2009 Detroit Lions Football Preview

2008 Record: 0-16, Fourth NFC North

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Head Coach: Jim Schwartz; First year

Key Additions: LB Julian Peterson, LB Larry Foote, CB Phillip Buchanon, CB Anthony Henry, DT Grady Jackson, OT Jon Jansen, WR Bryant Johnson, RB Maurice Morris, WR Ronald Curry, CB Eric King

Key Losses: CB Leigh Bodden, DT Shaun Cody, DT Cory Redding, DE Corey Smith, QB Jon Kitna, QB Dan Orlovsky, WR Shaun cDonald, FB Moran Norris, G Edwin Mulitalo, S Dwight Smith, WR Travis Taylor

1st Round Draft Picks: Matthew Stafford – Quarterback, Brandon Pettigrew – Tight End

2nd Round Draft Picks: Louis Delmas - Safety

2009 Detroit Lions Schedule

Detroit Lions 2008 NFL Season in Review

Things could not have gone worse for the Detroit Lions in 2008. Nobody thought they could pull it off, but the team managed to go winless, 0-16, despite all expectations and rules of probability that stated that they should have found a way to win at least once. Matt Millen was finally fired, and one of his underperforming, malcontent, highly drafted wide receivers, Roy Williams, was traded away. Quarterback was a revolving door, with Dan Orlovsky seeing the most action but Daunte Culpepper and Jon Kitna also getting their turn.

The club finished dead last in the league in points allowed, giving up 517 total, or a whopping 32 per game. They barely scored half of the points they gave up, putting only 268 points on the board to finish 27 th in the league. They also finished last in yards allowed, with 400, while finishing 30 th in yards gained, racking up only 268 per game.

Detroit Lions 2009 NFL Season Preview

The Detroit Lions have nowhere to go but up in the 2009 NFL season, literally of course, they could not finish any worse than they did in 2008. Unfortunately, every team in their division has gotten better, and new coach Jim Schwartz and number 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford will need time to remake the club, needing more than a remade logo to shape the team into a contender. The lineup has been overhauled and some talent was brought in through the draft and through the trade, so it will be interesting to see how much progress can be made in year 1.

2009 Detroit Lions Offense:

The 2009 offense is clearly pinned on the development of young quarterback Matthew Stafford, who the Lions are desperately hoping is a level headed star in the (quick) making. He'll have a legitimate deep threat and number 1 receiver in Calvin Johnson and a good number 2 in Bryant Johnson to throw the ball to if the offensive line can keep him upright long enough to do so. The Lions also drafted tight end Brandon Pettigrew in the first line to provide more weapons for young Stafford. The Lions upgraded their running game by adding Maurice Morris to share the load or win the job from Kevin Smith.

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2009 Detroit Lions Defense:

Jim Schwartz had been the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans since the 2001 season, and so is clearly a coach with a mind on the defensive side of the ball, something the club was inexcusably woeful in during the 2008 season. There are some new acquisitions to the lineup that can start paying dividends right away, such as linebackers Julian Peterson and Larry Foote, cornerback Philip Buchanon and defensive tackle Grady Jackson. The club shouldn't surrender 32 points a game this season, but just how far they improve remains up in the air.

2009 Detroit Lions Prediction: Fourth NFC North

By Jake Emen
ProFootball-fans.com Staff Writer

View all of the 2009 NFL football previews online here at Pro Football Fans!