2018 NFL Power Rankings: Philadelphia Eagles begin preseason on top
By Dan Parzych
21. Detroit Lions
Similar to the situation with Manning and the Giants, Matthew Stafford has been at somewhat of a disadvantage throughout his career over a lack of support in the backfield, that is until 2018. Thanks to the Lions signing a key veteran in LeGarrette Blount along with drafting Kerryon Johnson to join Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah, Stafford has plenty of running backs to work with this upcoming season.
No matter which one ends up winning the starting gig, the important factor is all four of these players do whatever it takes to make Stafford feel less pressure under center, even if he is one of the toughest in the game. Over the years, Stafford has always been the kind of quarterback that makes the rest of his teammates better, and as a result, it’s helped Detroit make a case in the NFC each season.
Of course, 2018 could end up being one of Stafford’s biggest challenges to date when looking at how difficult the NFC North is shaping up to be with teams like the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings expected to be Super Bowl contenders. Not to mention, many believe the Bears could end up being a sleeper team in the NFC, meaning the Lions will be part of quite a division battle.