The off-season is the time for unbridled optimism in the fast-paced world of the NFL. Fan bases revel in free agents signings and highly touted draft picks, insisting that this is finally the year that their team takes the next step toward greatness. For Detroit Lions fans, this off-season was a little different. The aforementioned optimism that followed a 10-6 playoff team from 2011, quickly dissipated after a disappointing 4-12 finish in 2012. A team that was on the precipice of contending for a title was back to being the cellar dweller of the NFC North. The unbridled optimism was replaced by a gathering storm of cynicism, and Lions fans everywhere began to question which season better reflected the team’s true potential. Those questions are about to be answered.
In the wake of the Denver Broncos’ opening night thrashing of the defending Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens, the 2013 NFL season is officially underway. This weekend the Lions open the season, playing host to reigning NFL MVP Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings. After a tumultuous off-season that saw enormous roster turnover, the Lions have the opportunity to prove that they have arrived as a legitimate contender in the NFC.
The Lions have faced a very tenuous salary cap situation over the last several seasons and as such, this year they were forced to part with several important players this off-season, including defensive ends Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch and offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus. Additionally, they lost kicker Jason Hanson, and veteran left tackle Jeff Backus to retirement. In the aftermath of the departures of Cherilus and Backus, questions linger about how inexperienced tackles Riley Reiff and Jason Fox will fare in their first full seasons as starters, and if the preseason is any indication, the early portion of the season will represent a trial by fire for the Lions’ young offensive line.
With so many key contributors leaving the Motor City, a flurry of roster activity was needed to re-stock the deck. Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew made a big splash in free agency by signing play-making running back Reggie Bush, dependable safety Glover Quin, and ultra-athletic defensive end Jason Jones to multi-year deals. Mayhew also re-signed core secondary players in cornerback Chris Houston and fan favorite safety Louis Delmas. Shortly thereafter, the Lions selected athletic marvel Ezekial Ansah with the fifth overall selection of the 2013 NFL Draft. Ansah, a defensive end out of Brigham Young University, figures to make an immediate impact as a pass-rusher in his rookie season. Cornerback Darius Slay was selected in the second round of the draft to bolster a secondary that has been a question mark for years. Third-round pick Larry Warford figures to provide immense improvement to the Lions’ run-blocking and solidify the right guard position with his road-grating style of play.
In the midst of all these new faces, the team’s core remains intact. Superstar wide received Calvin Johnson is fresh off of a record-breaking season, and quarterback Matthew Stafford is primed for a bounce-back campaign. Controversial defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and his counterpart Nick Fairley figure to provide one if the best interior pass-rushes in the NFL this season. With so much talent on both sides of the football, the Lions have few excuses for failure this year.
There are very few NFL franchises with more to prove this season than the young, hungry Lions. With head coach Jim Schwartz under the most pressure he’s felt in his fifth season with the team, expectations are beginning to build again. 2011 and 2012 are without a doubt a tale of two seasons, and 2013 provides the Lions and their fans with the opportunity to erase the disappointment of last year from their minds. Following a year in which they went 0-6 versus NFC North opponents, a Week One victory over a divisional rival is the perfect opportunity for this club to make a statement that this season is going to be different. The talent is in place, and now is the time for all of that potential to translate into wins. This is a make-or-break year for this franchise. On Sunday afternoon at Ford Field all of the prediction will fly out the window, and fans will get their first opportunity to witness who the 2013 Detroit Lions really are.
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