Detroit Lions 2023 Preview: Can Jared Goff Get Back To The Super Bowl With This Team?

The Lions are in a similar predicament that Minnesota is in. The team is highly talented, and the coach is lovable, but the QB may hold this team back from winning it all. On paper, it may seem like Goff is a top-ten QB, but in reality, the play calling and surrounding core truly led to those stats. There was an excellent run game, and the passing game thrived because of it. Linebackers and Safeties would get drawn up to the line of scrimmage to defend the run. Then Ben Johnson would take advantage of it by attacking the middle of the field. They had a lot of success towards the end of last year. Many fans credit this success to Goff, who was essentially a system QB.

It’s not like Goff can’t win a Super Bowl. It’s just that he needs the perfect circumstances to win it all. When he made it to the Super Bowl with LA, he had a phenomenal roster around him, plus Sean McVay. Then when he had the chance to win it, he put up only three points against New England. Furthermore, It’s not like Goff has gotten any better than he was in LA. The NFC is still wide open, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see this team make it to the Super Bow. However, whatever powerhouse team from the AFC who will be hot will likely beat them.

Their recent draft wasn’t good enough to make them true contenders. They had two top-20 picks and drafted two underwhelming first-round players. I actually liked both prospects they took, but the value was terrible. Even if the players pan out, you passed up some incredible talent over them, which could still lead to regret. I’m still a fan of the Lions, as they’ve been one of the most outstanding front offices before this most recent draft. They also have one of my favorite coaches, and I’ll be excited to watch this team despite the average QB play.

I watched all-22 footage on every team and reconciled it with advanced stats such as PFF. Based on film and stats, I develop grades for every position by using a formula that takes into account every player on the depth chart. Shout out to TFG for inspiring this kind of content. Please use code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.

Grading scale: 20-100.

(+): The player is expected to improve.

Team Overview

Coaching Staff

Dan Campbell had much to prove when he first became the head coach. He didn’t get the gig to schematically impact the game or call plays. Campbell was hired to improve the culture, and he’s undoubtedly done that. He became likable after his first press conference, and he didn’t disappoint afterward. His decision to hire Ben Johnson turned out to be terrific, as he’s dramatically changed the offense. Additionally, players clearly play hard here and develop. Most of the improvement we’ve seen over the past few years is due to him. He’s genuinely not far behind some of the best coaches in the NFL, and Detroit should be proud to have him.

Ben Johnson quickly ascended as one of the best play callers in football and has significantly changed the Lions’ offense. He has an interesting background, although he doesn’t have much experience. Johnson graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and computer science. He may have little experience, but he clearly is an intelligent guy. He coached in various roles at Miami from 2012-2018. Johnson actually got to Detroit before Campbell did, and there’s a good reason he was retained.

His scheme is fundamentally a spread offense but has pro elements to it. About half the runs are gap scheme runs, while roughly 40% are wide zone runs. The passing game consists of a lot of screens and primarily quick-hitting passes. It’s a very QB-friendly scheme, as the cleverly designed plays usually lead to the first read being open. Detroit is very fortunate he decided to turn down multiple head coaching offers. He’s a game-changer and still has room to improve.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of Aaron Glenn, but this defense started to really come together toward the end of last year. My primary gripe about Glenn is their poor run defense and tackling before 2022. He did change that, but it’s hard not to consider that. He’s at least ascending, and the defense will ultimately be fine with him. His system is a multiple-front with a balanced coverage scheme. There’s a lot of match coverage, and it’s primarily a split safety look in the secondary. With the right personnel, this scheme can work very well, but without the right players, it can look ugly. Luckily the personnel is much better than it used to be. This defense will still play hard, and I expect the play-calling to be decent.

Lions Offense

Overall Offense – 80.5 (17th)

While this offense is far from elite, there are many things to love about it. In addition to the playcalling, there’s incredible Line play. This O-Line imposes its will on defenders and paves massive lanes for its backs. Goff gets enough pass protection to get the ball out quickly, and this offense runs smoothly because of it. Goff has an excellent ability to play in rhythm and has good timing. Additionally, he’s accurate at all levels of the field. The primary issue with Goff is that he doesn’t seem to have the ‘it’ factor. When it comes to pocket manipulation and play extension, he is mediocre. With plenty of talent around him, it’s not like he can’t win; it’s just worrisome when you have to play the very best.

The weapons altogether aren’t great, but they’ll be sufficient for Goff to have a legitimate passing attack. Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t an X-Receiver, but his impact trumps many vertical threats in the league. He’s a quick separator and is explosive after the catch. Jameson Williams is a young deep threat with elite potential. It’s a bummer he’ll be out for six games. Marvin Jones isn’t a bad number two, but he’ll be a poor number one option for the first six weeks. Although the depth is a bit problematic, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs are two guys who could be steller impacts in the receiving game. As much as I didn’t like the Gibbs pick, he is a remarkable athlete and could be a damn good back. Kalif Raymond is an additional gadget weapon with terrific speed and shiftiness. David Montgomery was an excellent signing, as he can be a great first and second down back. We also might see Mohamed Ibrahim, who was an underrated HB prospect.

Moreover, Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell are two rocks at Tackle. Sewell has had fantastic back-to-back years as a run-blocker where he flashed moments of dominance. He also improved in pass-pro last season. Frank Ragnow is a favorite and is one of the most rugged and tough players in football. He’s one of the best run-blockers and is adequate in-pass-pro. The two guards aren’t liabilities but aren’t strengths, either. Jonah Jackson is an above-average run blocker but is mediocre in pass-pro. Vaitai is solid all around. Overall, it’s a tremendous run-blocking unit and an above-average pass-pro unit. I expect this offense to be feisty, but I’d be surprised to see Goff win the Super Bowl with this unit.

Lions Defense

Overall Defense – 78.8 (27th)

I was pretty disappointed to see the Lions pass up on numerous first-round caliber corners, but Cam Sutton will do as the number one Corner. He initially started his career in the slot but was forced to play outside at one point and looked adequate. Sutton’s still young and will only improve, so signing him was wise. Emmanuel Moseley was another fantastic signing. He is an underrated stud and an ideal fit in this system. Additionally, C.J. Gardner-Johnson will be one of the best Slots in the NFL in this defense. Backing him up is Brian Branch, who could certainly get involved as a dime Safety in year one. While none of the Corners stands out, it’s a quality starting three.

Kerby Joseph had an exceptional rookie year and demonstrated the needed range and instincts for the position. Tracy Walker is a veteran who gives quality play as well. As a whole, it’s a good group but nothing to be too proud about.

I can see why they fell in love with Jack Campbell; it’s just he was a projected second-rounder. He’ll at least make a much-needed impact as a rookie in this Linebacking room. I just don’t expect Campbell ever to be an elite player. Alex Anzalone, next to him, is a solid starter, and the depth behind him is also good. Malcolm Rodriguez is an undersized but talented Linebacker who could grow into a full-time role.

Aidan Hutchinson had an incredible second half of the year, as he took his pass rush moves a step up, which is great to see. Alim McNeill is a good nose tackle and eats up double teams in the run game. The depth at EDGE is also lovely. James Houston is the likely week-one starter, as he showed elite flashes last season. Behind him are the Okwara brothers, who are both terrific backups. The interior depth is a bit problematic, but as long as the two starters stay healthy, they’ll be alright. With an awe-inspiring head coach and a good offense, this defense doesn’t need to be great. They’ll do their job in keeping the score below 30 each game, giving them a shot at winning many games.

Lions Schedule

Total Win Projection – 9.3