For Detroit Lions, it hasn't all been bad: 5 positives to come from 2019 season

Dave Birkett | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Detroit Lions don't want to hear about NFL draft; what can you say? Dave Birkett and Shawn Windsor break down the Detroit Lions after the 27-17 loss to the Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Denver.

It’s been a bad year for the Detroit Lions. At 3-11-1, they enter Sunday's season finale against the Green Bay Packers in last place in the NFC North. Their quarterback's injured, their fans have largely stopped paying attention and they haven't won a game in more than two months.

But in the interest of the holiday spirit we’ve identified five things to be happy about this year. If you’re looking silver linings in late December or reason to believe 2020 could be different, here are five reasons of hope.

Stafford’s resurgence

Matthew Stafford was playing MVP-caliber football before he fractured bones in his back in an early November loss to the Oakland Raiders. Granted, back injuries are serious stuff, and when you’ve had two in a 12-month span, it raises red flags about your future. But coming off a middling 2018 season, Stafford had the type of bounce-back year everyone hoped for but few thought would truly happen. In half a season, Stafford threw for 2,499 yards and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions. There’s no reason to believe he can’t have another big year in him in 2020.

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Bevell ball

A big reason for Stafford’s resurgent play? The addition of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. He was a ho-hum hire when Matt Patricia brought him on staff in January. Sure, he coordinated the Seattle Seahawks’ offense during their Super Bowl runs earlier this decade, but few realized (despite suggestions from some of his former players) the impact he would have on Stafford and the passing game. Even after Stafford’s injury, Bevell kept the offense afloat while playing two different backups. The Lions need more from their running game next year and they can sustain their offensive play better throughout games, but Bevell has been a bright spot in a dismal season.

Kenny G

Sticking with the passing game theme, Kenny Golladay has quietly become one of the best receivers in the NFL. Golladay is a big, physical, sure-handed target, and his numbers this year back up the step forward your eyes tell you he’s taken with his play. He has a career-high 1,118 yards, he's tied for the team lead with 62 catches and he leads the NFL with 11 touchdown catches. Golladay just missed out on the Pro Bowl this year – he’s a third alternate on the NFC team. But he should reap even bigger rewards in the form of a monster contract extension this offseason.

A threat Ag-gain

Jamal Agnew followed up his All-Pro rookie season with a disappointing 2018. He missed 10 games with a knee injury and wasn’t very effective when he was on the field. Even early this season, when Agnew struggled with ball-security issues in the first two games, some fans suggested the Lions move on from him and the team started spelling him at times in the return game. But with 2019 in the books, Agnew has the look of a special-teams weapon again. He has kick- and punt-return touchdowns this year, and teams have largely kicked away from in recent weeks. Like Stafford, he’s had a nice bounce-back year.

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Five alive

No one in the organization wants to be here, at 3-11-1 with one game to play. To a man, coaches, players and front office personnel are trying to win games. They care nothing about draft positioning while the season is going on. When April comes, however, the Lions will have a diamond of a pick in the top five of the NFL draft. The Lions can go as high as No. 2 with a loss Sunday to the Green Bay Packers (and a Washington win over the Dallas Cowboys), or they could sink as low as No. 5. They could be in a good spot to trade down and acquire more assets. Wherever they end up, given the amount and type of holes on their roster, they’ll be in position to land one or more players who should have a significant impact on their fortunes in 2020.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Read more on the Detroit Lions and sign up for our Lions newsletter.