3 Goals for Lions to Accomplish Rest of 2019

Our Vito Chirco opines about three goals the Lions should aim to accomplish the rest of the way this season

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Bye bye playoff hopes, Detroit Lions. That was a foregone conclusion going into the Lions' Thanksgiving Day clash with the NFC North rival Bears. 

Now, it's just official, after the Lions lost for a second time to the Bears in 2019 -- this time by a score of 24-20.

It dropped Matt Patricia & Co. to a lowly 3-8-1 on the season. And now, Patricia's squad has nothing to play for the rest of the season -- or does it?

Here are three goals the Lions should aim to accomplish the remainder of 2019: 

Preserve Matthew Stafford's Future as Lions Franchise Passer 

Simply, the best way of doing this is by sitting Stafford the rest of the season.

He's dealing with fractured bones in his back that could remain a hindrance for him the remainder of his time in the NFL. 

There's no reason to rush him back and to potentially inflict further damage to his back in the midst of a disastrous season for the franchise.

By resting Stafford, it also gives the franchise a better chance to evaluate the play of undrafted rookie David Blough. 

The Purdue product -- and default starter under center with Stafford out and Jeff Driskel being placed on injured reserve -- looked good in his NFL debut on Thanksgiving against the Bears. 

He threw for 280 yards and two scores, and gave Patricia & Co. reason to believe that he can be Detroit's permanent backup quarterback in 2020. 

Play the Young Guys

Another no-brainer for the Lions organization moving forward this season.

You don't need to be a "defensive genius" like Patricia -- sorry, had to go there -- to implement this initiative.

For starters, continue giving reps to Amani Oruwariye at cornerback and Bo Scarbrough at running back. 

And provide more reps to Jahlani Tavai at linebacker and Austin Bryant -- who logged zero snaps against the Bears despite being active -- at EDGE. 

Sure, it was a short week, and the Lions were probably playing it safe with Bryant due to his injury past -- played through a torn pectoral muscle last season at Clemson and suffered a pectoral injury early on in training camp -- and the shortened time for him to prepare for Chicago.   

However, enough of that moving forward. 

Let the "kids" play, and let's see what they're made of before the 2019 campaign comes to a close.  

Help Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. Reach Career-High Marks

I would've liked to have said the Lions' defense limiting opponents to less than 30 points in the final four weeks. 

However, Lord knows that's not going to happen with the Vikings, Buccaneers and Packers being three of their last four opponents -- the Broncos being the other in Week 16. 

It brings me to Golladay and Jones.       

Both of the dynamic wideouts have managed to put together great campaigns, even without Stafford throwing them passes for the past four weeks.

Both receivers have amassed nine touchdown catches in 2019 -- a career-high for Golladay and one shy of Jones' career-high which he set in 2013 with the Bengals (10). 

Jones should easily eclipse that total with four games remaining. 

As for Golladay, he's on pace for 1,000-plus receiving yards for the second straight season. He accumulated a career-high 1,063 yards a year ago, and already has 950 through 12 games this season. 

Expect the third-year pro to get to at least 1,000 total receiving yards this Sunday in Minnesota.  

But that won't be all for him in 2019.

The career-high mark he should aim for and the Lions should help him reach via a healthy dosage of passes from Blough is 1,100 reception yards.

With four more strong games from Golladay, it should be easily attainable, and it'd be another step toward "Kenny G" becoming an elite NFL wideout.

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