All of those negatives considered, the Lions won. Detroit won a game that they absolutely needed to win, on the road, against an above average football team. The victory didn’t come with much finesse and explosiveness, as it did with grit and tooth and nail clawing. The defensive line finally woke up, and dominated in a fashion that should be a weekly occurrence, largely due to the play of Nick Fairley. The secondary got a much needed lift form Louis Delmas, whose impact was felt everywhere on the field. And the offense awoke from their slumber just in time, as fans have unfortunately become accustomed to and grown to expect. Jim Schwartz and company can enjoy the much needed success, but at the same time must make a significant amount of adjustments and improvements, specifically regarding penalties, and the lackluster offensive performance, if they hope to keep their season alive in Chicago on Monday night.

Aug 30, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley (98) and the defensive line during the second quarter of a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Detroit Front four vs. Chicago offensive line

Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are a spectacular combination, one that any coach would love to have. But what is apparent now more than ever, is that these two are not the most important factor in the Lions’ success. This team was built around the defensive line, and will only go as far as the front four can carry them. Look back at some of the amazing comebacks of last season, and you will find that in most of these cases, big plays from the defense led to a Lions victory. Just ask Tony Romo.

The front four finally arrived in Philadelphia, and harassed Michael Vick into committing much needed turnovers. The same must be done in Chicago. jay Cutler is another turnover prone quarterback, but more importantly, his lack of character and composure leads to finger pointing and temper tantrums at the first sign of adversity. Hits on Cutler leads to break downs in leadership, and a quarterback screaming at his offensive linemen. Getting to Cutler physically, means breaking him down mentally, and the collapse of the Chicago offense. The Bears offensive line is subpar, and Cutler has been beaten up already several times this season, and the Bear offensive line has proven to be a liability. Detroit must build on the performances of Nick Fairley and Cliff Avril, and force Jay Cutler to breakdown, and lose his cool. If the defensive line plays like they did in Philadelphia, the Lions will leave Chicago at 3-3.

Nov 13, 2011; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers (90) in the second half against the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field. The Bears defeated the Lions 37-13. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-US PRESSWIRE

Jeff Backus vs. Julius Peppers

On the other sideline, coach Lovie Smith will be hoping to get the same productivity from his defensive line, and not allow matthew Stafford the time to find downfield targets. Defensive end Julius Peppers may be aged, but is still one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the NFL. Even more significant is his history of success against left tackle Jeff Backus, who is also nearing the end of his career. If Peppers has lost a step, then Backus has surely lost two or three, and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan must compensate by giving Backus the help that he needs to protect Stafford’s blindside.

Statistically the Detroit offensive line has held up well, not allowing an enormous amount of sacks, or even hits on their quarterback. But unlike much of last year, Stafford has been forced to use his feet more to avoid pressure, and rush his throws downfield at a higher rate. Stafford is a great pocket passer, but very average when forced off of his mark while dropping back. Pockets have been collapsing around him this year, and Stafford has been quick to bail, either forced out by pressure, or his perception of it. Chicago will try to force movement within the pocket, and not allow Stafford to set and throw on time. Jeff Backus will be key in holding the pocket together, and allowing his quarterback to find targets downfield against a Bears defense that while strong, isn’t what it used to be.

Other matchups to watch

The Lions seemingly have made the necessary adjustments on special teams, and performed well against the Eagles in Philadelphia. The Eagles only used dangerous return man Desean Jackson on one return however. A much stiffer test will come on Monday night when the Lions will be kicking and punting to Devin Hester. The key here will be for Jason Hanson to make sure his kickoffs reach the back of the end zone, and for punter Nick Harris to pin Hester to the sideline, if Schwartz chooses to kick to him at all. This test should truly tell us which was the aberration, last week’s solid performance agains the Eagles, or the four touchdowns given up on special teams in the two weeks prior.

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Last weekend’s trip to Candlestick Park provided a vivid glimpse of reality, proving that the Detroit Lions have not yet reached the level of the elite NFL teams. Although the Lions may not have earned “contender” status Sunday night, they showed that they aren’t that far off.  San Francisco is a complete team, and played a nearly flawless game, and it still took them a full 60 minutes to put down a battered Lions team quarterbacked by a shaky Matthew Stafford. And while a moral victory may be of little condolence, we learned plenty about this team and their mindset.

The loss at Candle Stick opened the dialogue, but this Sunday’s matchup with the Tennessee Titans will show what these Lions are truly made of, and what realistic expectations for 2012 look like. Losing on the road to one of the top teams in the NFL is expected, and to some, even accepted. How you rebound on the road against an inferior opponent may just end up defining this team.

Matthew Stafford vs. Titan Secondary

Every Lion fan, whether they choose to admit it or not, is nervous about what they’ve witnessed from Stafford through 2 weeks. And while the debut of Leshoure may spark some intrigue, it has never been more apparent following last Sunday that this team lives and dies with their quarterback. All eyes will be on Stafford as he is expected to “get right” against an average Titan pass defense.

Tennessee will likely follow the 49er game plan and dare the Lions to run by dropping 8 into coverage. The Titans, however, lack the personnel of the 49ers, and Detroit should be able to have success running against nickel and dime defenses. When Tennessee brings an extra defender into the box to stop the run, Stafford will have to take advantage through the air, forcing the Titan defense into a guessing game. Stafford is expected to have a bounce back game, returning to his 2011 form. Easing the minds of fans will prove difficult however, as nothing short of perfection will likely be enough.

Titus  Young vs. Single Coverage

There is a direct correlation between the success of Titus Young and that of Matthew Stafford, as teams simply refuse to allow Calvin Johnson to beat them. As Mike Tice has proven via his “Randy Ratio”, you can’t force the ball into double and triple coverage with consistent and sustainable success, regardless of how talented the receiver is. This is why it is absolutely essential for someone else to step up and take advantage of single coverage. The Lions must force defenses to pay for doubling Johnson, and then make them pay even more when they don’t. Titus Young is the player expected to do this. Brandon Pettigrew is ultra talented, but very inconsistent. Tony Scheffler lacks explosiveness, and has underperformed to this point in the season. Nate Burleson struggles to separate from defensive backs, and a majority of his touches will continue to come from screens and end-arounds.

Titus is the most explosive weapon the Lions have after Johnson, and he has the potential to be much more than an occasional contributor. His talent has never been in question, but his mindset and maturity often are. Young still appears to be selfish, and immature, and often quits on his routes. He has a tendency to harm his team with penalties more than he helps through playmaking. Titus must grow up quickly, and become the deep threat the Lions had hoped he would be after a stellar rookie season. When teams roll coverage to Johnson, Young needs to make enough plays to force defensive coordinators to make a choice. Focus on Calvin and let Young beat them, or focus on Young and risk single coverage on the best receiver in the game. In either scenario, the Lions win.

Other Matchups to Watch

Much like the Lions hope to jump start Matthew Stafford, the Titans will be eyeing this game to get Chris Johnson going. Tennessee is developing Jake Locker, a young quarterback, and the best way to aide him is with a sound running game. Detroit didn’t allow Frank Gore to get loose for huge yardage, but he was able to hurt them when it mattered. The Lions will need to focus on CJ2K and force the game into Locker’s hands.

Detroit’s running game will get a boost with the debut of Mikel Leshoure, who returns from his 2 week suspension. Scott Linehan has shown a commitment to a more balanced attack this season, and it will be interesting to see just how much of a ground game the Lions bring into Tennessee with them. Lion fans will also be excited to find out just what type of Player Leshoure will be for this offense.

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