Beer Thinker Thoughts: Detroit Lions on the Road to Success

Detroit Lions fans, take note:  The Lions are playing meaningful games in January!

OK, I know that's not a huge news flash, but it sure felt darn well to write it.

The Beer Thinker has been quiet with the improvement of the Detroit Lions this year.  I think it was mainly due to the fact he was more used to moaning about the failures since 1999 and just can't quite articulate about their success.

In any event, this is a happy problem for him.

Regardless of what happens in Green Bay tomorrow or what occurs in the playoffs, Lions fans need to focus on the long term.  Sad to say, I don't think the Lions will win more than two games in the postseason, they still have too many holes that top teams can exploit.

For the longest time, we fans have bemoaned the fact the Lions didn't have a solid foundation to build upon.  I think Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz got that fixed and next year and the year after, it's more of finding players that fit instead of desperate attempts at placing a Band-Aid on a gaping wound that needs stitches.

Matthew Stafford has shown everyone that he belongs in the NFL.  He currently is fifth in the NFL in passing yards with 4,518 yards, thrown for 36 touchdowns and has a stellar QB rating of 96.6 which places him within the top 10 in the NFL.

Stafford has also shown everyone the Lions are his team.  He led them in comebacks being down by 17 points three times this season, the first NFL team to ever do so.

Calvin Johnson's season has to be rated among one of the best this year and perhaps the best ever by a Detroit Lions wide receiver since the days of Herman Moore and Brett Perriman.  Simply put, and not meant in a derogatory fashion by any means, the man is a freak of nature. 

At 6'5" tall and blessed with 4.35 speed with great hands to go along with phenomenal body control, Stafford has the luxury of putting the ball up even in triple-coverage knowing that Calvin will go up and get it.

Ndamukong Suh may not have lived up to his rookie year performance, but I'm going to venture the lessons he's learned this year will help mold him into one of the greatest defensive tackles the NFL will ever see.  Once he gets that rage under control and ignores the baiting and schemes that frustrate him into making mistakes, teams will have to account for him even more.

Suh, along with Nick Fairley, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Cliff Avril make up a defensive front line that Detroit fans can once again be proud of.

Along with an improved linebacking corp and a surprisingly improved secondary, no one can deny the Lions are only a few key players away from becoming a consistent 12- to 14-win team that will go deep into the playoffs for years to come. 

And dare I say it?  To finally get to a Super Bowl and perhaps even win? 

It took a while for the Beer Thinker to get his head wrapped around the fact the Detroit Lions are finally good.  It's nice to hear ESPN's Chris Berman say the Lions are a team that can't be ignored.

These are the Beer Thinker's thoughts on the final day of 2011. 

From the Beer Thinker to all, have a happy and safe New Year's!