5 Lions Who Will Carry Detroit to the Super Bowl
By Cem Yolbulan
Tim Patrick
Once again, the Detroit Lions have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league under OC Ben Johnson and head coach Dan Campbell. They have put up more points than any team in the league and arguably have the best passing offense in the league. They put up the second-most passing yards and passing touchdowns in the league while averaging the third-most net yards gained per pass attempt with 7.7.
Accomplishing this without having the most elite offensive talent in the league is certainly impressive. Jared Goff has been a top-ten QB in the league since joining the Lions but he has some limitations to his game. Amon-Ra St. Brown is obviously one of the best wide receivers in the league and he is in the midst of another All-Pro caliber season with 1,126 yards and 11 touchdowns so far. Jameson Williams has established himself as a solid deep threat capable of making big plays.
Outside of those two, however, the Lions lack depth in their WR room. That is why Tim Patrick is one of the biggest X-factors for this team heading into the playoffs.
After missing the previous two seasons with a torn ACL and torn Achilles, respectively, Patrick has made an impressive comeback this season. The Lions initially signed the 31-year-old to their practice squad before promoting him to the active roster, and Patrick surpassed all expectations with his play. He played a crucial role in the Packers win in Week 14 when he scored two touchdowns.
The Lions will turn to him as an end-zone target in the postseason. One of the best stories in the NFL this season, Patrick has firmly established himself as the WR3 on this team. With teams focused on slowing down St.Brown and Williams, the veteran wideout should have plenty of opportunities to go up against weaker defenders. His production will be an under-the-radar aspect of the Lions' postseason chances.
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