Detroit Lions earning serious national media respect

The Detroit Lions have recently received some love from the national media for their offseason efforts and potential in 2017, while fan expectation is reaching fever pitch.

For football fans, optimism is the hallmark of the offseason. Regardless of how poorly a team performed during the previous year, this is the time of the season when none of that matters at all, and the potential for future success is always the topic at hand.

Having said that, it’s always nice when an impartial expert is complimentary to one’s chosen team. It validates all of the high hopes and positivity that the most ardent supporters project onto the franchise.

For Detroit Lions fans, it has been an exciting week in this regard.

Jones Says Lions “Aced” the Offseason

Jonathan Jones of Sports Illustrated gave the Lions an “A” for their offseason efforts. Jones seems very confident in Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and his ability to win games for the franchise going forward, and while he readily admits the team was not a finished product in 2016, he makes it clear that he believes things are moving in the right direction.

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Recognizing the sensational season Stafford had, Jones put most of the blame for the team’s late season collapse on the defensive side of the football:

"Things seemed like they finally clicked for quarterback Matt Stafford, and heading into mid-December he was a dark horse in the MVP race for posting another 4,000-yard season in his first without Calvin Johnson. But the defense began failing Detroit in Week 15 and never recovered."

Jones postulates that Bob Quinn knew he had to do something about the situation, and goes on to commend the sophomore general manager’s commitment to improving the stop unit while also bolstering Stafford’s protection. Although he is clearly a fan of adding offensive linemen like Rick Wagner and T.J. Lang to the mix, it is defensive additions like Jarrad Davis, Teez Tabor, Akeem Spence, Cornelius Washington, D.J. Hayden, and Paul Worrilow that have convinced him that the franchise is on the upswing.

In fact, Jones believes that the Lions are on the verge of cementing themselves as a legitimate contender, and by building a solid defense the team could be prepared to join the ranks of other breakthrough organizations.

"…the Lions have added to a defense that failed them down the stretch and are building the same type of strong, young and fast defense that has made an appearance in recent Super Bowls (Carolina, Atlanta, Denver and Seattle)."

Without question, Jones offers one of the more optimistic takes on the Lions’ offseason that you will read anywhere, but he is clearly convinced that the combination of a franchise quarterback and a re-tooled defense can vault the team to new levels of success in the immediate future. Lions fans are hoping that he is right.

Oct 25, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions fan holds up a defense sign during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. Vikings win 28-19. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Daugherty Says Stafford is Top 10

With that said, Jones isn’t the only national pundit who is impressed with this organization, nor is he alone in his appreciation of its quarterback.

In fact, Patrick Daugherty of Rotoworld recently released his annual ranking of quarterback situations around the NFL, and with Stafford locked in as the starter, the Lions ranked 10th on the list. Of course, these rankings are one man’s opinion, but Daugherty’s high opinion of Stafford is welcomed and encouraging.

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In fact, in his analysis, Daugherty spoke glowingly of Stafford’s production and significant improvement over the past couple of seasons:

"Still somehow only 29, Matthew Stafford has started all 16 games and passed for at least 4,200 yards each of the past six years. There have been stops and starts in Stafford’s development, but he’s been more up than down, completing 66.3 percent of his passes over the past two seasons while averaging 7.24 yards per attempt. Stafford has cut back on his swashbuckling antics, tossing a modest 35 interceptions over his past 48 starts."

Daugherty continued on and compared Stafford’s potential to that of 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan:

"Stafford does not put teams on his back like an Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady, but knows what to do when given weapons. In this regard, he is not dissimilar to Matt Ryan. Durable and consistent with playmaking ability, Stafford has proven worthy of his No. 1 overall pick, and should have at least another 5-6 years under center in Detroit."

Indeed, if Stafford and the organization can work out a new contract, the former Georgia signal caller will certainly spend the next several years as a Lion. Even though his MVP-caliber 2016 campaign was derailed by an injured finger to his throwing hand, Stafford has solidified himself as a Pro Bowl caliber passer and there is no question that the team wants to keep him in the mix. The only real debate to be explored is whether the Lions will meet his asking price.

Updates have been few and far between as the offseason has rolled on, but it remains likely that a deal gets done in a reasonable time frame.

Next: 5 NFL rookies poised to shine in 2017 season

It’s only June, so reading too much into anything at this point of the offseason probably isn’t a great idea, but with that being said, it’s becoming clear that fans are not alone in their optimism for a successful Detroit Lions season. Last year the Lions snuck up on a lot of people, but they won’t be able to do that this time around. With five nationally televised games on the schedule and some respected pundits doling out superlatives, 2017 is shaping up to be an interesting year in the Motor City.

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Detroit Lions earning serious respect on national level

By David McCaffery | Jun 3, 2017

The Detroit Lions have recently received some love from the national media for their offseason efforts and potential in 2017, while fan expectation is reaching fever pitch.

Jones Says Lions “Aced” the Offseason

More from NFL Spin Zone

Daugherty Says Stafford is Top 10