Detroit Lions 2011 Season Preview: Is This Finally The Year?

By Joel Thorman - NFL Editor

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Sep 6, 2011 - The 2011 NFL season is almost here, which means it's time to preview every team's chances this year. SB Nation's Pride Of Detroit gives us the scoop on the Detroit Lions.

Record Prediction

The Detroit Lions haven't finished with a record of .500 or better since 2000. They did almost get there with a 7-9 record in 2007, spurring optimism in the ensuing offseason that 2008 would finally be the year where everything came together. Everything did come together, but for the perfect storm of mediocrity and a 0-16 season. Ever since then the Lions have once again been attempting to rebuild the team, and now it appears all of the hard work by the new front office and coaching staff is about to pay off.

With playmakers like Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew on offense and Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril, DeAndre Levy and Louis Delmas on defense, the Lions have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball. They haven't had a collection of talent from top to bottom like this in years. Between that and the four-game winning streak to end the 2010 season, the hope and optimism that 2011 will finally be the year the franchise gets turned around is off the charts.

Some people are still skeptical that the Lions will ever get this winning thing figured out on a consistent basis, but I am not one of them. With all of the talent the Lions have assembled in the last few years and with the team finally learning how to win at the end of 2010, I believe 2011 will be a year to remember for Lions fans (for good reasons unlike the past). Not only do I have the Lions reaching the .500 plateau for the first time in a decade, but I have them going 10-6 and making a run at the playoffs. This is all contingent on Stafford staying healthy, of course, but even if he goes down the Lions showed last year they can win games with other quarterbacks. I don't foresee 10 wins without Stafford, but I think the Lions would still have a shot at going .500.

Best Game On The Schedule

Without a doubt, the game all Lions fans are most looking forward to is the Oct. 10 showdown with the Bears in Detroit. Why? Because it's the first time ESPN's Monday Night Football will be broadcasting a regular season Lions game in 10 years. The last time the Lions were on MNF was back on Oct. 8, 2001. The St. Louis Rams embarrassed them with a 35-0 blowout, and the Lions were kept off of MNF for the next 10 years as a result. Now with Detroit finally getting a Monday night game for the Lions (and not one for a division rival whose stadium was unplayable), the anticipation is through the roof for this matchup. 

Player Who Takes A Step Back This Year

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is still expected to torment opposing quarterbacks and be a menace to offensive linemen, but it will be tough for him to replicate his stellar rookie campaign. He was named the rookie of the year, selected to the Pro Bowl and put on the All-Pro team for his outstanding play in 2010. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if he once again plays at this high of a level, but I think statistically he will take a slight step back. Not only are teams going to concentrate more of their efforts on stopping him, but the Lions also have Nick Fairley at defensive tackle this year. Adding Fairley should lessen the burden on Suh, who was on the field for 90 percent of the Lions' defensive plays last year. With Fairley on the team, there should be more of a rotation that doesn't force Suh to have to do so much.

Breakout Player Candidates

Wide receiver Nate Burleson has put up some big numbers in the past, but his production in recent years hasn't been anything that turned heads. That could change in 2011. Lining up at wide receiver with Calvin Johnson and rookie Titus Young, Burleson has the potential to have a re-breakout season of sorts. In the first two weeks of the preseason he had two outstanding touchdown receptions, and he showed he can be a reliable No. 1 receiver when Calvin Johnson isn't on the field. When Johnson is on the field, defenses are likely to turn all of their focus to him, giving Burleson more room to work with. He should benefit greatly from this, and he should also benefit from getting back quarterback Matthew Stafford, who is also primed for a breakout season if he can stay healthy.

Best Lions Player Others Have Never Heard Of

Much is made about how great the Lions defensive line is because of guys like Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril and even Nick Fairley, who has yet to play a down. Defensive tackle Corey Williams seems to be overlooked both by fans of other teams and Lions fans. All of the focus at defensive tackle is on how dominant Suh is, but Williams played very well in his own right last season. He was a big reason why the D-line played so well, and although the Lions did draft Fairley, Williams still will be an important weapon on the Lions defensive line in 2011.

Overrated/Underrated/Just Right

The three position groups that garner the most attention for the Lions are quarterback, offensive line and defensive line. Quarterback gets a lot of hype because of how Matthew Stafford has looked when he is healthy, but I would say some people overrate him a bit. That's not to say Stafford isn't a great player, but until he shows he can stay on the field consistently he won't be considered a top-tier quarterback. On the flip side, the offensive line of the Lions gets a lot of criticism, especially left tackle Jeff Backus. A number of so-called draft experts claimed the Lions had to replace Backus with someone who could protect Stafford, but the Lions actually feel really good about their O-line, and statistically it is much better than most seem to believe.

As for the defensive line, its hype is warranted. Ndamukong Suh will be the first to tell you that the defensive line still needs to prove all of the hype on the field, but Suh and company already did that in 2010 in my mind. Is there still room to get better? Of course, but the hype the D-line has gotten is right on.

Fantasy Football Outlook

The Lions offense is a fantasy football owner's dream. At quarterback you have a potentially great player in Matthew Stafford, who could be a steal if he is able to stay healthy. At running back you have Jahvid Best, who can rack up yards and touchdowns both on the ground and out of the backfield as a receiver. And speaking of receiver, the Lions have one of the top players at this position in Calvin Johnson, who could put up career numbers if he has a healthy Stafford all year. The same goes for Nate Burleson, and let's not forget rookie Titus Young, who will be an interesting player to watch because of his play-making abilities. Also, don't sleep on the Lions tight ends. Brandon Pettigrew was a reliable option at tight end last year, and both he and teammate Tony Scheffler are solid fantasy football options in 2011.

Best Media Personality In Detroit

Lions fans are lucky to have a solid group of beat writers that covers the team. Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) of the Detroit Free Press also provides a lot of great information and knowledge about the Lions.

Best Players To Follow On Twitter

Lions defensive linemen don't just excel on the field. They also excel with using Twitter. Ndamukong Suh (@ndamukong_suh) is a great follow considering he is always doing so many interesting things, and he also doesn't hesitate to interact with fans. The same goes for Cliff Avril (@cliffavril) and Lawrence Jackson (@LoJackson94), who answer seemingly every question tossed their way by fans on Twitter.

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