NFL Week 2, 2019: 20 Bold predictions to consider
By Dan Parzych
20. Hockenson follows up rookie debut with another monster game
Back in April, the Detroit Lions decided to use the No. 8 pick on T.J. Hockenson with the hope of providing Matthew Stafford another reliable weapon to work with in the passing game.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
One performance isn’t going to determine the kind of NFL career Hockenson is going to have with the Lions, but the team has every reason in the world to be thrilled with how his rookie debut went against the Arizona Cardinals.
Even though it was frustrating to watch Detroit blow the lead against Arizona before settling for the tie, at least the six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown by Hockenson gave the offense plenty of hope for the next few months.
Throughout his career, Matthew Stafford has a history of making the players around him better on offense, and one can only imagine how much Hockenson is going to benefit from his new beloved pass-catching tight end.
With the Lions hosting the Los Angeles Chargers for their home opener, Stafford is going to need all of the extra help possible on offense to take down one of the top teams in the AFC from a year ago.
If Hockenson comes through with another big game, this will only make the Lions feel even better about their decision from back in April.