The Lions are going to the playoffs!

That seems to be a popular refrain from players in Detroit. Jon Kitna made the declaration a few years back and more recently safety Louis Delmas said that the team will win eight games and make the playoffs.

Now the Lions’ first-round pick Ndamukong Suh is jumping on board, telling the Detroit News that he expects his team to make the playoffs. Although, nobody is sure if this was not just some form of rookie hazing.

“My expectations are the playoffs at the least, and I don’t see why we can’t get that,” Suh said over the weekend.

“I think we’re all excited with what we have. What I saw from last year, even though we went 2-14, that we had a great offense, and the offense needs some help on the defensive side of the ball.”

Now a cynic — which I have been accused of being — might say that the Lions should win more than two games before making such lofty predictions. The Lions last reached the playoffs when Melrose Place was on the air — the original. The Sopranos debuted in 1999, the year the Lions last reached the playoffs.

But despite all of that, you have to admit that the kid might have a point.

The Lions have done a pretty good job of compiling some talent. WR Nate Burleson should help free up Calvin Johnson. Second-round pick (30th overall) Jahvid Best could be one of the top rookie running backs. QB Matthew Stafford showed that he was one tough, son of a gun. And the defense added some nice pieces, including Suh.

So is it crazy to think that the Lions could make the playoffs? Not necessarily. Will I go out on a limb and predict a Lions’ playoff run? Come on, I don’t play for that team.

Posted in: Around The Web  | comments  |