Lions

So, I received a request to post about the Lions. I did watch the Thanksgiving game and, of course, saw Stafford's "Hall-of-Fame" worthy play against the Browns.

Let's not kid ourselves, the Lions are truly one of the worst teams in the league. Of course, after last season's historic debacle, that's actually an improvement. I dig Schwartz, and I dig Stafford, even though he seems like kind of a jerk. Fans dig that in their QBs. The franchise seems headed in the right direction, but they're like an expansion team. Perhaps they're even worse off because they didn't have an "expansion draft". The Lions were stuck with all the Marinelli cast-offs, and they're paying for it. Injuries, of course haven't helped, and I just read today that Pettigrew is lost for the year. No Ernie Sims, no Pettigrew, no Dwayne White? The Lions aren't deep and don't have the luxury to lose even their mediocre players. They've had games this year without both Calvin and Stafford, and they've looked like... well, the '08 Lions.

But there's hope. Stafford is the real deal. He makes throws that great QBs can make. The offensive line has given him occasion to throw (sometimes), and he's often made the most of it, especially when Calvin is in. But that defense... they have one glaring hole - they can't pressure the QB. Without pressure, opposing QBs will eventually find an open receiver. This isn't the fault of Schwartz, either. Every coach since Mohrningweg was under the false impression that defensive line was a position of strength for the Lions. This belief was based on nothing tangible, just a slew of overhyped names like Robert Porcher, Shaun Rogers, Kalimba Edwards, etc. These guys never delivered in the clutch. They rarely developed real talent at that position and spent their top picks on offensive talent. The cupboard is bare, and they're paying the price.

With the first pick of the 2010 NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select Ndamukong Suh.