Detroit Lions: Are They Better? Reasons to Be Skeptical

Maybe it's just my cynical nature coming through today. Maybe it's just all an illusion.

Since the draft there have been a few articles, including some of my own, that have portrayed the Lions as finally getting their act together.

However, as many experienced Lions fans know, we've been down this road before.

I'm not going to bore everyone with the whole dismal history of this team since William Clay Ford, Sr. purchased the Lions back in 1963 for $4.5 million dollars. 

I'll give just some of the highlights...or in some cases, the lowlights.

We all know the one glaring issue since Ford took control of the team: 10 playoff appearances, one playoff win, and no championships in the 46 years he's owned the team.

This team has had some good regular seasons in that time. In 1970 they went 10-4 but lost to the Cowboys in the lowest scoring playoff game in modern history, 5-0.

The 1991 team posted the Lions' best ever record of 12-4, and was the only WCF-owned team that ever garnered a playoff victory, with a 38-6 pasting of the Cowboys, only to lose the next week to the Washington Redskins 41-10.

The 1995 team started off 0-3 and reeled off seven straight wins to end the season at 10-6, only to get demolished by the Philadelphia Eagles 58-37.

I can only speak for myself, but I think I can get some agreement—we're tired of having teams built to win in the regular season only to fail miserably in the postseason.

I know that in order to get into the playoffs, teams need to achieve at least a 9-7 record. But that kind of record only gets your foot in the door. It is rare that a 9-7 team can get deep into the playoffs since that kind of record won't get any team home field advantage.

Since 1964, the Lions have had 16 head coaches, including several "interim" coaches. Of those coaches, only three have had a winning percentage over .500:

George Wilson: 1957-1964. Won 56-Lost 45. Winning percentage: .541.

Joe Schmidt: 1967-1972. Won 43-Lost 34. Winning percentage: .558.

Gary Moeller: 2000. Won 7-Lost 4. Winning percentage: .574.

What does that tell you about your franchise when your most successful coach was one that didn't coach a whole season?

After the Lions went 0-16 in 2008, Martin Mayhew was officially named the general manager of the team.

In turn, he hired Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, as head coach, as well as Gunther Cunningham and Scott Linehan as defensive and offensive coordinators respectively.

Mayhew, in his time as GM (both interim and otherwise), has made some good trades and free agent signings, and has drafted wisely. 

Getting three picks from Dallas for Roy Williams was his first big splash, as he acquired a first (TE Brandon Pettigrew), third (WR Derrick Williams), and sixth (RB Aaron Brown), all of whom have remained with the team. 

Pettigrew has the tools to be a very good, all around tight end. Brown has shown some explosive speed and could turn into a dangerous return specialist, and Williams is working hard to find some playing time.

Of course, the big pick that year was quarterback Matthew Stafford.

While he got hammered a lot during his rookie season, he showed a lot of mental and physical toughness, and perhaps a glimpse of greatness, when he played his best game so far, going 26-for-43 in pass completions, and throwing for 422 yards, five TDs and two INTs. He was the youngest player ever since the AFL-NFL merger to throw for five TDs, and set the yardage passing record for a NFL rookie.

Stafford gained the respect of many Lions fans as his last TD pass to Brandon Pettigrew came after he separated his non-throwing shoulder. Rumor has it that he hid from the trainers on the sideline, ran back into the huddle, and calmly found Pettigrew in the end zone after driving the Lions offense 88 yards.

So what's the point of this article? I guess I have to ask the question that has not been asked.

Perhaps it may be too early to speculate if the Lions are indeed on the right track, but the question is, "Is this team ever going to win a Super Bowl?"

For 2010, the Lions have greatly improved the defensive line, drafting DT Ndamukong Suh out of Nebraska, along with signing free agents DE Kyle Vanden Bosch from Tennessee and DT Corey Williams from the Cleveland Browns. 

They also attempted to beef up the secondary to get Louis Delmas some help. 

In the draft they took CB Amari Speavey, and they signed free agents CB Jonathon Wade (Rams), CB Chris Houston (Falcons), CB Dante Wesley (Panthers), and DB C.C. Brown (Giants).

On paper, the defense looks a whole lot better than the one that has been lit up over the past two years.

The offensive line has also been addressed. The Lions drafted OT Jason Fox from Miami. Though not projected as a started for 2010, Fox does bring depth to a line that sorely needs it.

The big signing—perhaps just as important as getting Vanden Bosch—was LG Rob Sims from the Seahawks. 

It is the hope that Sims will lend some stabilization to the left side and perhaps help the much maligned LT Jeff Backus. I would suspect that if Backus puts up his usual numbers, the Lions will be looking to draft a left tackle in the 2011 draft, and either move Backus inside, trade him, or release him outright.

Another big signing was WR Nate Burleson from the Seahawks, which should help alleviate the double and triple teaming of budding star WR Calvin Johnson. 

Javhid Best was probably the pick of the draft for the Lions. Not since the great Barry Sanders have the Lions had a home run threat. Paired with Kevin Smith, the Lions should have a fairly effective tandem running game. Smith can wear out a defense and Best can simply outrun them.

I do see the Lions as an improved team. They finally have a chance to head north in the win column this year, though I doubt they will break .500. But seeing how this is a team that has a .067 winning percentage over the last two years, anything over .350 would be a huge step.

And if by some miracle they achieve .500, head coach Jim Schwartz would be in contention for Coach of the Year.