The recent poll on POD along many articles and videos out there around the Lions Offense had me thinking. BTW, Thank You POD, I like to think about the Lions.
What I wondered is just how do they stack up against the great offenses. I don’t mean numbers, what numbers mean what changes so much over the years. Besides, numbers be boring sometimes.
I want to compare players, who had the best players. This is totally subjective to opinion, but that makes it more fun.
First, we have to identify the best offenses of all-time and a google search brings up some interesting teams and lists. I really liked this top 10 in 2024 by PFN if you want more reading.
The top 4 that is probably the consensus on the internet follows
2007 New England Patriots lead by the GOAT Tom Brady and fellow HOFer Randy Moss. They shredded teams to an undefeated season with maybe Brady’s best season and Moss with 23 TDs they terrorized defenses like no other.
The 2nd and 3rd playmakers were Wes Walker in the slot and the underrated Kevin Failk, one of the best money down RBs ever.
After that no individual player stood out, OC Josh Daniels used a very deep skill group, even Mike Vrabel had 2 TD catches.
The OL was led by the HOF to be, OG Logan Madkin. Along with some good players like LT Todd Light and C Dan Koppen, they were an experienced OL that had been together for a couple of years and were among the best in the league.
2018 KC Chiefs, the first year of Mahomes had some gaudy numbers. Bombs to T Hill and body blows by Travis Kelce to a defense that was left dizzy by Mahomes running around gave opposing DCs no chance.
The OL was underwhelming for this kind of list. Maybe a top 10 in the league at best that year, it’s nice when you had Mahomes.
2013 Denver Broncos. The Peyton Manning show that put up unheard of numbers, Peyton staked his claim to greatest QB season of all-time, and nobody is arguing.
Where this team is a notch below the others on this list is no HOF caliber skill or OL player, this was truly the Peyton Show.
1999 LA Rams. Greatest Show on Turf is still the offense setting the bar.
They don’t have the best QB, but they had the best non-QB with Marshall Faulk plus HOF WR Isaac Bruce and rookie WR Terry Holt.
Orlando Pace was the necessary HOF LT in a Mike Martz system, but the rest of the OL was pedestrian, it was the system and superior skill players that made them so good.
So how does this Lions offense match-up, remember this is based on the year talked about and what we hope the Lion players can do this year.
QB is the big three, Brady, Mahomes, Manning then a huge gap to Kurt Warner with Goff on his heels. Hey, this isn’t a slight on Goff, just those top 3 are special. Even Kurt is HOF but I think Goff can get there and this season will be one of the reasons why.
RB. Marshall Faulk had 1000 yards rushing and receiving so Gibbs has his work cut out for him if he wants to beat out Marshall. Kevin Faulk was so underrated, he gets 3rd here. KC and Denver had pretty ordinary RBs.
TE Travis Kelce had one of his HOF making seasons, going to be hard for LaPorta to pass him. Denver had a great season out of Julian Thomas but the other guys were JAGs
WR (10) One of Moss’s greatest years, same could be said for Isaac Bruce.
I’m putting T Hill 3rd but Saint could pass him. Wes Walker (NE) was precursor St Brown.
D Thomas (Den) had a great year. I’m putting the veteran JaMo over the rookie T Holt.
Wes Walker (Den) returns to the list, still a force after all those years. Sammy Watkins stayed healthy enough to make last for top 10 WR
OL Patriots are the clear best, not even close.
It surprised me some the number of mediocre OLs with only Orlando Pace standing out from the other 3 teams. No reason to think the Lions OL built around Sewell is as good as the other 3. Give me a couple years and they might compete with the Patriot OL.
Sum it up, when compared to the top 4 All-Time offenses (of the last 30 years at least), the Lions stack up very well.
Interesting the Lions match-up the best with the Greatest Show on Turf.
Neither have a top 10 all-time QB, but both QBs are great at getting the ball to where it needs to be.
Both have 2 incredible dual threat RBs, comparing Gibbs to Faulk is just natural.
Both teams had a pair of excellent WRs, Lion have a clear edge at TE.
Both had HOF LTs in their prime plus a bunch of question marks to start the season. The 1999 Rams OL had a new Center, RG and the ’98 LG moved to RT. Does that sound kind of familiar?
But here is the craziest fact and one way I hope the Lions emulate the Rams the most this year.
LA was the only one of the 4 to win the Super Bowl in that year. They all won in later seasons but for that one season with the best Offenses, 3 of the 4 best all-time offenses ended up disappointed.