2014 NFL Preview: Everything you need to know about the Detroit Lions

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Detroit Lions

Schedule | Roster

Jim Schwartz was the most successful coach in Detroit over the past 15 years, guiding the team to one playoff appearance in five seasons. That should tell you everything you need to know about the state of the franchise. 

Schwartz lost his job after the Lions stumbled down the stretch in 2013, dropping their final four contests, including three to non-playoff teams, when they looked to be in control of the NFC North. The exclusion from January football was the 13th time they've missed out on the postseason in the past 14 campaigns. 

Despite their struggles, the Lions have talent on both sides of the ball. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson have developed into a top quarterback and wide receiver pairing, while former second-overall pick Ndamukong Suh anchors the defensive line. 

The Lions will have to improve on their pass defense if they hope to make headway in the North. Last year's 23rd ranking isn't going to cut it in a division that boasts Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers. 

Preseason Power Ranking - #17

Wins still won't be easy to come by, but with Golden Tate and Eric Ebron added to the offense, the Lions will be fun to watch. Stafford has a real chance to spread the ball around for the first time in his career. More ...

Key Additions/Departures

Key Additions: WR Golden Tate, SS James Ihedigbo, FB Jed Collins

Key Departures: DE Willie Young, FS Louis Delmas, CB Chris Houston, WR Nate Burleson, RB Mikel Leshoure, WR Kris Durham

The addition of Tate gives Stafford another legitimate weapon to work with other than Johnson. Too many times the Detroit signal caller gets caught honing in on Megatron, and as fruitful as that combination has become, Stafford needs to build confidence working through his progressions. 

Tate should force defenses to at least shift some of their attention away from Johnson and give Stafford another pass catcher to build chemistry with. He comes to the Lions bursting with confidence as he was an integral part of the Seattle Seahawks' Super Bowl championship team, leading the NFL in yards after the catch per attempt in 2013. He should also give the Lions' punt return game a boost. 

2014 Draft Class 

The Lions turned some heads by selecting Ebron 10th overall, but the pick further emphasizes Detroit's philosophy of giving Stafford more options other than Johnson. 

Ebron is a dynamic tight end that can stretch the field, as evidenced by his 16.1 yards per catch average at North Carolina. He should have little trouble beating out Brandon Pettigrew, who the Lions curiously signed to a lucrative deal before drafting Ebron, for the starting role. 

Van Noy and Swanson weren't sexy picks in rounds two and three, but they should fill important holes on the roster (though Van Noy won't do so until midseason at the earliest after undergoing surgery late in the preseason).

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Jim Caldwell
Offensive Coordinator: Joe Lombardi
Defensive Coordinator: Teryl Austin

Caldwell and the departing Schwartz couldn't be more different, as the new head coach has a vast offensive pedigree. He spent nearly a decade working with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis, so who better to tighten up Stafford's sometimes dodgy mechanics? He and Lombardi, who comes over from New Orleans where he coached Drew Brees, are hoping to make the offense run like a well-oiled machine. 

More recently, Caldwell helped the Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII as the offensive coordinator and did wonders for Joe Flacco's game. Austin was the secondary coach on that staff and both will bring a winning culture to an organization that desperately needs it. 

2014 Schedule

The Lions are going to need to take advantage of the fact they play the Giants, Jets, and Bills, three non-playoff teams from 2013, in the first five weeks of the season. They also host the Packers during that stretch and a win there could have huge implications in the NFC North.

Unfortunately for Detroit, they close the campaign on a bit of a tough stretch. They travel to frosty Chicago and Green Bay in the final two weeks of the season. Not exactly an ideal situation for a dome team that employs an intricate passing attack. The Lions haven't won at Lambeau Field since 1991 and that is probably going to have to change in Week 17 if they hope to return to the playoffs. 

Bold Predictions

Stafford will lead the NFC in passing yards. Brees has led the conference in passing yardage for the past four seasons, but the additional weapons combined with an improved coaching staff should help Stafford's totals immensely. If Caldwell can improve his mechanics, it should give the pivot more confidence to make Tate and Ebron major complementary targets to go along with Johnson. If Stafford plays his cards right, we could be in store for video game-like numbers. - Michael Amato

The Lions will win all their home games: Ford Field hasn’t been especially kind to the Lions over the past two seasons, as the team has posted an overall record of 6-10. Of those 10 losses, seven were decided by three points or less. The Lions have one of the NFL’s easiest home schedules this season and one of the most difficult road schedules, so winning at Ford Field will be key to deciding where they finish in the NFC North. - Caitlyn Holroyd

Ezekiel Ansah will record 10+ sacks. Looking for the 2014 version of Robert Quinn? Look no further than Ziggy Ansah. The No. 5 overall pick in 2013 entered the league extremely raw, but he’s reportedly made great progress this offseason. Ansah’s talent is mouth-watering, and his situation in Detroit is equally appetizing: he gets to line up next to top picks Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley in the “wide-9” scheme favored by Lions defensive line coach Jim Washburn. In other words, Ansah will get to tee off against man blocking. He’s primed to explode. - David Woods