5 NFL teams who could shatter expectations in the 2020 season
By Randy Gurzi
4. Detroit Lions
This is a big season for Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia. He’s entering his third year in the Motor City and has yet to field a winning record. This isn’t uncommon for new coaches but what stands out for him is the regression they made in 2019.
After going 6-10 in his first campaign, the Lions fell to 3-12-1. There were some excuses for the decline, with the main one being the injury to Matt Stafford. With their starting quarterback out, the Lions were unable to get anything done. They were 3-4-1 with Stafford starting and 0-8 without him.
Having said that, the 0-8 mark without Stafford is inexcusable, and that hurts Patricia as he enters 2020. Being unable to get it done without your star quarterback reflects poorly on the coach. No one expects them to reel off a Super Bowl win the way Tom Brady did for New England or Nick Foles with the Eagles, but a coach should at least be able to muster up one win in eight tries with their reserve quarterback.
The good news for Patricia is Stafford will be back in 2020 and that will help him tremendously as he tries to secure his job beyond this season. Even better news is the fact that Stafford was playing lights out in 2019 and according to ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky, bo one was better than Stafford in the first eight games of the season.
Go re-watch the first 8 games for the @Lions last year. Matthew Stafford was the best QB in football.
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) July 22, 2020
Orlovsky, who was once one the Lions, was criticized for this take but it’s easy to see where he was coming from. Stafford was on pace for just under 5,000-yards and had a 19-to-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio as well.
It’s not all on Stafford either in 2020. The Lions added some great talent with the draft selections of Jeff Okudah and J.K. Dobbins who should both be high-impact players from the moment they step on the field for Detroit.