The NFC may be running through Los Angeles right now, but Detroit is at least in the conversation as the team most capable of making life difficult for the Rams.
That was the vibe on NFL Network’s “GMFB” earlier this week, where the Lions were mentioned alongside the Bears, Eagles and Seahawks as possible challengers. Former WWE star Seth Rollins, now a regular on the show, made the case that Detroit belongs near the top of that list.
“The Lions are a really, really good team,” Rollins said. “They had a rough year last year, but they are a really, really well-coached team.
Jared Goff is an excellent quarterback. They’re an efficient offense.
Jahmyr Gibbs is going to take the brunt of the load this year and I think he’s ready for it. He could be an MVP candidate at running back.
That’s how good I think he is. I’m on the Kyle Brandt wagon when it comes to Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Lions are a really, really good team, and I think people are kinda overlooking them because they didn’t make the playoffs last year.”
Rollins didn’t stop there. He kept pushing the idea that Detroit’s offense stacks up with the league’s best, putting the group in the same neighborhood as the Rams when it comes to overall talent.
That’s the real point here: there are fair questions about the Lions’ defense, but the offense has enough firepower to keep this team in the hunt for a long time.
Elsewhere in the discussion, Blueingreer of Pride Of Detroit took a bigger swing and tried to measure the current Lions offense against some of the best units in NFL history. The exercise was subjective by design, focused on players rather than numbers, and centered on four offenses that tend to show up in any all-time conversation: the 2007 New England Patriots, the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs, the 2013 Denver Broncos and the 1999 St. Louis Rams.
The 2007 Patriots were built around Tom Brady and Randy Moss, with Wes Welker and Kevin Faulk filling out the skill group. Josh McDaniels’ offense was deep, and even Mike Vrabel chipped in with two touchdown catches. Up front, the line was anchored by Logan Mankins, with Todd Light and Dan Koppen also part of the mix.
The 2018 Chiefs brought the first full Mahomes show, with Tyreek Hill stretching defenses and Travis Kelce doing damage underneath and in the seams. The line, by comparison, wasn’t a strength, but that didn’t matter much with Mahomes creating chaos.
The 2013 Broncos were defined by Peyton Manning’s historic season. Blueingreer noted that the team’s case leaned heavily on Manning himself, without the same kind of Hall of Fame-level support at skill spots or along the offensive line.
Then there was the 1999 Rams, still the standard for the “Greatest Show on Turf” era. Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce and rookie Torry Holt gave them star power, while Orlando Pace held down left tackle in Mike Martz’s system.
From there, the Lions comparison started to take shape. Blueingreer placed Brady, Mahomes and Manning in a tier of their own at quarterback, with Kurt Warner next and Jared Goff right behind him.
At running back, Marshall Faulk remained the gold standard, though Jahmyr Gibbs was singled out as the player with the best shot to make his own case. Kevin Faulk was also praised as one of the most underrated backs on the list.
At tight end, Travis Kelce’s big year set the bar, making it a tough climb for Sam LaPorta. The wide receiver group was stacked across the board, with Moss and Isaac Bruce leading the way, Tyreek Hill third, Wes Welker serving as a precursor to Amon-Ra St.
Brown, and D. Thomas and Torry Holt also in the mix.
Blueingreer even slotted Jameson Williams ahead of the rookie Holt in that comparison.
The offensive line was where the Patriots separated themselves, and by a wide margin. The other three groups were described as more uneven, with Orlando Pace standing out as the lone obvious headliner. Blueingreer said there’s no reason to think the Lions line, built around Penei Sewell, is there yet, though he added that it could get into that conversation in a couple of years.
The bottom line from the comparison was clear: Detroit’s offense measures up well against some of the greats of the last 30 years. The Rams were the closest stylistic match, with both teams featuring quarterbacks who distribute the ball efficiently, dual-threat backs, strong receiver pairs and a standout left tackle surrounded by some question marks.
And there was one more detail that stood out. Of those four all-time offenses, only the 1999 Rams won the Super Bowl in that season.
The other three eventually got there in later years, but not when they were at their most explosive. That’s the kind of reminder that makes the Lions’ offensive ceiling so interesting right now.
In Other News...
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Lions Suddenly Have One Big Returner Question To Answer
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Now the job is open, and Greg Dortch is in the mix to help fill it while also giving the offense another receiver option. Special teams coach Dave Fipp has already pointed to Dortch as a fit for the role, noting the similarities between him and Raymond, which gives Detroit at least some confidence that the transition can be smooth even if the competition for the spot is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]