After more than a decade of “rebuilding” — jumpstarted by the work done by Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew after the disastrous Matt Millen era — the Lions are finally back in the playoffs. Don’t expect this pugnacious team to celebrate right away, though. These Lions are hungry for a win.
We talked to Al Beaton of The Wayne Fontes Experience, our Detroit Lions blog on the Bloguin NFL network, to get the fan’s perspective on this team’s long road back to the playoffs.
TGS: How gratifying is it to finally see your team in the playoffs again?
I’ll put it this way.
If you were a life-long fan of a team run deep into the ground with the force of a 10 mile wide meteor hitting the earth by the worst general manager/team president/personnel man in the history of, well, everything, you would have reached a point where you believed the playoffs were nothing more than some fantastic rumor, a wonderful, imaginary place where unicorns dance on double rainbows with Cleatus the FOX robot. A place that we, as Lions fans, were to never to see again in our lifetime.
The Matt Millen era in Detroit was soul, hope and life crushing.
So for the Lions to have progressed from an irrelevant 0-16 laughingstock to a legit 10-6 playoff team in a 3 year span is extremely gratifying for Lions fans. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.
The drugged up kid in the “David After Dentist” video put the mindset of Lions fans best: “Is this real life?” Why yes it is, Lions fans. Yes, it is.
TGS: What do the key playmakers (Stafford, Megatron, Suh) have to do in this game?
Other than not stomp on offensive linemen, throw punches or shove referees? They have continue to play like the Pro Bowlers they are or have been… and in the case of Stafford, should be. (It’s absolutely ridiculous Stafford is the NFC’s 3rd alternate for the Pro Bowl… but that’s a rant best saved for another post.)
[Editor’s Note: We’ve got you covered.]
The Lions will only go as far as the right arm of Stafford, the hands of Johnson and the attitude of Suh will carry them. They are the Lions’ most talented players, and need to continue playing like it.
But as a team, they also have to limit their mistakes and not lose their composure. Which is not a given, if you’ve seen the embarrassing actions by the Lions (led by Suh’s foot) in nationally televised losses against the Packers and Saints.
The Lions broke out of their mid-season slump when they finally started to turn the other cheek and walk away from altercations. Helping was head coach Jim Schwartz enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on boneheaded personal fouls after his team’s mental meltdown in the Superdome. But there’s always a fear the Lions will snap… and the next thing you know yellow flags will rain down from the Superdome skies.
TGS: Who are some unsung heroes on this team that we should be watching?
On offense, rookie WR Titus Young is overshadowed by Megatron, the All-World Calvin Johnson, and to a lesser extent by veteran Nate Burleson. But as the year as gone on, Young has become one of Matthew Stafford’s favorite red zone tagets. He has 6 receiving TDs on the season, but 4 have come in the past 5 games. When Megatron is getting double and triple teamed (Stafford will throw to a covered Johnson anyway, as he should), someone should be open. As of late, it’s been Young.
Also on offense, keep an eye on TE Brandon Pettigrew. The 3rd year player broke his own franchise records for receptions (77) and yards (777), while also setting a career high in TDs (5) in 2011. Pettigrew will frustratingly drop the occasional pass, then make a miraculous circus catch. It’s how he rolls. Keep in mind the Lions love to throw to the TE in general, as Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler combined for 1124 yards and 11 TDs.
On defense, LB Stephen Tulloch doesn’t get much in the way of accolades. But he was a free agent steal, helping to steady the Lions’ shaky back 7 and barren linebacking corps, becoming the Lions’ leading tackler.
TGS: What’s your gameplan for attacking Drew Brees and the Saints?
As Brees will not be stopped (or even contained), the Lions have no other choice than to score first, score early, score often, score late and score last, by throwing the ball almost exclusively. Stafford, Megatron and Pettigrew must have big nights.
The Lions have a juggernaut of a passing attack, with the running game being the polar opposite. Due to a combination of injuries (Jahvid Best, Mikel Leshoure and Jerome Harrison are out for the season) and ineffectiveness (pretty much every other back), the Lions’ running game has been little more than very occasional handoffs to keep defenses semi-honest, with a few end arounds and pitches to Burleson and KR Stefan Logan thrown in the mix. The Lions have been moving the sticks and running clock with Stafford throwing short, quick passes and screens. They haven’t had any other choice.
If the Lions do get a lead, they cannot afford to take their foot off the accelerator.
On defense, the Lions’ front four must pressure Brees into mistakes. And the pressure has to come from the front four alone, as the Lions cannot afford to blitz, leaving their defensive backs on an island. The Lions’ secondary is too banged up and lacking in depth to be able to slow down Saints receivers for any length of time.
If the Lions are going to beat the Saints, it will have to be in a high scoring shootout.
TGS: Who is the X factor player that could be a difference maker for the Lions?
On defense, DE Cliff Avril is always around the ball. He leads the team in sacks with 11 and forced fumbles with 6. Avril is a big time playmaker, making some of the biggest, most important defensive plays of the Lions’ season.
There was leaping interception returned for a TD against the Chargers, clinching both a win and a playoff spot. He recovered the game ending fumble in the wild Vikings victory. Avril’s late game sack of Carson Palmer in the comeback victory over Raiders kept a rallying silver and black out of realistic field goal range, forcing a 65 yard attempt instead (which was blocked by Suh). Avril returned a Tim Tebow fumble for a TD in the blowout win over the Tebo…uh, Broncos.
Avril is a difference maker, pure and simple.
On offense, I’ll go with oft-injured RB Kevin Smith. (He should change his name to “Oft-injured Kevin Smith”, as that’s how he’s referred to by Lions fans) Smith had a very good rookie year, then spent the next 2 seasons tearing various ligaments.
Smith was rescued from the same scrap heap the Lions had originally placed him on after the 2010 season. Ignored and unsigned going into 2011, he was brought back mid-season after the rash of running back injuries. Smith made an immediate impact, with 200+ yards from scrimmage against the Panthers. He then, as has happened all too often in his career, got hurt. Smith hasn’t been as much of a factor since suffering a high ankle sprain on Thanksgiving Day.
But if Smith is healthy, he’s the closest thing to a legitimate between the tackles runner the Lions have on the roster. We’ve all heard time and time again from NFL “experts” the lack of a rushing attack will cost the Lions in the playoffs. So a healthy Smith could become the missing X factor the Lions’ offense desperately needs, if the media talking heads are to be believed.
TGS: Not a score prediction, but a prediction all the same.
With the kickoff scheduled for a little after 8PM, and both teams featuring pass first, last and always offenses led by quaterbacks who have thrown for over 10,000 combined yards, I suggest taking a nap Saturday afternoon. It’s going to be a long, late, high scoring night. But if I were forced to make a pick…Saints 38 – Lions 31.
Our thanks to Al. You can read his work covering the Lions at The Wayne Fontes Experience (“In Detroit, you’re with us, or we hate you!”) and the Tigers at Bless You Boys, and you can catch him live-tweeting all the ecstasy and agony of this wildcard weekend at @Big_Al_TWFE.
More about Al Beaton: About.Me/AlBeaton
