Detroit Lions: Where Do Matthew Stafford and Co. Rank in the NFC North in 2011?

When analyzing the individual talent in the NFC North’s black-and-blue division, you have to consider a multitude of things.

You have to consider that collectively, an NFC North team has appeared in an NFC Divisional Playoff game a dominating eight out of 10 seasons.

Those same teams have also represented the NFC in two Super Bowls during that time period, with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010.

You must also consider that the NFC North boasts some of the league's greatest positional talents.

For years, the Detroit Lions have been buried beneath the rubble that is the bottom of the division. The Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears have all taken their turn pounding the once-hapless Lions.

But the 2010 season was different; no longer would Detroit lie down and pray against divisional opponents. Win or lose, Jim Schwartz and the Lions ensured that opponents knew that they had just played a football game.

No one team would escape the fury of the vastly improved Detroit Lions, and the team closed the 2010 season with a four-game winning streak.

Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew have combined to assemble the talent necessary to build a dynasty. From Matthew Stafford to Ndamukong Suh, Detroit’s roster is oozing with young talent.

So where does Detroit’s talent stack up in the competitive NFC North?

Read on to find out.

Positional rankings based on 2011-12 projections.

Safety

1. Green Bay - Nick Collins

2. Detroit - Louis Delmas

3. Chicago - Chris Harris

4. Minnesota - Hussain Abdullah

5. Detroit - Amari Spievey

Louis Delmas could surpass Green Bay's Nick Collins with a solid 2011 campaign.

The safety position isn't exactly a position of dominance for an NFC North Division predicated on strong defensive lines and dominant linebacking corps.

Another year into the evolution of Spievey from cornerback to safety should solidify his position on this list. 

Cornerback

1. Green Bay - Charles Woodson

2. Green Bay - Tramon Williams

3. Chicago - Charles Tillman

4. Minnesota - Antoine Winfield 

5. Detroit - Eric Wright

Green Bay's Charles Woodson is as close to a shut-down cornerback the NFC North has to offer.

While Tramon Williams has shown great growth behind Green Bay's dominant rush defense, I don't believe him to be "elite" by any means.

Detroit barely makes this list with the acquisition of Eric Wright.

Linebacker

1. Green Bay - Clay Matthews

2. Chicago - Lance Briggs

3. Chicago - Brian Urlacher

4. Detroit - Stephen Tulloch

5. Minnesota - E.J. Henderson

Prior to the acquisition of Stephen Tulloch, the Detroit Lions would not have even made this list.

Clay Matthews, Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher are literally some of the best in the league at their respective positions and I believe that Matthews should have been the NFL's Defensive Player of The Year in 2010.

Urlacher is a lock for the NFL Hall of Fame, but at this point I think that Briggs is better.

Also, Minnesota's E.J. Henderson can dominate when healthy.

Defensive Line

1. Detroit - Ndamukong Suh

2. Chicago - Julius Peppers

3. Minnestoa - Jared Allen

4. Green Bay - B.J. Raji

5. Detroit - Cliff Avril

Last year at this time, I would have been crucified for the placement of Ndamukong Suh as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the NFC North.

Fast forward to 2011, is there a question now?

At 31 years old, Julius Peppers is past the prime of his career.

While Peppers and Jared Allen are still dominant defensive lineman, neither of the two in my opinion has had the same impact as Suh has had on his team.

Suh can truly dominate from his position on the interior of Detroit's defensive line.

Like Suh, Green Bay's B.J. Raji is an up-and-coming young defensive prospect with a strong future in the NFL.

From a pure pass rushing perspective, I believe Cliff Avril is on par with the best the league has to offer. 

Tight End

1. Green Bay - Jermichael Finley

2. Detroit - Brandon Pettigrew

3. Minnesota - Vinsanthe Shiancoe

4. Detroit - Tony Scheffler

5. Minnesota - Kyle Rudolph

When healthy, Jermichael Finley and Brandon Pettigrew are legitimate playmakers for their respective teams.

Visanthe Shiancoe has shown capable production when properly utilized in the offense, although former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has always taken a liking to his tight ends.

Bad news for Shiancoe: Favre is staying retired.

I believe Tony Scheffler can be a TE1 type when needed and Kyle Rudolph has the tools to become one of the league's best tight ends in coming years.

Wide Receiver

1. Detroit - Calvin Johnson

2. Green Bay - Greg Jennings

3. Green Bay - Donald Driver

4. Minnesota - Percy Harvin

5. Detroit - Nate Burleson

Calvin Johnson is, in my opinion, the No. 1 or 2 receiver in the league.

Never in the history of the National Football League has a player of Johnson’s size been capable of recording the numbers that Johnson has.

Guys like Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson are truly the future of the wide receiver position. What’s even scarier is Calvin Johnson is only getting better.

Green Bay's Greg Jennings is one of the league’s best wideouts and his teammate Donald Driver is, after 12 seasons in the NFL, still able to contribute with remarkable consistency.

Percy Harvin has shown flashes of greatness under now-retired quarterback Brett Favre in Minnesota.

And Nate Burleson when healthy is about as good a No. 2 receiver there is in the league.

Running Back

1. Minnesota - Adrian Peterson

2. Detroit - Jahvid Best

3. Chicago - Matt Forte

4. Green Bay - Ryan Grant

5. Chicago - Marion Barber

Adrian Peterson is, in my opinion, the best running back in the National Football League.

Initially, I listed Chicago’s Matt Forte second and Detroit’s Jahvid Best third. After intense deliberation, I decided to flip the two running backs.

Forte is currently holding out for a better contract and Chicago has decided to sign former Dallas Cowboys workhorse Marion Barber.

In my opinion, Best's talents closely mirror those of Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson.

Best is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball.

Green Bay’s Ryan Grant is a formidable running back when healthy, and I project Barber to score at least eight touchdowns this season.

Quarterback

1. Green Bay - Aaron Rodgers

2. Detroit - Matthew Stafford

3. Chicago - Jay Cutler

4. Minnesota  - Donovan McNabb

5. Detroit  - Shaun Hill

The best quarterback in the NFC North was an easy selection in Aaron Rodgers, who probably should have been the NFL’s Most Valuable player in 2010.

I believe there to be four tiers when analyzing the quarterback position:

The first tier obviously deals in the elite, this is where Rodgers belongs.

The second tier deals in the future elite, this is where Matt Stafford belongs.

The third tier consists of solid No. 1 quarterbacks like Jay Cutler and Donovan McNabb.

The fourth tier is everyone else. These quarterbacks (including guys not listed like Christian Ponder, Drew Stanton, and Matt Flynn) will never be No. 1 quarterbacks in the NFL.