Breaking Down Detroit Lions' Likely Opening Game Starting Lineup
The preseason is like a taste of honey when you've never had a cupcake.
The season opener? That's a slice of pizza after a night spent out on the town with your college buddies.
Now the only question is which friends will be taking those first snaps in San Diego. And much like a Saturday morning after a Friday night filled with too much enthusiasm, there can be a little confusion.
But not much. The Detroit Lions brought back the majority of their starters from an 11-5 team. Click through to find out which crew will aim to add to that win total and bring a playoff game to Detroit.
Quarterback
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QB: Matthew Stafford
There was never any doubt that Matthew Stafford would be the starter. And after the preseason opener, any calls to give Kellen Moore a chance with the first team should die down.
All kidding aside, Stafford finds himself on a semi-hot seat this fall. The team won't be moving on from him no matter what happens this season, but the court of public opinion will be scrutinizing him heavily.
Not that he cares.
Stafford took a step forward last year in terms of responsible signal-calling, finishing with just 12 interceptions (lowest of his career for a full season) and a completion percentage over 60 for just the second time in his career.
With an extra offseason and 16 games of experience in Joe Lombardi's system, Stafford should be primed to unleash his talents with a stuffed quiver of arrows at his disposal. Stafford has reportedly looked sharp all through training camp, and his only drive against the New York Jets resulted in a touchdown and perfect quarterback rating.
Running Back
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RB: Joique Bell
Hold the screaming. Ameer Abdullah has only played one game.
Abdullah did display incredible vision with ankle-shattering quickness. And the word around Allen Park is he's a "better receiver" than even the most optimistic scouting reports envisioned, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
But Bell is still the starter.
It isn't just because he has the experience edge. Bell brings a combination of shiftiness and power to match with nice hands (139 receptions in three years) and a better ability to protect the passer.
However, the coaches will have no choice but to get Abdullah on the field early and often. These two will form a committee with Theo Riddick, giving offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi plenty of options going forward.
Wide Receiver
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WR: Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate
While you can make an argument for Ameer Abdullah over Joique Bell, the only debate about Detroit's top two receivers is how highly they rank in the league.
Last year's stats (170 combined catches for 2,408 yards) would land them squarely in the top five. If Johnson can stay healthy this season and Matthew Stafford reestablishes his deep connection with him, there's no doubt that both he and Tate can land in the Pro Bowl.
Unfortunately, the depth behind them is hit or miss. A lot of hope is being heaped on Corey Fuller and T.J. Jones, but the development is yet to be seen.
Regardless, the starters are entrenched. Both on Detroit's roster and in the minds of the league's defensive coordinators.
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Tight End
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TE: Eric Ebron and Brandon Pettigrew
In this scenario, we're presuming that the Lions will start with two tight ends and two receivers.
The first is Eric Ebron. He's been a source of debate across the Internet, with some questioning if he'll ever be worth a top-10 pick. It's a fair question that will follow him throughout his career.
For his part, Ebron isn't worried about such concerns. The word around training camp is his elevated focus and mature attitude have him primed to become the third receiving option Detroit desperately needs.
The other spot is Pettigrew's. The veteran showed off his rededication to blocking during Golden Tate's first catch against the Jets and on one Ameer Abdullah run. Detroit's emphasis on the running game gives him the edge over Joseph Fauria.
Offensive Line
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OL: Riley Reiff, Laken Tomlinson, Travis Swanson, Larry Warford and LaAdrian Waddle
The only question regarding Reiff, Swanson, Warford and Waddle is whether the latter will be available.
Justin Rogers of Mlive Media Group recently Tweeted a picture of Waddle using the hitting sled, and Dan Leach of 97.1 The Ticket went so far as to report he'll be healthy enough to play Week 1.
If Detroit's presumptive starting right tackle isn't ready, Cornelius Lucas will be forced to step in. While Lucas played reasonably well in his brief preseason stint, there is a legitimate drop off from Waddle to him at this point.
Manny Ramirez will give Tomlinson a run for his job because of his experience, and the veteran did get the start in the first preseason game. However, the same tact was taken with Warford. He turned out alright.
Plus, Tomlinson looked solid during his debut. There were a few plays where he was chasing his responsibility in the backfield, but his power and balance were on full display. He should win this job handily.
Defensive Line
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DL: Jason Jones, Haloti Ngata, Tyrunn Walker and Ezekiel Ansah
Again, we run into another question of availability along the line. Jones has been adamant that he will be ready by Week 1, although the Lions are notoriously mum when it comes to injury details.
Ngata also hasn't practiced during training camp because of a hamstring injury. There's been nothing to suggest his injury will linger into September, and without anything concrete, there's no reason to make any predictions.
Ansah is the only one here who is a certainty to start against the San Diego Chargers. His ambition is to become a top-flight defensive end this season. Considering his talent and healthy offseason, it's completely reasonable to expect 14 or more sacks from the former first-rounder.
The race between Walker and Caraun Reid is the only one worth watching from a competition perspective.
The younger Reid hit the weights and film with a vengeance this offseason. That improvement was obvious when he put New York's left guard on skates and snagged a sack against the Jets.
Walker, however, brings a versatility that's hard to ignore. He isn't as quick off the ball as Reid, but he has better track record against the run, giving him the edge here.
Linebacker
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LB: DeAndre Levy, Stephen Tulloch and Tahir Whitehead
Levy is one of the best players who is only starting to get his due in the national media. The Lions recently locked him up through 2019 with a deal that was fair to both sides. Not that you needed convincing that he will start.
Plus, the consensus this summer regarding Tulloch is Detroit's defensive captain is back and as good as ever. He's an emotional leader who slams the hammer against the run and is still strong enough in coverage to keep on the field on occasional passing downs.
Despite the buzz surrounding Kyle Van Noy's selection a year ago, it's hard to see him overtaking Whitehead. The latter played well filling in for the injured Tulloch in 2014, finishing fourth on the team with 29 stops (plays that constitute an offensive failure, per Pro Football Focus).
The former still doesn't look comfortable in the defense. Van Noy did a nice job ignoring the play-action fake to register a quarterback hit against the Jets, but too often he seemed timid and unsure.
Secondary
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Secondary: Darius Slay, Rashean Mathis, Glover Quin and James Ihedigbo
There isn't a stitch of controversy in the secondary.
Mathis and Slay formed a cornerback duo that limited downfield mistakes and displayed great tackling. In today's game, offenses love to get the ball quickly to their playmakers, and few did a better job of limiting yards after the catch than these two.
Behind them stand a safety combination that fits together like lamb and tuna fish. Or perhaps you prefer spaghetti and meatball?
Regardless, Quin led the league in interceptions not because he was lucky, but because he always put himself in the best position to make a play. And he almost always closed the deal.
Ihedigbo had a few issues (Jason Witten, anybody?). However, he still graded out as the 14th-best safety in the league because he stuffed the run and handled his own—most of the time—against tight ends.
Special Teams
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ST: Sam Martin, Matt Prater and T.J. Jones
Obviously, the first two specialists are locked down.
Martin is a coffin-corner assassin, downing 25 punts inside the 20 and generally flipping the field position battle in Detroit's favor.
And Prater was a drink of water in a kicking desert. After the disasters named Nate Freese and Alex Henery, Prater knocked in 20 of 23 field goals after a semi-rough debut.
The majority of fans will have no problem walking out on the only limb extended here. Jeremy Ross looked tentative in the preseason opener. Jones attacked every return with the energy needed to give the extra edge every playoff team wants.
Remember, Detroit is bringing back most of the talent that challenged for a division title. If a few of the new guys take a step forward, there's no ceiling for what the Lions can accomplish.
All advanced stats, grades and positional rankings are courtesy of Pro Football Focus and require a subscription.
Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.
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