papz

Last season was the breakthrough that Detroit Lions fans had been waiting more than a decade for. After years of abject misery, interspersed and exacerbated by the occasional teasing of a new dawn, Detroit had a successful football team to be proud of, a playoff team no less. It wasn’t always pretty, it wasn’t always conventional and it wasn’t always popular. In their own way the Lions went about their business and registered their most successful season since 1995. The offense led by the combination of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson was explosive while the defense offered enough big plays to allow that offense to win games rather than fight to keep their head above water in shootouts.

The next step for the Lions is to make last season repeatable and feed off of their bad boy image rather than being dragged down by it. In the last two seasons the Lions have stepped past the Bears and Vikings in the NFC North, but one season will not placate a fan base that was starved for success for so long. Now Stafford and Johnson must lead a Detroit team that remains as a contender in the division and looks to take strides to be a contender in the entire conference.

Can the Lions maintain and improve on their standing in the division, marking a new era in Detroit? Or was last season a high water mark for Detroit? Will the Bears and Vikings move back to and past the Lions as their inconsistencies and ill-discipline catch up with them?


Here you go SloMo

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

SloMotion

... thanks, buddy! I'm gonna' have to suscribe to that site, they think just like I do!

ScottF

any truth to the rumor that the Lions stole the Mean Machine's uniforms and are wearing them week one?

SloMotion

Nah, too much black & red in those like the ATL sweaters ... we're staying closer to the traditional 'honolulu-blue & silver' and going with the 'Leatherhead' look ... man, I never thought about it, but me & George Clooney actually have a lot in common, .

SloMotion

... that just may be this season, but at the rate the Lions are improving, I honestly believe they are making a serious, bona-fide run for the top spot in the NFC North and beyond ... and this is coming from following the Lions for 40+ yrs now and seeing it all.

Chicago returning Jay Cutler/Matt Forte to the lineup and adding Brandon Marshall is a concern and the real battle in the NFC North will be between DET/CHI for second place this season, but Green Bay's time to sit atop the division will not be long.

Our D/Line has the potential to achieve 'Steel Curtain' notoriety and a full season of Suh/Fairley lining up together has to inspire visions of Mean Joe Greene & 'Arrow' Ernie Holmes ... gotta' couple of young DE's looking good too, and they got to as the secondary is still a big question mark.

... yes, it is and I put them in their SuperBowl timeline right about where the Saints were in 2006/2007, a few years out ... now, it remains to be seen if they can put it all together like New Orleans, but you know, it sure is nice being talked about around the league as a team you can't overlook for a change, .

... this is the one glaring statistic I point out to those in LionsNation who get just a little bit too far ahead of themselves in the optimistic-dept. To be a winner, you have to beat winners ... 'baby steps, grasshopper, baby steps' ... it's all part of the process and Detroit is on their way.



Former New Orleans Saint, Joquie Bell, had a good outing in the Lions first preseason game against Cleveland ... I'm liking this guy and blogged way back when Detroit signed him off the NO practice squad that he could be the answer to the Lions' offensive running game woes : http://blackandgold.com/blogs/slomot...eremy-lin.html ... oh yeah, you just got to Bell-ieve" ... and 'thanks' for the little corner of B&G, .

SmashMouth

The article says they are destined for second place? More like first place. That DLine is no joke.

mutineer10

Actually, Nick Fairley's arrest record is pretty funny ...

QBREES9

Thats a good ball team over there.

Vrillon82

They got some offensive power, but remember.

Last year they never beat a team with a winning record I dont think.

SapperSaint

I fully expect the D-Lions to win their Division. Yes, I think they split with Green Bay. I think this team is going to surprise a lot of people.