2014 Lions Season Preview

Will this be the last season we see either Ndamukong Suh or Nick Fairley (or both) in Detroit? (Google Images)

Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew and president Tom Lewand are hoping that a new coach brings new results in the 2014 season.

Despite sitting on top of the NFC North in week 10 of the 2013 season with a 6-3 record, the Lions went 1-6 the remainder of the year, including losing the final three games by six total points, to finish at 7-9 and finish third in the division.

With a sub-.500 record, Jim Schwartz's tenure as head coach ended after five years and a 29-51 overall record, including a single winning season in 2011.

Enter Jim Caldwell. Caldwell was Tony Dungy's understudy in Indianapolis, and after Dungy's retirement, was head coach of the Colts for three seasons, compiling a 26-22 record. The Colts did make it to the Super Bowl in Caldwell's first season in 2009, but Caldwell's final season in Indianapolis is something to be forgotten. With Peyton Manning out due to neck surgery, the Colts went 2-14 in 2011, leading to Caldwell's firing as well as questions as to whether Caldwell had anything to do with Indianapolis's trip to the championship game, or if it was all on Peyton's shoulders.

Questions aside, Caldwell found a position as the quarterback's coach in Baltimore and immediately helped the Raven's become Super Bowl champions in 2012. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had one of the best seasons of his career under Caldwell, and after the Ravens let go of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron midway through the year, Caldwell was acting offensive coordinator throughout the playoffs and in the Super Bowl.

So what do the Lions have in head coach Jim Caldwell? What I would argue is that no one really knows. As the offensive coordinator of the Ravens in 2013, Baltimore went 8-8 and was 29^th in the NFL in total offense.

Caldwell is a well-respected coach – just like many of the Tony Dungy coaching-tree are – but will that bring more wins to Detroit? Only time will tell. And while Caldwell is still an unknown, so are the coordinators whom he has brought in.

Coming from Baltimore, Caldwell brought with him Teryl Austin, whom he named the defensive coordinator for the Lions. Austin was a secondary coach in Baltimore and Detroit will be his first coordinator job in the NFL. Joe Lombardi was then hired as the offensive coordinator. A quarterbacks coach in New Orleans, Lombardi, just like Austin, will be entering his first season as an NFL coordinator.

Thus, the Detroit Lions will be using two new systems this season on offense and defense, and working with coaches who have new responsibilities and more pressure. The preseason was especially important for Detroit, as the team was looking to work out kinks and the coaches working on game plans and play-sets.

Unfortunately for the Lions, the third preseason game, often cited as the most important and closest simulation of a regular season game, was perhaps the most discouraging preseason win I've ever seen. Detroit beat the Jaguars 13-12, but it came with the caveat of 15 penalties for 131 yards and a 4-for-11 third-down efficiency. The game also featured a late hit by Ndamukong Suh on Jaguars quarterback Chad Henne that showed the controversial defensive lineman will continue his overaggressive ways.

What to watch for

Golden Tate will be part of an expanded passing offense in his first season in Detroit (Google Images). 

While the preseason wasn't all too encouraging, there are still a number of things to look forward to as well as watch for in the upcoming season.

The first thing to look forward to is an expanded passing offense. In 2013, the Lions saw only one wide receiver catch more than 70 balls in Calvin Johnson. The Saints, meanwhile, had four players catch at least 71 passes. With Lombardi coming from New Orleans, Detroit should see more shared production from the receiving corps and running backs, and a little less pressure on Megatron's shoulders.

Something else to watch is how the defensive line tandem of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley play. Both players are in the final year of their respective contracts, and if neither has an outstanding season, I could see both leaving at the end of the year. Suh will likely be asking for more money than the Lions are willing to hand out, and given Fairley's track record of laziness and struggling with his weight, Detroit might also not want to give him the money he'll be demanding.

Of course, their returns could also hinge on the play of Jason Jones and CJ Mosley, two players who will also play defensive tackle this season, and how productive they are this year.

Also on defense, the secondary will again be an unknown commodity. Safety Louis Delmas left via free agency and James Ihedigbo came from Baltimore as his replacement. Glover Quins returns at the other safety position while Rashean Mathis and Darius Slay will be starting at cornerback with the release of Chris Houston this summer.

In a pass-heavy league, Detroit may only be as good as its ability to stop the pass – and it may prove to be difficult for the Lions given their inexperience at the position.

Finally, the play of the offensive line will be something to monitor. Despite heading into last year with new starters at left tackle, right guard, and right tackle, the Lions had a solid season protecting quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Increased drop-backs for Stafford because of the new offense will only give more responsibility to the young offensive linemen, and how they respond will be important to the team's success.

New faces

Safety James Ihedigbo was a key pick-up for Detroit this past offseason (Google Images).  

Along with Ihedigbo's signing, Detroit also inked wide receiver Golden Tate to a contract this past offseason to provide Calvin Johnson with proven help.

In the draft, the Lions took tight end Eric Ebron with their first round pick. Lombardi's hopes for Ebron is that he can fit into the mold of Jimmy Graham and become a match-up nightmare for linebackers with his speed and safeties with his size.

Detroit then selected linebacker Kyle Van Noy in the second round, who unfortunately, has suffered sports hernia that will likely keep him out the first six to eight weeks of the season. Van Noy, when drafted, was expected to step into the strong-side linebacker position and start right away. However, second-year player Tahir Whitehead had a good showing in the preseason, and when Van Noy comes back, he'll have to show he can outplay Whitehead to claim the starting job.

Offensive lineman Travis Swanson was then picked in the third round, and is the heir-apparent to Dominic Raiola at center. Cornerback Nevin Lawson and defensive end Larry Webster were then picked in the fourth. Lawson may see some time at the nickle corner position while Webster is a project player who only played a single season of football at a small-time college.

Defensive tackle Caraun Reid was picked in the fifth round, wide receiver TJ Jones in the sixth, and new Lions kicker Nate Freese in the seventh. Reid will see time in the rotation while Jones is on the physically-unable-to-perform list. Freese will take over the field-goal taking duties after David Akers was not retained.

My prediction

Center Dominic Raiola sits with his head down after the Lions were eliminated from playoff contention in 2013 with a 23-20 loss to the New York Giants. Raiola has played 13 seasons for Detroit and has experienced just one winning season. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

The first time I took a look at the schedule in April I predicted the Lions would go 8-8. After the preseason, my record estimate remains the same. Here is what the schedule looks like this season along with my predicted outcome.

Week 1 – Monday, September 8 – vs New York Giants               W

Week 2 – Sunday, September 14 – @ Carolina Panthers            W

Week 3 – Sunday, September 21 – vs Green Bay Packers          L

Week 4 – Sunday, September 28 – @ New York Jets                 W

Week 5 – Sunday, October 5 – vs Buffalo Bills                             W

Week 6 – Sunday, October 12 – @ Minnesota Vikings                W

Week 7 – Sunday, October 19 – vs New Orleans Saints              L

Week 8 – Sunday, October 26 – @ Atlanta Falcons (London)      L

Week 9 – BYE

Week 10 – Sunday, November 9 – vs Miami Dolphins                  W

Week 11 – Sunday, November 16 – @ Arizona Cardinals            L

Week 12 – Sunday, November 23 – @ New England Patriots      L

Week 13 – Thursday, November 27 – vs Chicago Bears              L

Week 14 – Sunday, December 7 – vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers    W

Week 15 – Sunday, December 14 – vs Minnesota Vikings           W

Week 16 – Sunday, December 21 – @ Chicago Bears                 L

Week 17 – Sunday, December 28 – @ Green Bay Packers          L

Detroit has a favorable schedule to open up the year, just as it has the past few seasons. I think the Lions will head into their bye week with a 5-3 record, but things get tougher after the break, and I predict three straight losses to the Cardinals, Patriots, and Bears will spoil their season.

With a new coaching staff in place and what seems to be a high amount of talent on the roster, Detroit will be expected to perform. A lot will be placed on quarterback Matthew Stafford as well as the defensive secondary, and while one of those commodities is proven, the other is not.

A lot of pressure is also on the new coordinators, and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they drop a few games early due to poor game management or get caught with a “deer-in-the-headlights” look.

The Lions brought in a new coach this season, and with him, new expectations. While Caldwell will certainly be given more than a year to turn this team around, the fuse remains short, perhaps with Mayhew and Lewand as well.

For the sakes of all our sanity – let's hope a new coach brings new results.