Fixing the Detroit Lions is Pretty Simple: Thoughts from the Beer Thinker

With the Lions playing for nothing more than "moral" victories, I took a few minutes (actually this is all on the fly) to lay out three simple and basic steps the Lions need to achieve to become a better football team.

With that in mind, I'm not going to get into what record I expect them to have in 2010 nor am I going to address the many, many needs the Lions still have on both sides of the ball by indicating what players are needed where.

There will be plenty of time for that and there will be differences of opinion from now until draft day.

Step One: Build a Solid Foundation.

The most important aspect of any successful team begins in the trenches. 

Offensive Line

The Lions need one or two players on the offensive line to upgrade the protection for the QB as well as open holes for the running game.

The Lions are ranked 24th in the league in rushing.  While some people want to look at Kevin Smith as being ineffective, most of the blame goes to the offensive line.  By not being able to push defensive linemen outward, inside holes collapse and there is no room to run. 

Inside running is reliant on hitting the hole quickly to pop through the defensive line and into the secondary.  The goal is to get five to seven yards but if there is no room to run, the play dies at the line.

Outside, it's the offensive line's job to push defenders to the middle and allow a running back to use his speed to beat the defense to the corner.  If the running back can turn his shoulders up field, again, he's good for about five to seven yards.  If not, these plays go for little or no gain.

The Lions are ranked 28th in average yards per passing play at 5.8 yards per completion.  Much of that has to do with our QB's going to the checkdown receivers.  What's even more telling is the Lions are ranked seventh in sacks allowed with 39.  This is an improvement over the last few years but still, the quarterback is on the ground way too often. 

This means that protecting the quarterback must improve.  It is rare that a Detroit Lion quarterback has been allowed to survey a field and look off two or three receivers and find the open man.  More often, he has little time to find one receiver, more often it's the checkdown man, since he is running for his life. 

The outside tackles need to keep pushing those speed rushers further out or stay with the blocks longer. 

Step Two: Cohesion and Consistency.

These are not mutually exclusive but you can't really have one without the other.  This could come down to a "chicken or the egg" argument.  Does being consistent bring cohesion or does creating a cohesive environment create consistency?

Either way, the team must achieve both.  Part of it is body language.  If you have an opportunity to watch the Lions, as painful as that may be, watch the offensive lineman when the quarterback is being chased by the defense. 

What are they doing?  Are they standing there with there hands on their hips watching the quarterback take hit after hit?  Or are they doing whatever it takes to protect him.  That could mean getting in the faces of those who got by them...get mean, get nasty and protect the quarterback.

If I'm a head coach and I see my offensive line get a 15-yard personal foul for shoving a defender, I'm not going to get to upset.  Tells me that he knows he got beat and he's ticked off.  Also tells me that he is warning the defender that he may have gotten by him this time...but there is always the next play.

As far as the defense goes, they have to think of themselves as a collective alpha-male wolf pack.  Nothing is going to get by them, nothing is going to get behind them and on those occasions it does happen, make those players on offense pay for beating them.  Nothing dirty but good, clean, hard hits.

Perhaps the most important aspect on defense is the art of tackling.  Wrap up those legs.  Delivering a big hit is one thing but if the player isn't wrapped up, he'll just bounce off and keep going.  How many times have we seen that happen? 

Step Three: Make Good Coaching Decisions.

Jim Schwartz has the potential to become a very good head coach in the NFL.  And if by some miracle, he turns the Lions around, he can basically write his own ticket to any head coaching job in the NFL.

I feel that he has been coaching the game to conservative.  Granted, he does have a rookie quarterback and a team that at best, has always been in a state of constant rebuilding mode.

But shots need to be taken.  Gambles must be made.  Trick plays, going for it on fourth down in your own territory, onside kicks to start the game and using a no-huddle offense are all tools that can wear down a defense.

Defense must also gamble.  Use safety blitzes on first downs.  Drop back from an eight-man front, move your defensive ends from one side to the other prior to the snap to confuse the QB to either burn a timeout or take a delay of game penalty.

The coaching and management staff has to look at any player and ask the question "Can he help this team win?"  While I wouldn't want a player with too much off-field baggage, the staff should at least sit down with the player and see where his head is at. 

I for one would really consider going after Plaxico Burress once his jail sentence is over.  Matching him with Calvin Johnson would give the Lions a dangerous one/two punch they haven't had since the days of Herman Moore and Brett Perriman.

But there would need to be conditions that both sides need to agree to.  Incentives for proper off-field behavior agree to counseling if needed and make the player accountable for his behavior.

If I expect anything for 2010, it would be improvements in each of these areas.  The wins will come if they can build a solid foundation, play consistent and create a cohesive environment and make good coaching decisions.

If you are a bowler, you've heard the adage "Work on your spares, the strikes will come."  If the Lions work on these areas, the wins will come.

Salud!