Wednesday open thread: How many sacks will Dwight Freeney have in the final 5 games?

The Detroit Lions fanbase is pretty down right now. Their playoff chances are on life support, and it will likely take a near-perfect performance down the stretch for the team to sniff the postseason.

In general, the play of this team doesn’t look like it’s headed in the right direction to accomplish such a feat, although the strength of schedule does provide some optimism.

However, there are some other things to look forward to down the stretch, even if the Lions don’t manage to pull of the improbable and make a late playoff run. Second-year player Miles Killebrew will get his first real test as the Lions’ starting strong safety. Teez Tabor is starting to get a little more playing time. And Kenny Golladay continues to build on an impressive rookie season.

But perhaps the most interesting storyline in the final five games is the play of Dwight Freeney. The Lions are hoping the 37-year-old pass rusher will finally give the defensive line the shot in the arm it needs. Freeney has been one of the most exciting defensive ends to watch over his storied career, and he’s already proven he can still embarrass an offensive lineman every now and then.

So today’s Question of the Day is:

How many sacks do you think Dwight Freeney will have in the Lions’ final five games?

My answer: Five. Anthony Zettel currently leads the Lions with 6.5 sacks in 11 games. Ezekiel Ansah is second with 5.0 in nine games. I think Freeney matches Ansah’s total in just five games.

The veteran pass rusher has never had a problem with motivation, and he seems legitimately thrilled to be in Detroit. Though he’s only likely to play in limited snaps, I think that will work to his benefit. Offensive linemen will be caught off-guard when he enters the game, and he will be at his freshest throughout all four quarters.

Considering the Lions saw an improvement in play last week in their interior defenders (Akeem Spence had 1.5 TFLs), Freeney should be able to get to the quarterback off the edges, especially against the slew of poor pass offenses the Lions will face down the stretch.

Five sacks is admittedly a lofty goal for someone who just joined the team and only has 6.0 sacks in his last 19 games, but I think he’s more than capable of it.

Your turn.