The Detroit Lions open up the 2011 NFL football season on the road Sunday versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Based on last season, Tampa was one of the better teams in the NFL, so we should get an early litmus test as to where the Lions really stand as an up and coming team.
In their final preseason game, the Detroit Lions rode the incredible leg of kicker Jason Hanson, beating the Buffalo Bills 16-6 to push their preseason record to 4-0.
What does that really mean? The Lions 4-0 in the preseason means they will have a playoff run in the regular season? No! The preseason is the preseason and the regular season is an entirely different story. All of that feel good stuff over the past four week means nothing, right?
Well, there is a lot of truth to that, however, for a franchise that has had too many losing seasons to recount, any win is powerful.
I think from talking to the players, they have garnered a collective mojo that is evident by their attitude. I do not mean a negative attitude, but a winning attitude that has the players and coaches believing and feeling that this 2011 version of the Lions should be a team that competes at a high level.
Of course, the Lions 2011 season rest on the health of franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford. In his first two seasons he unfortunately got injured and we have not seen him play a full 16-game schedule. No matter, in the Lions first four preseason games Stafford looked like the man they drafted with the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.
I was not sure what to think of Stafford, but his showing in the preseason clearly denoted that he is a solid team leader and excellent quarterback. With weapons like Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson and Brandon Pettigrew to throw to, Stafford has an excellent receiving crew. Add in running backs Jahvid Best and Jerome Harrison, who the Lions signed as a free agent early in camp after rookie running back Mikel Leshoure was lost for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, together should be an adequate duo.
Concerning Harrison Lions coach Jim Schwartz said: “He’s a very productive runner. He doesn’t run for too many losses, and over the last couple of weeks, he’s broken a lot of long runs and really done a nice job of moving the team.”
Said Harrison concerning his excellent running during the preseason: “The offensive line blocked great, so I would be a fool to sit here and take the credit. I’ve had running lanes. The offensive line has been doing their job to get me to the secondary, and after that, it’s supposed to be on the runner.”
Also, the Lions linebackers, who were a large question mark, have been revived by the stealth acquisitionsof general manager Martin Mayhew. Through free agency and thoughtful drafting Mayhew and the Lions are on the right track.
Getting free agent linebackers Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant, along with draft pick Doug Hogue out of Syracuse, the Lions have an efficient crew along with returning starter DeAndre Levy. Together they should be enough to put all the linebacking worries to rest.
“Bringing in potential Pro Bowl linebackers like Tulloch and Durant will make this defense even better,” Levy said. “Those guys are professionals and know how to play the game.”
However, the real strength of this team is the defensive line. With Cliff Avril, Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Corey Williams and rookie first-round pick Nick Fairley, the Lions in many NFL watchers estimation have the best defensive line in the league.
“There is no doubt that our strength as a team is the defensive line,” Schwartz said. “We hope their effort move out throughout the entire defense.”
Leland Stein can be reached at lelstein3@aol.com and twitter @lelstein3.
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