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Wednesday, June 1, 2011
It hasn't all been good for the Lions in past years, but 2010 gave Detroit fans reason for hope. For the first time in years they beat a divisional opponent the Packers. Despite QB Matthew Stafford being out for most of the season, the Lions were able to ride the defensive rookie of the year Ndamukong Suh all the way to a 7-9 record. Now Suh will be joined by Nick Fairley which should make for an incredible duo on the front seven. If Stafford can stay healthy, this will be a very good team in 2011. Throughout history, the Lions have had some bad luck, but have actually had some good players through the years.
The Lions have had many head coaches through their history, which is not neccessarily a good thing. The one that led Detroit to the most success is Wayne Fontes. In eight years as the Lions head coach, Fontes went 67-71, both totals are the most in franchise history. Through his career with the Lions, Fontes gained many nicknames for his ability to avoid being fired. Fontes had spent 13 years as a assitant before taking the Lions job midway through the 1988 season. Even though Fontes went 2-3 the rest of the season, he was signed to a long term contract. In his first full season as Lions head coach, Fontes led Detroit to a 7-9 record and helped install the Run & Shoot offense. Probably Fontes' (and the Lions) best season came in 1991 when he led Detroit to the NFC Chamionship Game against the Redskins. The team has never returned to the Championship game since and after gaining a 1-4 playoff record, the Lions finally fired Fontes. Amazingly, no Lions head coach has never led the Lions to as many playoff games as Fontes. For a franchise that has not had that many great players or great management, Fontes did a great job for Detroit's standards.
The best Lions player in franchise history is actually the second smallest player to ever make the History of the Franchise series with Maurice Jones Drew being first. Despite his size, Barry Sanders is one of the greatest running backs of all time. The Lions chose Sanders with the third overall selection in the 1989 draft. In ten seasons with the Lions, Sanders made the Pro Bowl every year, was a first team all pro six times, and was a NFL MVP in 1997. In Sanders rookie season, he finished second in rushing yards and touchdowns and was just ten yards shy of the rushing title. Sanders best season came in his MVP campaign of 1997. Sanders was able to shatter a record of 14 consecutive 100 yard games by rushing for 200 yards in two different games. Sanders also became only the third player to run for 2,000 yards and the first since O.J. Simpson. After his best season, Sanders retired on top of his game kinda of adding to the bad luck that the Lions had. Despite the way you look at Sanders, he is the greatest Lions player of all time. Click here to look at Sander's stats.
As I have mentioned before, the Lions have not had good luck especially in the draft. Well they got lucky here when they selectd Chris Spielman out of the Ohio State 29th overall. In Spielman's eight year career with the Lions, he made four Pro Bowls and was a all-pro three times. Spielman was the captain of the Lions that was one of the best statistically in the 1990's and helped the team to four playoff apperances, two NFC Central titles, and the franchises last NFC Championship Game. Individually, Spielman is the all-time tackle leader in Lions history with 1,138. Spielman might also become remembered as the guy who was over looked by many draft experts, most notably Mel Kiper Jr. Kiper, we all know, is currently the draft guru for ESPN. In a 2001 post Kiper admitted that he under rated Spielman, don't worry Kiper I think we all did. For a franchise that has not had the best drafts in their history, Spielman was an incredible steal and gave Lions fans a reason to believe. Click here to look at Spielman's stats.
When you draft a QB out of college and make him a first round pick, there is always a risk. No matter if the guy is highly praised or not, there is always a risk. The Lions took that risk in the 1990 draft when they selected Andre Ware with the seventh overal choice. Ware was a Heisman Trophy winner and joined another player who won the award in Detroit, Barry Sanders. Sanders became a hall of famer, while Ware... not so much. Head coach Wayne Fontes only played Ware in games that didn't matter or blowouts. Ware really only had a stretch of three good games in his career with the Lions where he won two of them. After the season the Lions released Ware. Even though his bust status could be put on the shoulders of Fontes, Ware was a seventh overall selection and never was able to preform. The 1990 draft produced another bust in Jeff George who was selected #1 overall. The two most coveted players in that draft were Emmit Smith and John Randle, both the Lions could of selected seventh overall.
Four of the first players selected in the 1989 draft became hall of famers. The fact the Lions got away with one is amazing. Barry Sanders is no doubt one of the greatest running backs in NFL history, his career ended pre-mauterly and I still wonder what if he would of played longer. I was only six years old when Sanders retired and if he would of played another five years, because he could of, it would be amazing to see Sanders in action. Watching the NFL highlits of his career is like watching poetry in motion. Here take a look for yourself. Sanders was so small and elusive that nobody could tackle him. The Lions got lucky that Sanders even played for them, but they turned that luck into success. When Sanders played, the Lions went to the playoffs five times, including the 1992 NFC Championship Game. Ever since Sanders retired in 1999, the Lions are looking for a player to lift their spirits like Sanders did. After years of bad luck for the Lions, Detroit finally got their golden boy. Now maybe they can get him to come back. Jusk kidding Lions fans...
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