Photo: sportnomics.com
- Adam ParkerThe Detroit Lions emerged from the ashes and erupted for a (10-6) record en route to their first playoff berth in over a decade.
Needless to say, every Detroit fan was about as giddy to see their Lions back in postseason pigskin as I expect Cubs fans will be when their team will finally get back to the World Series. Eventually. Hopefully. Okay, maybe not. But that's a story for another time.
The combination of a healthy Matthew Stafford teamed up with Calvin "Megatron" Johnson proved to be more than many teams could handle, and if it weren't for the lackluster performance of their abysmal secondary, they might have made an even deeper playoff push.
It's official. The Lions have arrived.
Now, let's take a look into our Beard and Stache crystal ball and give our choice on what team we think can be this year's Lions -- the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers are a sexy pick for quite a few reasons, not the least of which is the progression of second-year quarterback and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Cam Newton.
Considering all the question marks that surrounded Cam during his meteoric rise to the NFL Draft's No. 1 selection last year, he quickly silenced the doubters, one of which, I'm sorry to say, was me.
Needless to say, Cam "Killa" knocked everyone's socks off by breaking a boatload of rookie passing records. This should bode well for his future development, and in today's NFL, the development of your franchise quarterback relates directly to the future success of your franchise.
To put it simply, If you have a great gunslinger, that's bound to lead to more W's than if you were a team, like, say the Miami Dolphins or Cleveland Browns.
One of the biggest reasons for Newton's smooth transition into the pro game has got to be the presence of veteran wide receiver Steve Smith. The former Utah Ute and 11-year veteran was a big security blanket for the rookie quarterback, hauling in 79 passes for 1,394 yards, his most since 2008.
Add into the mix that the Panthers have locked up the 32-year-old Smith for an additional three seasons so he can continue to help Cam along with his development as he winds down his own NFL career. But despite the age, Smith isn't slowing down at all. The guy is still as quick as cat and will fly right by you if you underestimate him.
The defense needs improvements across the board, but the return of a healthy Jon Beason and a top ten pick in this month's draft will certainly help matters there.
But to reach the playoffs, the most straightforward route is to win the division. The good news for Carolina?
The NFC South is a complete toss up this season.
The Saints are in complete disarray following the fallout from the pay-for-pain scheme. They'll be without head coach and offensive guru Sean Payton for the entire season and we still have no details on what player punishments will be handed down by the commissioner's office.
They've made some noise in free agency, most notably the signing of former Falcons linebacker Curtis Lofton, but I just don't see it making much of a difference in the grand scheme of things, at least for this season.
The Buccaneers are a young team under rookie head coach Greg Schiano who made plenty of big splashes in free agency with the signings of cornerback Eric Wright and veteran wideout Vincent Jackson. That being said, quarterback Josh Freeman took a big step backward last season, and I think this season will be viewed as a rebuilding one for Tampa Bay.
And then we come to the Falcons. The loss of Curtis Lofton blasts another big hole in their already gaping hole at linebacker. Internally, the Dirty Birds believe that Akeem Dent can step into Lofton's role immediately, but to be honest, I still feel like the Falcons have too many holes defensively and it will cost them in the long run despite the explosive offense led by "Matty Ice" Matt Ryan and co.
Put all those things together and you have a recipe for success for the Carolina Panthers in 2012.
Count on it.
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