Football is back and for the first time in a long time, there are heavy expectations in the Motor City for the Lions. It may be seen as just a preseason game but look back at last year’s preseason and it set the tone for the season that unfolded for the team.
The opener this year of course now has a different feel to it with the expectations but doing it against what should be a good New York Giants team is perfect. Coach Dan Campbell talks about how the season is a climb and about taking the steps to success, it all starts on Friday night.
The expectations for the Detroit Lions aren’t alone though, there are questions that are swirling about the team.
Will this Team Play with the Same Intensity?
Last year the Lions had the benefit, or not depending on who you ask, of having themselves on HBO’s Hard Knocks. The cameras showed a lot of what this coaching staff had to give as well as the roster being full of likeable players. The intensity that was captured will not only live on as stuff of NFL Films legend but also set the tone for the team’s tone for the year. They played with the same energy they had from the first practice all year and all signs point to that being the case again this year. Seeing that energy in the preseason opener against an equally high-energy type of team in the Giants will go a long way to quell any questions surrounding it.
What Will the New Look Secondary Play Like?
While calling it an Achilles heel may be a bit tough, the secondary was definitely a hindrance for the Lions in 2022. They recognized that and gave it a complete facelift in free agency and the NFL draft. Signings like Cam Sutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson are due to make an impact but in free agency, all eyes will be somewhere else. The rookies such as Brian Branch and surprising camp product Steven Gilmore both have chances to make an instant impact and set the tone for the remainder of camp.
Will the Rookies Set the Tone?
Switching sides of the ball, the offense is riddled with new arrivals, mainly of the offensive variety. Reports and scenes out of camp have Jahmyr Gibbs looking to be the next great dual-threat back in the NFL and Sam LaPorta is looking like he may be an impact player in year one. If both of those players can jump into the thick of things right away and show their impact then the rest of the NFC, not just the North, will take notice.
How Deep is the Receiver Room?
The return of Marvin Jones to be with budding superstar Amon-Ra St. Brown on the surface should be enough to tip the scales for Jared Goff. When you look beyond that though there needs to be more depth at the position. Rookie Antoine Green has made some progress out of camp but he also has some glaring setbacks. This needs to be the start of something for him. If not him though, then who? That question, more than any other, needs to be answered early in these preseason games.
