According to Chuck Pagano, “the storylines are incredible” for 2023 to be a Lions season for the ages.

The 33rd team posted an article on Thursday with six dark horse candidates for Most Valuable Player in the upcoming NFL season. As expected, nearly all of them were quarterbacks: only WR Justin Jefferson on the Vikings played some other position. Each surprise MVP candidate got a writeup from one of the site’s analysts, and hypothetical odds attached to the blurb. Jefferson, for example, was arbitrarily assigned 100-to-1 odds by Andy Benoit. The other quarterbacks were generally former MVPs like Russell Wilson or quarterbacks of teams that are supposed to do well (Trey Lance, Dak Prescott).

In that last category is Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano penciled in as a 16-to-1 odds candidate:

Among the factors tipping the scales for coach Pagano are the brilliance of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and big-play threat skill position players (LaPorta, Gibbs, JaMo). Oh yeah, that offensive line is pretty good.

It is kind of nice to see Goff listed as a candidate (even just a dark horse) now that the team is a favorite to win the division and make the playoffs. He’s an established veteran with postseason accolades coming off a monster season! Earlier this week, Mr. Mathews was just trying to understand how Mike Evans and his four Pro Bowls could be underrated, but can’t we make a similar argument for a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has already led a team to a Super Bowl and will be in his eighth season as a pro? Underrated? Is such a thing even possible?

In the case of a Detroit Lions quarterback, yes that is absolutely possible. We now proceed to the rest of your weekend Notes:

• These are really nice photos of Jameson Williams from shotsbygoonie on Instagram:

• The Lions’ social media team posted an engagement prompt asking fans to name an imaginary album featuring safety Kerby Joseph on its imaginary cover. Many submissions had to do with intercepting a particular former NFC North quarterback a lot.

• While we’re on the subject of Kerby Joseph, over on the team’s official website there was a training camp preview of the safeties by Tim Twentyman.

• Caio Brighenti, recently promoted to a new title of manager of football information with the Lions, was featured in a promotional spot for the NFL’s Big Data Bowl:

• From SumerSports, we have an interesting chart that compares EPA per play by pass and run type across the league. By this standard, the Lions had one of the most efficient passing offenses in the league last year (but you already knew that).

• Our own Kellie Rowe talked about this list recently in Notes, but Ryan Mathews wants to make sure you don’t miss the nugget buried at the bottom about former Lions offensive coordinator and current Indianapolis Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter:

• Pride of Detroit managing editor Erik Schiltt was a guest on the Fantasy Points podcast to talk about the Lions in a fantasy football context. You can listen to the entire 25+ minute podcast episode in a web player on Spotify.

• In case you missed it from earlier in the week, our senior editor Ryan Mathews was a guest on the Lions Pulse with Meko Scott to preview the team’s training camp. You can watch that entire episode on YouTube.

• The Madden raters acknowledged Jahmyr Gibbs is really fast:

• Over at the official team website, there’s a new “Get to Know” question and answer article featuring rookie wide receiver Antoine Green. Apparently, he got an ironically appropriate nickname in high school considering the team that drafted him.

• When we usually talk about violent hands, it’s in the context of offensive linemen and their “punch” in pass protection. However, here’s defensive lineman Alim McNeill showing us some ultra-violent hands.