Detroit Lions: How the Lions Can Shock the World Against New Orleans

The NFL gods really have it out for the Detroit Lions this year. How else can you explain one team having to face the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints in back-to-back games not once, but twice in the same season?

Check that—twice in a little over one month. 

These aren't the Vikings and the Bucs we're talking about, either. The Saints and the Packers are the elite of the NFL. They're led by the best quarterbacks in the game today. One is a lock for the MVP, and the other just shattered all of Dan Marino's records.

Facing the Saints, the Lions are in a classic David vs. Goliath situation. Unfortunately, they cannot simply sling a rock at Drew Brees and knock him out of the game.

Talk about roughing the passer! The officials would flag that for sure.

No, the Lions will have to rely on old-fashioned strategy if they hope to win. This strategy will hopefully be different than the one employed in their 31-17 loss to New Orleans last month.

Despite the odds against them, there are several encouraging signs. They will enter Saturday's game healthier than they've been in over two months. Louis Delmas and Cory Williams will both be back. 

They've also been playing smarter football than the last time they faced New Orleans. They've cut down on the personal fouls and have kept their emotions in check. For the most part.

Lions fans who have been deprived of playoff football for over a decade have every reason to be excited. A Detroit victory is not as far-fetched as some people believe.

There are dramatic upsets every year in the NFL playoffs. Just look at New Orleans last year. They lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that made the playoffs with a losing record.

But if the Lions are going to win, they have to focus on several key areas. If they do these five things, victory will be well within their grasp. 

5. Contain Darren Sproles

Every Lions fan knows that despite the dominance of their team's defense, they've been vulnerable to big plays, particularly on rushes around the edge and on short screen passes to the running back.

Detroit's defensive philosophy stresses pressuring the quarterback via the blitz. This often leaves their defensive ends and linebackers horribly overcommitted and out of the play.

This was evident last week against Green Bay, when Ryan Grant broke off a huge run from a short pass that resulted in a touchdown. 

Mark Ingram is the Saints' workhorse and gets the bulk of their carries. But he's the type of runner the Lions have success stopping. He scored during their first meeting, but the Lions held him to 54 yards and only 3.4 yards a carry.

The Lions must focus on stopping Darren Sproles. He is the Saints' version of Jahvid Best, a versatile back who can kill you as a rusher or receiver.

His strengths play right into Detroit's weakness.

He's particularly adept at turning short passes into big gains, and he is a threat to score from anywhere on the field because of his speed. He's second on the Saints with nine touchdowns on the season—two rushing and seven receiving.

The Lions must adjust their defense so that when Sproles is on the field, he's accounted for. On these plays, either Kyle Vanden Bosch or Cliff Avril needs to stay home instead of wildly pursuing the quarterback.

The Lions might consider assigning a spy to cover Sproles. Stephen Tulloch has been given this task in the past when facing mobile quarterbacks.

However the Lions do it, keeping Sproles out of the end zone and limiting his productivity—in the return game as well—should be a priority.

3. Returning Players Need to Have an Impact

According to this article by Philip Zaroo on MLive.com, Louis Delmas, Corey Williams and Aaron Berry all practiced this week. They will likely all play against the Saints.

Williams and Berry have only missed one game each, but Delmas has missed the last five with a knee injury.

In addition, the Lions will have Ndamukong Suh, who did not play against the Saints the first time because of his suspension.

Delmas is the key though. As Zaroo correctly points out, he is not only the anchor of the Lions secondary, he is the "soul" of the defense. The Lions have missed him tremendously.

The secondary is coming off their worst performance of the year. They need to rebound against an offense that is even more dangerous than Green Bay's. Delmas should provide the spark needed to bring about an improved performance.

For the Lions, these players cannot simply return back into the lineup. They need to impact the game significantly and play up to the level they were at prior to their injuries. 

Their presence makes two or three turnovers a realistic expectation to have. That is what it will take for the Lions to have a chance.

4. Offensive Efficiency: No Drops, No Turnovers

The Lions offense—as talented as any unit in the NFL—is capable of putting up big numbers and big scores on any given Sunday. 

They are also capable of prolonged offensive ruts on any given Sunday. 

For example, despite the impressive performance against Green Bay last week, their numbers could have been much higher. There were interceptions, fumbles and dropped balls that limited the Lions' offensive efficiency.

Brandon Pettigrew is a good, young receiver. But is it just me, or does he drop at least one ball in the end zone every game?

Even Calvin Johnson got into the act and dropped a sure-fire touchdown.

The result of these miscues was obvious. The Lions lost by four points.

They can't afford wasting even one offensive series against New Orleans. The Saints will score, and they will score a lot. Even if Detroit's defense plays well.

Their only hope of defeating the Saints is by outscoring them, and they'll need to capitalize on every opportunity to do this.

2. Cover Jimmy Graham Like a Honolulu Blue and Silver Blanket

Earlier I mentioned containing Darren Sproles, who is the Saints' second-most dangerous scoring threat. Guess who's number one?

Jimmy Graham is Drew Brees' favorite target and his numbers show it. He leads the team with 99 receptions, 1310 yards and 11 touchdowns. He's big, fast and has great hands.

Like Calvin Johnson—but from the tight end position—he's a match up nightmare.

Yes, asking the Lions defense to stop Sproles and Graham is like asking Dick Vitale to tone it down a little.

It's nice to think about, but it probably will never happen.

I don't expect the Lions to shut him down. They only need to limit his effectiveness. Keeping him out of the end zone would be a huge accomplishment for them.

I realize this is a huge task, but the Lions have to pull off some magic if they expect to win. They have to play above themselves to have a chance. They need to have—collectively—the game of their lives.

Stopping Graham is a huge part of that.

1. If the Lions Hope to Win, They Have to Make Brees Uncomfortable

During their first meeting on December 4th, Drew Brees was harassed and pressured for most of the first quarter. Nick Fairley led the charge against Brees and recorded one sack. 

The Lions were able to keep the game within reach, and the pressure on Brees was the reason why.

Unfortunately for the Lions, Fairley reinjured his foot early in the second quarter and sat out the rest of the game. With Suh already sitting out due to suspension, the Lions defensive push was nonexistent without them.

As a result, Brees had all day to throw the ball, and he torched the Lions secondary for three touchdowns.

As the first quarter of that game showed, pressuring Brees is the key to beating the Saints. 

Sacks are nice, and hopefully the Lions will get to Brees more than twice this time. But getting consistent pressure, shrinking the pocket around him and making him rush his passes are what the Lions should focus on.

The key is to disrupt the normal offensive flow for Brees; take him out of his usual routine and force him to go through his progressions quicker than he's used to.

It will not be easy. The Saints offensive line is a unit that has gotten better with time. They've improved every week and appear to be peaking at just the right moment. They've only allowed one sack in the past two weeks. 

In fact, I don't think Carolina's defense got close enough to touch Brees.

With Fairley, Suh and Corey Williams all expected to play, the Lions have players that have the potential to dominate the line of scrimmage.

In many people's eyes, a Detroit win would be nothing short of a miracle. Who can blame them for saying that?

Overall, New Orleans is a better team. But underdogs win every week in the NFL, and they win every year in the playoffs.

Why not the Lions? It could happen.