Chris Spielman thinks the Detroit Lions have a shot at a playoff berth. If that doesn’t happen, can something good come of this season?
The only highlight of the Detroit Lions preseason is getting to hear the color commentary from former Lions linebacker Chris Spielman on the local Detroit broadcast. This has made the two straight years of a nationally televised preseason game that much harder to swallow, as I love listening to good old number 54 over just about anybody doing commentary.
As a huge fan of Chris when he played for the Detroit Lions for eight years (1988-95), there may be a slight bias in this opinion. But my favorite FOX broadcasts (by far and including the Troy Aikman/Joe Buck team) are when Spielman is on the call. Even if it isn’t a Lions game.
Chris just brings more to the table than the rest of the FOX roster. He understands the game, he explains in simple terms, he has awesome insights on how to beat an opponent, and he isn’t afraid to speak his mind (even when he knows what he’s saying doesn’t fit in with a changing NFL).
Just a quick side note to ESPN: Spielman was one of your best announcers when he worked on your college games, and somehow you let him slip away to FOX. And you (ESPN) should do everything in your power to get him on your Monday Night Football telecast. That telecast could go from worst to first with the addition of Spielman. But I digress.
On Monday, Spielman spoke with guest host Doug Gottlieb on The Herd with Colin Cowherd. Chris believed the Detroit Lions are “capable of being a 10-win team this year.” To be fair, maybe Spielman has a slight bias for the Lions – in much the same way that I have for him. But what stuck out most was what Spielman said about the Lions opener against the Arizona Cardinals (09-02-19):
"“Matt Patricia is gonna set the stage on what or what not to do against [quarterback] Kyler Murray and [head coach] Kliff Kingsbury… It’s the reason why corners are so valuable, right? You gotta be able to play man against this type of offense.”"
This is Spielman at his best. In under 30 seconds of audio, he provides something for the fans to watch for during the game. That’s why it is a pleasure to listen to him (even during the preseason).
But beyond watching for how the Detroit Lions cover the Cardinals – and I will be watching for that now – there is a deeper point here about head coach Matt Patricia. This is a game that will “set the stage” not only for how other teams play the Cardinals, but what this Detroit Lions team will be this year.
Spielman’s assessment of a possible 10-win season has truth in it. This team has enough talent to accomplish that. But the reality is that six to eight wins might be the range that the Detroit Lions find themselves in this year.
The difference of getting to 10 or more wins comes down to whether or not this team is truly committed to excellence. And that is the responsibility of Patricia. Can this team execute in the same way for every practice, every meeting, every play, and ultimately every time when it comes to professional football?
And the other big factor is going to be quarterback Matthew Stafford. He absolutely fulfills the criteria of commitment. But can he take that next necessary step as a leader? And can he do it after years of questionable coaching that didn’t elevate his play?
This isn’t about statistics. Honestly, if this offense works the way it should, Stafford should have much less to do and his numbers might look muted. But this is all about a guy that can put his team in the position to win enough plays to triumph in the game. And wins is the statistic that matters.
In relative terms, the talent is very much the same for 24-26 teams in the NFL. There might be three to four elite teams, and there might be three to four awful teams. But the rest of the talent is pretty even.
And even the top four end up losing, and the bottom four pull out a head-scratching victory once in a while. So, it is about execution. But being at the top isn’t just about talent. It is about the focus it takes to beat the other guy time and again.
That is the hope for this season beyond this team really doing something tangible – and really the only tangible thing at this point is an actual playoff win. That would be an obvious sign of change.
This franchise needs to take steps towards a Super Bowl. It begins with an organization that is dedicated to winning football. If things don’t go right, this could be a year that winds up resulting in yet another reset.
I hope Spielman is right, and the Lions surprise us with a double digit in the win column. But if they don’t, there needs to be signs that this team doesn’t give half efforts to excellence. It has to start now against one of those awful teams. And it better begin with a win on Sunday.