NFL Power Rankings, Week 1: Titans ink Clowney, Chiefs remain clear favorites

We all know that the Detroit Lions finished the 2019 season with a 3-12-1 record, the third-worst mark in the NFL. Subsequently, head coach Matt Patricia enters a new season with serious questions about his long-term viability on the sidelines in the Motor City. But at the same time, how last year transpired doesn’t entirely tell the story of this team.

What does tell the story is the Matthew Stafford injury that limited the quarterback to just eight games a year ago. Prior to that injury, the Lions were 3-4-1 and could’ve been 5-3 with a couple of bounces of the ball as the signal-caller was playing an MVP-caliber brand of football. For the non-math majors out there, that means Detroit went 0-8 once Stafford was sidelined.

The quarterback returns to the mix for the 2020 NFL season, though, and that should excite everyone. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell constructed an offense last year ideally suited to play to the strengths of the big-armed quarterback and weapons like breakout star Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones Jr. and young tight end T.J. Hockenson. The offense should be high-flying and, frankly, impressive this year.

At the same time, the defense remains a question mark. The front seven is a bit of an issue right now and the secondary is in a period of transition as well. Can Patricia work his Patriot magic on that side of the ball? His job may depend on the answer to that but the Lions offense should keep the team competitive if Stafford remains healthy.