Are the Detroit Lions in Serious Danger of Missing the NFL Playoffs?

The Detroit Lions are in serious danger of missing the playoffs in 2012. It seems like an unreasonable statement to make four games into the season, but one to take into account when looking at all the things working against Matthew Stafford and the Lions. 

Offensively, the Lions can hang with any team in the NFL. Unfortunately, the unit has been hit-or-miss so far this season, and that cannot happen when all other aspects of the team are so mediocre. 

In an elite division, the Lions may have already lost too many games with a 1-3 record. Currently, Detroit is on the bottom of the ladder looking up—and it's a very long climb. 

Here's why the 2012 Detroit Lions are already in serous danger of missing the playoffs. 

Shaky Defense & Special Teams

The offense is not the issue in Detroit, it's the defense and special teams. Against the Vikings, the Lions gave up touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns, which ended up being the difference in the game. 

On the defensive side of things the Lions are atrocious. Giving up a ridiculous 44 points to a lowly Tennessee Titans team in Week 3 is reason enough to believe the Lions are nowhere close to contending. 

On Sunday, the Lions defense and special teams gave up a total of 20 points, and Matthew Stafford and the offense could not overcome the deficit. It put them at an early disadvantage in the divisional race and is the perfect example of the kind of performance that won't allow Detroit to make the postseason. 

Performance Against Lesser Teams

Going into the season, it was thought to be a two-team race between the Lions and the Green Bay Packers for the NFC North crown. 

After dropping a game to the Minnesota Vikings, that is clearly the farthest thing from the case. 

The Lions fell at home to the perennial cellar-dwelling Vikings, 20-13, and inexplicably dropped a game last week against the lowly Tennessee Titans.

What's most disturbing about the loss to Tennessee is that the Titans are one of the worst teams in the league and have an atrocious second-year quarterback in Jack Locker. The Detroit defensive unit surrendered a jaw-dropping 44 points. 

Detroit would have lost its season opener against the St. Louis Rams as well had it not rallied late and performed some fourth quarter heroics. 

This serious inability to take care of business and win games against beatable teams is the biggest issue for the Lions moving forward. It's the sign of a mediocre team, and the schedule does not get any easier. 

Remaining Schedule 

The remaining schedule for the Lions is brutal. The first four games (with the exception being San Francisco) were supposed to be a warm-up for the real meat of the schedule that Detroit is now entering. 

Detroit still has to face the Chicago Bears and the Packers twice, which could easily account for four more losses considering the caliber of those teams. 

Matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals are all looming, and serious reasons as to why Detroit will miss the playoffs. Even games such as a showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars is not guaranteed considering how things have gone so far. 

Postseason in Doubt

Thanks to a perfect storm of horrible early-season performances and a ridiculously tough schedule moving forward, a postseason appearance for the Lions in 2012 is doubtful. 

Head coach Jim Schwartz and his staff have done an admirable job building an offensive roster, but the negligence to the defense and special teams is coming back to hurt them. Schwartz and his staff have not done a great job with game plans or in-game situations, which could have them picking early in the 2013 NFL draft. 

Detroit could turn things around, but all signs are pointing to a flat season with potentially an 8-8 finish or worse. The way things look now, the Lions should not worry about the postseason, but simply making it to the .500 mark. 

Then Detroit can dream about the playoffs again. 

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