The Detroit Lions are a very intriguing team this season. A head coaching change was just what this team needed, but the question surrounding the Lions is if the particular head coach they have is the coach who is the right fit for the organization. Having a new coach is one thing. Having a good new coach who will succeed is another. Jim Caldwell steps into the ring and faces a very tough challenge in his career.
Strengths
The Lions have built up two very noticeable strengths over the past several seasons. First, their passing game is very tough to deal with. Matthew Stafford has a tremendous arm. He can make every kind of throw an NFL quarterback needs to make. He is extremely talented and is not a player whose skills are doubted. Stafford’s problem is his level of patience. He makes too many risky throws and gets himself into trouble. He has to cut down on the amount of bad decisions he makes every Sunday. His abilities, though, are considerable. He also has Calvin Johnson to throw to, giving him the best target in the NFL. Johnson’s combination of size and leaping ability makes him a matchup nightmare for every cornerback in professional football. The Lions know they have a winning combination in the passing game.
The Lions’ other big strength is their defensive line. Detroit has loaded up on prime defensive linemen, both tackles and ends, in recent years. This team should be able to rush the quarterback with great consistency, and it should also be able to hold up against the run as well. There’s too much talent in the front four for Detroit to lag behind other defenses in the league.
Weaknesses
The Lions’ weaknesses are as obvious as their strengths. If you know that the Lions pass the ball really well, you also know that they haven’t had a great running back since Barry Sanders. Their ground game is one of the worst in football. It’s true that Detroit has favorable matchups when it passes the ball, but this can’t be a reason to abandon the running game. The Lions have to run the ball better so that Stafford won’t get pressured as much and be placed in situations where he’s more likely to turn the ball over. Detroit has to keep opposing defenses off balance, and until this happens, Stafford will face a lot of heat. Stafford’s growth depends on coaching and instruction, but it also depends on getting more time in the pocket while also receiving a reduced workload.
The other big weakness for Detroit is in the secondary. The front four might be awesome, but the back line of defense is vulnerable. Tackling among the linebackers has been a problem as well, but pass defense is such a key in a division with Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler. Detroit has to shore up this part of its defense.
Schedule
The Lions finished third in the NFC North last season, so their schedule was supposed to be manageable compared to other NFC teams. It is. The Lions don’t have to play Seattle, San Francisco, or Philadelphia, three of the teams in the NFC playoffs last season. They play the AFC East in interconference games, and only New England will be a difficult test there. Carolina was a strong team last season, but the Panthers will likely be much worse this year. The Lions can beat them. This team has a chance to do well against this slate.
Outlook
The Lions don’t know how well Jim Caldwell will coach this team, and neither does anyone else. Caldwell is a respected person, but his arrival in Detroit was not met with much enthusiasm. The Lions probably aren’t going to be as good as they hope, but with an over-under of 8.5, Detroit can probably still pull off nine wins and hit the over.
Pick: Over 8.5
