I see so many parallels between how this team is built and the Lions 2011 season.
A promising coach that gets the team fired up and to play hard. A promising young GM in his full 3rd year of building the team his way. A rebuilding team that was a complete dumpster fire 3 seasons ago before the current staff was put in place. A QB who finally has put it all together and has the best season of his career.
Slow, but progressive improvement each of those seasons, until we really look like a brand new team that’s finally put everything together. Finish with the best regular season record they’ve had in over a decade and have one of the leagues most explosive offenses.
- Dan Campbell = Jim Schwartz (passionate coach that fires his team up, with occasional decisions that leave you scratching your head )
- Goff = Stafford
- Bridgewater = Shaun Hill (high end QB2 after both teams being garbage there for years)
- Gibbs = Jahvid Best (twitchy speedster / pass catching RB with a smaller frame)
- Montgomery = Joique Bell (thunder to pair with the lightning)
- St Brown = fun-sized Megatron
- Josh Reynolds = Nate Burleson (aging FA vet with a reliable set of hands)
- Jamo = Titus Young (disappointing speedster)
- LaPorta = better Pettigrew (Bettagrew?)
- Hutch = Suh (High drafted upcoming star that anchors a promising DL, just a tad friendlier with less CBT of Rodgers)
Similar strength in our LB and CB units, maybe not exact same parallels but close enough. We have a better OL today, but a worse DL.
Hopefully the ending for this one goes a bit differently.
Reach
Well I hope this team wins the division and wins a playoff game. I see the parallels though!