But is the problem in the best player available philosophy or is it something else?

Nick Fairley was a best player available pick in the 2011 draft. Photo Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

It is easy to rag on BPA when it doesn’t work. Those examples are obvious and easy to second-guess. But what about the picks that weren’t made that should have been based on best player available? Since draft boards aren’t public information it is often impossible to evaluate the approach on that basis. Unless of course someone on the inside reveals that kind of information, and that is exactly what happened in regards to the Dallas Cowboys and LeSean McCoy. Consider this from a former Cowboys scout via NFL.com:

“If you go back to the 2009 draft, they sat there and they had LeSean McCoy with a first-round grade,” Broaddus said during a radio interview on KRLD-FM 105.3, via The Dallas Morning News. “The problem was, they weren’t willing to take LeSean McCoy. That’s the issue. Don’t window-dress your board. They’re sitting there in the second round and they’ve got LeSean McCoy with a first-round grade on their board. That’s value. They did it (got it right) with Sean Lee, they did it with Bruce Carter. They sat there, they took the guy that was on the board that they were supposed to take.

“Mistakes are made when you jump around on the board. Jerry (Jones has) done it a couple of different times. The Quincy Carter draft, we had Kendrell Bell there, first-round grade, ends up going the second round; goes right behind us to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ends up being AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year. And then we take Quincy Carter. That was a forced pick right there. You had a guy there you had a better grade on, you probably could have got Quincy Carter later in the draft. That’s where you get in trouble leapfrogging around.”

Running back wasn’t a need for the Cowboys in 2009. Marion Barber III had just signed a long-term deal and the Cowboys had used their 2008 first round pick on Felix Jones then added Tashard Choice in the fourth round. However, needs are just an immediate snapshot in time and highly subject to change as they did with the Cowboys’ running back situation.

Instead of selecting McCoy, which should have been a no-brainer based on their draft board, the Cowboys traded the pick to the Buffalo Bills (who drafted Andy Levitre, more salt in wound) for picks in the third (Robert Brewster) and fourth round (Victor Butler). There is no question the Dallas Cowboys would be a better team today had they stuck with their board and drafted LeSean McCoy.

Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t mean the Lions have done everything right in the drafts since Martin Mayhew took over. It does mean that the underlying philosophy is more sound than fans give it credit for and that the Lions need to do a better job of evaluating prospects to set up their big board.

The good news is that the Lions are taking steps to correct their deficiencies in the evaluation process with the hiring of Brian Xanders, who has been charged with implementing an in-house scouting system. The better the draft board, the better best player available works.

Sept 24, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Referee Wayne Elliott (28) speaks with field judge Richard Simmons (102) before making a ruling on a call between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

The replacement officials the NFL has been using in the midst of the lockout of the NFL Referees Association did a passable job in week one. While that could have given the league leverage in the situation, what happened in weeks two or three made it clear that the league needs to get the regular officials on the field and fast.

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen is reporting that both sides have made concessions and that the lockout could be over soon. Not only that, both sides have discussed the possibility of the regular officials returning to games this week.

Jan 7, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) congratulates New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) following the 2011 NFC Wild Card Playoff game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Lions 45-28. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE

With muted expectations the Lions finally delivered a morsel of success to their long starved fans—but delivering on expectations this season won’t be nearly as easy.  Until a late collapse on the defense due to injuries, everything seemed to go well for the Lions last year.  Amazingly, the mediocre offensive line stayed nearly completely healthy, Matt Stafford developed at lightning fast speed and Calvin Johnson—finally with a premier QB—firmly staked his claim as one of the top players in football.  Sure, there was virtually no running game—which needs to be improved—but it didn’t hurt the Lions until late.  However, for the Lions to satisfy their fanbase in 2012 they absolutely, positively have to win a playoff game.

Making it to the NFL playoffs in Detroit is uncommon, winning a playoff game has been about as rare as a Nick Fairley late night call for a cab.  In fact some of you reading this have never seen a playoff win as two long decades have passed since Ray Crockett’s interception return for a TD sealed a win against the fledgling crime ring-era of Dallas Cowboy football.  The easiest way to get a win is a home playoff game but with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears as division mates that’s not an easy task.  If the Lions have to win one on the road as a Wild Card, that will appease fans just as well.

It may not seem like it, but an 8-8 season with a playoff win will trump a 12-4 season with a division title and first round exit this upcoming season.  From this point on for the Lions, we’re expecting playoffs.  It no longer matters if they get there, it matters what they do when they get there.

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