Photo Credit: Leon Halip-US PRESSWIRE

Fans around the National Football League have been on pins and needles since free agency began the afternoon of March 13, hoping for their team to sign that marquee player to fill that one unavoidable weakness that every team has. For a few select teams, this single big splash signing is all that is needed, but for the majority, filling every hole through free agency simply isn’t affordable, or a viable solution. There are many philosophies on how to approach building a roster through the off-season, and each has had success at some point in the past. Like the Eagles of 2011, the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are dueling for this year’s “dream team” title by spending and spending on the open market. Each team is appeasing fans in the process by signing household names, even if they are forced to overpay dearly (Tampa Bay signed Eric Wright for just under $8 million per year). But these two franchises near the top in available cap space coming into free agency, and so were able to go shopping to plug their gaps.

Most franchises, however, were without the luxury of cap room, and were forced to either sit on their hands, or re-structure existing contracts to create space. The Detroit Lions fall into this category. General manager Martin Mayhew has worked diligently to re-structure the contracts of Matthew Stafford, Nate Burleson, and Ndamukong Suh, and work out a long term deal with Calvin Johnson, in order to free up much needed salary cap breathing room. This extra space was then used to re-sign some key players, such as Jeff Backus and Shaun Hill. Mayhew and the Lions front office stated from the outset that their first priority was to keep the current roster intact, and so their focus would be on re-signing their own free agents. This was evidenced by Tuesday’s re-signing of middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who will be a fixture in the middle of the Lion defense for the next five years. (more…)

Oct 10, 2011; Detroit, MI, USA; A Monday Night Football sign before the game between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Monday Night Football

This countdown ends where the Lions season truly took flight. With so many important free agent signings, games, drives, and moments, it is difficult to decide which one truly is the “best” of the season. It is also inevitable that great moments will be omitted, such as the Harbaugh handshake, or Calvin Johnson serving up slice after slice of humble pie to Cris Carter. For this season however, and for this life-long Lions fan, nothing comes close to the excitement or the atmosphere throughout Detroit for Monday Night Football.

This moment tops the list for several reasons.  Detroit entered the season surrounded by hype that was, to many, undeserved and unearned. A four game winning streak to open the season only added to the excitement, and fueled the national media fire. At the same time, many doubters argued that nothing had yet been proven, as they questioned the Lions strength of schedule. The week five matchup with the Bears brought several opportunities for Detroit. First, it offered the chance to measure themselves against a proven team, who had won NFC North the previous season, and were the favorites of many once again. Second, Monday Night Football offered the opportunity to showcase the talent of a young, up and coming team on national television; something that the Lions only experienced on Thanksgiving Day in recent years. (more…)

Dec 24, 2011; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) high fives fans after the game against the San Diego Chargers at Ford Field. Detroit won 38-10. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

Christmas Eve Clincher

Christmas Eve is always a special day for many, but it was even more meaningful this year in Detroit. The Lions carried a 9-5 record into Ford Field for their final home game of the season. The matchup with the San Diego Chargers was a pivotal moment in the season, with the Lions being able to clinch a wildcard spot with a victory over a dangerous, under-achieving Charger team. The atmosphere was electric in Motown, with a late Saturday game falling on a national holiday. The stadium was sold out, once again, and expectations were sky high.

Many franchises have become accustomed to success. Many fan bases scoffed at the excitement throughout Detroit for simply the opportunity to advance to the post-season. What separates Detroit, and Lions fans, from those groups is their history. The Lions hadn’t sniffed the playoffs since January 8^th, 1999, when they fell to the Washington Redskins 27-13. The lack of a playoff history, combined with the fact that the franchise has only a single post-season victory since the beginning of the Super Bowl era, led to heightened levels of excitement. With a showdown at Lambeau looming in week 17, there was almost an “elimination game” type atmosphere throughout Ford Field. (more…)