No, I'm not kidding. The Detroit Lions look like they have the makings of a playoff team heading into the 2011 NFL Season.
Based off of their last two draft classes, a coaching staff committed to winning, and a GM without a serious man-crush on any and all receivers, the Lions have battled their way back to NFL relevance. You may look at the numbers and think I'm crazy, as Detroit has compiled an 8-24 record over the last two years, but keep in mind that this is a team that holds the dubious distinction of being the only team in NFL history to post an 0-16 record. And that was just 3 years ago. Since that debacle, they have drafted some quality players such as Brandon Pettigrew (TE), the talented albeit oft injured Matthew Stafford (QB), speedster Javon Best (RB) and have managed to continue to develop one of the best receivers/pure athletes in the game in Calvin Johnson. And let's not forget their big catch last year, DT Ndamukon Suh, the 2010 NFL Defensive Rookie of the year, and that's where it gets interesting.
In this year's draft, the Lions sat at #13 and were expected to pick up a cornerback to help one of the worst past defenses in the league. Then the Tennessee Titans shocked everyone by taking Jake Locker with the 8th pick, their projected pick Nick Fairley, the DT out of Auburn started to slide until he fell right into the lap of the Lions. Now, the Lions have two dominant forces on the inside of that D Line who can bring ungodly amounts of pressure on the QB, which is an absoulte must in the NFC North with Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers lining up against Detroit 4 times a year. With Kyle Vandenbosch manning one DE spot, that line is as stout as anybody else's across the league. The Lions know a great pass rush can mitigate weakness in the secondary, which made the pick of Fairley a no brainer and a huge bonus for the team. You add in their two second round picks of speedster Titus Young (WR, Boise State) and power back Mikel Leshoure, and the title of this article doesn't seem so crazy now, does it. Young can help take pressure off of Calvin Johnson and stretch the defense in the vertical game with his speed, while Leshoure can provide the inside power running that the team needs to compliment the outside game of Javon Best.
The real X factor for this team is the health of Matthew Stafford. After two straight seasons with serious shoulder injuries in both his throwing and non-throwing shoulder, he has not yet played a full 16 game season. If the Lions can find a way to keep Stafford upright, then this team has really got a chance to do something special. Like I said, this is a group of talented young players who are hungry to establish their own legacy of winning and are prepared to bring Detroit fans along for the ride. They've got a coach that is instilling the right mindset in his players and an intensity that Detroit hasn't experienced in nearly 20 years, and most importantly, the organization seems to back 100%.
Bold Prediction: the 2011 Detroit Lions will make the playoffs!
No comments:
Post a Comment