PRESEASON EditiON - Detroit Lions

exeCutives & CoaChing
Detroitlions.com
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A key to Schwartz’s defensive approach is limiting opportunities,
especially on third down. The Lions finished third in the NFL in third
down defense (32.7 pct.) and first in defensive efficiency on third- and
fourth-and-1 plays (11-of-29, 37.9 pct.).
The defensive line continued to prove its prowess as one of the
best in the NFL. Among defensive lines, the Lions’ 35 sacks ranked
fourth in the NFL. DE Cliff Avril led the team with 11 sacks and
became just the sixth player since 1982 to register 10+ sacks, while
also returning both a fumble and an interception for touchdowns.
His seven forced fumbles tied for the League lead in that category.
Combined, the Lions ranked fourth in the NFL with a +11 turnover
margin (34 takeaways, 23 giveaways).
Like every other step, 2011 was important for the Lions. However,
Schwartz continues to focus on getting better day-by-day.
“It was an important year for us,” said Schwartz. “But I wouldn’t
necessarily classify it as a good year. Our expectations are high. It
was important getting to the playoffs, something that hadn’t been
done for a long time. That was an important step.
“Going to the playoffs is a big step but that is obviously not our
end game or something that is the last thing we want to accomplish.”
sEcond-sEason iMProvEMEnt
In 2010, Schwartz led one of the most-improved teams in the
NFL. The Lions finished the season as the only NFC team, and one
of four in the NFL, to end the season on a four-game winning streak.
Included in those four wins was a 7-3 victory over the Super Bowl
Champions Green Bay Packers. That four-game win streak was the
first for the Lions since 1999 and it marked the eighth time in team
history the team ended with at least four-straight wins, with the
last occurring in 1995.
Detroit joined the New York Giants, San Diego Chargers and
Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the only teams in the NFL to improve in
all three key offensive and defensive League rankings (total, rushing
and passing) compared to 2009.
On offense, the Lions scored 100 more points (third-most improved
scoring offense), gained 639 more yards (fourth-most improved
offense) and passed for 642 more yards (fifth-most improved) in 2010
than they did in 2009.
As the team progressed in total offense, so did its efficiency in the
Red Zone. The Lions were second in the NFL in Red Zone Efficiency
converting 29 touchdowns in 45 trips (64.4 percent). With 12 more
touchdowns than the previous year, Detroit’s offense was the thirdmost
improved unit in Red Zone touchdowns, and they scored the
third-highest improvement with 82 more points in the Red Zone.
Injuries at quarterback forced the team to start Stafford, Shaun
Hill and Drew Stanton in at least three games each in 2010. The
team’s passers combined for third in the NFL in completions (383)
and attempts (633), 12th in gross passing (4,001) and tied for 11th in
touchdowns (26). For the first time in team history, three quarterbacks
each registered 20-or-more attempts and a passer rating of 90.0 each
in two games during the same season. Each quarterback attempted
90 passes on the season and the team combined for a passer rating
of 82.0, marking the first time since the 1993 Miami Dolphins that a
team had three quarterbacks each attempt 90 passes in a season and
finish with an 80.0 passer rating. The quarterback unit also produced
26 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions for a +10 difference, and
Detroit became the first team since Philadelphia in 1993 to start three
quarterbacks in a season and compile a +10 TD to interception ratio.
Besides the quarterback play, production and improvement was
across the board on offense. Johnson was second in the NFL with
12 receiving touchdowns and ninth in receiving yards (1,120). The
offensive line allowed only 27 sacks (tied for sixth-lowest in NFL) as
the team threw the third-most pass attempts in the League. Their
sacks-per-pass ratio (4.09) was the fifth lowest and the third-lowest
allowed by a Lions squad since 1960. In just his second season,
Brandon Pettigrew set team single-season records for Lions’ tight
ends with 71 receptions and 722 receiving yards. Pettigrew also
finished third among NFL tight ends in receptions. Pettigrew and TE
Tony Scheffler combined for the second-most catches (116) among
NFL tight end duos. In the backfield, rookie RB Jahvid Best set a team
rookie record with 58 receptions, led the team in rushing and became
the first NFL rookie to score five touchdowns in their first two games
since Lions RB Billy Sims in 1980.
Defensively, the Lions featured the most-improved unit in all of
the NFL—the defensive line. The rebuilt unit featured starters DE Kyle
Vanden Bosch (unrestricted free agent acquisition), DE Cliff Avril, DT
Corey Williams (acquired by trade), and rookie DT Ndamukong Suh
(selected second overall in 2010 NFL Draft). Suh earned Defensive
Rookie of the Year and All-Pro honors, and he was voted a starter
in the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Though opponents threw the ball less
against the Lions than they did in 2009, the Lions picked up 18 more
sacks, which accounts for a 3.28 percent increase from the previous
season for the ratio of sacks per pass plays.
Of the Lions’ 44 sacks, 39 were attributed to the defensive line,
23.5 more than the Lions defensive line accounted in 2009—the most
improvement among any defensive line unit in the NFL. The line was
also the most-improved unit in the League in regard to sack yardage
and the group was responsible for 179 more yards of sack yardage.
On his way to capturing numerous post-season accolades, Suh
dominated during his rookie season when he led all rookie and all
defensive tackles with 10 sacks, and led all defensive tackles with
66 tackles. He also tacked on an interception and returned a fumble
for a touchdown. He set the Lions’ rookie sack record and became
only the second rookie defensive tackle in the NFL to record 10 sacks
since the sacks became an official stat in 1982.
The team’s defense improved overall as a unit as well. In
defending the pass, the defense was the most-improved unit in the
NFL allowing 751 fewer yards (46.9 yards per game) than in 2009. It
was also the NFL’s most-improved unit in points allowed giving up
125 points less (7.8 points per game) than the year before. In total
yards allowed, it was the fourth-most improved defense yielding 777
yards less than in 2009.
Among the team’s defensive highlights in 2010 occurred during the
team’s four home victories. In those four wins, the defense allowed a
total of two touchdowns, and it did not yield a touchdown in wins vs.
St. Louis (10/10), Green Bay (12/12) and Minnesota (1/2).
The improvement was not only produced on offense and defense,
but there was significant progress on the team’s special teams units
in virtually every aspect. KR Stefan Logan, who earned Pro Bowl
alternate honors, was one of those catalysts as the team’s kick
returner. Detroit had the League’s third-best improvement on kickoff
returns, gaining 3.5 yards per return more in 2010. Logan finished
second in the NFL in total kick return yards (1,810) and was the only
player to finish in the Top-5 in both kickoff return average (26.8) and
punt return average (12.1). Logan tied a franchise record with a 105-
yard kickoff return in the team’s win over St. Louis (10/10).
With respect to the cover units, the Lions were much improved
in that area as well. The team’s kickoff return unit allowed 2.7 yards
less per kickoff return last year (fourth-best improvement). S John
Wendling, who was also named an alternate to the Pro Bowl as a
special teamer, led the entire NFL with 24 special teams tackles.
Schwartz’s kicking units also persevered in the second half of the
season as the team continued to produce despite missing K Jason
Hanson for the most extended time in his 19-year career. Dave Rayner
stepped in for Hanson and nailed 13-of-16 field goals (81.3 pct.) in the
team’s final eight games, including his final seven attempts. Rayner
was critical to the Lions’ win at Tampa Bay in December as he became
the first kicker in team history to hit a field goal on the final play of
regulation and then win the game in overtime on a game-winning
kick. During the team’s four-game win-streak, Rayner was 6-of-7 on
attempts, with his only miss coming on a 55-yard attempt.
Additionally, the across-the-board improvement was shown in the
team’s ability to secure the football and generate turnovers. In 2010,
Detroit registered 29 takeaways and 25 giveaways for a +4 turnover
margin and had a difference of +22 in turnover margin when comparing
the past two seasons—the biggest improvement in the NFL.
The Lions were the most improved team in terms of giveaways as
well, as they gave the ball away 16 fewer times than they did in 2009.
Among those giveaways, 16 occurred via interception, an improvement
of 16 picks less compared to 2009 (32). They were the second-most
improved club in terms of throwing interceptions and one of only two
teams to throw at least 10 interceptions less than the year before.
They accomplished that while starting three different quarterbacks.
While the Detroit Lions made the 2010 season notable for the
franchise’s overall improvement, Schwartz undersood that the most
important element is winning more games. “Nothing is going to
detract or take us away from where we’re going as a team,” Schwartz
remarked just prior to the team’s four-game winning streak last
season. “This team has great things ahead of it. There is no question
in any one of our minds that this team has great things ahead.”
titan tough
Before his tenure in Detroit began in 2009, Schwartz spent 10
seasons with the Tennessee Titans, including eight (2001-08) as
defensive coordinator. While with the Titans, he worked under Head
Coach Jeff Fisher, one of the most successful coaches in the NFL for
16 seasons. In 2008, Schwartz’s defense guided the Titans to an NFLbest
13-3 record and an AFC South title. The Titans’ defense finished
in the top 10 in several key defensive categories, including: defensive
points allowed (third, 14.2), total yards allowed (seventh, 293.6),