Detroit has been a league laughing stock for some time but with recent additions through the draft they appear to be turning the corner. While they are still likely to lose more than they win this season I expect that they will be more competitive throughout the season leaving other dismal teams to fight over who will get the top pick of collegians in 2011. They are especially looking better on offense where QB Matthew Stafford has a very good compliment of weapons to make the Lions roar (I know, lame).
The key to the season will be Stafford. He took some lumps last year but also showed that he has the arm to succeed in the NFL. He is blessed to have Calvin Johnson as his top receiver, it is only a matter of time before he becomes one of the top three in the game, in my mind he is already top ten. The Lions have also been smart to upgrade around Stafford with the addition of WR Nate Burleson, TE Tony Scheffler and rookie RB Jahvid Best. Best will duel Buffalo RB CJ Spiller for offensive ROY honours and expect to see some of his highlights on Youtube. I am also excited for TE Brandon Pettigrew to be healthy this season. He is a do it all TE who will help in all facets of the game. All this talent means it is all on Stafford to continue his development. Look for some shootouts this year.
The key for the Lions this year will be on the defensive side of the ball. They have made positive additions there too in drafting Ndomakong Suh and signing DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. This dramatically improves the D-Line but the rest of the defense is still pretty average and even that might be stretching it. If the defense improves then this team could be a real sleeper and money maker as its offense could easily produce some backdoor covers. Facing Chicago is week 1 is perfect as their offense is in a state of flux so the Lions may be able to steal one on the road. sportsbook kickoff 300x600 mybanner2 Detroit vs. Chicago Preview & NFL Pick (Week 1)
Chicago
The Bears did not have a great season last year either. They lost defensive leader Brian Urlacher early and the offense was ho-hum after the arrival of QB Jay Cutler via trade. To breathe life into both units the Bears made two key acquisitions. On defense, it was the signing of free agent DE Julius Peppers. One of the best pass rushers in the game his presence should be felt across the field. On offense, they brought in offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Martz is considered a passing savant and the hope is that he can ween Cutler off his turnover happy ways. Martz has had offensive success everywhere he has been but this might be his stiffest test yet.
In the preseason the offensive changes have not yielded much. The Bears have lost all of their preseason games, only once scoring more than 10 points (17). Although it should be improved, they do not have the defense they did a few years back when they made a Super Bowl run. The biggest problem on offense is the lack of a real threat at WR. Devis Hester is a wonderful athlete but moving him to receiver hasn’t really paid off – he has only 3 TDs in each of the last two seasons. The other receivers don’t scare you either. They are mostly possession types with little history of success in the NFL. This is good news for Detroit as their secondary is nothing special. Whichever group makes a play could determine the winner in the game.
Despite best efforts to improve the club I think this will be a down year for the Bears likely leading to the dismissal of coach Lovie Smith. This first game is a challenge to both these teams to determine who will finish third in the NFC North behind Green Bay and Minnesota. The Bears have the advantage of being at home where they are 3-1 ATS against Detroit lately but I have always felt that home field advantage means the least in week 1 as everyone is fired up for that first game of the year.
The Pick: I really like Detroit to to pull off the upset of the weekend here. They are poised for an improved season and should announce it to the league. Nothing major, just a win on the last possession.
The key to the season will be Stafford. He took some lumps last year but also showed that he has the arm to succeed in the NFL. He is blessed to have Calvin Johnson as his top receiver, it is only a matter of time before he becomes one of the top three in the game, in my mind he is already top ten. The Lions have also been smart to upgrade around Stafford with the addition of WR Nate Burleson, TE Tony Scheffler and rookie RB Jahvid Best. Best will duel Buffalo RB CJ Spiller for offensive ROY honours and expect to see some of his highlights on Youtube. I am also excited for TE Brandon Pettigrew to be healthy this season. He is a do it all TE who will help in all facets of the game. All this talent means it is all on Stafford to continue his development. Look for some shootouts this year.
The key for the Lions this year will be on the defensive side of the ball. They have made positive additions there too in drafting Ndomakong Suh and signing DE Kyle Vanden Bosch. This dramatically improves the D-Line but the rest of the defense is still pretty average and even that might be stretching it. If the defense improves then this team could be a real sleeper and money maker as its offense could easily produce some backdoor covers. Facing Chicago is week 1 is perfect as their offense is in a state of flux so the Lions may be able to steal one on the road. sportsbook kickoff 300x600 mybanner2 Detroit vs. Chicago Preview & NFL Pick (Week 1)
Chicago
The Bears did not have a great season last year either. They lost defensive leader Brian Urlacher early and the offense was ho-hum after the arrival of QB Jay Cutler via trade. To breathe life into both units the Bears made two key acquisitions. On defense, it was the signing of free agent DE Julius Peppers. One of the best pass rushers in the game his presence should be felt across the field. On offense, they brought in offensive coordinator Mike Martz. Martz is considered a passing savant and the hope is that he can ween Cutler off his turnover happy ways. Martz has had offensive success everywhere he has been but this might be his stiffest test yet.
In the preseason the offensive changes have not yielded much. The Bears have lost all of their preseason games, only once scoring more than 10 points (17). Although it should be improved, they do not have the defense they did a few years back when they made a Super Bowl run. The biggest problem on offense is the lack of a real threat at WR. Devis Hester is a wonderful athlete but moving him to receiver hasn’t really paid off – he has only 3 TDs in each of the last two seasons. The other receivers don’t scare you either. They are mostly possession types with little history of success in the NFL. This is good news for Detroit as their secondary is nothing special. Whichever group makes a play could determine the winner in the game.
Despite best efforts to improve the club I think this will be a down year for the Bears likely leading to the dismissal of coach Lovie Smith. This first game is a challenge to both these teams to determine who will finish third in the NFC North behind Green Bay and Minnesota. The Bears have the advantage of being at home where they are 3-1 ATS against Detroit lately but I have always felt that home field advantage means the least in week 1 as everyone is fired up for that first game of the year.
The Pick: I really like Detroit to to pull off the upset of the weekend here. They are poised for an improved season and should announce it to the league. Nothing major, just a win on the last possession.
