Another NFL Season is upon us starting September 5th in Kansas City (vs Baltimore) then September 6th in Brazil with Eagles over Packers ! I can feel the hot taeks and sweet melts in the air! Since the Lions are pretty much the NFC North favorites, the BOLD PREDICTIONS article is taking a turn. I’ll say things that should have happen because the Lions are an awesome Super Bowl contender for the next 10 years, and our special guest Donny will make bold predictions about the NFC North. Getcha popcorn ready!
The categories are:
Offense Points Per Game and League Ranking
QB Rating
Running Back Stats
Wide Receiver/Tight End Stats
Defense Points Per Game and League Ranking
Individual Sacks and Team Pressure
Final 2024 NFC North Standings
Playoffs, We’re Talkin Bout Playoffs
Offense Points Per Game
Donny Offense PPG
Packers 25.6
Lions 25.5
Bears 21.2
Vikings 20.1
LKP Offense PPG
The Lions earn a Top 5 Offense for the third (3rd) Year in Row. Lions top 5 offense isn’t bold, just a fact with Goff extended, the best offensive line in the league, the best OC in the league, great running game with two dynamic backs and an embarrassment of riches of proven/potential weapons for Detroit.
Packers Top 10 Offense. Love is good (sigh) but not great yet. The Packers have some questions on the offensive line, run game with new backs Jacobs/Lloyd and no real number 1 weapon stepping up quite yet. Packers clearly are deep at WR and TE room though and Love can clearly make plays to anyone in the offense. If Love learns to be more consistent, then top 5 is in the cards especially if Christian Watson steps up (and stays healthy).
Bears Top 15 Offense. Rookie QB in Chicago, but I like the weapons they added in Keenan Allen, rookie Romeo Odunze and DeAndre Swift to help DJ Moore, Cole Kmet and RB Khalil Herbert. The Bears offensive line still has questions and a new OC in town for the Bears most prove what no other Bears OC could. Will they finally have a 4,000 yard passer with rookie top pick QB. Yes!
Vikings 15th-20th Offense. Sam Darnold is what he is on his 4th team; but the Vikings have some serious weapons. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell seems to find ways to make bad veteran QBs somewhat successful (Mullens, Dobbs etc). Justin Jefferson clearly the best WR in the league.TJ Hockensen is returning eventually from the ACL tear, but Aaron Jones a very nice add. Jordan Addison got hurt and has some legal issues though going into year 2. Minnesota has very good tackles in Darrisaw and O’Neil but questions on the interior line. Vikings can’t be terrible on offense but average seems probable with Darnold.
QB Rating
LKP
Jared Goff will earn over 100 QB rating with another good performance in 2024. Goff has the offensive line, run game, command of the offense, continuity and weapons to succeed for the third year in a row in Detroit (out of 4). Ben Johnson returns and is a great offensive coordinator. 4,753 yards 33 TDs and 10 interceptions for Goff. Book it!
Jordan Love 98 QB rating with less inconsistencies than 2023. 4,600 yards 31 TDs and 12 interceptions but lower completion percentage than Goff.
Caleb Williams struggles early but finds his groove with plenty of weapons in Chicago. I’ll say 93 QB rating for Caleb (the Matt Ryan special). 28 TDs but 14 interceptions and 4,100 yards. They did it!
Sam Darnold 89 QB rating in 2024 for Minnesota with JJ McCarthy hurt. Picks will be Darnold’s downfall. 24 TDs and 15 interceptions.
Donny’s QBs
QBs (TD/Int)
Jordan Love: 36/12
Jared Goff: 34/10
Caleb Williams: 26/15 (first every Chicago Bear 4,000 yard passer)
Sam Darnold: 25/16
Pretty much agrees with LKP, 1 more Goff TD and 5 more Love TDs but ints matched. Caleb and Darnold close too. 4K Bears passer. Hate to see it.
Running Back Stats/Rushing Stats
LKP
Lions top 5 rushing offense again in 2024. Gibbs and Montgomery both have 1,000 yards rushing and Lions have 24 rushing TDs. Thunder and lightning folks.
Josh Jacobs improves from 2023 but not 2022 level. Jacobs hits 1K yards but at like 4 YPC; but with 12 TDs. Packers above average rushing attack to help Mr. Love.
Bears have an above average rushing attack with Swift and Herbert. Swift 800 yards but good YPC missing a few games. Herbert the same but more limited now. Less QB rushing of course (no Fields) but Caleb can still run.
Vikings have an average rushing attack with Aaron Jones good YPC and 800 yards but misses some time (doesn’t surprise Packer fans). Vikings struggle in games with Jones out big-time.
Receiving Stats
LKP
Amon Ra St Brown 1,500 yards and 8 TDs guaranteed. Sam La Porta 800 yards and 12 TDs at TE in his second year. Finally, Jameson Williams emerges with 1,000 yards and 5 TDs as WR 2. Kalif Raymond 500 yards and 3 TDs as the Lions 3rd WR. Gibbs 600 receiving yards and 2 receiving TDs. Other Lions 3 receiving TDs.
Packers are tough to predict with the depth in weapons and no clear number 1. Christian Watson 800 yards and 8 TDs in year 3. Romeo Doubs 700 yards and 8 TDs, Tucker Kraft 600 yards and 5 TDs (Big Deal loves this), slot man Reed 700 yards and 5 TDs, Wicks 400 yards and 3 TDs, Musgrave 500 yards and 2 TDs. Spread the Love!
Bears DJ Moore 1,200 yards and 6 TDs, Keenan Allen 900 yards and 6 TDs, rookie Romeo Odunze 500 yards and 5 TDs, Tight End Cole Kmet 600 yards and 6 TDs, DeAndre Swift 500 yards and 3 Rec TDs. Others 2 TDs, 28 TDs total for Caleb.
Justin Jefferson 1,700 yards and 9 TDs after getting apid, Hock 5 TDs back from injury, Addison (suspension and injury) 3 TDs, other Vikings 7 TDs.
Donny Rando Offensive Predictions
Jefferson: Under 1150 yards receiving (way different than LKP and Shooter and anyone really barring injury)
Doubs: Top 5 in the NFL in WR TD receptions (maybe)
Amon Ra: isn’t Top 5 in receptions (never doubt the Sun God)
No Bear receiver eclipses 1000k yards. Bold with DJ
Jameson leads the Lions in receiving yards (never doubt the Sun God but we both have Jameson over 1K yards)
Gibbs doesn’t live up to the hype and Montgomery is still the clear #1 back in Detroit (bold, they use them different and Montgomery still gets lots of carries, more receptions for Gibbs this year. Definitely a big-time weapon barring injury)
Defense Points Per Game
Donny PPG Defense
Packers 20.8
Bears 22.5
Lions 23.5
Vikings 25.0
LKP Defense
Lions Top 10 Defense for the first time since 2014 with an improved defensive line and greatly improved CB situation. Detroit already was 2nd in rush defense (YPC and yards ) in 2023 and continue that dominance adding DJ Reader to the mix. Pass defense will be above average now and top 10 in turnovers forced for Detroit with better DBs and more pressure. Lions top 10 in sacks/pressure rate as well. Deal with it.
Packers top 10 defense again. No Joe Barry, no problem. Adjustments under new DC Hafley but the Packers become a formidable defense by year end.
Bears top 12 defense in 2024. Bears defense had a good second half in 2023 and have a softer schedule in 2024. Full year of Montez Sweat and Eberflus still leading the defense. Secondary young growth still some questions here but they won’t be pushovers on defense anymore like 2022/early 2023.
Minnesota Vikings still have DC Brian Flores but only earn the 22nd ranked defense in PPG. Improvement for the Vikings but still too many holes, especially with an inconsistent offense putting them in bad situations. Downgrade at pass rush from Hunter but rookie Dallas Turner and FA Jonathan Greenard have potential. Secondary a mess due to some injurie/deaths.
Sacks and Pressure
LKP
Aidan Hutchinson 14 sacks, Marcus Davenport 7 sacks in a revival year, Alim McNeil 6 sacks, DJ Reader 2 sacks, Rashan Gary 10 sacks, LVN 5 sacks, Preston Smith 5 sacks, SSKC 5 sacks, Wyatt 2 sacks, Sweat 11 sacks, Demarcus Walker 3 sacks, new Bears add Darrell Taylor 4 sacks, Jonathan Greenard 8 sacks, Dallas Turner 6 sacks, Andrew Van Ginkel 4 sacks.
Lions, Bears and Packers are all top 10 in pressure rate. Vikings average pressure rate.
Donny Rando Defensive Predictions
Gary 15 sacks (I could see it)
Jaire back to All Pro form and is selected to said team (I could see it)
Lions don’t have a top 12 defense (meh, they are much improved on Dline/CB but have to prove it of course)
NFC North Standings
Donny Division
Lions: 12-5 (2nd seed)
Packers: 11-6 (WC)
Bears: 9-8 (no playoffs)
Vikings: 6-11 (top 5 pick)
LKP Division
Lions 11-6 (4-2 division), 3rd seed
Packers 10-7 (3-3 division), 5th seed
Bears 10-7 (2-4 division), 7th seed
Vikings 6-11 (1-5 division) (but lots of close losses)
I think this is a tough division even with the Vikings and Bears problems. Packers showed flashes second half but must prove to be consistent. Lions just have to keep winning and building that defense to match the top 5 offense
Note: Pretty neat how Donny has the Lions doing better than I do in 2024 regular season. This feels like the halftime NFC Champ game jinx again. It’s going to be a great year either way.
We Talkin Bout Playoffs
Donny Playoffs
Playoff Exits
Detroit loses in the Divisional Round
Packers lose in the NFCCG
Donny has Packers going farther but both us of sweet melting still before the Superb Owl.
LKP Playoffs
Lions, Packers and Bears are all in the 2024 playoffs. Shooter, sweet melt. Vikings pick top 5 for Donny but I think at 6-11 they are top 10 only. Lions as North champ again and the 3rd seed (again), Packers the 5th seed and Bears 7th seed after tiebreakers with Packers and Eagles. Bears out in wild card round to Cowboys (sweet melt Da Bearz), Packers out in divisional to 49ers again (after crushing the Saints in the Super Dome in the Wild Card round). Lions beat the 6th seed Eagles in Detroit in Wild Card Roound, 2nd seed Cowboys (in Dallas) in Divisional and go to San Fran again for Champ Game. Lions beat the 49ers this time (no more sweet 2nd half melts or paid bets at half-time).
Detroit Lions versus Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes does his thing though and Chiefs win 31-27 on last minute TD to Kelce for an epic LKP melt. 3 peat Chiefs, great googily moogily!
Enjoy the season fellow FYSers. May your melts be sweet and your takes be hot!