Friday open thread: Will the Detroit Lions have a top 5 offense in 2018?

The biggest narrative coming out of the Detroit Lions’ 2018 NFL Draft was the huge emphasis on the running game. With their first five picks, the Lions added a starting interior offensive lineman, a premier running back and a reserve guard/tackle who has the potential of starting sooner rather than later.

When combined with the offseason moves of adding LeGarrette Blount, adding several depth offensive linemen, and hiring a brand-new offensive line coach, it’s clear that general manager Bob Quinn wanted a complete overhaul of Detroit’s failing rushing attack.

On Sunday, I asked fans how good they expected the Lions’ running game to be in 2018, and 70 percent of fans predict Detroit to rank in the top half of the league in rushing yards.

But rushing yards don’t matter as much as overall scoring efficiency. Today, I want to know how fans think the dramatic changes on offense will affect Detroit’s overall efficiency on that side of the bal. Last week, we got an interesting question for our PODcast, and now I want to pass it forward to you:

Do you think the Lions will average over or under 28 points per game?

My answer: Let’s set the stage a little here. In 2017, only four teams averaged at least 28 points per game: The Rams, Patriots, Eagles and Saints. The year before that, only two teams managed that feat.

However, the Lions were pretty darn close last year. Though they were aided by an irregular amount of return touchdowns via special teams and their defense, the Lions reached an impressive 25.6 points per game, good for seventh in the league. And they managed to do so with least-efficient running game in the league.

So with an improved backfield and front five, can the Lions push their offense to the next level? Probably, but asking of 28 points per game is just too much for me to get on board with. The defense is still a work in progress, and it’ll likely keep the offense off the field more than Detroit would like. And as much as I expect the running game to improve, it’s going to take a little bit for them to really come together under a new scheme and lineup.

Ultimately, I think the Lions will come very close, but wind up just short of that mark.

Your turn.