2011 NFL Predictions: Detriot Lions Ready to Shine

For the first time in year's the Detroit Lions look like a talented football team.

When you look at the offense there are few places where there is a lack of talent.

Matthew Stafford has the ability to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL—that is if he can stay healthy for an entire season. Stafford is obviously the key to this Lions team. If he can shake his injury-prone label, there is no reason that this Lions team shouldn't make the playoffs three or four times in the next five years.

From Stafford you go to Jahvid Best, who showed flashes of brilliance last year before finishing the season averaging over just three yards a carry. The fact that Mikel Leshoure will miss the season with a ruptured Achilles does not help matters in the backfield. However, Best is capable of being a great runner, especially when teams have to be concerned with Stafford throwing instead of Shaun Hill.

Stafford has some incredible weapons in his arsenal to tear apart defenses with. Last year Calvin Johnson tore up the league to the tune of 1,120 yards and 12 touchdowns. Keep in mind he did most of that with a second-string quarterback.

Nate Burleson wasn't as impressive as Johnson, but he still had a good 2010. Burleson caught for 625 yards and six touchdowns. Unlike the other guys, none of whom are over 25 years old, Burleson is entering the tail end of his NFL career as he will turn 30 this year. However, there is no reason he can't remain a threat for Stafford for the next few seasons.

When you take into account the tight end combination of Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler, who caught for over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns when combined, there is no reason the Lions shouldn't have one of the better offenses in the NFL.

But that's all on paper. In 2011 the Lions need to find a way to stay healthy and win the close games that they had trouble closing out in 2010.

On defense the Lions look absolutely scary.

I'm hard pressed to find a defensive line that is more impressive than what the Lions have. Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are two young guys who should absolutely dominate the inside linemen on offensive's everywhere. Last year Suh recorded 10 sacks, and teammate Cliff Avril, who is only 25, recorded an additional 8.5. It's possible those numbers will go up even more with the additional threat of Fairley.

The key to the Lions defense is the inside duo of Suh and Fairley. If those two stay healthy and perform as expected, there is no reason the Lions shouldn't have one of the top defenses in the league. Especially with the addition of linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who is an absolute beast that recorded 160 tackles in 2010.

This offseason the Lions quietly improved their team both through the draft and free agency. The pieces are there, now they just need to perform. For whatever reason, some kind of hex seems to keep the Lions from winning.

If they aren't a playoff team, they will be by 2013. There is just too much young talent to keep this team down for long. The key will be remaining healthy and making sure everyone is performing to their ability. If that happens the Lions should be a playoff team in 2011.