Detroit Lions
The Lions followed up a good season and heartbreaking playoff bout with one of the worst off seasons in team history. Most NFL teams find a way to keep their best players, especially ones with potential Hall Of Fame caliber talent. The Lions found a way to let their best player walk. Suh's departure has to cause some concern and doubt about the Lions' hopes for 2015, however I still think enough pieces remain for this to be a playoff team.
Offense
Who is Matthew Stafford? I believe the answer to this question will determine the fate of the Lions this year, and also determine whether the team will be forced to blow everything up and begin the rebuilding process in the next two years. No one can question Stafford's talents. He has a cannon for an arm, is tough, and is capable of making every throw. However he is also incredibly inconsistent, his work ethic has been questioned in the past, and he often fails to make some of the most basic throws due to poor mechanics.
Will Stafford take the next step this year? He's still young and is surrounded by potential offensive weapons...on paper the answer has to be yes. Calvin Johnson will be 30 next month yet shows no signs of slowing down, production wise; if he can stay healthy he'll continue to be a force. Golden Tate established himself as one of the best #2 receivers in the league last year, and I expect him to continue to do well. Then there's Eric Ebron. The tight end entered his rookie season quite confident and cocky, only to turn in one of the least productive seasons for a top 10 pick. Many great TEs struggle their first season, before "getting it" the following year. Ebron could potentially add his name to that list. By all accounts he has had a stellar training camp. It shouldn't be hard for someone as athletic as Ebron to take advantage of the mismatches he'll garner from linebackers. And with Megatron and Tate receiving extra attention from defenses, Ebron should find himself wide open more than a few times this year.
Megatron, Tate, Ebron...they should be the team's top three offensive threats in the passing game. But who will step up outside of them? Cory Fuller is the likely #3 receiver. He had an inconsistent season last year but has elite speed and solid hands; he has also had a good training camp thus far, and hopefully it'll translate into success on the field. Meanwhile Lance Moore was brought in to compete for a WR spot. He had a down year for the Steelers in 2014 but is hoping to revive his career with a familiar offense. I hope he can pull it off. Rounding out the WR discussion: Ryan Broyles. Very productive in college, his pro career has been fucked by injuries. He's healthy now, and I hope he can make the team this year. If not, I guarantee you he'll go somewhere like New England or Denver and light things up. Remember this prediction fellas.
In terms of the run game...I think Ameer Abdullah could win OROY. He's lightning out of the backfield and is also a good runner with great vision. I think he could be starting before the end of the year.
The offensive line was the biggest problem last year due to freak injuries. I think the organization has done a good job rebuilding it this year, from the first round pick Laken Tomilson to FA signings. Still this is going to be a very young unproven group. Larry Warford is the only known commodity (and Pro Bowl caliber player) on the line. Travis Swanson will be making his second start at center on opening day. RT is also a question mark. Sure LaAdrian Waddle is the starter, and he played well when healthy last year...but he's coming off an injury. If he goes down I'm not sure who will replace him.
Defense
Defense...the major question mark. I truly think we could have one of the best secondaries in the league. Darius Slay made huge gains last year, including shutting Dez Bryant down in the playoffs; he'll only get better. Rasheen Mathis has been an ageless wonder at CB. We have two of the best safeties in the NFL. All that being said...even good secondaries can get eaten up if the front line can't pressure the QB at all. With Suh gone this is my biggest concern. I expect us to be a top 10 defense this year but I'm scared as fuck about QB pressure. Ziggy Ansah could have a breakout year at DE this year, but outside of him I don't know what we have on the line. Caruan Reid worked out with Suh all summer and looks to take that next leap in what will be his second year. Ngata is a great run stuffer...but is he too old?
The defense's major strength was depth last year. Unlike the o-line, the d-line was able to deal with injuries (and suspensions) with ease. Jason Jones, Daryl Tapp, Devin Taylor, etc all made plays while filling in for starters...but will the absence of Suh expose them as frauds? We drafted Gabe Wright out of Auburn, and he seems like he could be really good...but again, without Suh how will he look? I trust in defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The devil's advocate could argue that just a few years ago the Lions had a rather average defense with Suh, yet it became a top 5 defense in Austin's first year; Austin remains, perhaps he can continue to work his magic even without the Pro Bowler. Bottom line: someone has to step up. If I had to guess I'd say Caruan Reid will have a good season this year at DT, and while he won't replace Suh's productivity he might be able to do just enough to ensure we do what needs to be done: stop the run, and pressure the QB.
Overall...
I don't think we're better than Green Bay. Rodgers is the best QB in the league and the Packers are one of the best run organizations in the league. They're the top dog until proven otherwise. Outside of that I'm not concerned about the NFC North. I like Bridgewater but this is only his second year at QB. Chicago will be a dumpster fire. If the offense reaches its potential the Lions should be able to return to the playoffs despite not winning the division. And I hope to god for a rematch with the Cowboys. But that can only happen if Stafford improves. I doubt the defense will be good enough to carry another average QB performance like last year. He only had 22 TDs last year...that's not enough. The fate of the team and the franchise rests on his shoulders.