Lions GM says team ‘not scared of the expectations’ to win

Eric WoodyardESPNSep 1, 2023, 01:16 PM ET4 Minute Learn

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — “Jurassic Park” was the top-grossing film and Whitney Houston’s “I Will All the time Love You” dominated the charts as a No. 1 smash hit again when the Detroit Lions gained their most up-to-date division crown.

Now, three many years later, Lions normal supervisor Brad Holmes says his degree of confidence is “very excessive” to win the NFC North with how the present roster is constructed coming into his third season within the function.

The Lions have not gained a division title since 1993, when it was referred to as the NFC Central and featured 5 groups.

“I do suppose that we took our drugs prior to now couple years. Me and [Lions coach] Dan [Campbell] discuss it on a regular basis,” Holmes stated. “We have coached the Senior Bowl; we needed to do ‘Arduous Knocks.’ We have completed all that.

“We have gone via lots of darkness to get thus far, however that is the place the grit is available in place when it comes to simply probably not wavering and put your head down or get discouraged, and we simply sort of put the main focus in constructing the very best roster that we will and actually getting the very best soccer gamers,” he added.

The Lions will face the defending champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the NFL Kickoff Recreation on Thursday night time, Sept. 7. Detroit has 4 prime-time video games scheduled in 2023 after enjoying in simply 5 prime-time video games whole over the previous 5 seasons, which was the fewest within the NFL.

That is the primary time the Lions are favored to win the NFC North for the reason that division was fashioned in 2002 and their first time favored to make the playoffs in over 15 seasons, based on ESPN Stats & Info analysis.

“We’re not frightened of the expectations,” Holmes stated. “The expectations are earned via, I feel, what we have constructed and what we have completed up till this level when it comes to how we completed the top of the season and thru our participant acquisition course of. However now we have to only show them proper.”

For the primary time in Ford Area historical past, Lions season tickets have already offered out. Holmes calls the “hype practice” somewhat stunning this previous season “as a result of we did not make the playoffs,” however they’re embracing the early fanfare.

“I did not suppose it will be to this magnitude, however no matter no matter or how a lot constructive information is popping out, we’ll nonetheless maintain that very same mindset that we’ll at all times be the hunters and we’re not succumbing to the targets on our again,” Holmes stated. “We’ll at all times be looking and aiming for the goal, and it would not actually change.”

Detroit’s entrance workplace feels that it has assembled a gritty group that continues to hold an underdog spirit coming off the group’s first successful season since 2017. The Lions closed out the common season in 2022 with eight victories over their closing 10 video games.

“As a participant, you need expectations, you need individuals to suppose you are gonna be good,” stated Lions assistant normal supervisor Ray Agnew. “And the rationale why we could be comfy is due to the fellows we now have on this group. These guys are nonetheless hungry. They’re nonetheless hungry to show that they are nice on this league, they’re nonetheless hungry to show that we belong within the dialog, so I do not fear about that. We have a hungry group of men.”