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.