Q&A With Detroit Lions Expert Zac Snyder of SideLion Report
By Josh Sanchez
The Detroit Lions are currently on their bye week. To check up on the team during their time off, I sent a few questions the way of our friend Zac Snyder, who is the lead editor over at SideLionReport.com. SideLion Report is a top Detroit Lions blog that offers some of the most up to date and entertaining Lions commentary.
Zac took the time to answer my questions and give us all an inside look at the Lions and how the Detroit community views their impressive team. To check out the Q&A, continue after the jump and be sure to check out Zac’s work over at SideLion Report.
Josh Sanchez: Have the Lions met or exceeded expectations throughout the first half of the season?
Zac Snyder: They have exceeded my expectations. I was optimistic they would be a 9-7 team this year but their 6-2 start has me revisiting that expectation. I expected a break out year from Matthew Stafford and that is pretty much what we’ve seen so far although the numbers that he’s put up with Calvin Johnson have been ridiculous. All in all, the Lions have been a little better that I thought they would be.
JS: What do you make of Dictator Goodell meeting with Ndamukong Suh this week?
ZS: The dictator label is a little harsh in this case since it was Suh that requested the meeting. I guess the fact that he took the initiative to get some clarification will help with his (unfair) reputations by itself but I don’t put a lot of stock into that meeting creating any big scale change in Suh’s play or the way he is officiated.
JS: What should be the Lions biggest focus this week, while they are resting but still preparing for the Chicago Bears next week?
ZS: Getting healthy. The Lions haven’t been decimated by injuries but their injury reports tend to be longer than their oppositions every week. It is just an accumulation of the little nagging things that are typical during an NFL season. They have one of the latest byes in the league so they’ve had longer to accumulate bumps and bruises before getting a break.
JS: If the season ended today, what would be the areas that the Lions need to improve?
ZS: Their running game. The Lions’ running game got off to a rough start thanks to the season ending injury to Mike Leshoure in training camp so they haven’t the personnel they were planning on. That has been compounded by Jahvid Best missing the time with a concussion. That said, the offensive line is not a very good run blocking group and the various backs that have seen playing time don’t have much room to run. The Lions will be faced with some decisions with Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola in their twilight years and they might have to go out and find upgrades over their other linemen.
JS: On behalf of the Detroit Lions, give the NFL a statement on what they should expect moving forward.
ZS: Expect more of the same from the Detroit Lions. They put the pressure on the opposition both offensively and defensively. The Lions aren’t any easy team to play anymore and that makes them a fun team to watch. It remains to be seen if they can indeed secure a playoff spot or make a run this year but the league should be on notice that the Lions will be a team to be reckoned with from now on.
You can check out an earlier Q&A between Zac Snyder and I by clicking this link. Thanks again to Zac for taking the time to answer the questions and I encourage you all to check out his work.
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