Handing Out The Detroit Lions Holiday Gifts For the Season
Happy holidays Lions fans! It’s Christmas Eve and SideLion Report is handing out gifts from the Detroit Lions season. Although the Lions’ season has been nothing short of disappointing, there are a few gifts the team has given the fans that will no doubt spread holiday cheer.
Dec 22, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; A Detroit Lions fan before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
1. Calvin Johnson breaks Jerry Rice‘s receiving yards in a season
In a disappointing season Johnson has been the one bright spot and has given Lions fans something to cheer for. In week 16 against the Falcons we cheered for Megatron to break Jerry Rice’s all time receiving record for yards in a season. In week 17 Lions fans will be cheering for Johnson to gain 2,000 yards in a season. He needs 108 yard to accomplish this feat and would be the first receiver in NFL history to accomplish this feat.
2. Matthew Stafford is closing in on his second consecutive 5,000 yard season
It’s been an up and down season for the Lions on offense as players can’t seem to stay on the field, but there have been two consistencies for the Lions, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson. Matthew Stafford is just 303 yards away from his second consecutive 5,000 yard season, which would make him the first player in NFL history to record back-to-back 5,0o0 yard seasons. Unfortunately, Stafford will more then likely have company in the back-to-back 5k club before the day is over next Sunday, because Drew Brees is just 219 yards away from his second consecutive 5,000 yard season.
3. A top draft pick
Is there a player you’ve fallen in love with in college football this year? Perhaps Manti Te’o of Notre Dame or Dee Milliner of Alabama? What about a pass rusher that could be the next J.J. Watt like Damontre Moore or Bjoern Werner? Well good news there’s a great chance you’ll see a top college prospect join the Lions next season. With one game to play the Lions could be picking anywhere from three to nine. It also means the Lions will be picking earlier in the following rounds of the draft. Perhaps the Lions trade back into the first round and acquire two first round picks, or perhaps a first round talent falls into the early stages of the second round and right into the Lions’ lap. It will certainly be a fun time for Lions fans who know the draft better than any other fan base. Make sure you make sidelionreport your NFL draft headquarters for coverage over the Lions and their potential picks.
4. The emergence of Nick Fairley
When the Lions selected Fairley with the 13th pick in the 2011 NFL draft Lions fans didn’t know whether to cheer or shout. In fact, there was a little of both in my household. The move was highly questionable, because the Lions already had a top tier defensive tackle in Ndamukong Suh and because the Lions had so many other needs, particularly in the secondary. However few should question the pick by the Lions after the season Fairley has put together. In just 13 games Fairley has accumulated 34 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Don’t forget Fairley didn’t start for most of the season. With Fairley’s emergence the defensive Lion will be one of the best for years to come with perhaps the two most gifted defensive tackles in the game in Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley.