The Detroit Lions were not great in 2021. The Dan Campbell-led team started their season 0-10-1 and seemed to flounder. However, the team picked up momentum and finished 3-3 to end the season, including wins over the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers.
Going from worst to first isn't unheard of, but the Lions will need a lot to go right for them if they want to pull off the surprise of the 2022 season. They have had a nice off-season. They left the 2022 NFL Draft with two potential top-five talents in Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams.
The team also brought in former Jaguars wide receiver D.J. Chark. Beyond that, the team retained its top performers. Charles Harris and Tracy Walker are among the standouts that stuck around in MoTown.
There is a way the Lions can shock the world next year, and here are three things that must go right in order for them to do so.
3 biggest keys that must go right for Lions to shock the world with playoff push
1) Staying healthy
This is potentially the most important thing the Lions need to do. Many of the Lions' best players spent time nursing injuries and missing games. Jeff Okudah tore his Achilles during the first game of the season. Center Frank Ragnow went down with a toe injury. The list goes on.
If Dan Campbell has any plans of getting the Lions into the playoffs in 2022, he must keep the team healthy. Injuries will always occur in a contact sport. That's the nature of the game. However, the amount of injuries your team picks up is manageable to some degree.
Making sure players who dealt with injuries last year stay on the field this year is crucial to any success the team may have. In that same vein, making sure not to rush Williams back from his torn ACL is also a top priority.
2) Offensive cohesion
The offense was noticeably a problem for the Lions in 2021. There were even reports that offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn and quarterback Jared Goff didn't see eye-to-eye.
Lynn is gone, now an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers. In his place is Ben Johnson, formerly the tight ends coach who played a significant role in playcalling once those duties were stripped from Lynn.
For the Lions to succeed in 2022, the offense has to be on the same page. Too many times last season, the Lions missed opportunities on offense because of miscommunication or a complete breakdown in their game plan.
Goff has weapons around him now. D'Andre Swift is emerging as a promising threat out of the backfield. Williams has the potential to be a top receiver in the league. The combination of rookie standout Amon-Ra St. Brown, Chark, and the returning Quintez Cephus provide the Lions with capable pass-catching options.
If Goff is the guy to lead Detroit to success, he has to show it this season. And everyone, from the players to the coaches and anyone in between, has to be on the same page.
3) Taking Steps Forward
The Lions had a lot of previously unsung players step up last year. Defensive backs Jerry Jacobs and AJ Parker played a significant role in the secondary. Harris earned a spot as a capable rotational pass rusher but got significant game time due to injury.
Running back Craig Reynolds received time in the backfield following an injury to Swift. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds showed out in his cup of coffee in Detroit following a waiver claim.
These are just a handful of names that played above their level in 2021. Detroit will need them, and more, to continue to do so in 2022.
The Lions cannot afford anyone taking a step back. Especially as they are a team that looks set to rely on their younger stars. St. Brown is going to be expected to do more in 2022. Last year's first-round pick Penei Sewell is going to be expected to continue to be a stalwart on the offensive line.
Guys like Parker and Jacobs may be called upon when injuries occur. And it's important for them to play at the level they did in 2021 and then some if the Lions are to pull off the surprise of the season.
There are a lot of veterans who also need to take steps forward. Goff, especially, needs to prove himself in 2022. If he doesn't, he may find himself out of a job. And the Lions may look to a loaded 2023 quarterback class for their answer under center.
At the end of the day, the Lions are in a weird place. They aren't bad enough to be the absolute worst team in the league, but they definitely aren't good enough to be a playoff contender. However, they can provide teams a challenge, and if they can achieve these three things, the Lions could sneak into the playoffs as the biggest shock in the NFL.
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