Detroit Rising

   The rise of the Detroit Lions over the past year is one that Lion’s fans will never forget. Thanks to the rising young stars on Detroit’s roster, the team boasted a 10-6 record. Mathew Stafford threw for a franchise record 5,038 passing yards. Calvin Johnson, known to Detroit fans simply as Megatron, racked up over 90 catches for 16 touchdowns. If the Lions are able to rework Johnson’s contract to keep him in Detroit, Stafford to Megatron is something that fans will be hearing for a long time. The Lion’s offense should get a little better next season with two young running backs returning, but it remains to be seen if Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure will be healthy for a whole year. If they can stay healthy, or if the Lions can bring in a veteran back to help carry the load, then the sky is the limit for this young offense.

      Detroit’s defense was supposed to be the backbone of this football team. With a few injuries, and a few inconsistencies, the Lion’s defense still needs to grow as a group. Several instances during the season worried Detroit’s fans about how mature the defense is as a group. Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy lead the team in tackles. The Lion’s defensive line has really got to step it up next year and take some of the load off of their linebackers, and their secondary. Re-signing Cliff Avril is a big step in the right direction. Avril himself was responsible for seven turnovers, and two touchdowns. Detroit’s defense will need to start to play smarter, as well as play harder.

       Detroit fans have waited a long time to talk about their team in the playoffs. This year was a dream come true for a lot of fans. Jim Schwartz, the Detroit Lions head coach, is taking the team in the direction it needs to go. The next step for the Detroit Lions is to win a playoff game. After the Lions beat the Chargers to secure their playoff spot, Jim Schwartz said, “There will be a time when we don’t celebrate making the playoffs, but that won’t be tonight.” These words are going to be remembered for a long time in Detroit.