NFL: The Detroit Lions Have Everything in Place to Be Competitive in 2006

The Detroit Lion fans were singing the blues in Motown last season. Actually, they’ve been singing the blues for a very long time. Since 1957, the Lions have only won one playoff game (against the Cowboys in 1991; 38-6). The history of the Detroit Lion franchise has been full of misery and sorrow for their fans. Last year was no better, the Lions finished the season with a 5-11 record and lots of turmoil. Head Coach Steve Mariucci was fired during the middle of the season and quarterback Joey Harrington was shipped out of Detroit. This team has talent, but didn’t show enough heart and leadership to win any games. Things do look promising for the Lions this season. New head coach Steve Marinelli is ready to light a flame in the heart of the team. So far, his smartest move was hiring Mike Martz as the offensive coordinator. An inspiring coaching staff is in place, but will need a collective response from the entire team. Can the Lions be a competitive team this upcoming season? The fans of Detroit sure hope so. If not, you may see more than just one “Angry Fan March” outside of Ford Field.

After Joey Harrington bolted to Miami, the Lions signed veteran quarterbacks Jon Kitna and Josh McCown. So far it is an open competition between both quarterbacks, but Mike Martz will have to make a decision soon to get the starter more acclimated with the offense. Jon Kitna is the most reliable between the two, with total of 79 starts as an NFL quarterback. However, Josh McCown is much more agile and can throw the football on the run. Both Jon Kitna and Josh McCown are back-up quarterback material at best, but have a chance to be great if they can get the ball to the talented Detroit Lion receivers. In three consecutive years, the Lions drafted Charles Rogers, Roy Williams, and Mike Williams all in the first round. Without a reliable quarterback, these receivers have been unable to produce the way they did in college. With Mike Martz as the O-Coordinator, we could be watching a team better than the “Greatest Show On Turf” in 2006. In the offensive backfield, Kevin Jones will be the starting tail back for the Lions. Last season, the Lions ran more of a running back committee, allowing Jones with only 664 yards and five touchdowns. As the full time starter, I expect Kevin Jones to start putting up fantasy football numbers. Shawn Bryson will the fullback for picking up blitzes in passing situations. Last year, he was used as the third string tail back and demonstrated that he could pick up a menacing linebacker trying to blitz.

There is a lot of talent on the Detroit Lions defense. Defensive tackle Shaun Rogers was the anchor for the entire defense in 2005, leading the team with 5.5 sacks. Without help of Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson who is now retired, Rogers will have help from Cory Redding, James Hall, and Shaun Cody. Rookie linebacker Ernie Sims along with veterans Boss Bailey and Teddy Lehman may be the most underrated linebacker corps in the NFL. If Bailey and Lehman can stay healthy for the entire season, the Lions may be competing for one of the top defensive units in the NFL. Besides Dre Bly, the Lions secondary is primarily a no-nameunit. Daniel Bullocks (drafted in the second round) is a hard hitting safety that will command respect when opposing receivers run routes in the middle of the field. Fernando Bryant hopes to bounce back from last years injury and contribute along with Dre Bly. Bly is an elite cornerback who led the team with 6 interceptions last season. This Detroit Lions defense has a shot of being a good unit in 2005. The key to their success in the 2006-2007 season for the Detroit Lions is cohesiveness. The team must come together as an entire unit instead of a unit filled with talented players.

A LOOK AT THE 2006 SCHEDULE

The Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, and New England Patriots are the only playoff teams on the Lions schedule. However, teams like the Cowboys, Dolphins, and Vikings could be serious contenders this season. The Lions will need to establish some dominance at home to even compete in the NFC wildcard race.

The city of Detroit is hungry for a winner. The Lions have not been to the playoffs since 1999 where they lost in the first round. They have a good coaching staff in place, ready to light a fire under a team that has clearly under achieved. I don’t expect the Lions to be a playoff team this year, but I would be surprised if they had a season as bad as the 2005 season. Besides the Chicago Bears, the NFC North division is not very good. The Lions may be competing with the Green Bay Packers for the third spot in the division.