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In preparation for the 2016 Detroit Lions season, we polled the Pride Of Detroit staff on their predictions for the Lions season. To kick off the week-long series of predictions, we start with the offense.
Who will be the Detroit Lions' offensive MVP in 2016?
Kent Lee Platte
Matthew Stafford
Their offensive MVP will be Matthew Stafford, but I feel Marvin Jones will get the most fanfare as he finishes with the most yards and touchdowns post Calvin.
Mike Payton
Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford will be the Lions offensive MVP in 2016. If he can continue his phenomenal play from the second half of 2015 without Calvin Johnson, he'll show that he's been the Lions MVP all along.
Kyle Yost
Golden Tate
The addition of Marvin Jones will prove to be excellent, but Tate is still the go-to guy in the clutch. Quick passes will likely be a staple with more up-tempo situations and poor offensive line performance, and Tate will thrive in this area.
Joseph Buszek
Ameer Abdullah
Considering the Lions were the worst running team in the entire league last year, it will take a combined effort between their young, highly drafted offensive line and the stable of backs on the team. Mostly, though, it is squarely on the shoulder of the second year running back. He came on strong toward the end of the 2015 campaign and showed flashes of how electric he can be throughout the year. If he can just hang on to the football, there is no reason Abdullah can't have a breakout season and earn the offensive MVP.
Justin Simon
Matthew Stafford
The Lions are going to live and die with Matthew Stafford. If he can play like he did at the end of last season, there is no doubt he'll be the Lions' MVP. And while I think guys like Marvin Jones and Golden Tate could have a really nice year, I don't expect either of them to carry the load enough to be an MVP.
Andrew Kato
Riley Reiff
Behind a stable and experienced blocking unit on the right side going Reiff-Warford-Swanson backed by Burton firing out of the backfield like a safety-seeking missile, the Lions will finally be able to run the ball with power inside. Nobody will be more responsible for that happening than Reiff, who finally provides quality play at the former dumpster fire known as Detroit Lions right tackle. People will want to give it to the guys with the yardage stats and touchdowns, but the offensive line is what will make that happen.
Ryan Mathews
Matthew Stafford
An offensive MVP for this team is a little difficult to pinpoint since there isn’t an elite level talent such as Calvin Johnson on the field on game days. I mean, he’s still on TV, but just not on a football field anymore. There is, however, a ton of very skilled players on offense including the likes of Golden Tate, Marvin Jones, Eric Ebron and Ameer Abdullah among others. There is, however, one person who’s in charge of putting the ball into all of those players hands: Matthew Stafford is your Lions’ offensive MVP for 2016.
Christopher Lemieux
Eric Ebron
The lingering issue has me leery and wanting to reach for Theo Riddick in his place but I saw enough from training camp to like. If you disagree with my opinion I welcome your insults and death threats on the next Facebook Live.
Alex Reno
Matthew Stafford
This offense is run through Stafford's arm and if the Cooter/Stafford duo manages to resemble anything close to what we saw during the second half of last season, then we may end up witnessing Stafford's best statistical year to date. We've seen what this offense looks like with Dan Orlovsky under center and I'm absolutely positive that exactly none of you want to see that ever again. Stafford's value is immeasurable, and when he goes down, so does the rest of the team.
Jeremy Reisman
Eric Ebron
Thought Matthew Stafford is the guy who will make this offense pass or fail, Ebron’s breakout is essential to make that happen. This offense worked best last year when they attacked the seam with Ebron. Before the ankle injury set Ebron back this offseason, he was dominating training camp and OTAs. Now that it appears he’s nearly completely healthy, it’s time for that breakout year we’ve all been waiting for.