2010 RECORD: 6-10-0
(3rd in NFC North)
HEAD COACH: Jim Schwartz
Offense: The Lions will look to keep quarterback Matthew Stafford healthy for the first time in his three seasons. Stafford shows much promise but is oft injured.
In 2010, he completed 57 percent of his passes and had 535 yards through the air with six touchdowns and just one interception.
If Stafford suffers the same fate this year, Shaun Hill (2,686 yards with 16 TD and 12 INT) and Drew Stanton are available.
The running back position features Jahvid Best, who showed flashes of brilliance before also going down to injuries. Best led the Lions with 555 yards on the ground (3.2 ypc average) and scored four touchdowns. He also caught 58 passes, including two for touchdowns.
Maurice Morris and Kevin Smith round out the backfield for 2011. Morris ran for 336 yards and scored five TD while Smith saw limited action averaging a team high 3.9 yards per carry. Rookie Mikel Leshoure (Illinois) may see some action as well. The fullback is veteran Jerome Felton.
Calvin Johnson is the main man at wide receiver after posting good numbers again last season. The perennial All-Pro had 77 catches for 1,120 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Nate Burleson (55 catches, 625 yards and six TD) and rookie Titus Young (Boise State) along with tight ends Tony Scheffler (45 catches in 2010) and Brandon Pettigrew, who had 71 grabs for 722 yards and four TD, complete the receiving corps.
The offensive line features center Dominic Raiola, guards Stephen Peterman and Rob Sims and tackles Gosder Cherilus and Jason Fox.
Defense: Ndamukong Suh dominated up front as a rookie last season, getting ten quarterback sacks and making the Pro Bowl.
Suh and Corey Williams are the defensive tackles in the 4-3 scheme the Lions employ. The ends are Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril, who had 8.5 sacks in 2010.
The linebackers include some new faces for 2011 as former Tennessee Titans' player Stephen Tulloch will be in the middle along with outside linebackers DeAndre Levy and Justin Durant, who played for Jacksonville last year. Top draft pick Nick Fairley, a DT from (National Champion) Auburn, is going to get a shot up front as well.
The Lions defense registered 43 QB sacks last year, thanks in large part to the pressure up front of Suh and Avril. They will look to do more of the same in 2011.
The secondary has safties Erik Coleman and Louis Delmas along with cornerbacks Chris Houston and either Eric Wright or Alphonso Smith, who led the Lions with five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
The Lions finished 21st overall in total defense, allowing 344 yards per game. A big improvement from the doormat defenses they displayed in 2008 and 2009.
Detroit allowed 125 yards on the ground and 219 through the air in 2010 while intercepting 14 passes.
OUTLOOK: The Lions are an improved team that has a lot of hype surrounding them heading into the 2011 season.
However, injuries and a slow start has been killing this team in recent years.
To avoid the same fate in 2011, the Lions need Stafford and Best healthy and for the defense to continue to improve. If that happens, then Detroit has a decent shot of at least a .500 season for the first time in many moons.
The Lions finished strong in 2010, winning their final four games, including a 7-3 victory over eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay in December.
The key is staying healthy and a vast improvement in the running game to go with a decent air attack and a rising defense. Head Coach Jim Schwartz has the team headed in the right direction.
The Lions could finish over .500 but that is pushing it. The future looks bright for sure but in 2011 count on a 8-8 finish for the Lions.
TEAM SCHEDULE:
Week 1- at Tampa Bay
Week 2- vs. Kansas City
Week 3- at Minnesota
Week 4- at Dallas
Week 5- vs. Chicago
Week 6- vs. San Francisco
Week 7- vs. Atlanta
Week 8- at Denver
Week 9- BYE WEEK
Week 10- at Chicago
Week 11- vs. Carolina
Week 12- vs. Green Bay
Week 13- at New Orleans
Week 14- vs. Minnesota
Week 15- at Oakland
Week 16- vs. San Diego
Week 17- at Green Bay
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