TE Tony Scheffler Will Prove To Be "Linus' Blanket" For QB Matt Stafford

If you’re like me, anytime the Detroit Lions make a roster move, a friend calls within moments of the transaction to give you the heads up and gauge your excitement about the news.  My friend, Petey, called right away, as is his usual custom, and shared the lowdown:  our beloved Detroit Lions just traded away WLB Ernie Sims to acquire TE Tony Scheffler.

Now, the next part is pretty weird.

On April 15, 2010, I gave my black #50 Ernie Sims jersey to Petey when I found out that was his high school football number.  We both played in college, he as a defensive end in the GLIAC, and I as a middle linebacker in the Upper Midwest Conference.  We both share an affinity for outstanding play on the defensive side of the ball, especially at the linebacker position.

That black #50 was my favorite Lions jersey, mostly for its slimming effect on my “oh-so-svelte” 6’3” 307-pound frame.

When the Lions made Ernie Sims the 9th overall selection in the 2006 NFL Draft, I was elated!  I cheered and jumped up and down and yipped and yapped and was ecstatic.

On April 19, 2010, when Petey broke the news of the three-way trade, I was glad to hear the results.

When Martin Mayhew took charge of the Detroit Lions as general manager, his early statements set the tone for what has come to fruition in terms of flushing the roster of players who do not fit their mold of the future.

Ernie Sims was one of said players.

Mayhew said that in their review of the tape, it wasn’t so much that Lions defenders weren’t getting to the ball in a timely fashion; rather, they would get knocked off the ball and dragged downfield four to six yards at a time.

Hmmm.

The new leadership said that they would seek athletic, dynamic, multi-talented, hybrid-esque players who were bigger, faster, and stronger.  The additions of Julian Peterson, Louis Delmas, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Corey Williams, and Ndamukong Suh to the defense, and Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best, Tony Scheffler, Nate Burleson, and Rob Sims on the offense point exactly in that direction.

These are not the 2008 Detroit Lions by any stretch of the imagination.

The purpose of player acquisition is to gain an asset that, when matched against the opponent, creates a mismatch in your favor. 

Enter former Western Michigan Bronco and Chelsea High School alum, Tony Scheffler.

As the modern passing offense has evolved in the NFL, the use of a dynamic TE has changed the landscape of the game.

The Detroit Lions recently retired the number 88 of Hall of Fame TE Charlie Sanders.  The club has enjoyed talent at the tight end position in the past, and it may become a “strength” position for the Lions during the 2010 season.

For people who know me, they know that when you mention the 20th overall selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, I start to twitch and my blood pressure begins to steadily rise.  (It was Clay Matthews, III who was the “chosen one,” was he not?  Obviously, and much to my chagrin, he was not.  The benefit for the Detroit Lions is they get to play against him twice a year for who knows how many eons.)

Now that the Lions feature tight ends Will Heller, Brandon Pettigrew, and Tony Scheffler, Detroit may have one of the best crews at tight end in the NFL.  If Dan Gronkowski can translate his weight room strength into blocking prowess, he could add yet another dimension to an aspiring group.

I know that Pettigrew has yet to finish a complete season, and Scheffler has yet to catch a single pass for the Lions, but if these guys play at the level of which they are capable, lookout NFL defenses.

That seems strange to hear regarding the Detroit Lions, doesn’t it?

When I think about how the Lions can acquire talent on offense to create a mismatch scenario, you’re talking about lining up against some of the NFL’s top defenders twice a year.  The talent featured on the Packers and Vikings defense is among the best in the league, along with their top defensive rankings.

What makes Tony Scheffler a grave threat to a defense is his size, athleticism, and ability to catch the football.

Tony will be the new hybrid threat (TE/WR or WR/TE, whichever you like best) who defenses struggle to cover during the 2010 season.

The only athlete who comes to mind who can match his size, stature, and speed in the NFC North is Green Bay OLB Clay Matthews, III, and Tony still maintains a clear advantage.  Aside from Clay, I’m drawing a blank.

For those who like offensive-oriented football, you’re going to like the approach the Lions are taking.  They are surrounding sophomore QB Matthew Stafford with the best possible weapons they can attain.

Within days of the 2009 season’s close, head Coach Jim Schwartz said that if Lions fans want to see the passing game improve, they should cheer for the running game to get better.  Ultimately, in so doing, the front has added threats to the arsenal which are real and must be accounted for:  Calvin Johnson, Nate Burleson, Tony Scheffler, Brandon Pettigrew, and Jahvid Best.

Eventually, it just becomes math, not magic.

As Detroit Lions fans witnessed in complete horror and dismay, our beloved team was utterly dismantled by the New Orleans Saints offense led by QB Drew Brees and a corps of receivers too talented for any group to cover.

That’s a problem if you’re everybody else, but a Super Bowl Championship if you’re the Saints.

The previous model for similar success was achieved in 2006 when Payton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts over the “defensive-oriented” Chicago Bears.

In a few seasons, we have seen the transformation of the game and how multi-dimensional players and speedy receivers who can catch the ball provide the mismatch that puts their team over the cusp.

As Lions fans know well, a defensive secondary that cannot cover receivers will lose early and often.  Bearing that in mind, the Detroit Lions needed their own set of special weapons on offense, so there is no better time to inculcate TE Tony Scheffler into the pride.

This fall, the Detroit Lions may have the strange luxury of putting three tight ends on the field at the same time, with Heller, Pettigrew, and Scheffler, leaving the defense to wonder what’s next.  They will still have to account for C.J. and Nate-B, so somewhere along the line Matthew Stafford has got to put an accurate touch on the ball to whomever the waiting, open receiver happens to be.  No defense will be able to account for all of the Lions weapons all of the time.

Finally.  Good for the Lions.

Regardless of the combinations of cornerback, safety, and linebacker a defensive coordinator may try, if the opponent has a physical mismatch in their favor upon which they are able to capitalize, it can be the deciding factor in a contest.

That’s why I’m glad the Kaizen Magician, Martin Mayhew, struck the three-team trade that sent Ernie to Philly and brought Tony back to southeastern Michigan.  Too many top-talent offensive weapons are never enough.

Right Saints fans?

When the Detroit Lions brought former Army safety Caleb Campbell back to Detroit this spring to compete for a roster spot at outside linebacker, we saw an instance where two years away from the game allowed Caleb to actually get faster than he was before originally joining the team.  I don’t know that such is applicable to Scheffler, but if so, that would be awesome.

Tony Scheffler’s NFL Combine results are enough to make your jaw drop.

Here is a guy who, at 6’ 5 3/8” and 254 pounds, ran a 4.54 40-yd dash, a 4.04 short shuttle, and a 6.82 3-cone drill.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is outstanding lateral speed and athleticism.

If Tony is close to his combine measureables, he’s going to be a serious threat.  The more credible the threat, the more the damage done, the greater amount of resources the defense should have to spend on trying to stop Scheffler.  About the time they do that – Calvin Johnson over the top.  Touchdown!

When healthy, Scheffler is as dangerous a tight end as there is in the NFL in terms of his downfield threat and pass-catching ability.  When he lines up in the slot, Stafford will be blessed with another 6’5” target to “reach out and touch.”

My belief is that Tony Scheffler will be for Matthew Stafford what Linus’ blanket was to him:  a reliable and dependable source of comfort.  That’s one big, fast, sturdy target who is large enough to be seen when the “bad guys” are trying to level young Prince Matthew.

I feel better already ;)

Ultimately, I believe that by season’s end, Tony Scheffler will prove to be the most valuable offseason addition to the 2010-11 Detroit Loins season.

Now if Tony can reciprocate, I’ll be all set!

HäMM ë R