The Same Old Lions

Detroit's Corey Hilliard hangs his head in the final seconds of Monday night's 18-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Former NFL head coach Dennis Green said it best: “They are who we thought they were.”

(Insert "Lions" for "Bears")

The Detroit Lions did their best to fool us into thinking they would be a playoff team in 2013, making all the right signings and starting the season the right way. But, when their fate was left to their own accomplishments, Detroit's true identity was revealed.

This playoff façade started in 2011, when quarterback Matthew Stafford led the Lions to a 10-6 record, earning a wild card berth and a playoff spot for the first time since 1999.

But then came 2012. The Lions were looking like real contenders, a young team which oozed with potential and could arguably take the next step, pushing the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North title. Detroit went 1-3 out of the gate, winning the season opener before dropping three straight contests. Three wins in the next four games then seemingly righted the ship, with Detroit improving to 4-4, beating a pretty good Seattle team as part of the stretch.

But eight straight losses, including a devastating overtime home loss to the Houston Texans on Thanksgiving day, a last second loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and a pair of losses to the Packers spelled defeat for Detroit and a 4-12 season.

Fool me once, shame on you.

In the offseason, Jim Schwartz was retained as head coach and the Lions looked to return to the playoffs. Detroit general manage Martin Mayhew made some great moves, adding free agent running back Reggie Bush to really expand the Lions offense as well as safety Glover Quin to solidify the secondary. The Lions also drafted well, picking up defensive end Ezekiel Ansah to add speed to the defensive line and guard Larry Warford to fill the gap on the offensive line.

All signs pointed to an extremely dangerous offense, a solid defense, and increase maturity after the Lions had lost double digit games in 2012. Writers around the league picked the Lions to bounce back, citing improbable losses in 2012 based on point differential, turnover margin, and strength of schedule.

The Lions then started the 2013 season 6-3, earning a trio of division wins as well as an incredible come-from-behind victory over the Dallas Cowboys, a win which made it appear as though Matthew Stafford had made the step to becoming a star quarterback in the NFL.

For the first time in a long time, Detroit found itself atop the NFC North with the 6-3 record, while the Chicago Bears and Packers were a game behind at 5-4 each. With seven games left, Detroit was scheduled to face five teams that had losing records at the time. Things were looking up for the Lions, and the team held its own destiny with a playoff spot in sight.

Looks like we all could have used a reminder from Jim Mora.

The Lions regressed in weeks 11 and 12, dropping games to a pair of sub-.500 teams in the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“We just didn’t execute. That’s what it boils down to,” said Stafford after the game against Pittsburg. “We had obviously a good second quarter ... made some big plays. We didn’t capitalize in the red zone as much as we needed to.”

“Overall, as a team, we didn't put it together,” said Ndamukong Suh after the loss to the Buccaneers. “Obviously, at critical points and times, you can't make mistakes. In all three phases, we didn't capitalize. If you look at the defense, we still have an opportunity to get the ball back for our offense. It's just the mistakes that we made.”

The Lions then teased the fan base by claiming an impressive 40-10 victory over the Packers on Thanksgiving, gaining 561 yards on offense compared to Green Bay's 126 yards, and sacking Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn seven times.

But, it was back to the same-old Lions in week 14. Detroit held a 14-6 lead heading into the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in snowy weather. The Eagles then took control, scoring 28 points in the fourth as running back LeSean McCoy tallied 148 yards on the ground in the final period to claim a 34-20 win against Detroit.

“Obviously we knew it was a big game, it is a big stretch for us and we didn’t take advantage of this moment so it is just going to keep getting bigger and bigger from here on out and harder from here on out,” said DeAndre Levy after the game.

Although the Lions had lost three of four, they still had a chance at the NFC North. The Bears continued to play backup Josh McCown (he hasn't looked like a backup) while Matt Flynn continued to take snaps for the Packers with Rodgers still out.

“Every game is kind of win-or-go-home, so we have to understand the unique opportunity, the situation that we’re in right now,” said Reggie Bush to the Detroit News before the Lions faced the Ravens. “For us, we’re a young, hungry team and we’re playing at home on Monday night. All the motivation we need is right there in front of us.”

Unfortunately, that motivation was not nearly enough as the Lions again faltered, this time in primetime, on Monday Night Football, as the Ravens earned an 18-16 win on the strength of six field goals from Justin Tucker, the last of which was a 61-yard game-winner with less than a minute remaining. An interception by Stafford on the ensuing Lions drive then sealed the game, and in all likelihood, the fate of head coach Jim Schwartz and the rest of the Detroit coaching staff.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

With four losses in five games, Detroit finds itself in third place in the division despite the Bears and Packers dealing with significant injuries over the five game stretch.

The final two weeks will see the Lions face the Giants and be at the Vikings, while the Bears will play at the Eagles and against Packers, and the Packers will play the Steelers and be, obviously, at the Bears. While the Lions are by no means out of the playoff picture, Detroit's chances of making the playoffs seem one-in-a-million after last night's loss.

The Lions are exactly who we thought they were. In fact, they've been the same team the whole time. Jim Schwartz did a good job of making one playoff appearance with this team, but when push came to shove, he couldn't get wins when he needed them out of this talented, potential-laden team. The Detroit Lions have always had a knack for being their own worst enemy, and that has still been the case these past five years.

Is a new coach the answer? I don't know. All I know is there has to be a change. This team is too talented to let games slip away while everyone – fans, coaches, and players – wonder how. Someone has to be the scapegoat. Unfortunately for Schwartz, it will probably be him. 

What to Watch For: Detroit vs Dallas

Despite Calvin Johnson's best efforts, including a fourth-quarter touchdown amidst three Bengals defenders, the Lions fell to Cincinnati 27-24 last Sunday. Johnson caught nine receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns in the loss for Detroit. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

It was another heart-breaking loss for the Detroit Lions last Sunday. Both the Lions and Cincinnati Bengals came into the contest with 4-2 records, and fans of each team knew it would be fight to the end.

And, in the end, it wasn't necessary another L in the loss column that hurt the most, but the manner in which it happened: the Lions just had to toy with the emotions of their fans, shifting from probable loss to probable win to loss again. It started with just over six minutes remaining when Cincinnati began a drive which seemingly commenced to spell defeat for the Lions.

Cincinnati began it's drive with an 11 yard carry from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. After a false start for the Bengals, a 22 yard pass from quarterback Andy Dalton to tight end Jermaine Gresham put Cincinnati at their own 39. Two runs and two more pass plays to the tight ends, who had burned Detroit linebackers all day, later, the Bengals found themselves in a third down and one situation at the Lions 38 yard line.

Cincinnati was then called for a false start, pushing them back to the Detroit 43. Ndamukong Suh then came up big on the next play, sacking Dalton for an eight yard loss, the only sack of the day for either team. The Bengals punted, and with 1:43 remaining, Detroit had new life and a shot to win the game, starting on their own six yard line.

Unfortunately, the Lions managed only one first down as quarterback Matthew Stafford had to throw two passes away behind an unhealthy offensive line. The Bengals stopped the clock with a timeout, and after a 28 yard punt by rookie punter Sam Martin, Cincinnati began what turned out to be the game-winning drive one yard shy of midfield.

Two quick passes by Dalton set up kicker Mike Nugent for a 54 yard field goal, and after a timeout by head coach Jim Schwartz to ice Nugent, the Bengals kicker hit the field goal as time expired for a Cincinnati victory, dropping the Lions to 4-3.

It was a rough game to watch because Detroit had a legitimate shot to win the game, or at least take it into overtime by running out the clock. But, in classic Lions fashion, an 82 yard touchdown by the Bengals and a shanked kick defined the game, and Detroit found themselves wondering how they let another game slip away.

Despite the loss, the NFL is a league in which teams need a short memory as every week counts in a 16-game schedule. Upcoming for the Lions are the Dallas Cowboys. Like Detroit, the Cowboys are 4-3, and also like Detroit, the Cowboys rely heavily on their passing attack to win games.

Dallas is 8^th in the NFL in passing yards and 24^th in rushing yards while the Lions are 5^th and 21^st, respectively.

So what should you watch for as Detroit hosts Dallas on Sunday?

1. How do the Lions stop receiver Dez Bryant? – Bryant is a fantastic receiver, earlier this week comparing himself to Calvin Johnson. If you look at their numbers, a debate could be made, although Bryant doesn't demand double-teams on every play like Johnson. But, Bryant possesses similar big-play ability to Megatron, and it will be interesting to see how Detroit lines up opposite the Dallas receiver, especially given my next point. I do expect to see quite a bit of over-the-top safety help from the Lions.
2. Will cornerback Chris Houston start? – Houston was burned on Cincinnati's fifth offensive play of the game for an 82 yard touchdown to Bengals receiver A.J. Green. While Green is another top-notch receiver, Houston was beat by a double-move, something head coach Jim Schwartz said the team worked on all week. Houston was then benched at halftime in favor of rookie Darius Slay, who played the rest of the game, leading many to question whether or not Houston will start this week.
3. Who will start at offensive tackle for the Lions? – Right tackle Corey Hilliard left last week's game with a knee injury and it doesn't look like he'll be back this week. Left tackle Riley Reiff is hurt with a hamstring issue, so whether or not he will start is another question which faces Detroit. Thus, it looks like undrafted rookie LaAdrian Waddle will start, either on the left side or right side. The Lions also signed a tackle this week – five-year veteran Barry Richardson – and he could see action as well. Even with a banged up offensive line last week, Detroit held a very good front four for the Cincinnati Bengals to no sacks.

This is a must win game at home for the Lions, especially if they want to head into their bye week on a high note. The secondary could be problematic in facing gun-slinging quarterback Tony Romo, and the offensive line is still obviously a concern. The Cowboys are fairly stout against the run, and when Detroit struggles to get Reggie Bush going, the Lions don't have the offensive balance they need to succeed and are much too one dimensional. With all that being said, this game will be a shootout in Detroit. The Cowboys narrowly lost to Denver, 51-48, in week five, and with two porous secondaries, Stafford and Romo could have big days on Sunday. My final prediction: Dallas 38, Detroit 34.  

What to Watch For: Lions vs Browns

Quarterback Matthew Stafford might have to direct the Lions offense for the second straight week without Calvin Johnson when Detroit heads to Cleveland on Sunday (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions suffered a disheartening 22-9 defeat at the hands of the Packers this past Sunday. It was disheartening not only because it was the Lions 22nd straight loss in the state of Wisconsin, but also because it showed how much this offense relies on, and revolves around, big play receiver Calvin Johnson.

The Lions defense held them in the game for the first two-and-a-half quarters, but it was only a matter of time before Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers would find a seam in Detroit's secondary. That seam showed up as an 83-yard touchdown pass to James Jones, and without Johnson, the Lions found themselves in an insurmountable hole, trailing 16-3 with one quarter remaining.

Green Bay's defense did a fantastic job on the Lions running game, allowing just 65 yards on 18 rushes. They also held quarterback Matthew Stafford in check. Stafford completed 25-of-40 passes for 262 yards and one touchdown.

Calvin Johnson will likely be a game time decision this week against the surprise of the AFC North, the 3-2 Cleveland Browns. The Browns have won three straight games after dealing young running back, Trent Richardson. The key to Cleveland’s success has been their stout defense, which is fourth in the NFL in yards allowed per game at 301.8.'

Here are a few things to watch for in Sunday's game.

1. How will Detroit cover Cleveland tight end Jordan Cameron? - Cameron leads the Browns with 396 yards receiving and five touchdowns. At 6'5” and 245 lbs, Cameron will be difficult to cover for the linebackers because of his speed and tough for the secondary because of his size.
2. The Lions defense to take advantage of Brandon Weeden – The Browns won three games in a row, all three with former Michigan State quarterback Brian Hoyer starting. With Hoyer hurt, Weeden will step into the starting role, and he hasn't looked particularly good in three games this year. Weeden has three interceptions and two fumbles in his two and a half games of play, while Detroit's defense is eighth in the NFL with 11 turnovers forced.
3. Tight end Joseph Fauria to get his time – With Calvin Johnson potentially out and tight end Tony Scheffler suffering a concussion in the game last week against the Packers, it seems logical that Fauria will finally see a significant number of snaps. Remember in week one, Fauria caught three balls for 27 yards and a touchdown in only nine offensive snaps.

In this game, I think the Lions defensive line gets to Weeden early and often. Also, even if Detroit is without Calvin Johnson, I think the Lions offense has enough weapons to defeat the Browns in Cleveland. My final score prediction: Detroit 20, Cleveland 13.  

Wednesday What to Watch For: Lions vs Bears

The strong running of Joique Bell was key to the Lions first ever win in Washington D.C. this past Sunday. Detroit had previously been 0-21 in the nation's capital (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions returned to the win column this past Sunday against the Washington Redskins. While a win against an NFC East opponent is usually just another W, this one was extra special as the Lions claimed victory in Washington D.C. for the first time ever – Detroit is now 1-21 playing in the nation's capital.

A strong performance from quarterback Matthew Stafford set the tone for the Lions. Stafford was 25-42 for 385 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Also impressive for Detroit was running back Joique Bell who stepped in for the injured Reggie Bush. Bell ran for 63 yards on 20 carries and had four receptions for 69 yards. While a 3.2 yards-per-carry average isn't great, Detroit ran the ball enough to keep the Redskins honest, and it was a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter by Bell that allowed Stafford to be so effective through the air.

This week, the Lions return to Detroit to face the 3-0 Chicago Bears. Chicago comes into this game off a 40-23 drubbing of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Unfortunately for the Bears, the win did not come without a cost as key defensive tackle Henry Melton tore his ACL in the game.

Likewise, Detroit lost a pair of key players as defensive end Jason Jones was lost to a knee injury during the game last week and wide receiver Nate Burleson broke his arm in a one car accident early Tuesday morning.

With the top two teams in the NFC North squaring off in Detroit on Sunday, what should we look for during the game?

1. Rookie Devin Taylor at defensive end – With the loss of starting defensive end Jason Jones, Taylor will most likely pick up some backup snaps. The Lions 2013 fourth round pick, Taylor has only been active for one game this season and played three snaps on special teams. He has prototypical size for a defensive end at 6'7” and 266 pounds, and some thought him to be a more NFL ready player at the time of the draft compared to first-round pick Ezekiel Ansah.
2. Ryan Broyles at wide receiver – With the loss of Nate Burleson this week, the obvious choice to take his place in the lineup is Broyles, who saw his first action of the season last week against Washington, catching three balls for 34 yards. Tight ends Tony Sheffler and Joseph Fauria could also see increased targets because of the injury.
3. Rashean Mathis at cornerback – Mathis has slowly been stealing snaps from rookie Darius Slay, who started week one against Minnesota. At this point, it appears Mathis will be the starter from here on out as he has played 20/55, 50/71, and 76/77 snaps in the opening three weeks, respectively.
4. Lions to focus on Julius Peppers – With the loss of Henry Melton on their defensive line, the Bears come into the game on Sunday with just one top pass-rusher in Julius Peppers. Expect the Lions to give Peppers a lot of attention, either using the tight ends or running backs to chip block him, as well as double-teams by the offensive line.
5. Detroit has to keep good care of the football – Although Chicago hired an offensive mind in head coach Marc Trestman this past offseason, the story of the season so far has been their defense, which has forced a league-leading 11 turnovers in three games and scored two touchdowns against the Steelers. If the Lions are going to win this game, ball security will be of the utmost importance, and Stafford will have to be smart in his decision making.

With that being said, I can really see this game going either way. Chicago's offense hasn't been great, sitting at 21^st in the league in passing offense and 17^th in rushing offense. And, with a relatively inexperienced offensive line, Detroit's front four could get to Bears quarterback Jay Cutler often. If pressure is applied early to Cutler and Reggie Bush returns in solid form, the Lions could see an important W this week. My prediction for this game is a 30-24 win for Detroit which takes advantage of the home-crowd environment and hands the Bears their first loss of the season.  

Wednesday What to Watch For: Lions vs Redskins

Calvin Johnson outruns the defense on his first touchdown catch against the Cardinals last Sunday. Johnson finished with six receptions for 116 yards (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

The Detroit Lions suffered a difficult loss this past Sunday, dropping a 25-21 decision to the Arizona Cardinals. Leading 14-10 at halftime, the Lions seemed to be on their way to victory as quarterback Matthew Stafford was 16/20 for 210 yards at the break.

Unfortunately, a knee injury for running back Reggie Bush and a lack of targets for wide receiver Calvin Johnson saw the Detroit offense stumble in the second half, playing just 22 offensive snaps as compared to Arizona's 42. Sustaining drives, the Cardinals offense did what their Lion counterparts could not: score. And, just as it had gone the past six meetings, Arizona defeated the Lions to keep Detroit winless in the desert since 1993.

Looking to rebound from the loss, Detroit travels to Washington D.C. this Sunday to face electric quarterback Robert Griffin III and the 0-2 Washington Redskins. Coming off an ACL injury, Griffin III has yet to look like his rookie self, and if Detroit is to make a push for the playoffs, I think this is a must win game against a team struggling on offense and defense. So, what should we watch for this Sunday?

1. How much will RGIII rush? – Robert Griffin III averaged eight carries a came and 6.8 yards per carry last season for the Washington Redskins. Through two games this season, he has nine total carries at a 2.8 yard average. Will we see the RGIII of old or will Washington continue to play it safe and keep him mostly in the pocket as he continues to recover from injury?
2. Personnel changes – Brandon Pettigrew continues to struggle with drops and Michael Spurlock's choices of when to return kicks have been anything but smart. Could we see rookies Joseph Fauria and Theo Riddick step into bigger roles this week?
3. Another big game from Nate Burleson and Ryan Broyles first action of the year – The Washington Redskins do have veteran cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who has been solid for a number of years, but Calvin Johnson will be too much for the 5'10” Hall to cover alone. Expect a lot of double-teams from the Redskins, which should open up space for Burleson on the opposite side. In week one against the Vikings, with Johnson seeing numerous double-teams, Burleson caught six passes for 78 yards. Second year receiver Ryan Broyles could also see his first action of the season, recovering from an ACL injury of his own.
4. Hilliard and Reiff have their work cut out for them – Both offensive tackles have tough tasks this week as they face the young pass rushers of the Redskins, Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan. Kerrigan had two sacks last week against the Packers while Orakpo added one. Led by veteran London Fletcher, Washington has a stout front seven, and rushing the ball will be rather difficult for the Lions, especially if Bush is limited in any way because of his knee.
5. Who starts at cornerback? – Veteran Rashean Mathis has seen quite a bit of time at cornerback as rookie Darius Slay gets accustomed to the speed of play in the NFL. Head coach Jim Schwartz is still high on Slay, but after starting week one against the Vikings, we've seen Mathis steal much of Slay's playing time.

While Detroit, with its unintelligent and mediocre second half last week, looked like the Lions of years past (think Millen era), I think a win this week could go a long way in setting the tone for the rest of the season. Detroit has talent, and with a strong start to the season from Matthew Stafford, the Lions offense could propel them to bigger and better things.

But, if Reggie Bush is hurt, Calvin Johnson sees little to no help opposite him in the receiving corps, and the team continues to hurt itself with high amounts of inexplicable penalties, a rebuilding year is creeping on the horizon. Still, I think Detroit can take this game against Washington. My prediction is a 27-20 win for the Lions as the Detroit pass rush rattles RGIII and Jim Schwartz moves to 3-0 as a head coach against the Redskins.

Wednesday What to Watch For: Lions vs Cardinals

Offseason acquisition Reggie Bush was impressive in his Lions debut, rushing for 91 yards on 21 carries while catching four balls for 101 yards and a touchdown (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

What to watch for:

1. How many touches will Reggie Bush get? – Bush had 21 carries and four receptions (8 targets) last week in the Lions win against the Vikings and ended the game with a pulled groin muscle and a dislocated thumb on his left hand. Bush cannot keep up this high of a workload if he is going to be healthy all season long, although it will be tough to not keep going to him if he continues to be successful.
2. Can Joseph Fauria climb the depth charts? - Starting tight end Brandon Pettigrew had a rough game against Minnesota, catching just two passes for six yards, fumbling one of those catches, and being called for a holding penalty which negated a touchdown run by Joique Bell in the second quarter. Likewise, Tony Scheffler dropped the only pass to come his way. Fauria, meanwhile, caught three balls for 27 yards and a touchdown, and looks like he could take the top spot on the depth chart. Head coach Jim Schwartz did say this week, however, he backs Pettigrew despite his struggles. But what a story that would be: undrafted free agent to top tight end two weeks into the regular season...
3. More activity from Calvin Johnson – If the Lions continue to win and be successful on offense without forcing balls to Johnson, by all means, keep it going. But, going up against one of the top young cornerbacks in the league in Patrick Peterson, I think Johnson could see more one-on-one situations then he did against the Vikings. It'll be interesting to see how much Detroit considers looking his way against the Cardinals.
4. Can Detroit stop Palmer-Fitzgerald? – The Lions don't have anyone that can match up against Larry Fitzgerald, arguably a top three receiver in the NFL. Also, Palmer had a nice line in week one, going 26-40 for 327 and two TDs.
5. Offensive line encore? - Detroit's offensive front gave up only one sack in week one, a strong showing considering second-year tackle Riley Reiff faced sack-specialist Jared Allen and Stafford dropped back for 43 pass attempts. Meanwhile, Arizona's defense registered no sacks and only three tackles-for-loss in their loss to the Rams. Can the Lions offensive line have another strong showing against the Cardinals? If they do, Detroit should have a good chance at the W.

Final Prediction: Lions showed a lot of explosiveness on offense against the Vikings with minimal contributions from Calvin Johnson, while the defense did well against Adrian Peterson if you forget his first rush attempt of the game, which went for a 78-yard touchdown. Detroit will be facing a strong passing attack and minimal running, so the secondary will get a good workout against Palmer-Fitzgerald and Company. Because of Detroit's noted struggles against the pass, and the game being played in Arizona where the Lions haven't won since 1993, Detroit drops this game in a close one, 31-28.  

2013 Season Preview

For the first time in 21 years, the Lions will see someone other than Jason Hanson kick (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

On September 8, the Detroit Lions will begin their march towards redemption – at least, that is what Lions fans are hoping.

Detroit was tabbed as an up-and-coming team in 2012, one year removed from a 10-6 season and a trip to the NFL Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Lions stumbled to a 4-12 record and the questions began to fly about whether or not head coach Jim Schwartz was the man for the job, even after Schwartz received a three-year contract extension in June of 2012.

Despite the 4-12 record, Schwartz was retained and presumably given just one more season to prove that he is in fact the coach that will return the Lions to relevancy.

Detroit saw quite a bit of roster turnover in the 2013 offseason. The Lions saw starting defensive end Cliff Avril, offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus, and linebacker Justin Durant leave while defensive end Kyle VandenBosch, guard Stephen Peterman, and wide receiver Titus Young were cut. Key backup defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill also left town.

The Lions attempted to replaced their talent with the signings of defensive end Jason Jones and defensive tackle C.J. Mosley. Detroit was also able to retain a couple of key pieces by resigning free safety Louis Delmas and cornerback Chris Houston. With the Lions noted struggles against the pass and with the run, Detroit was able to sign safety Glover Quin from the Houston Texans and running back Reggie Bush from Miami.

And, after 21 years in the league, the Lions saw their beloved kicker Jason Hanson retire. To replace the 42-year-old Hanson, Detroit signed 38-year-old David Akers and Norwegian Youtube star Havard Rugland to battle for the kicking position. David Akers would finally win out, with Rugland released prior to the Lions final preseason game.

In the draft, Detroit addressed its glaring need on the defensive line by selecting BYU defensive end Ezekiel Ansah with the fifth-overall pick. Detroit continued to draft for need, picking Mississippi State cornerback Darius Slay in the second round and offensive guard Larry Warford in the third. Detroit continued its defensive focus in the fourth, picking defensive end Devin Taylor. The Lions added punter Sam Martin in the fifth, wide receiver Corey Fuller and running back Theo Riddick in the sixth, and tight end Michael Williams and linebacker Brandon Hepburn in the seventh.

Fuller and Hepburn were both cut by Detroit, while Williams was moved to the injured reserve. The remainder of the 2013 draft class made the 53-man-roster and is expected to contribute right away, expecially Ansah, Slay, Warford, and Martin, who will start week one against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Lions also kept two undrafted free agents on their roster in tight end Joseph Fauria from UCLA, who will be the third tight end, and offensive lineman LaAdrian Waddle from Texas Tech, who will provide depth in the trenches.

Along with Ansah, Slay, Warford, and Martin, Detroit will see a number of other new starters on both sides of the ball. On offense, Jason Fox will step into the right tackle position while 2012 first round pick Riley Reiff will start at left tackle.

On defense, Ashlee Palmer will step into the outside linebacker position left void by Justin Durant.

As can be seen by the amount of new starters in the unit, the offensive line is obviously a question mark heading into the season. Key to the Lions success will be their ability to keep Matthew Stafford on his feet and confident in their blocking. If Stafford is kept on his feet, Detroit's offense should be one of the most potent in the league.

Superstar Calvin Johnson leads a receiving corps that will include veteran Nate Burleson and second year player Ryan Broyles, as well as slot man Patrick Edwards. Burleson and Broyles are both coming off serious injuries from last season, and Edwards will see significant playing time for the first time in his career, so the Lions have a lot to prove on the outside.

Out of the backfield, Reggie Bush will provide a solid receiving threat and consistent running threat given ample blocking. Personally, I think Joique Bell will be Detroit's second running back as he has shown his ability to catch passes to be much better than that of Mikel LeShoure.

And, at tight end, the Lions will see Brandon Pettigrew start in his third year of looking to overcome his inability to catch balls that hit him directly in the hands. Tony Scheffler will be Detroit's second tight end, and will hopefully provide mismatches against slower linebackers up the middle of the field.

The biggest problem on the defensive side of the ball will again be the secondary. The front seven, anchored by tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, looked strong against the run all preseason. Stephen Tulloch leads a linebacking corps which includes DeAndre Levy and Ashlee Palmer. Levy and Tulloch are both stout run stoppers while being solid in the passing game, although Levy is known to misuse his speed by overrunning plays while Tulloch stands only 5'8”, which does give opposing tight ends a pretty good height advantage.

While Detroit's weakness is its secondary, safety Louis Delmas is really the heart and soul of the defensive unit, providing energy and enthusiasm. As long as Delmas can stay healthy, along with Glover Quin, the Lions should be good against the pass. The biggest question mark will be at the second cornerback position, where Detroit will start rookie Darius Slay.

Slay will get a rather kind welcoming to the NFL, however, as Detroit faces the Minnesota Vikings and quarterback Christian Ponder, by no means a gunslinger, in week one at home. The Lions travel to Arizona in week two and Washington D.C. In week three. Detroit faces a pair of NFC North foes in week four against Chicago and week five at Lambeau. The Lions will play the state of Ohio in weeks six and seven, traveling to Cleveland then playing host to Cincinnati. In week eight, Detroit plays at home against Dallas before taking their bye week in week nine. The Lions play Chicago for the second time in week 10 before traveling to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers in week 11. Week 12 sees the Buccaneers of Tampa Bay come to town before the Packers travel to Detroit to face the Lions in week 13. The Lions then play at Philadelphia, against Baltimore on Monday night at home, against New York at home, and at Minnesota to wrap up the season in weeks 14-17.

My estimated win total from this schedule is six. I see the Lions beating Minnesota at home, Chicago at home, the Browns in Cleveland, the Bengals at home, Dallas at home, and the Buccaneers at home.

While the Lions opponents are not terribly difficult, it is the locations of the games that hurt Detroit. The Lions have never played well in Arizona or Washington, while Chicago and Pittsburgh are just difficult stadiums to play in, plain and simple.

Detroit has an absolutely brutal schedule to finish the season, as I predict just one win, against the Bucs, after the bye week in week nine.

Best case scenario, I think the Lions could possibly squeak out a win at Arizona or Washington, at Philadelphia, and against New York at home. That leaves Detroit with nine wins, still not enough to make the playoffs, which would leave Jim Schwartz in limbo as to whether or not general manager Martin Mayhew would keep him as head coach.

While I tend to be an optimist, it is difficult to justify a winning season with the Lions schedule. Either way, my final prediction for the Detroit Lions in 2013 is 6-10 with yet another rebuilding year on the horizon.  

Lions Display Strengths, Weaknesses in 40-9 Victory Over Patriots

Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford throws a pass in the Lions 40-9 preseason victory over the New England Patriots (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski)

It has been over a year-and-a-half since the Detroit Lions appeared in their most recent playoff game, a 45-28 drubbing at the hands of the New Orleans Saints on January 7, 2012. In the loss, the Lions gave up a 466-yard, three touchdown performance to perennial Pro-Bowl quarterback Drew Brees, confirming what had been apparent to Lions fans for much of the season: Detroit's secondary needed a lot of help.

Two offseasons later, the Lions are still struggling against the pass. As recent veteran signings indicate, head coach Jim Schwartz isn't particularly happy with secondary play. Unfortunately for Schwartz and the rest of his staff, their future with the Lions may rest on some rookie and second year players in the defensive backfield.

But, back to the 2012 playoffs.

While the then young and inexperienced Lions were expected to lose to the Saints, the 2008 Super Bowl Champions, it was a tough loss to digest after an extremely successful (by recent Lions' standards) 10-6 regular season.

What followed in 2012 was a disheartening season. Many fans predicted Detroit to finally pull together back-to-back winning seasons, myself included (I picked them to go 10-6), but instead, saw the Lions falter to a 4-12 record, losing their final eight contests.

What seemed like a significant regression by the Lions was probably more attributable to the team under-playing its talent, a slew of injuries on both sides of the ball, and a confusing call in their yearly Thanksgiving game that stole the momentum at a time when the Lions finally seemed to be creating some of their own.

Still, the 2012 season was only as depressing as the 2011 season was inspirational.

In 2011, Detroit opened up the season 5-0, including two incredible second-half comebacks against the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys in weeks three and four. Detroit again won back-to-back games later in the season, forcing a fumble by the Vikings in the fourth quarter to seal a win in week 14 before coming back against the Oakland Raiders with a late Stafford-Johnson connection for a touchdown in week 15.

After two wildly opposite seasons, the question for 2013 becomes whether or not the Lions will continue the roller coaster ride of the past two years or play solid, veteran football that is needed if they are to return to the playoffs. A sub-.500 year and Jim Schwartz might be gone, forcing Detroit back into re-building mode. A winning record or a playoff push, and Schwartz and company might stay for at least one more season.

As of late, NFL writers have been offering their thoughts on the Detroit Lions chances in the upcoming season. Many, including Grantland's Bill Barnwell, (give this article a read) noticed the unfortunate events of 2012 and write of how the Lions could see a bounce back year in 2013.

In the NFL, the third preseason game is often considered the most important, and as good an indicator for the upcoming season as any. For the Lions, their third game was scheduled against the New England Patriots, and, in a re-run of the 2011 preseason game (Detroit defeated New England 34-10 in 2011), saw the Lions whip the Patriots, this time by a score of 40-9. A quick glance gives hope for the upcoming season, but a closer look gave me a few reasons why Detroit might struggle to reach the .500 plateau.

1. Detroit still struggles with discipline: The Lions racked up 11 penalties for 102 yards, five of which were personal fouls. As Detroit Free Press columnist Drew Sharp noted in his column on Saturday, Detroit has to clean up its act if it wants to improve. And, surprisingly, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh agreed: “We pride ourselves on playing tough, but there's always a limit. We're always going to respect that limit.,” said Suh. Sounds like a case of “do as I say, not as I do.”
2. The secondary remains a concern: Detroit looks to be okay at the first cornerback position as Chris Houston intercepted Tom Brady Thursday night. Glover Quin and Louis Delmas will start at safety, as long as they remain healthy, which is always a question for Delmas. The problem will be at the second cornerback position, where rookie Darius Slay will likely start. Slay played okay Thursday night, and granted, he was playing against one of the best quarterbacks in the game, but he did get beat pretty easily on a 37-yard hook-up between Brady and Kenbrell Thompkins.

Of course, a 40-9 victory isn't all bad. There were a few strong points in Thursday game that do in fact shine a ray of hope onto the regular season.

1. Detroit's defensive front is looking strong against the run: The Lions held the Patriots to 68 yards on 29 carries, allowing 2.3 yards per rush. In previous preseason games, Detroit gave up 81 yards on 27 carries to the Browns and 37 yards on 16 carries to the Jets for averages of 3.0 and 2.3 yards per rush, respectively.
2. The Lion defense had four takeaways: Chris Houston intercepted Tom Brady and Detroit forced three fumbles. Another large difference between 2011 and 2012 was turnovers. The Lions totaled 17 takeaways in their 4-12 2012 campaign compared to 34 in 2011, when they were 10-6.
3. Detroit's short passing game is looking phenomenal: Even without Calvin Johnson, the dump-off part of the Lions passing game looked strong Thursday night. Offseason acquisition Reggie Bush had a 67-yard reception on a short screen while Joique Bell had a 38-yard reception on another. Bush finished the game with 102 yards receiving. Detroit has been looking for a strong receiving threat out of the backfield, and with Johnson commanding double teams downfield, Lions running backs should have impressive pass-catching numbers out of the backfield this season.

All-in-all, it is difficult to truly translate anything seen in the preseason to the regular season. But, with a couple of fixes and some additional experience, the Lions could see themselves on their way to a strong season, while stagnation in regards to improved discipline and rookie development could doom head coach Jim Schwartz and send Detroit into another phase of rebuilding. With the regular season only weeks away, only time will tell.