Detroit Lions Standout: ‘We’ve Improved as a Team Compared to Last Year’
The Detroit Lions narrowly missed making franchise history during the 2023 NFL Playoffs.
Despite holding a 17-point lead in the second half of the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, they let it slip away, missing their chance to reach their first Super Bowl.
This season, the Lions aim to learn from past mistakes and take the next step toward achieving that elusive goal.
Preparing for a Divisional Round playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders, star running back Jahmyr Gibbs offered insight into why this year’s team could surpass last year’s performance.
When reporters asked Gibbs on January 15 about the difference between this season’s team and last year’s, he confidently replied, “We’re a better team than we were last year” (via the Lions’ team website).
Last season, the Lions’ offense was strong, but this year, it leads the league, scoring an average of 6.1 more points per game. On defense, the improvements are equally significant.
In 2023, the team ranked among the bottom 10 in points allowed, giving up 23.2 per game. In 2024, they rank seventh, allowing just 20.1 points per game.
Offensive progress has largely come from players already on the roster.
Wide receiver Jameson Williams reached 1,000 yards in his third season after underwhelming performances in his first two.
Gibbs also emerged as a star in his second season. The team further bolstered its offense by adding Kevin Zeitler to an already solid offensive line.
Defensively, young players have stepped up. Safety Brian Branch earned a Pro Bowl selection in his second year, while Kerby Joseph led the league in interceptions and secured a First Team All-Pro spot in his third.
The Lions also strengthened their secondary by signing cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis, improving their defense despite missing their top player on that side of the ball.
As the Lions gear up for their first playoff game of the year, Gibbs and the team hope these improvements will propel them further than last season and, perhaps, all the way to the Super Bowl.
