Tampa Bay Buccaneers Face Detroit Lions: Concerns for Bucs Fans

Opening day, 2011, and who better to get this season going than the team that basically knocked your Buccaneers out of the playoffs last year?

The Detroit Lions come to town Sunday on a day that will be busy. 

Hopefully this team will play with a purpose and take inspiration from the late Lee Roy Selmon. Selmon was the face of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in fact, he was the face of the entire community.

There will be a moment of silence before the game and this is also the anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

This is a day to remember those who lost their lives and a day to remember Selmon, who was taken from us at the too-early age of 56.

If this season is to be successful for this 2011 version of the Raheem Morris-led Bucs, they need to get off to a good start and they need to play well against these Lions.

The Lions had a great showing in the preseason and once again are supposed to be the "improved Lions."

They were good enough to get out of here last year with a "W." Here are some matchups, some facets of this game on Sunday that just might be of concern to you.

Calvin "Megatron" Johnson vs. Aqib Talib

Raheem Morris knows "Megatron."

That's Megatron as in the nickname for Calvin Johnson, beastly receiver for the Detroit Lions. Last year against the Bucs, Megatron had his way with 10 catches for 152 yards.

That was without Aqib Talib.

Right now, Aqib Talib is a huge question mark. He missed the entire preseason but says he's ready for this challenge. Without live reps, will Talib be able to contain Johnson?

If Talib truly is a shut-down corner in this league, then it is challenges like this that make a player's stock rise or fall.

Talib should be feeling pretty good about himself after escaping the potential wrath of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Question now is, can Talib handle Megatron?

Can the Defensive Line Pressure Matthew Stafford?

Can the defensive line put heat on Matt Stafford?

Answer that and you'll have a better idea of the outcome of Sunday's contest.

The preseason answer is that the Buccaneer defensive line looked greatly improved and might actually generate a pass rush this season. They'll need one on Sunday. If Stafford has too much time, he's proven he can pick apart a defense.

He did a number on the New England Patriots in their preseason meeting, the same team that toyed with the Bucs as if they were a college team.

Raheem Morris revealed that there was no game plan against the Patriots. Hopefully he'll come up with a scheme to stop Stafford and the Lions' offense.

Can Josh Freeman Pick Up Where He Left Off?

As Josh Freeman goes, so go the Buccaneers.

That's no secret.

The question going into Sunday's opener is Freeman. He looked unimpressive in the preseason and form tells us he's the guy you really don't have to worry about. He's a supreme worker and burns the midnight oil studying game film.

He'll certainly have to be more accurate than he was in those "practice games."  Mostly, it appeared to be a matter of timing. The timing wasn't so great in those three games he played in and he'll have to be a lot sharper on Sunday for this team to get that opening win.

Mason Foster and the Linebackers

Make no mistake about it. The Detroit Lions will go right after Mason Foster.

Everyone knows the Buccaneers are starting a first-year player in the middle of their defense and in the preseason, teams went after him.

You can expect the same on Sunday.

How will the Buccaneers scheme to help Foster? As a unit, the linebackers showed they can be exposed at times during the preseason.

It will be up to Quincy Black to play better, same with Geno Hayes.

Foster's a hitter but is still shaky in pass coverage.

Overall, it's an area of concern in this opener.

Can the Offensive Line Handle Man-Beast Ndamukong Suh?

Here's the biggest concern of all.

Got two words for you:

Ndamukong Suh.

Man-Beast. Can the offensive line survive him and the rest of the Detroit d-line?

Suh can generally make life miserable for offensive linemen and the Bucs will have their hands full of this guy. You don't want him anywhere near Josh Freeman. Suh feasts on quarterbacks.

Someone has to find a way to block No. 90. In fact, you need two guys to block No. 90.

Don't leave Ted Larsen alone with Suh. If they do, it could get real ugly.

Find a way to block Suh, otherwise, run away from him.

It's the sensible thing to do.