10 Most Important Detroit Lions This Year

I can't believe football season is seriously only about a month away! The anticipation is truly killing me!

To top things off, the Detroit Lions wet our appetite for success last year, and now the fans of the Motor City Kitties are hungry for more!

For the first time in close to a decade, there is a buzz that is accompanying this team. The naysayers are a lot quieter than normal, and the bandwagon is filling up quickly.

For the first time in years, this team has legitimate playoff aspirations. As a fan, you can proudly wear your Lions gear without people thinking you are trying to be ironic.

But there are still some questions to be answered, and a lot is riding on a select bunch of players. Here are the 10 most important Lions heading into the 2011 season.

10.Stefan Logan

New kickoff rules will certainly hurt all kick returners, but Stefan Logan needs to continue his development as one of the best return men in all of football.

A great return man has been a benchmark on this team for years. Mel Gray was a game changer. Desmond Howard showed why he was an MVP of the Super Bowl. And many more have come and gone since then.

Logan showed just how important this is last year, ranking fifth in the NFL in both punt and kick return average. He even went to the house once.

Given the improvement of the defense, the Lions are sure to be receiving punts near mid-field quite often this year. Logan needs to capitalize on those with returns that put the Lions deep into enemy territory.

The difference between field goal position and punt position is very small, and Logan needs to have a say in that discussion.

9.DeAndre Levy

The talk around town has been the signings of our new linebackers, but the most important member of this unit remains DeAndre Levy.

I'm not worried about Stephen Tulloch; he is in a contract year and should deliver in a major way. Durant similarly should be a big addition.

But how Levy reacts to being moved back to outside linebacker is crucial.

The defensive line should absolutely destroy opposing offensive lines, which will allow the linebackers to stuff the run and put pressure on the quarterback.

But Levy needs to take the next step and become an instinctive, destructive force in the defensive back field.

If Levy struggles or has injuries, this defensive unit will suffer immensely. But if he improves his coverage and finds ways to get to the qb, this team could be scary.

8.Backup Cornerbacks

Now this is kind of a cop-out because it encompasses multiple players. But in my defense, we won't know exactly who these players will be until after training camp.

Nathan Vasher, Tye Hill, Eric King, and a host of others will be vying for these jobs of backing up Eric Wright and Chris Houston.

What makes them so important, whomever they are, is that cornerbacks are probably the most injury-prone group in football.

Your starting cornerbacks will get hurt. They are the smallest guys on the field, and they are completely reactive. They pull muscles because of quick wideouts. They get separated shoulders because they have to run up and tackle much bigger men, such as tight ends and running backs.

Therefore, it is crucial that there is not a substantial drop off from the starters to the backups. This unit doesn't have to be outstanding, but they can not be awful.

7.Titus Young

We all know what to expect from Megatron. We also can assume to get about the same production out of Nate Burleson.

But the key to this passing game will be the development of Young as the third receiver.

Derrick Williams was a huge disappointment, and Bryant Johnson was only marginally better.

Young needs to drastically out shine those two if this team wants to take the next step.

If he can capitalize on single coverage and learn how to avoid getting jammed, he could open up the flood gates for this offense.

6.Jahvid Best

Jahvid Best showed flashes of greatness last year, but severe turf toe injuries to both feet hampered him throughout the season.

Someone needs to invent a bionic toe, because this kid has to stay on the field. Can't we get those brainchilds that are working on all manner of creation at UofM and Hope to come up with something for Best?

Best's load will be lessened slightly by the acquisition of Mikel Leshoure, but Best is the sizzle to his steak. He needs to continue to improve catching passes out of the backfield, and providing a safety valve for Stafford.

If Best can stay on the field, there is no doubt he can be a 1,000 yard rusher this year. But the threat of the home run is so desperately needed coming out of the backfield.

5.Kyle Vanden Bosch

KVB was a huge pickup for this team last year. He brought in a new mentality and toughness, and personally, I think he should be credited at least partially for Suh's success.

This line has improved, but KVB is needed more than ever.

We know and expect the Lions to get a strong bull rush up the middle, but it is VandenBosch's speed on the outside that really terrifies offensive coordinators.

The good news is that teams are going to be paying much more attention to Suh, Corey Williams and the interior, giving Kyle free reign on the outside.

The bad news is that it is not yet known how well he will be able to bounce back from his neck injury last year.

All signs so far appear good, but KVB is one player that can not be replicated if he gets hurt again.

4.Gosder Cherilus

At times it looked as though Cherilus might live up to his potential last year. However, a knee injury ended his season.

All signs point to him being able to come back from this, which is crucial. He might be the most important offensive lineman this year.

Detroit needs to be able to run the ball effectively to the right in order to keep teams guessing. He needs to be able to impose his will on the right side, and push open some holes for the running backs.

Some argue that Jeff Backus has a more important job in protecting Stafford's back, but we all know pretty much what we will get from him. Although his recent chest injury scares everyone, I think this position will be shored up by the beginning of the year, either through Backus or through a free agent signing.

And while there are some very good young prospects like Jason Fox and Corey Hilliard, Cherilus needs to finally live up to his potential this year in order for Detroit to do a lot of what they want to do offensively.

3.Louis Delmas

True, the cornerbacks tend to gain the most attention and scrutiny, but the most important player in the Lions defensive secondary is without a doubt Louis Delmas.

Delmas has shown flashes of brilliance in his short career in Detroit, drawing some comparisons to the Colts' Bob Sanders. He likes to hit, he has speed to burn, and he truly loves to play this game.

Fans love him because he plays with a mean streak.

The problem is that he has struggled to stay on the field. A nagging leg injury last year kept him from reaching his full potential.

If the Lions are going to take a serious step forward, they will need Delmas patrolling the secondary and lighting up receivers that go across the middle.

Sure, the improved linebacker corps will certainly take pressure off of Delmas in run support, but the corners are going to need their enforcer in order to truly do their job well.

2.Ndamukong Suh

Sure, there has been some attention heaped on rookie Nick Fairley. But make no mistake about it, Suh is the most important Lions defensive player.

Personally, I don't see Fairley coming close to replicating anything Suh did last year. If he is half the player Suh is, I will be impressed. I just don't see the same type of excellence radiating off of him that I did with Suh. That's okay, Fairley isn't Suh and shouldn't try to be him.

But Suh needs to be Suh.

I have to admit, I was a little disturbed by Suh's off season. He traveled everywhere, and spent a lot of time on things not called football.

Part of that is his upbringing. Suh was raised out here in Portland on the northeast side of town. This is a very unique place to raise children, a place that fosters creativity and exploration. The kids out here travel a ton, and if they had unlimited resources like Suh does now, they would probably have done the same things he did.

But what made Suh so amazing was his thirst for football. And I could be nitpicking here, but I won't be truly happy until I see him thirsting for sacks like last year.

Suh was the most dominant defensive lineman this team has had in my lifetime, and it is important that he is the same player he was as a rookie for this team to take a huge step forward. He is the engine of this defense, and he needs to be as tuned up as he was last year.

1.Matthew Stafford

Okay, so this one is pretty obvious. The Lions are a different team with Matthew Stafford on the field.

He has a rocket arm, and can make throws that Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton wouldn't even dream of trying.

Stafford is an elite talent, and has shown glimpses of greatness. Truly, he is the most talented man to play quarterback for the Lions in 40 years.

Personally, I saw a ton to like last year in the games that Stafford played in. Sure, he still needs to gain touch on his deep ball and his accuracy in short still needs work. But the zip that he puts on the ball is amazing to behold.

Stafford, if he can stay healthy, will be a top 10 quarterback this year, with the potential to be top five. This is not just bluster, but a real assessment. He is that talented.

He also is the difference between a playoff berth for the Lions and another trip to the top 10 in the draft.