MichiganCardinal

The more I think about the Ben Johnson infatuation the more I think it is all smoke and mirrors behind a Dan Campbell offense. An OC who has never been a head coach of a high powered offense is always going to get interviews. An OC who turns down a head coaching job though? Well now they're a wanted commodity on top of everything else. That's the hype train rolling down the tracks before you even evaluate who they are as a coach though. Ben Johnson had a long stint in the Miami Dolphins offense before coming to Detroit under Matt Patricia. In Miami, Johnson-involved offenses ranked 27, 27, 15, 26, 24, 25, and 31. In Detroit, without Campbell, the Johnson-involved offense ranked 17 and 20. In Detroit, with Campbell, the Johnson-involved and then Johnson-led offenses ranked 22, 6, 3, and 2. On top of that, the best head coaches are oftentimes not known or appreciated outside of the walls of the building where they come. They're not the obvious choice. Dan Campbell was not a household name in 2021. Urban Meyer and Robert Saleh were. Head coaches are leaders of everything, not just the offensive game plan. Johnson hasn't worked on a single defense. Will Dennis Allen be able to help that? That's not to say there isn't room for a bit of learning on the part of the Lions new OC. Johnson has nothing to do with Morton, except for the common denominator in that Campbell -- who has no issue being portrayed as a meathead in front of curtains -- is the guy actually pulling the strings on this team.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least. He's going to be hungry.

Standings Predictions AFC East 1. Buffalo Bills (14-3) *1 2. New England Patriots (7-10) 3. New York Jets (5-12) 4. Miami Dolphins (5-12) AFC North 1. Baltimore Ravens (14-3) *2 2. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) *6 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-10) 4. Cleveland Browns (2-15) AFC South 1. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) *4 2. Houston Texans (8-9) 3. Tennessee Titans (6-11) 4. Indianapolis Colts (6-11) AFC West 1. Los Angeles Chargers (12-5) *3 2. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5) *5 3. Denver Broncos (9-8) *7 4. Las Vegas Raiders (5-12) NFC East 1. Philadelphia Eagles (15-2) *1 2. Washington Commanders (9-8) 3. Dallas Cowboys (6-11) 4. New York Giants (4-13) NFC North 1. Detroit Lions (13-4) *2 2. Minnesota Vikings (12-5) *5 3. Green Bay Packers (9-8) 4. Chicago Bears (7-10) NFC South 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-6) *4 2. Atlanta Falcons (8-9) 3. Carolina Panthers (7-10) 4. New Orleans Saints (2-15) NFC West 1. Los Angeles Rams (11-6) *3 2. Seattle Seahawks (10-7) *6 3. Arizona Cardinals (9-8) *7 4. San Francisco 49ers (8-9) Postseason Predictions AFC Wildcard Weekend (2) Baltimore Ravens over (7) Denver Broncos, 34-10 (3) Los Angeles Chargers over (6) Cincinnati Bengals, 28-24 (5) Kansas City Chiefs over (4) Jacksonville Jaguars, 23-17 BYE: (1) Buffalo Bills NFC Wildcard Weekend (2) Detroit Lions over (7) Arizona Cardinals, 34-16 (3) Los Angeles Rams over (6) Seattle Seahawks, 28-17 (5) Minnesota Vikings over (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 20-14 BYE: (1) Philadelphia Eagles AFC Divisional (1) Buffalo Bills over (5) Kansas City Chiefs, 24-23 (3) Los Angeles Chargers over (2) Baltimore Ravens, 31-27 NFC Divisional (5) Minnesota Vikings over (1) Philadelphia Eagles, 27-24 (2) Detroit Lions over (3) Los Angeles Rams, 34-27 AFC Conference Championship (1) Buffalo Bills over (3) Los Angeles Chargers, 34-30 NFC Conference Championship (2) Detroit Lions over (5) Minnesota Vikings, 31-13 Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, CA (2N) Detroit Lions over (1A) Buffalo Bills, 27-23 Editor's Note: Originally I had the Bills winning, but then I decided there was no fun in that. Postseason Awards Super Bowl MVP: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions AP MVP: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Player of the Year: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions Offensive Rookie of the Year: Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Rookie of the Year: Abdul Carter, New York Giants Comeback Player of the Year: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars Coach of the Year: Jim Harbaugh, Los Angeles Chargers Coaching Carousel Brian Daboll: Fired midseason Mike McDaniel: Fired postseason Kevin Stefanski: Fired postseason Shane Steichen: Fired postseason Brian Schottenheimer: Fired postseason Sean McVay: "Retires" to a large TV contract

2025-2026 Schedule Predictions 1. @ Green Bay Packers - W 23-9 (1-0): Both offenses sputter, but the Lions are better able to capitalize on Love's mistakes. TeSlaa fever reaches a new level as he records his first NFL touchdown, on an end-around run. 2. v. Chicago Bears - W 17-13 (2-0): The offense struggles again, but the defense bails them out as Ben Johnson looks like he has his work cut out for him. A late drive reminiscent of the 2024 offense wins it. 3. @ Baltimore Ravens - L 27-16 (2-1): Lamar runs circles around the Lions, but they keep it closer than they did the last time these teams met. 4. v. Cleveland Browns - W 34-7 (3-1): Game is never close. Hutchinson has a coming out party, recording 5.5 sacks, while the Lions offense finally begins to click on all cylinders. 5. @ Cincinnati Bengals - L 21-17 (3-2): Should be a win but for some unforced errors and self-inflicted mistakes. Goff struggles under some pressure from the interior and throws a costly pick late to seal it. 6. @ Kansas City Chiefs - W 30-27 (OT) (4-2): Goff can't lose to Mahomes, and Campbell can't lose two straight. Great game ends on a 60-yard pass to Jamo for the walk off touchdown in overtime. 7. v. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - W 17-16 (5-2): The offensive line regresses a little bit in another frustrating showing. The Bucs defensive front gives Goff and the run game fits, but the defense bails them out yet again. 8. v. Minnesota Vikings - W 27-24 (6-2): McCarthy makes a mistake with the game tied late, giving up a strip sack to none other than Marcus Davenport, leading to a walk off Jake Bates field goal. 9. BYE 10. @ Washington Commanders - W 38-17 (7-2): The Lions avenge the playoff exit with a resounding win against a Commanders team that is having a disappointing encore season. 11. @ Philadelphia Eagles - L 34-31 (7-3): A back and forth exchange ends in controversial fashion. Fans are left clamoring for a playoff rematch, while NFL executives bend over backwards to explain why the controversial ruling was actually right even though it was obviously wrong. 12. v. New York Giants - W 56-7 (8-3): Lions take out frustrations against their first clearly inferior opponent in two months. Brian Daboll is fired the following Monday. 13. v. Green Bay Packers - W 27-21 (9-3): Jordan Love attempts to replicate his Thanksgiving performance from 2023, but it is becoming clear that he is not the continuation of Favre and Rodgers that he was made out to be. 14. v. Dallas Cowboys - W 35-10 (10-3): Dallas looks awful on national television, while Hutchinson records another three sacks, avenging his broken leg. 15. @ Los Angeles Rams - L 28-24 (10-4): Stafford finally gets his revenge. Close game throughout leaves Lions fans stressing out on 97.1 about their playoff prospects. 16. v. Pittsburgh Steelers - W 30-20 (11-4): Rodgers throws three picks in a fitting sendoff from Ford Field. The final score makes it look closer than it actually was. 17. @ Minnesota Vikings - W 31-23 (12-4): Kevin O'Connell fails to get the Lions monkey off his back as they win yet another close one in a huge game for playoff implications. 18. @ Chicago Bears - W 24-6 (13-4): A meaningless game for the Bears means something for the Lions, who come in and take care of business. Final Record: 13-4 (Home: 8-0, Road: 5-4, Division: 6-0)

That’s just it. His back is tight before he’s taken a single real time block this season? Not a recipe for success.

It’s going to be pretty funny when he turns into an often injured pumpkin now that he’s been paid.

For a Lions team that hasn’t lost a divisional game since December 2023, and has won 6 of 7 against Green Bay, and is coming off a 15-2 season… I’m surprised to see the Packers as betting favorites.

vs. Setting: 09/07/2025 4:25pm EST on CBS Site: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI Weather: 66° High / 46° Low, 7% chance of rain, 7mph wind Opening Spread: Packers -2.5 All-Time Series Record: Packers lead, 106-78-7 Last Meeting: 12/05/2024, Lions won 34-31 Green Bay Packers (0-0) Head Coach: Matt LaFleur (7th Season: 67-33) Projected Starting QB: Jordan Love (6th Season: 18-15) Last Season/Game: 11-6, finished 3rd in NFC North, 22-10 L @ Philadelphia Eagles in NFC Super Wildcard Weekend Looking Ahead to Week #2: Thursday Night Football @ Washington Commanders (0-0) Your Detroit Lions (0-0) Head Coach: Dan Campbell (5th Season: 39-28-1) Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (10th Season: 81-52-1) Last Season/Game: 15-2, NFC North Champions, 45-31 L vs. Washington Commanders in NFC Divisional Round Looking Ahead to Week #2: Sunday vs. Chicago Bears (0-0) Elsewhere in the NFL Primetime: Cowboys @ Eagles (TNF), Chiefs @ Chargers (Friday Night in São Paulo, Brazil), Ravens @ Bills (SNF), Vikings @ Bears (MNF) 1:00pm: Buccaneers @ Falcons, Bengals @ Browns, Dolphins @ Colts, Panthers @ Jaguars, Raiders @ Patriots, Cardinals @ Saints, Steelers @ Jets, Giants @ Commanders 4:05/4:25pm: Titans @ Broncos, 49ers @ Seahawks, Texans @ Rams

Green Bay picking up Parsons makes them better, no doubt, but it doesn’t really move the needle much in my assessment of the division. It takes more than one man to make a division champion. Green Bay went 1-5 in the division last year, and failed to address what I see as their biggest defensive weakness this offseason, in the secondary. Position by position, Green Bay is still 3rd to Detroit and Minnesota almost everywhere. On top of that, their season was always going to be determined by whether they got more of the 2023 Thanksgiving Jordan Love or the 2025 NFC Wildcard Jordan Love. This trade doesn’t change that. I would be excited if I was a Packers fan. Every team wants a Micah Parsons on their team, and it’s them who swindled the senile old man Jerry Jones this time. But while it makes them better, I think it ultimately makes them 9-8 instead of 8-9; it doesn’t transform them into a Super Bowl contender overnight.

No Lions players were claimed on waivers. All are free to sign to the practice squad. Lions picked up Tyler Lacy (DT, Jaguars) and Tyrus Wheat (DE, Cowboys). Roster is now 52.

Hooker’s biggest problem is in his recognition and reading both a defense and moving between receivers. Tennessee runs a backyard football offense where he wasn’t really asked to dissect a defense. If his first look wasn’t open, he would often tuck the ball and take off. That doesn’t work with the big boys. In 2-3 years, he never picked up on the ability to run through a progression. Could he survive in the UFL without that ability? Maybe, but I doubt it.

Brodric Martin waived.

I never understood the projections of us keeping 7 WRs, especially with how good 1-5 are.

FWIW Justin Rogers seems to be under the belief that this may have been a Jamarco Jones vs. Dan Skipper decision. Which would stand to reason he may not re-sign.

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