5 Reasons Detroit Lions Will Keep Things Rolling in 2012

For the Detroit Lions, the 2012 NFL season puts them in an unfamiliar position.

They have expectations.

In 2011, the Lions made the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. The traditionally tortured fanbase finally got to see a winner as the Lions posted a 10-6 record and secured a playoff bid for the first time in more than a decade.

The Lions nucleus of young talent and seasoned veterans finally realized their potential on the field and became one of the most pleasant surprises of the season.

Can the Lions build off that momentum and continue to develop into a legitimate NFL contender?

In 2012, we will find out the answer to that question, but Lions fans should feel good about their chances. For a team only three years removed from an 0-16 season, the Lions have a ton of potential as their young talent continues to gel and develop into their talent.

Here are five reasons that Lions fans can be confident that they will keep things rolling in 2012.

Matthew Stafford

When it comes to building long-term success in the NFL, everything begins and ends with the quarterback.

Teams like the New England Patriots, New York Giants and New Orleans Saints are consistently among the most dangerous teams in the league and it comes from the elite level of play they get from the quarterback position.

If Matthew Stafford is able to build on 2011's success, he could soon add his name to the list of elite NFL quarterbacks.

After struggling in his first two years with injuries and inconsistent play, Stafford burst onto the scene with staggering pass totals in 2011. Stafford set career highs in every important passing category with 5,038 yards, 41 touchdowns and a 97.2 quarterback rating.

At only 24 years old, Stafford is one of the most promising quarterbacks in the entire NFL and as long as he can stay healthy, we should see his numbers improve as he continues to feel more comfortable as the leader of the Lions offense.

One thing Stafford will need to do is cut down on his interception total. Stafford threw 16 interceptions last season and will need to take better care of the ball in 2012 to relieve some pressure on his defense and keep the Lions from the shootout scenario they found themselves in many times in 2011.

The Return of Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure

For all of the success that the 2011 Detroit Lions enjoyed on the offensive side of the ball, they had one glaring weakness: the running game.

Only twice did the Lions have a 100-yard rusher in a single game and the team lacked a true threat at the running back position. While a dynamic passing game covered most of the Lions' running game woes, the Lions will be even more dangerous if they can develop a more productive rushing attack.

Fortunately for the Lions, they have two running backs on the roster who have the potential to be a formidable duo.

In 2011, second-year back Jahvid Best appeared to be a much-improved back whose receiving skills and big-play ability made him a perfect fit in the explosive Lions offense. Unfortunately, Best's breakout season was put on hold when he suffered a concussion that held him out for a majority of the season.

Before the Lions lost out on Best's ability, they lost their second-round draft pick in Illinois running back Mikel Leshoure to a torn Achilles. The loss of Leshoure was a setback early on, as the 6'0", 233-pound back was expected to be the between-the-tackles runner that the Lions desperately need to complement the lightning-quick Best.

In 2012, both of these young backs should be back in full force and could join up with former third-round selection Kevin Smith to form an interesting running back-by-committee similar to the approach that the New Orleans Saints have taken to the position with Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram.

The development of these young backs will ensure that this Lions offense matures and keeps team rolling through 2012.

Calvin Johnson

In 2011, Calvin Johnson established himself as the most dominant wide receiver in the NFL.

The value of such a dominant wide receiver can't be understated. Johnson's 2011 campaign saw him gain 1,681 yards on 96 catches and 16 touchdowns. Johnson had five games with multiple touchdown receptions.

When the Lions offense sputters—which any offense is bound to do from time to time—Johnson is there to bail them out. All Matthew Stafford has to do is chuck it up and the 6'5", 236-pound Johnson is likely coming down with the ball.

Johnson is the kind of receiving threat that opens up the offense for the other weapons around him.

Tight end Brandon Pettigrew and wide receivers Titus Young and Nate Burleson all went over 600 yards receiving while secondaries had to constantly double-team and account for Johnson.

With Johnson now locked up long-term, the Lions will be running their offense through him for years to come. In 2012, not only will Johnson be All-Pro again, he will also continue to make the Lions one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL as all of the pieces around him continue to develop.

Dominant Defensive Line

For all the hype surrounding the Lions' explosive offense, it was the defense that allowed the team to make such a leap in 2011—and it all starts up front.

The Lions have built one of the most fearsome defensive lines in the NFL and they set the tone for the entire defense.

Ndamukong Suh may make all the headlines with his aggressive style of play and game-changing ability to penetrate, but the defensive line is much more than Suh. Defensive ends Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch combined for 19 sacks in 2011 and will return next year.

On the interior, Suh leads an impressive group of tackles that go four deep. Corey Williams, Sammie Lee Hill and Nick Fairley make the defensive line one of the Lions' greatest strengths.

As this young nucleus improves, we should see the Lions defense make improvements as the defense tries to match its explosive offense to make the Lions a legitimate contender.

The Draft

Once upon a time (a time not so far away), the Detroit Lions were a punchline come draft day.

The Lions were among the worst drafting teams in the league for most of the 2000s and the team's first-round selections included the likes of Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, Roy Williams and Mike Williams.

If you want to be a contender, drafting successfully and consistently is the most important step and that is exactly what the Lions have been able to do in the last couple of drafts.

Ndamukong Suh, Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford were obviously great selections as the team's number one picks that will provide a great foundation for years to come. The true strength of the Lions' new-found drafting confidence has come from the amount of starters they have been able to acquire.

The 2009 draft provided four consistent starters in Matthew Stafford, Brandon Pettigrew, Louis Delmas and DeAndre Levy. They also found a great rotational defensive tackle in Sammie Hill. These are the kind of drafts that have the ability to turn a franchise around.

In the 2012 NFL draft, the Lions will be selecting 23rd overall in the first round—the latest they've picked in the first round since 1992. With the days of Matt Millen's mind-boggling draft ineptitude passed,  the Lions should be able to continue to build through the draft.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller has the Lions taking offensive tackle Riley Reiff with their first selection. Whether or not he is the actual selection at 23, the Lions now have a front office they can trust to make the most of the draft—something they haven't had in recent memory.

That should be enough to enough to ensure the Detroit Lions keep things going in 2012 and beyond.