season rise.
Even so, there are some positives to take from 2018 as the Lions start planning and looking forward to the next season.
Kenny Golladay
The Lions entered the season with one of the best wide receiver trios in the league with Golden Tate, Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay. By season’s end, that trio was down to a solo act with Tate traded away to the Philadelphia Eagles and Marvin Jones landing on injured reserve. That was a very bad thing but out of it we saw a very good thing and that was a clear display of Golladay’s potential as a true number one receiver.
The Golladay hype train filled quickly during his rookie season but it might have been easy to discount him some due to the presence of Tate and Jones dividing attention from defensive backs. It’s now clear Golladay can stand on his own merits. He is clearly not just the beneficiary of being able to work against defensive backs further down the opponents depth chart.
Case in point was the Lions’ loss in Buffalo against the Bills where Golladay caught seven passes for 146 yards. It is a fine stat line on its own but it looks even more impressive when considering just how anemic the Lions passing game was otherwise on that day. All other Lions receivers combined for just 62 receiving yards. Golladay was the only thing in the passing game that presented any kind of threat and he was able to come through.
Wide receiver will be a need heading into the offseason but Golladay proving he can move up a rung (or two) on the Lions depth chart without a problem instills confidence and should allow the Lions to address other bigger needs first. Depth behind Golladay and Jones is a concern but there are bigger holes to fill right now than a third and fourth wide receiver.