Detroit Lions: A 10 Step Recipe That Will Have Them Roaring in 2011
The Detroit Lions finished the 2010 season with a bang. Their four straight victories at the end of the year have fans more excited than they have been in over a decade. Now, the Lions must decide if they are the 2010 version of the Cleveland Browns, a team that finished 2009 with four straight wins only to have a bad 2010 season, or a team that will compete for a playoff spot.
If the Lions are able to have as much success in the 2011 offseason as they did in 2010, then they should be primed to make some noise in the NFC North.
Here are 10 things that I believe can pave the way for a very exciting 2011 season.
10. Amari Spievey Makes Expected Improvement
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Amari Spievey started at safety for a good part of the season for the 2010 Lions. His play suffered from a lack of experience at the position.
It is important to note that Spievey never played or practiced at safety until late in training camp. Having played cornerback in college, Spievey has the physical tools to effectively play safety. What hurt him was his lack of instinct at the position.
If, with the benefit of a preseason at the position, Spievey is able to grasp the mental aspects of playing safety, the Lions will have found a more than solid running mate for Louis Delmas.
9. Bring Back Chris Houston
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Chris Houston played much better than expected in 2010, and that might be bad news for the 2011 season. Houston has made a market for himself, and if next year is played under the old NFL rules, then he is an unrestricted free agent.
This is one player the Lions need to resign. He was not a great No. 1 corner this year, but he would make an above average No. 2 corner next year.
8. Sign a Kickoff Specialist
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Dave Rainer filled in nicely for the injured Jason Hanson this year, but I believe if Hanson is healthy next year, he will remain as Detroit’s kicker. While keeping Hanson as the field goal kicker is a wise move, it would be a mistake to have him kicking off.
Hanson has hurt his knee three times the last two years, and kickoffs put significantly more strain on his legs than field goals. Limiting his kickoff duties should mean a healthier Hanson in 2011.
The other factor to take into account is that Hanson cannot reach the endzone with his kickoffs. His kicks consistently landed closer to the 10-yard line than the goal line. The Lions were not bad on kickoff coverage at 20.7 yards per return, but let’s examine this a little closer.
The Lions kicked off 77 times in 2010. They averaged 62 yards per kickoff. They did not have a single kickoff land out of bounds, and had three touchbacks. If we take all these numbers into account, we find the average starting position of their opponents after a kickoff was the 28.4-yard line.
The Baltimore Ravens were the worst kickoff coverage team in the NFL at 26.0 yards per return. Billy Cundiff kicked off 79 times. He had 40 touchbacks, one kickoff go out of bounds and 38 kicks returned. His average kick travelled 71.1 yards. Using the same math as before, the average starting position of Baltimore’s opponents was the 22.7-yard line.
Not only did Baltimore’s opponents start nearly six yards deeper on their possessions, their coverage units had to do a lot less work than the Lions’ did, and that reduces the possibility of injury.
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7. Get a Speedy Third Receiver
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The lions have done a nice job of filling their skill positions on offense. The addition of Nate Burleson provided a nice complement to Calvin Johnson. Burleson however, is not a deep threat. What Burleson excels at is yards after the catch. This is a not a knock on him, it is just the type of receiver he is.
What the Lions need to add in order to drive coverage even further away from Calvin Johnson is a fast slot receiver that forces teams to commit a deep safety to his side of the field.
This type of receiver can be found late in the draft. The Lions need to cut ties with both Bryant Johnson and Derrick Williams. Neither of these guys did anything this year to deserve a roster spot next year.
6. Draft a Stud Center
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Dominic Raiola’s time with the Lions must come to an end. I am tired of hearing how great he is at line calls, only to watch him get destroyed by any DT with bulk. The problem with Raiola is that he plays just well enough to keep the Lions from feeling they need to commit an expensive resource on a replacement.
For anyone who is wondering what a stud center can do for a struggling offensive line, they need to look at how much the addition of Maurkice Pouncey has meant to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Someone who would be great if available in the second round would be Florida State’s Rodney Hudson. He is an inch-and-a-half taller than Raiola and is about the same weight. The difference is that Hudson has yet to fully fill out, and has a lot of lower body girth, but can still move well. He is an exceptional run and pass blocker. He played guard in college, but would make an ideal center in the pros.
The other option would be if the Lions are able to trade a few spots back, they can select Mike Pouncey in the first round. I don’t think I would take Pouncey at 13, but Pouncey at 22 or 23 would be a good pick. At 6’5 and 309, Pouncey is built like a guard, but plays center.
This would not be a popular move with the fans, but would be a solid move that aids both the running and passing game. This will only happen if the linebacker the Lions want is not available in the first round.
5. Make Alphonso Smith the Nickel Corner
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Alphonso Smith was one of the best stories of the 2010 season. Martin Mayhew acquired him for a fourth-string tight end and an old Kevin Jones Jersey. Although he had a rough game against Tom Brady (who hasn’t?), I don’t see a reason why Smith cannot have an impact in 2011. Giving a risk taker like him the chance to play the middle of the field will lead to a lot of interceptions. The Lions will also not be outmanned against three-receiver sets.
4. Sign One of These Free Agent Linebackers
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The Lions need to sign one of the top free agent linebackers available. Any of the following four men would make a good addition to the Lions’ defense: Chad Greenway, David Harris, Paul Posluzny or James Anderson.
The one I would most like to see in Detroit is James Anderson. All Anderson did for the Carolina Panthers last year was record 130 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. He is only 27 years old and has a lot of mileage left in his body.
3. Draft a Starting Linebacker
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At No. 13, the Lions are out of the running for the top cornerbacks available in the 2011 draft. This Lions regime will not make the same mistake that others have made by reaching for a CB at this point. If the Lions get their way, they will add a top shelf LB here.
Currently I don't see anyone I would draft this high to play LB for the Lions. They need to try to trade back. I have not taken into account any underclassmen that may declare for the draft in the next two days.
If the Lions are able to move back, look for them to target UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers. Ayers is talented enough to play any of the three linebacker positions. Ayers’ biggest strength is his ability to read a QB. He also has the speed to be a sideline-to-sideline defender and make a lot of plays in the run game.
2. Sign a No. 1 Corner
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The hype over Nnamdi Asomugha in sports talk radio has been at an all-time high in Detroit. The problem is, that is the case in 31 other cities as well.
Fans have been calling in with an almost nonchalant attitude that Asomugha will be in Detroit next year. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in the words of the wise Dr. Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory), that is hokum. I don’t see any way that the Lions will be able to land Asomugha.
The problem with fans is sometimes they forget that players have a right to choose which team they go to. Why would Asomugha want to come to Detroit, when he can have his pick of any of the other teams in the league? It is not like Detroit can offer him more money in a salary cap world. Detroit does not exactly have a winning tradition and is not in position to win a Super Bowl any time soon. Asomugha will go to a contender, plain and simple.
The good news is that the list of free agent cornerbacks is not bad. It includes the following four men: Champ Bailey, Jonathan Joseph, Brent Grimes and Antonio Cromartie.
Brent Grimes might be the least recognizable name on this list, but he would be an ideal pickup for the Lions. Atlanta is going to want Grimes back, but they spent a lot of money on Dunta Robinson last year and may not want to commit that much of their salary cap to one position.
If the Lions can pick him, then Grimes, along with Chris Houston, Louis Delmas and Amari Spievey, would give Detroit a starting secondary than can be considered a strength as opposed to a weakness. Just imagine how many sacks Detroit’s defensive line would have if wide receivers needed more than two seconds to get open.
1. Pray
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That is right, I said pray. I don’t care what higher power you believe in, just pray to that power that the Lions stay healthy next year.
The Lions fortunes hinge on health more than anything else in 2011. The following list of players cannot miss any extended time if the Lions are to make the playoffs next year:
Matthew Stafford (take some falling lessons)
Jahvid Best (rest those toes)
Calvin Johnson (stop landing on your knees)
Jeff Backus (I know you never get hurt)
Louis Delmas (heal that groin)
Whoever the No. 1 corner is next year (please Grimes, please)
This is not to say that other players are not important to the Lions success, but they have capable backups at those positions. As an example, Ndamukong Suh is not on this list. While an injury to Suh would hurt the Lions, Sammie Hill would be a more than capable fill-in for a few games.
Time To Tell Me How Wrong I Am...
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Well folks, there you have it. Feel free to tell me how off base I am in the comment section. I don't mind being the big buck of Bleacher Report.
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