"We can't stop here - This is bat country." - Hunter S. Thompson
A lot has happened since I last posted in this space. The Lions predictably started losing games they deserved to lose, demolished Tim Tebow and his apostles, and have now embarked on a three-game winning streak with playoff positioning still at stake in week 17.
That's right, playoffs.
As in, the Detroit Lions are going to the playoffs.
I have a lot of difficulty putting this season into its porper context. On one hand, the job done by the Schwartz/Mayhew/Lewand triumverite has been nothing short of magical since taking the reigns from Matt Millen three years ago. From 0-16 in 2008 to 10, possibly 11 wins and a playoff berth in 2011 is remarkable on a cataclysmic scale and all Lions fans should appreciate it. The Lions have looked downright scary at times, scoring just under 30 points a game despite being without highly drafted backs Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure for the majority of the season. The defense has been opportunistic, leading the NFL with 7 return touchdowns. They've mounted several big, historical comebacks. They are resilient, the passing attack is lethal, and the defense has been coming up big.
One must not also ignore the mounting evidence - especially during the Lions midseason swoon - that this team still needs another good offseason before they can be considered an upper-echelon outfit in the NFL. The offensive line has been horrid in run-blocking, making the offense one-dimensional(not that Jim Schwartz minds). The defense has had serious issues stopping the run, an alarming carryover from last season. They were beaten pretty handily by the meat of their schedule, a clear sign of a team still trying to gain some consistency against quality opponents.
Ultimately, I think the Lions combination of Stafford-to-Johnson and their momentum from the playoff chase can carry them to a Wildcard win, but their glaring flaws will probably doom them against an elite opponent like Green Bay or New Orleans. If the Lions draw the 49ers and one of those aforementioned teams gets upset, though, than we might have an Arizona Cardinals-esque Super Bowl run on our hands. One thing I do know, though, is the fact that we're even having a conversation about the Lions chances in the playoffs is a much prettier reality than the one Lions fans were faced with three years ago. And if the Lions use Hunter S. Thompson as inspiration, the best is still yet to come.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
They're just getting started.
Detroit 24, Chicago 13 - 5-0(2-0 NFC North)
Words do not do this justice. Superlatives can't capture the entire essence of what's going on. Fans of other teams wouldn't understand. Monday Night. Pfft, big deal. Everyone's been there. Well, almost everyone. Except for the Lions. It's been a while. Ten years. Thirteen since they last won on Monday night. There's a lot of seasons of ineptitude interspersed in the years since. They went 0-16, remember? It wasn't even 3 full years ago when this roster was the worst in NFL history. Now? Now this. On October 10, 2011, the Lions squared off against their most hated rival and came away victorious. More importantly, they came away with a newfound respect from the rest of the league and its fans. No longer are the Lions our secret savior - the entire nation is onto their tricks, and the names Best and Megatron and Stafford and even Willie freaking Young were forced down the throats of everyone watching around the country. The roster isn't merely good, it's great. It's official - there's no denying it. Why should you? The Detroit football Lions are 5-0, and they've yet to play a complete, A-grade game yet. Last night was the closest they got to such an effort so far this season. They threw the ball efficiently, ran the ball extremely well, and there aren't enough condolences that can be extended to Jay Cutler for the beating he took.
He was pulverized. Destroyed. A symbolic effigy crucified as a decade's worth of misery slid off the backs of every fan in the state of Michigan. The Lions have had enough, and they took it out on Cutler tonight. His offensive line did him no favors, and he played a very good game, but he had to play the perfect game to survive the waves of Detroit defenders coming at him on every play - and he simply couldn't do it. Noone can. When Suh, Williams, and Vanden Bosch end up taking a backseat to guys like Willie Young and Lawrence Jackson rushing the passer - you know this team has something special brewing. The defense turned out exactly as everyone had hoped in the preseason- sure, they don't have any All-Pro's in the secondary, but the pressure they provide up front masks any potential weaknesses they have downfield. This is what they were hoping for when they selected Nick Fairley thirteenth overall. A few years down the line, when teams are splurging fifty million on other Asomugha's to shore up their secondary, the Lions will continue to sign Chris Houston and Eric Wright-types to plug holes that Fairley, Suh and Cliff Avril intend to hide on any given pass rush. This is the master plan. This is what Mayhew and Schwartz wanted to build. And it's being built faster than even the most ardent Lions supporters expected.
Expectations is a fuzzy word. Most would say Jahvid Best has fallen short of expectations since the Lions moved up to draft him in the first round last year. He produced plenty of catches and a nice first few games his rookie season, but slowed down considerably as the season went on and averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. Of course, he also played through two excruciating turf toe injuries that often shelves players for entire seasons, but to Best's credit he has not used any of it as an excuse as he continued to try and find his way in this offense. On Monday night, you saw why guys like Jahvid Best are a priority to this organizations brain trust. In an increasingly pass-heavy league where the run is more of a compliment to the air attack, lightning-fast back like Jahvid Best are at a premium for their ability to make opponents pay for providing the slightest bit of daylight. With only a few minutes to go in the third quarter, the Lions Oline opened up a huge hole at their own twelve yard line, and Best was in the endzone 88 yards later.
The Lions have guys like Best and Calvin Johnson who can turn an entire game around with one play if you make the slightest of mistake. That's where the value lies in this football team - with it's playmakers offensively and defensively. The difference now is the rest of the roster has caught up to make the plays necessary to play a solid sixty minutes of football and give themselves a chance against most teams. Any team, really. Ask yourself: do you think ANYBODY looks forward to playing the Lions at Ford Field anymore with the sort of homefield advantage they displayed yesterday? 9 false start penalties, and it didn't matter how early they jumped because they still lost everyone one-on-one matchup in the trenches. The Lions are 5-0 now, and as long as Jim Schwartz keeps these guys focused, they could be on their way to playing meaningful games in January. With Nick Fairley and a rejuvenated Jahvid Best on board, they're just getting started.
A few notes:
Words do not do this justice. Superlatives can't capture the entire essence of what's going on. Fans of other teams wouldn't understand. Monday Night. Pfft, big deal. Everyone's been there. Well, almost everyone. Except for the Lions. It's been a while. Ten years. Thirteen since they last won on Monday night. There's a lot of seasons of ineptitude interspersed in the years since. They went 0-16, remember? It wasn't even 3 full years ago when this roster was the worst in NFL history. Now? Now this. On October 10, 2011, the Lions squared off against their most hated rival and came away victorious. More importantly, they came away with a newfound respect from the rest of the league and its fans. No longer are the Lions our secret savior - the entire nation is onto their tricks, and the names Best and Megatron and Stafford and even Willie freaking Young were forced down the throats of everyone watching around the country. The roster isn't merely good, it's great. It's official - there's no denying it. Why should you? The Detroit football Lions are 5-0, and they've yet to play a complete, A-grade game yet. Last night was the closest they got to such an effort so far this season. They threw the ball efficiently, ran the ball extremely well, and there aren't enough condolences that can be extended to Jay Cutler for the beating he took.
He was pulverized. Destroyed. A symbolic effigy crucified as a decade's worth of misery slid off the backs of every fan in the state of Michigan. The Lions have had enough, and they took it out on Cutler tonight. His offensive line did him no favors, and he played a very good game, but he had to play the perfect game to survive the waves of Detroit defenders coming at him on every play - and he simply couldn't do it. Noone can. When Suh, Williams, and Vanden Bosch end up taking a backseat to guys like Willie Young and Lawrence Jackson rushing the passer - you know this team has something special brewing. The defense turned out exactly as everyone had hoped in the preseason- sure, they don't have any All-Pro's in the secondary, but the pressure they provide up front masks any potential weaknesses they have downfield. This is what they were hoping for when they selected Nick Fairley thirteenth overall. A few years down the line, when teams are splurging fifty million on other Asomugha's to shore up their secondary, the Lions will continue to sign Chris Houston and Eric Wright-types to plug holes that Fairley, Suh and Cliff Avril intend to hide on any given pass rush. This is the master plan. This is what Mayhew and Schwartz wanted to build. And it's being built faster than even the most ardent Lions supporters expected.
Expectations is a fuzzy word. Most would say Jahvid Best has fallen short of expectations since the Lions moved up to draft him in the first round last year. He produced plenty of catches and a nice first few games his rookie season, but slowed down considerably as the season went on and averaged just 3.2 yards per carry. Of course, he also played through two excruciating turf toe injuries that often shelves players for entire seasons, but to Best's credit he has not used any of it as an excuse as he continued to try and find his way in this offense. On Monday night, you saw why guys like Jahvid Best are a priority to this organizations brain trust. In an increasingly pass-heavy league where the run is more of a compliment to the air attack, lightning-fast back like Jahvid Best are at a premium for their ability to make opponents pay for providing the slightest bit of daylight. With only a few minutes to go in the third quarter, the Lions Oline opened up a huge hole at their own twelve yard line, and Best was in the endzone 88 yards later.
The Lions have guys like Best and Calvin Johnson who can turn an entire game around with one play if you make the slightest of mistake. That's where the value lies in this football team - with it's playmakers offensively and defensively. The difference now is the rest of the roster has caught up to make the plays necessary to play a solid sixty minutes of football and give themselves a chance against most teams. Any team, really. Ask yourself: do you think ANYBODY looks forward to playing the Lions at Ford Field anymore with the sort of homefield advantage they displayed yesterday? 9 false start penalties, and it didn't matter how early they jumped because they still lost everyone one-on-one matchup in the trenches. The Lions are 5-0 now, and as long as Jim Schwartz keeps these guys focused, they could be on their way to playing meaningful games in January. With Nick Fairley and a rejuvenated Jahvid Best on board, they're just getting started.
A few notes:
- I told you so about that Willie Young guy. He made life a nightmare for whatever unfortunate soul had to block him. The coaches seemed to increase his snaps this week, and he responded with a sack and plenty of pressure. The penalties were the only thing holding him back from a perfect game.
- I just wrote a whole article without barely mentioning Matt Stafford. He continues to efficiently scan the field and take some pretty good chances deep. He was inches off the receivers on a few nicely drawn-up downfield strikes.
- Can we finally put this "we need an every-down back" thing to rest? More and more teams around the league have followed the lead of teams like New England, Green Bay, and New Orleans that don't find solace in trying to find one back who does everything for them. Instead, the value is found in mixing a number of backs and utilizing their strengths differently. Jahvid Best is a great receiver and and sensational in space - if the Oline opens up a hole for him, he can make long TDs happen that most backs can't. When Mikel Leshure comes back next year, the offense will be even more dynamic and creative. In the new pass-heavy NFL, the running game acts more like a compliment anyways - and that's exactly how the run game serves the Lions. On Monday Night, they showed they have the power to impose their will on the ground too from time to time.
- Didn't I tell you San Francisco would be a scary game? All Lions fans need to be even more geeked up for the 49ers coming into town. They're quietly one of the best teams in the league, Harbaugh has them moving in the right direction, and the defense has been downright scary at times. The Lions still have some questions defending the run, and the 49ers have one of the best rushing attacks in the league led by Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. Hopefully the Lions don't experience a mental letdown after all the hoop-la about last nights game.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
A Team of Uneven Greatness - Not Destiny
Detroit 34, Dallas 30 - 4-0(1-0 NFC North)
What has transpired on the field for the Lions and their opponents the past two weeks has been the stuff of legends. In Week 3, a 20-point halftime deficit was erased lickity-split by a defense awoken from its slumber and the unstoppable connection of Stafford-to-Johnson. The end result was the Lions first win in Minnesota since 1997. In what should have the been craziest comeback we'd see from Detroit this season, they upped it into another stratosphere with their performance Sunday afternoon against a very good, very polished Dallas Cowboys team. Up 27-3 with 10:00 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, the Lions again found themselves in the same position they found themselves in a week prior - except against a much better team with a much, much better coaching staff on the opposing sideline. Forgive me for saying this, but I was just hoping Calvin Johnson would end the game providing my Fantasy team with a good amount of points. I knew Detroit would remain competitive with Jim Schwartz prowling the sideline, but Dallas was clicking so well that practice squad fodder Laurent Robinson looked like Michael Irvin against our defense. And nothing was going right. At all.
That is, until former Cowboy Bobby Carpenter undercut a Tony Romo pass. Touchdown.
Then Chris Houston said "fuck this noise" and one-armed another Romo pass. Touchdown.
From there, the Lions settled in and the offense got its rhythm back. And by rhythm, we mean Linehan realized he had the MOST PHYSICALLY FUCKING GIFTED WIDE RECEIVER IN NFL HISTORY yearning to make Mike Jenkins and Terrance Newman his personal bitches. And that he did. Mixed with some solid running from Jahvid Best(47 yards on 11 carries) and checkdown passes to Brandon Pettigrew(6 catches for 64 yards and quietly playing his best football ever - his run blocking has been very good), the NFL's best connection since Montana-to-Rice took the game over. There really is no telling what the limit is for Calvin Johnson. You saw him catch the ball over 3(!!) defenders in the endzone like he was playing Jackpot for shits and giggles. You saw him catch the game-winning fade from Matt Stafford, reaching up so high into the heavens for the winning grab that he got the wind knocked out of him when he landed. You saw him box out defenders like Shaquille O'Neal on simple slant patterns. In short, you saw a guy who makes Cris Carter look like the dumbest fucking human being on the face of the planet.
One could wax poetic about so many aspects of this game - a game we will all remember for a very long time. I'll harp on just a few things. For starters - this is NOT a team of destiny or good fortune, as you will soon read from your idiot local writers. The Lions don't have some newfound DNA that enables them to ignore whatever deficit they encounter and win every game no matter what. This is a team that's oh-so-close to being great - but not quite, and they've ridden a little bit of luck to a 4-0 record. This is a very uneven outfit, one that reflects how far we've come from 0-16...and how impressive our front office has been at supplanting talent at most positions on the field. The offense is littered with playmakers - but they also have an Oline that has regressed with each passing week. The defensive line was held largely in check by the Cowboys, and opponents have run on our attacking front four 4 with relative ease through the seasons first 4 games. The much-maligned secondary had nowhere to hide this week as Romo and co. picked them apart again and again. However, the teams most unsung and improved group - the LB corps - bailed the team out in the second half with some timely plays in coverage and slowing down Felix Jones in the run game. Stephen Tulloch, in particular, should be well on his way to an All-Pro campaign. The steal of Free Agency, Tulloch was fantastic in run defense and proved to be a thorn in Jason Witten's side, coming through with a huge interception covering him late in the game and never letting his man gain extra yardage when they caught the ball. In a game in which Detroit's star-studded Dline needed help, Tulloch and Carpenter and Louis Delmas made the plays necessary to mask our shortcomings in other places.
So where does Detroit go from here? Catching their breath isn't an option - division rival Chicago comes into town Monday Night(!!!) for what should be the most anticipated game in recent Lions history. 3-1 San Francisco and 2-2 Atlanta await the next two weeks after that, and I honestly thinkin Harbaugh and the revived 49ers defense is the most likely loss heading into the week 9 bye(I've already chalked off the week 8 game at Denver as a bloodletting of epic proportions. Go ahead and jinx me, Kyle Orton). Detroit only needs to play .500 ball the rest of the way to go 10-6 and presumably make the playoffs - I think that's about where this team is headed as they continue to grow, mature, and fall victim to some of the mistakes they've benefited from against Minnesota and Dallas. Of course, we could just be throwing the ball to Calvin every play and go 16-0. Ya never know. The fact that the Lions are even in a position as lofty as this in the first place is a testament to the braintrust of this organization, and a reminder that Detroit's best days are still yet to come. It's been a long time coming.
Some quick hits from Sunday's action:
What has transpired on the field for the Lions and their opponents the past two weeks has been the stuff of legends. In Week 3, a 20-point halftime deficit was erased lickity-split by a defense awoken from its slumber and the unstoppable connection of Stafford-to-Johnson. The end result was the Lions first win in Minnesota since 1997. In what should have the been craziest comeback we'd see from Detroit this season, they upped it into another stratosphere with their performance Sunday afternoon against a very good, very polished Dallas Cowboys team. Up 27-3 with 10:00 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter, the Lions again found themselves in the same position they found themselves in a week prior - except against a much better team with a much, much better coaching staff on the opposing sideline. Forgive me for saying this, but I was just hoping Calvin Johnson would end the game providing my Fantasy team with a good amount of points. I knew Detroit would remain competitive with Jim Schwartz prowling the sideline, but Dallas was clicking so well that practice squad fodder Laurent Robinson looked like Michael Irvin against our defense. And nothing was going right. At all.
That is, until former Cowboy Bobby Carpenter undercut a Tony Romo pass. Touchdown.
Then Chris Houston said "fuck this noise" and one-armed another Romo pass. Touchdown.
From there, the Lions settled in and the offense got its rhythm back. And by rhythm, we mean Linehan realized he had the MOST PHYSICALLY FUCKING GIFTED WIDE RECEIVER IN NFL HISTORY yearning to make Mike Jenkins and Terrance Newman his personal bitches. And that he did. Mixed with some solid running from Jahvid Best(47 yards on 11 carries) and checkdown passes to Brandon Pettigrew(6 catches for 64 yards and quietly playing his best football ever - his run blocking has been very good), the NFL's best connection since Montana-to-Rice took the game over. There really is no telling what the limit is for Calvin Johnson. You saw him catch the ball over 3(!!) defenders in the endzone like he was playing Jackpot for shits and giggles. You saw him catch the game-winning fade from Matt Stafford, reaching up so high into the heavens for the winning grab that he got the wind knocked out of him when he landed. You saw him box out defenders like Shaquille O'Neal on simple slant patterns. In short, you saw a guy who makes Cris Carter look like the dumbest fucking human being on the face of the planet.
One could wax poetic about so many aspects of this game - a game we will all remember for a very long time. I'll harp on just a few things. For starters - this is NOT a team of destiny or good fortune, as you will soon read from your idiot local writers. The Lions don't have some newfound DNA that enables them to ignore whatever deficit they encounter and win every game no matter what. This is a team that's oh-so-close to being great - but not quite, and they've ridden a little bit of luck to a 4-0 record. This is a very uneven outfit, one that reflects how far we've come from 0-16...and how impressive our front office has been at supplanting talent at most positions on the field. The offense is littered with playmakers - but they also have an Oline that has regressed with each passing week. The defensive line was held largely in check by the Cowboys, and opponents have run on our attacking front four 4 with relative ease through the seasons first 4 games. The much-maligned secondary had nowhere to hide this week as Romo and co. picked them apart again and again. However, the teams most unsung and improved group - the LB corps - bailed the team out in the second half with some timely plays in coverage and slowing down Felix Jones in the run game. Stephen Tulloch, in particular, should be well on his way to an All-Pro campaign. The steal of Free Agency, Tulloch was fantastic in run defense and proved to be a thorn in Jason Witten's side, coming through with a huge interception covering him late in the game and never letting his man gain extra yardage when they caught the ball. In a game in which Detroit's star-studded Dline needed help, Tulloch and Carpenter and Louis Delmas made the plays necessary to mask our shortcomings in other places.
So where does Detroit go from here? Catching their breath isn't an option - division rival Chicago comes into town Monday Night(!!!) for what should be the most anticipated game in recent Lions history. 3-1 San Francisco and 2-2 Atlanta await the next two weeks after that, and I honestly thinkin Harbaugh and the revived 49ers defense is the most likely loss heading into the week 9 bye(I've already chalked off the week 8 game at Denver as a bloodletting of epic proportions. Go ahead and jinx me, Kyle Orton). Detroit only needs to play .500 ball the rest of the way to go 10-6 and presumably make the playoffs - I think that's about where this team is headed as they continue to grow, mature, and fall victim to some of the mistakes they've benefited from against Minnesota and Dallas. Of course, we could just be throwing the ball to Calvin every play and go 16-0. Ya never know. The fact that the Lions are even in a position as lofty as this in the first place is a testament to the braintrust of this organization, and a reminder that Detroit's best days are still yet to come. It's been a long time coming.
Some quick hits from Sunday's action:
- Jim Schwartz yelping at Dez "I dont know what a catch is" Bryant as it became clear the trash-talking buffoon didn't realize his 'catch' was about to be ruled incomplete is high comedy. Between that and Schwartz's "LEARN THE FUCKING RULES, REF!" tirade at the end of the Minnesota game, he's quickly becoming my favorite figure in sports. His legend grows every day in Detroit, and there's no limit to his potential as a Detroit icon.
- I called out the Offensive line earlier in this post, but lets not get TOO down on the unit. They've played two of the top defensive front 7's in the league the past two weeks, and while they have Julius Peppers coming to town next week, I think we'll see much better performances from Backus and Cherilous once the All-Pro's move away from the schedule.
- By far my favorite play of the game, and one that I called prior to the snap: DE Willie Young running absolutely roughshod over rookie RT Tyron Smith and sacking Tony Romo on the last drive of the game. Look for it on youtube - it was the most embarrassingly one-sided matchup I've ever seen. The Lions need to use Willie Young and LoJack more and Kyle Vanden Bosch less. We all love KVB and what he represents, but he's porous against the run and all that intangible nonsense he possesses isn't getting him to the quarterback any quicker.
- Joe Buck is the worst announcer ever. Between not seeming to give a fuck about any play the Lions made nor did he realize Dallas turned it over on downs and thus completing a thrilling(allegedly, not in his world though) comeback - I'd be very, very thankful if Detroit(or any non-Dallas teams) fans never had to hear his stupid, monotonous voice ever again. My God. Imagine if Gus Johnson was the announcer for that game.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Previewing the 2011 Detroit Lions: We haz hope?
With less than a week to go until the games count, I figured it's a good time to preview the Detroit team that's got me - and most fans in the 313, for that matter - the most excited. The Detroit football Lions have injected their fanbase with an optimism I personally haven't experienced in my lifetime. Sure, there was the tremendous cocktease of the Mariucci era, but that all crumbled to bits the minute Joey Harrington, Kevin Jones and the gang broke the huddle(with Kevin Jones always breaking something along the way). And remember that time they started 6-2 under the original coach Hardballs, Rod Marinelli, shitkicking the Denver Broncos by like 80 points and sending us all into a midseason championship frenzy? Those were good times. Reality set in harshly year after year after year, of course, once the true anatomy of Matt Millen's roster fleshed itself out over a 16 game schedule . All that needs to be said is this: after a decade's worth of draft picks(often at the top of the order), only 8 rose up from amongst the ashes of Millen's inferno. Eight. Funny thing is the majority of them came from either Matt Millen's first year at the helm(Backus, Raiola) or his last(Gherilous, Avril, Felton, Fluellen, Stanton). God bless him for picking Calvin Johnson, though.
But anyways, Millen went bye bye and enter the holy triumvirate of Tom Lewand, Martin Mayhew and Head Coach Jim Schwartz. Mayhew, in particular, has been quite savvy in his short time as Detroit's general manager. While the Millen era was highlighted by overpriced signings of overrated talent(Hi, Dre Bly. I'll have a latte, Az Hakim), Mayhew and co. have stuck to their guns, built through the draft, and have injected the nucleaus of this team with veteran talent that isn't destroying our cap space. Guys like Rob Sims, Cory Williams, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Shaun Hill and Nate Burleson have all been acquired via trade or FA and all have served the Lions well. With the exception of Vanden Bosch and Burleson, both of whom dealt with injuries last season, nobody is underperforming relative to the number of zeros in their salary. And that's the key thing: While the Lions under the new regime have added scrubs like CC Brown or Eric King with no return on their investment - it was an investment that's almost too minimal to even mention in this blog space.
The Lions brass have done their jobs well thus far, taking the most moribund roster in NFL history in 2008 and bringing the fanbase back into the fold with the hope of a playoff run in 2011. Even if these guys fall short, it's a near certainty that these guys will be back and better next year. And the year after that. With all that said, let's jump into the roster breakdown and see how the Lions are shaping up for this upcoming season.
Quarterback
You may have heard this a few times already this summer, but the hopes of the Lions reaching their full potential rests on the shoulders of 2009's #1 pick Matt Stafford. He's one of the leagues most physically gifted passers, but he's had his first two seasons in the league cut short by injuries. With Scott Linehan as OC, the Lions had one of the NFL's most unbalanced offenses in the league last year, attempting more passes than all but two teams. So yeah, Stafford stepping up matters big to the success of this team. However, it is worth noting the Lions have perhaps the best #2 AND #3 QB depth chart in the league. Shaun Hill could probably start for about 10 teams in the league right now, and he displayed a tremendous amount of poise and ability to run Linehan's offense efficiently. Using profootballfocus(my bible) as a barometer, Hill never graded out negatively in any game he played in. Being a QB known more his game management than his rocket arm, he had a lot of success completing short- to mid-range passes and making plays with his feet when all else failed. Hill himself also dealt with injuries last year, leading to former 2nd round pick Drew Stanton taking the helm and forcing all Lions fans to brace for the worst. It didn't quite turn out that way - Stanton led the Lions to two consecutive wins against winning teams(one of which was against the eventual champion Packers), and he showed that he has come a long way from the stunted development he showed in previous seasons. He's a tremendous asset as a scrambling QB, but the hope is he or any 3rd string QB never sees the field. If the doomsday scenario does befell Detroit again, they can take solace in knowing they have best 3rd stringer on the lot. Yay.
Running Back
Personally, I'm a huge fan of Jahvid Best. Schwartz and co. have shown a keen eye at recognizing NFL-caliber players(especially in the draft), and they thought highly enough of him to move up into the first round and grab him last year. He started off last year with a bang, scoring 5 touchdowns in his first two games and sending Fantasy Football owners into a tizzy. Then he got hurt, hurt some more, and hurt so bad it hurt to watch him play. He clearly wasn't himself at the end of the season, but credit to him for trying to contribute and doing some good things as a receiver when he clearly just couldn't get it done on the ground. With a slight build and a ton of speed, Detroit went out of its way to compliment the smallish Best by moving up to draft Mikel Leshoure in this years draft. A 6' 220 lb bruiser with speed to boot and good hands, the Lions had high expectations for him as a change of pace to Best this season. Sadly, Leshoure tore his ACL in camp and the Lions are now left sifting through the corpses of Jerome Harrison and Maurice Morris for backup duty(and perhaps a surprise waiver claim). The Lions are in trouble if Best misses a significant amount of time again.
Wide Receiver
You know about Calvin Johnson. He's big, strong, fast and generally awesome. The Lions signed Burleson last year with the intention of making opponents respect the other side of the field across from Johnson and give Detroit a speedster to create yards after the catch. Burleson did that well, but he too dealt with injuries. Beyond those two, the Lions had zero reliable wideouts when things got messy with injuries. They went out and drafted Titus Young out of Boise St, who figures to play a huge role in the offense right away with his ability to stretch the field. The Lions also signed special teams maven Rashied Davis to hopefully contribute reliable hands as a 4th receiver, and WR/RB/Return Specialist Badass Stefan Logan returns, mostly as a Return Specialist Badass and gimmick RB. The depth at the position isn't up to snuff, but it's getting there. The big news of the preseason was Maurice Stovall becoming a viable option, so here's to hoping he will be the one other viable, tall receiver the Lions have other than Megatron.
Tight End
For Detroit, the TE position has spelled the end for fullbacks on our roster. H-back Will Heller is the closest thing Detroit will have for a lead blocker, which isn't a bad thing. Heller has been one of most improved players for the Lions in recent years, working his way to a regular spot in many offensive formations. The Lions also deploy a major mismatch for cornerbacks and safeties in the form of Tony Scheffler, who does his best work in the slot. When he run blocks, though, say a prayer Jahvid Best. The star of the position is Brandon Pettigrew, who would lead you think he was on the cusp of the Pro Bowl with his 71 catch, 722 yard campaign. However, drops continue to be an issue for him. We did begin to see the promise he held as a blocker in 2010, though, and with the Lions improvements at wideout he may be called upon less in the passing game. That should be a win for both Pettigrew and the Lions.
Offensive Line
The Lions offensive line is a mixed bag, with perennial enigmas Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola returning for what seems like their 20th year starting for the Lions. Backus, in particular, doesn't deserve half the flack he catches from some fans - he's a steady, reliable LT who doesn't get the QB killed. Raiola's play took a step back last season, but he had a great 2009 and here's to hoping he regains that form. LG Rob Sims was the big pickup of the offseason last year, and he has proceeded to underachieve so far in a big way. The right side of the line has been the teams biggest weakness, with RG Stephen Peterman seeing a major decline in his play and Gosder Cherilous struggling to stay healthy. The depth on the line has improved with the development of Corey Hillard and Jason Fox, but the Lions can ill afford to see another effort like the 2010 version of this group.
Defensive Line
You may have heard this already, but Detroit's defensive front is pretty good. In one of the few instances where perception meets reality in sports, the Lions defensive rotation appears set to put on a clinic against anyone enough sorry enough to line up across from them. You know about Ndamakung Suh - what you don't know is that he was actually Corey Williams caddy for much of the season. Williams had a superior season in both run defense and rushing the passer, but the stats didn't open anyones eyes like Suh's 10 sacks did. The biggest problem for Williams was staying on side, as he was penalized more than any defensive player in the league with 15 penalties last season. It's a small tradeoff for the explosion he gets off the snap. What you also may not have realized is that Sammie Lee Hill is well on his way to becoming a viable starter as a three-technique tackle too, slowly tapping into the vast potential he had as a 4th round pick out of tiny Stillman college 2 years ago. Throw in 1st round pick Nick Fairley, who really shouldn't have been available when the Lions picked him, and the Lions should have the best rotation of DTs in the league. At the end spots, the Lions more than hold their own as well with Cliff Avril evolving into a potential Pro Bowl-player. When Kyle Vanden Bosch is the worst starter the Lions have on their line, you know things are good. The Lions also have a rejuvenated Lawrence Jackson and 7th round gem Willie Young to rotate in at defensive end, giving the Lions an endless supply of efficient pass-rushers. This is the unit Jim Schwartz paid the most attention to when he took over, and this should be the year they really take off.
Linebacker
No unit on the Lions benefited more than the linebacking corps this offseason. Their biggest addition was by subtraction, parting ways with Julian Peterson and his rapidly declining skillset. DeAndre Levy is the only returning starter. The former 3rd round pick from Wisconsin has great athleticism and did well as the man in the middle when healthy. He will have to slide over and make way for the Lions big catch of the offseason, former Titan stalwart Stepehen Tulloch. At just 5'11", many in NFL circles overlooked Tulloch a few years ago, but former Titans assistant Jim Schwartz gave him a chance and all he did was turn in an All-Pro performance last season for the Titans, both as a tackler and in coverage. He gives the Lions the consummate 3-down linebacker very few teams have, and he allows Levy to do what he does best on the weakside - taking advantage of his athleticism in space. Another key signing for Detroit was bringing in former Jaguar Justin Durant, who should be a huge upgrade over whatever the hell they had at strongside LB in recent years. An in-the-box monster, as long as Durant isn't asked to cover much the Lions got themselves an extremely sure tackler who sheds blocks well. For depth, the Lions retained Bobby Carpenter, Isaiah Ekejiuba and Ashlee Palmer - all of whom contribute a great deal on special teams. The Lions also went out and drafted Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue in round 5, who has impressed so far in camp.
Secondary
The most maligned unit on the depth chart is obviously cornerback, where most would agree is lacking with true starting-caliber talent. Chris Houston returns as one starter, and he didn't have a noteworthy season last year - good or bad. He does have the ability to catch up to a receiver when they do beat him, though, which I guess is a nice thing to have. The Lions last notable pick-up in free agency was former Browns cornerback Eric Wright, an intriguing prospect who started for the Browns for a long time. Still just 26, he had a down year last season and the Lions are hoping he can regain his previous form. If not, well, the Lions still have Alphonso Smith on the roster - which will ensure they will get burned repeatedly for at least one more season. One quick note is that Aaron Berry returns again to tantalize Lions fans with the thought that he could be the next great Miami cornerback - he'll get his chance this year after dealing with injury last year. The situation is more settled for the Lions at safety, with the dreaded(ha) Louis Delmas returning to hold down the strong safety spot. The big story, to me at least, was the play of Amari Spievey at free safety through the preseason. The coaches talked about how improved he would be all offseason long, and they weren't lying. He displayed sure tackling skills and an ability to make plays in space. If he and Delmas both improve their coverage skills, perhaps the Lions wont be victimized quite as much through the air.
Special Teams
Stefan Logan is back and he's proven to be a Pro-Bowl level returnman. I love the little bastard. The Lions have numerous special teams standouts like Palmer, Ekejiuba and John Wendling returning for a unit that ranked near the top of the league in special teams coverage. Jason Hanson is back to kick balls through the uprights, which is awesome. We also have a new punter, which is cool I guess.
Summary/Prediction
Things are definitely on the upswing for Detroit, and this is based on tangible evidence as opposed to the helpless hope that fueled the fanbase for so long under Millen and co. The Lions have playmakers at key positions on both sides of the ball, but they still have their fair share of warts on the Oline and in the secondary. The downfall of this team will be if there's any signifcant injuries along the Oline, at running back, at linebacker or in the secondary, because the drop-off from first- to second-string is still pretty vast at those spots.
Worst case scenario? Injuries belittle the Lions at several key positions. The secondary gets predictably torched. We see a repeat of 6-10.
Best case scenario? Everything clicks. Stafford stays healthy, Linehan continues to make the most of the playmakers that he has, and the defensive front 7 makes life hell for everyone on the schedule. The Lions are good enough to embarrass some teams if they execute well enough. Let's say 12-4.
Final prediction? I'll admit it - it's tough for me to contain my excitement about this team. The guys in charge are smart, the coordinators are savvy, and they have several key positions locked down. A few things that bother me? We're penalized way too ofen on defense, for one. That lack of discipline can cost you a game. Also, I think the Lions are going to suffer an improbable loss or two when teams just insist on dinking and dunking and negating our pass rush. The offensive line will have its good and bad days, and the bad days will result in some ugly, single-digit performances for Jahvid Best when the run is abandoned altogether. The great news for the Lions is they have the special teams, the pass rush, and the passing game to hang with anybody. With all that's been said, I'm predicting 10-6 and a wildcard berth. Pass the Kool-Aid.
But anyways, Millen went bye bye and enter the holy triumvirate of Tom Lewand, Martin Mayhew and Head Coach Jim Schwartz. Mayhew, in particular, has been quite savvy in his short time as Detroit's general manager. While the Millen era was highlighted by overpriced signings of overrated talent(Hi, Dre Bly. I'll have a latte, Az Hakim), Mayhew and co. have stuck to their guns, built through the draft, and have injected the nucleaus of this team with veteran talent that isn't destroying our cap space. Guys like Rob Sims, Cory Williams, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Shaun Hill and Nate Burleson have all been acquired via trade or FA and all have served the Lions well. With the exception of Vanden Bosch and Burleson, both of whom dealt with injuries last season, nobody is underperforming relative to the number of zeros in their salary. And that's the key thing: While the Lions under the new regime have added scrubs like CC Brown or Eric King with no return on their investment - it was an investment that's almost too minimal to even mention in this blog space.
The Lions brass have done their jobs well thus far, taking the most moribund roster in NFL history in 2008 and bringing the fanbase back into the fold with the hope of a playoff run in 2011. Even if these guys fall short, it's a near certainty that these guys will be back and better next year. And the year after that. With all that said, let's jump into the roster breakdown and see how the Lions are shaping up for this upcoming season.
Quarterback
You may have heard this a few times already this summer, but the hopes of the Lions reaching their full potential rests on the shoulders of 2009's #1 pick Matt Stafford. He's one of the leagues most physically gifted passers, but he's had his first two seasons in the league cut short by injuries. With Scott Linehan as OC, the Lions had one of the NFL's most unbalanced offenses in the league last year, attempting more passes than all but two teams. So yeah, Stafford stepping up matters big to the success of this team. However, it is worth noting the Lions have perhaps the best #2 AND #3 QB depth chart in the league. Shaun Hill could probably start for about 10 teams in the league right now, and he displayed a tremendous amount of poise and ability to run Linehan's offense efficiently. Using profootballfocus(my bible) as a barometer, Hill never graded out negatively in any game he played in. Being a QB known more his game management than his rocket arm, he had a lot of success completing short- to mid-range passes and making plays with his feet when all else failed. Hill himself also dealt with injuries last year, leading to former 2nd round pick Drew Stanton taking the helm and forcing all Lions fans to brace for the worst. It didn't quite turn out that way - Stanton led the Lions to two consecutive wins against winning teams(one of which was against the eventual champion Packers), and he showed that he has come a long way from the stunted development he showed in previous seasons. He's a tremendous asset as a scrambling QB, but the hope is he or any 3rd string QB never sees the field. If the doomsday scenario does befell Detroit again, they can take solace in knowing they have best 3rd stringer on the lot. Yay.
Running Back
Personally, I'm a huge fan of Jahvid Best. Schwartz and co. have shown a keen eye at recognizing NFL-caliber players(especially in the draft), and they thought highly enough of him to move up into the first round and grab him last year. He started off last year with a bang, scoring 5 touchdowns in his first two games and sending Fantasy Football owners into a tizzy. Then he got hurt, hurt some more, and hurt so bad it hurt to watch him play. He clearly wasn't himself at the end of the season, but credit to him for trying to contribute and doing some good things as a receiver when he clearly just couldn't get it done on the ground. With a slight build and a ton of speed, Detroit went out of its way to compliment the smallish Best by moving up to draft Mikel Leshoure in this years draft. A 6' 220 lb bruiser with speed to boot and good hands, the Lions had high expectations for him as a change of pace to Best this season. Sadly, Leshoure tore his ACL in camp and the Lions are now left sifting through the corpses of Jerome Harrison and Maurice Morris for backup duty(and perhaps a surprise waiver claim). The Lions are in trouble if Best misses a significant amount of time again.
Wide Receiver
You know about Calvin Johnson. He's big, strong, fast and generally awesome. The Lions signed Burleson last year with the intention of making opponents respect the other side of the field across from Johnson and give Detroit a speedster to create yards after the catch. Burleson did that well, but he too dealt with injuries. Beyond those two, the Lions had zero reliable wideouts when things got messy with injuries. They went out and drafted Titus Young out of Boise St, who figures to play a huge role in the offense right away with his ability to stretch the field. The Lions also signed special teams maven Rashied Davis to hopefully contribute reliable hands as a 4th receiver, and WR/RB/Return Specialist Badass Stefan Logan returns, mostly as a Return Specialist Badass and gimmick RB. The depth at the position isn't up to snuff, but it's getting there. The big news of the preseason was Maurice Stovall becoming a viable option, so here's to hoping he will be the one other viable, tall receiver the Lions have other than Megatron.
Tight End
For Detroit, the TE position has spelled the end for fullbacks on our roster. H-back Will Heller is the closest thing Detroit will have for a lead blocker, which isn't a bad thing. Heller has been one of most improved players for the Lions in recent years, working his way to a regular spot in many offensive formations. The Lions also deploy a major mismatch for cornerbacks and safeties in the form of Tony Scheffler, who does his best work in the slot. When he run blocks, though, say a prayer Jahvid Best. The star of the position is Brandon Pettigrew, who would lead you think he was on the cusp of the Pro Bowl with his 71 catch, 722 yard campaign. However, drops continue to be an issue for him. We did begin to see the promise he held as a blocker in 2010, though, and with the Lions improvements at wideout he may be called upon less in the passing game. That should be a win for both Pettigrew and the Lions.
Offensive Line
The Lions offensive line is a mixed bag, with perennial enigmas Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola returning for what seems like their 20th year starting for the Lions. Backus, in particular, doesn't deserve half the flack he catches from some fans - he's a steady, reliable LT who doesn't get the QB killed. Raiola's play took a step back last season, but he had a great 2009 and here's to hoping he regains that form. LG Rob Sims was the big pickup of the offseason last year, and he has proceeded to underachieve so far in a big way. The right side of the line has been the teams biggest weakness, with RG Stephen Peterman seeing a major decline in his play and Gosder Cherilous struggling to stay healthy. The depth on the line has improved with the development of Corey Hillard and Jason Fox, but the Lions can ill afford to see another effort like the 2010 version of this group.
Defensive Line
You may have heard this already, but Detroit's defensive front is pretty good. In one of the few instances where perception meets reality in sports, the Lions defensive rotation appears set to put on a clinic against anyone enough sorry enough to line up across from them. You know about Ndamakung Suh - what you don't know is that he was actually Corey Williams caddy for much of the season. Williams had a superior season in both run defense and rushing the passer, but the stats didn't open anyones eyes like Suh's 10 sacks did. The biggest problem for Williams was staying on side, as he was penalized more than any defensive player in the league with 15 penalties last season. It's a small tradeoff for the explosion he gets off the snap. What you also may not have realized is that Sammie Lee Hill is well on his way to becoming a viable starter as a three-technique tackle too, slowly tapping into the vast potential he had as a 4th round pick out of tiny Stillman college 2 years ago. Throw in 1st round pick Nick Fairley, who really shouldn't have been available when the Lions picked him, and the Lions should have the best rotation of DTs in the league. At the end spots, the Lions more than hold their own as well with Cliff Avril evolving into a potential Pro Bowl-player. When Kyle Vanden Bosch is the worst starter the Lions have on their line, you know things are good. The Lions also have a rejuvenated Lawrence Jackson and 7th round gem Willie Young to rotate in at defensive end, giving the Lions an endless supply of efficient pass-rushers. This is the unit Jim Schwartz paid the most attention to when he took over, and this should be the year they really take off.
Linebacker
No unit on the Lions benefited more than the linebacking corps this offseason. Their biggest addition was by subtraction, parting ways with Julian Peterson and his rapidly declining skillset. DeAndre Levy is the only returning starter. The former 3rd round pick from Wisconsin has great athleticism and did well as the man in the middle when healthy. He will have to slide over and make way for the Lions big catch of the offseason, former Titan stalwart Stepehen Tulloch. At just 5'11", many in NFL circles overlooked Tulloch a few years ago, but former Titans assistant Jim Schwartz gave him a chance and all he did was turn in an All-Pro performance last season for the Titans, both as a tackler and in coverage. He gives the Lions the consummate 3-down linebacker very few teams have, and he allows Levy to do what he does best on the weakside - taking advantage of his athleticism in space. Another key signing for Detroit was bringing in former Jaguar Justin Durant, who should be a huge upgrade over whatever the hell they had at strongside LB in recent years. An in-the-box monster, as long as Durant isn't asked to cover much the Lions got themselves an extremely sure tackler who sheds blocks well. For depth, the Lions retained Bobby Carpenter, Isaiah Ekejiuba and Ashlee Palmer - all of whom contribute a great deal on special teams. The Lions also went out and drafted Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue in round 5, who has impressed so far in camp.
Secondary
The most maligned unit on the depth chart is obviously cornerback, where most would agree is lacking with true starting-caliber talent. Chris Houston returns as one starter, and he didn't have a noteworthy season last year - good or bad. He does have the ability to catch up to a receiver when they do beat him, though, which I guess is a nice thing to have. The Lions last notable pick-up in free agency was former Browns cornerback Eric Wright, an intriguing prospect who started for the Browns for a long time. Still just 26, he had a down year last season and the Lions are hoping he can regain his previous form. If not, well, the Lions still have Alphonso Smith on the roster - which will ensure they will get burned repeatedly for at least one more season. One quick note is that Aaron Berry returns again to tantalize Lions fans with the thought that he could be the next great Miami cornerback - he'll get his chance this year after dealing with injury last year. The situation is more settled for the Lions at safety, with the dreaded(ha) Louis Delmas returning to hold down the strong safety spot. The big story, to me at least, was the play of Amari Spievey at free safety through the preseason. The coaches talked about how improved he would be all offseason long, and they weren't lying. He displayed sure tackling skills and an ability to make plays in space. If he and Delmas both improve their coverage skills, perhaps the Lions wont be victimized quite as much through the air.
Special Teams
Stefan Logan is back and he's proven to be a Pro-Bowl level returnman. I love the little bastard. The Lions have numerous special teams standouts like Palmer, Ekejiuba and John Wendling returning for a unit that ranked near the top of the league in special teams coverage. Jason Hanson is back to kick balls through the uprights, which is awesome. We also have a new punter, which is cool I guess.
Summary/Prediction
Things are definitely on the upswing for Detroit, and this is based on tangible evidence as opposed to the helpless hope that fueled the fanbase for so long under Millen and co. The Lions have playmakers at key positions on both sides of the ball, but they still have their fair share of warts on the Oline and in the secondary. The downfall of this team will be if there's any signifcant injuries along the Oline, at running back, at linebacker or in the secondary, because the drop-off from first- to second-string is still pretty vast at those spots.
Worst case scenario? Injuries belittle the Lions at several key positions. The secondary gets predictably torched. We see a repeat of 6-10.
Best case scenario? Everything clicks. Stafford stays healthy, Linehan continues to make the most of the playmakers that he has, and the defensive front 7 makes life hell for everyone on the schedule. The Lions are good enough to embarrass some teams if they execute well enough. Let's say 12-4.
Final prediction? I'll admit it - it's tough for me to contain my excitement about this team. The guys in charge are smart, the coordinators are savvy, and they have several key positions locked down. A few things that bother me? We're penalized way too ofen on defense, for one. That lack of discipline can cost you a game. Also, I think the Lions are going to suffer an improbable loss or two when teams just insist on dinking and dunking and negating our pass rush. The offensive line will have its good and bad days, and the bad days will result in some ugly, single-digit performances for Jahvid Best when the run is abandoned altogether. The great news for the Lions is they have the special teams, the pass rush, and the passing game to hang with anybody. With all that's been said, I'm predicting 10-6 and a wildcard berth. Pass the Kool-Aid.
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