Pride Of Detroit - Wrapping up the Lions' 2013 seasonA Detroit Lions blog by Lions fans, for Lions fans.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51601/pod-fav.png2014-02-17T14:01:00-05:00http://www.prideofdetroit.com/rss/stream/51047512014-02-17T14:01:00-05:002014-02-17T14:01:00-05:00Closing the book on the Lions' 2013 season
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<figcaption>Leon Halip</figcaption>
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<p>It's time for one last look at the 2013 Detroit Lions.</p> <p>The NFL offseason hasn't been underway for all that long, but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-combine">NFL Combine</a> and free agency are right around the corner. With that in mind, the time has come to fully shift our attention to the 2014 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a> and what they need to do this offseason. The Lions <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/16/5316120/detroit-lions-coaching-staff-tracker-2014">have their new coaching staff in place</a>, and it's time to just close the book on the 2013 season and move forward.</p>
<p>In order to do just that, here's one last look back at all of our posts from the last month or so that helped wrap up the 2013 season:</p>
<h4>Lions roster review</h4>
<ul>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/22/5292764/detroit-lions-roster-review-quarterback">Quarterback</a></li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5302116/detroit-lions-roster-review-running-back">Running back</a><br>
</li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5302118/detroit-lions-roster-review-wide-receiver">Wide receiver</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5340706/detroit-lions-roster-review-tight-end">Tight end</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5351732/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-tackle">Offensive tackle</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">Offensive guard</a></li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">Center</a><br>
</li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/4/5362016/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-end">Defensive end</a><br>
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<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/5/5378200/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-tackle">Defensive tackle</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/11/5384644/detroit-lions-roster-review-linebacker">Linebacker</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/12/5387302/detroit-lions-roster-review-cornerback">Cornerback</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/13/5399970/detroit-lions-roster-review-safety">Safety</a></li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/15/5400120/detroit-lions-roster-review-special-teams-players">Special teams players</a> </li>
</ul>
<h4>Top 10 Lions plays of 2013</h4>
<ul>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/24/5338792/lions-top-10-plays-of-2013-10-and-9">10-9</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/26/5339874/top-10-lions-plays-of-2013-8-and-7">8-7</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/28/5341856/top-10-lions-plays-of-2013-6-and-5">6-5</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5350472/top-10-lions-plays-of-2013-4-and-3">4-3</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/30/5357730/top-10-lions-plays-of-2013-2-and-1">2-1</a></li>
</ul>
<h4>2013 POD Awards</h4>
<ul>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/14/5402568/detroit-lions-awards-2013-winners-part-1">The winners (Part 1)</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/15/5402584/detroit-lions-awards-2013-winners-part-2">The winners (Part 2)</a></li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/9/5384742/lions-awards-2013-most-valuable-player">Most Valuable Player</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/8/5378268/lions-awards-2013-offensive-player-of-the-year">Offensive Player of the Year</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/6/5361996/lions-awards-2013-defensive-player-of-the-year">Defensive Player of the Year</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/2/5361896/lions-awards-2013-special-teams-player-of-the-year">Special Teams Player of the Year</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5361870/lions-awards-2013-breakout-player-of-the-year">Breakout Player of the Year</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/30/5359072/lions-awards-2013-rookie-of-the-year">Rookie of the Year</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5354738/lions-awards-2013-most-valuable-backup">Most Valuable Backup</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/28/5351050/lions-awards-2013-game-of-the-year">Game of the Year</a> </li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5343266/lions-awards-2013-moment-of-the-year">Moment of the Year</a> </li>
</ul>
<h4>Other</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/8/5284282/detroit-lions-season-recap-2013-part-1">Season recap (Part 1)</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/20/5319380/detroit-lions-season-recap-2013-part-2">Season recap (Part 2)</a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/12/5384830/2013-lions-predictions">Predictions recap</a></li>
</ul>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/17/5402782/lions-2013-recapSean Yuille2014-02-15T14:00:03-05:002014-02-15T14:00:03-05:002013 POD Awards: The winners (Part 2)
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<figcaption>Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look at the rest of the winners from the 2013 POD Awards.</p> <p>Earlier, we took a look at how everybody voted for five of the categories in the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/pride-of-detroit-awards">2013 POD Awards</a>. Now it's time to take a look at how the polls turned out for the other four categories. Check it out:</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/9/5384742/lions-awards-2013-most-valuable-player">Most Valuable Player</a></h4>
<p><b>LB DeAndre Levy - 44.6%</b><br>WR Calvin Johnson - 30.3%<br>DT Ndamukong Suh - 6.7%<br>OG Larry Warford - 5.5%<br>QB Matthew Stafford - 4.0%<br>LB Stephen Tulloch - 2.3%<br>S Glover Quin - 2.1%<br>RB Reggie Bush - 1.7%<br>C Dominic Raiola - 1.5%<br>DE Ziggy Ansah - 1.5%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/8/5378268/lions-awards-2013-offensive-player-of-the-year">Offensive Player of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>WR Calvin Johnson - 54.2%</b><br>OG Larry Warford - 31.9%<br>C Dominic Raiola - 7.5%<br>RB Reggie Bush - 3.8%<br>QB Matthew Stafford - 2.7%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/6/5361996/lions-awards-2013-defensive-player-of-the-year">Defensive Player of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>LB DeAndre Levy - 51.4%</b><br>DT Ndamukong Suh - 43.6%<br>DE Ziggy Ansah - 2.4%<br>LB Stephen Tulloch - 1.4%<br>S Glover Quin - 1.1%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/2/5361896/lions-awards-2013-special-teams-player-of-the-year">Special Teams Player of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>P Sam Martin - 55.6%</b><br>WR Jeremy Ross - 31.9%<br>S John Wendling - 4.7%<br>LS Don Muhlbach - 4.2%<br>LB Tahir Whitehead - 3.5%</p>
<p>Once again, thanks to everybody who voted, and congratulations to the players who won their respective categories.</p>
<p>(By the way, you can check out last year's winners <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/3/2/4055406/detroit-lions-awards-2012-winners">here</a>.)</p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/15/5402584/detroit-lions-awards-2013-winners-part-2Sean Yuille2014-02-15T10:00:02-05:002014-02-15T10:00:02-05:00Lions roster review: Special teams players
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<figcaption>Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look back at how the Detroit Lions' special teams players performed in 2013.</p> <p><i>As part of our season wrap-up series, we are going to examine how each player on the roster performed in 2013. Let's bring the series to an end with a look at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>' special teams players.</i></p>
<p><b><span>David Akers</span> - 16 games | 19-24 FG (2 blocked), 42-43 XP (1 blocked) | 14 kickoffs, 7 TB, 61.6 avg.</b></p>
<p>Akers had the tough task of beating out fan favorite <span>Havard Rugland</span> in training camp and the even tougher task of replacing Jason Hanson. Essentially every mistake Akers made was heavily scrutinized, but his numbers weren't actually <i>that </i>bad by season's end. He missed only 5 field goals, and a couple of his misses were the result of poor blocking in front of him. Also, his only missed extra point was the result of an awful decision to kick in the snow in Philadelphia. Akers wasn't great by any means, and the Lions don't seem to be interested in bringing him back, but it's not like he was the worst kicker in the NFL.</p>
<p><b><span>Sam Martin</span> - 16 games | 72 punts (1 blocked), 47.2 avg., 40.4 net avg. | 70 kickoffs, 38 TB, 67.3 avg. | 2 carries, 3 yards, 1 lost fumble</b></p>
<p>As a rookie, Martin was the Lions' kickoff specialist (until the end of the season when he was limited by an injury) and starting punter. He did quite well on kickoffs, and he finished sixth in the NFL in yards per punt. His net average was 10th in the NFL, and generally speaking he helped upgrade the special teams units in a big way. Yes, there were a few bad moments -- a botched hold in the season opener, a very untimely bad punt against Cincinnati and some kickoffs that went out of bounds -- but hopefully those mistakes will become even more of a rarity in his second NFL season.</p>
<p><b><span>Don Muhlbach</span> - 16 games</b></p>
<p>There was no trip to the Pro Bowl for Muhlbach this past season, but there were no complaints about his snaps, either. With the latter part in mind, I'd call 2013 a success for the Lions' long snapper.</p>
<p><b><span></span></b></p>
<p><i>Previously: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/22/5292764/detroit-lions-roster-review-quarterback"><i>Quarterback</i></a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5302116/detroit-lions-roster-review-running-back">running back</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5302118/detroit-lions-roster-review-wide-receiver">wide receiver</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5340706/detroit-lions-roster-review-tight-end">tight end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5351732/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-tackle">offensive tackle</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">offensive guard</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">center</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/4/5362016/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-end">defensive end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/5/5378200/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-tackle">defensive tackle</a>, </i><i><i><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/11/5384644/detroit-lions-roster-review-linebacker">linebacker</a></i>, </i><i><i><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/12/5387302/detroit-lions-roster-review-cornerback">cornerback</a></i>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/13/5399970/detroit-lions-roster-review-safety">safety</a></i></p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/15/5400120/detroit-lions-roster-review-special-teams-playersSean Yuille2014-02-14T15:00:01-05:002014-02-14T15:00:01-05:002013 POD Awards: The winners (Part 1)
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<figcaption>Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look at some of the winners from the 2013 POD Awards.</p> <p>The votes are in, and the winners have been declared for the <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/pride-of-detroit-awards">2013 POD Awards</a>. Below is a breakdown of five of the different categories in this year's awards and how everybody voted. (A breakdown of the other four categories is coming later.)</p>
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<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5361870/lions-awards-2013-breakout-player-of-the-year">Breakout Player of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>LB DeAndre Levy - 57.5%</b><br>RB Joique Bell - 28.8%<br>WR Jeremy Ross - 8.0%<br>C Dominic Raiola - 5.6%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/30/5359072/lions-awards-2013-rookie-of-the-year">Rookie of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>OG Larry Warford - 84.6%</b><br>DE Ziggy Ansah - 7.4%<br>TE Joseph Fauria - 2.9%<br>OT LaAdrian Waddle - 2.8%<br>P Sam Martin - 2.3%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5354738/lions-awards-2013-most-valuable-backup">Most Valuable Backup</a></h4>
<p><b>RB Joique Bell - 63.1%</b><br>OT LaAdrian Waddle - 31.2%<br>TE Joseph Fauria - 4.1%<br>DT C.J. Mosley - 0.8%<br>S Don Carey - 0.8%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/28/5351050/lions-awards-2013-game-of-the-year">Game of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>Lions 31, Cowboys 30 (Week 8) - 54.4%</b><br>Lions 40, Packers 10 (Week 13) - 34.0%<br>Lions 21, Bears 19 (Week 10) - 6.3%<br>Lions 40, Bears 32 (Week 4) - 3.7%<br>Lions 27, Redskins 20 (Week 3) - 1.6%</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5343266/lions-awards-2013-moment-of-the-year">Moment of the Year</a></h4>
<p><b>Matthew Stafford sneaks away with a win (Week 8 vs. Cowboys) - 69.2%</b><br>Calvin Johnson destroys the Cowboys (Week 8 vs. Cowboys) - 15.8%<br>Ndamukong Suh sacks Matt Flynn for a safety (Week 13 vs. Packers) - 7.4%<br>Nick Fairley stuffs Matt Forte on 2-point conversion (Week 10 at Bears) - 3.8%<br>Joseph Fauria finds the end zone three times in one game (Week 6 at Browns) - 3.0%<br><span class="m-poll-body__pct-count"></span> Reggie Bush electrifies Ford Field with 37-yard TD run (Week 4 vs. Bears) - 0.8%</p>
<p>Thanks to everybody who voted, and congratulations to the players who won their respective categories.</p>
<p>(By the way, you can check out last year's winners <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/3/2/4055406/detroit-lions-awards-2012-winners">here</a>.)</p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/14/5402568/detroit-lions-awards-2013-winners-part-1Sean Yuille2014-02-13T12:01:02-05:002014-02-13T12:01:02-05:00Lions roster review: Safety
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<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look back at how the Detroit Lions' safeties performed in 2013.</p> <p><i>As part of our season wrap-up series, we are going to examine how each player on the roster performed in 2013. Next, let's take a look at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>' safeties.</i></p>
<p><b><span>Glover Quin</span> - 16 games (16 starts) | 57 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 2 TFL, 9 PD, 3 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR</b></p>
<p>Quin joined the Lions as a free agent last offseason and graded out as the team's top defensive back on <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprofootballfocus.com%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prideofdetroit.com%2F2014%2F2%2F13%2F5399970%2Fdetroit-lions-roster-review-safety" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Pro Football Focus</a> in 2013. He was quite reliable in pass coverage, and he was responsible for 4 turnovers over the course of the season.</p>
<p><b><span>Louis Delmas</span> - 16 games (15 starts) | 64 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 3 TFL, 8 PD, 3 INT</b></p>
<p>The Lions did a good job of managing Delmas' practice time in order to make sure he stayed healthy all season. The end result was Delmas' first ever 16-game season in the NFL. He picked off 3 passes during the season, but he graded out lower on PFF than Quin (a +2.0 for Delmas vs. a +6.7 for Quin). Delmas was quite good at times, but his inconsistency was a bit of an issue for the Lions.</p>
<p><b><span>Don Carey</span> - 14 games (3 starts) | 30 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 PD, 0 INT, 1 FF</b></p>
<p>Carey didn't fare well on PFF with an ugly -7.6 grade, but the Lions recently <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/7/5286524/don-carey-contract-lions">gave him with a three-year extension</a>. They seem to view Carey as a solid special teams contributor and a good backup in the secondary. Carey was called upon to fill in at nickelback toward the end of the season, and he can also fill in at safety if needed. While his PFF grade obviously wasn't good, the Lions value Carey's versatility as a backup.</p>
<p><b><span>DeJon Gomes</span> - 16 games (0 starts) | 9 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>Gomes saw a very limited amount of snaps at safety this past season. The majority of his playing time was on special teams, and PFF gave him a +3.0 grade for his contributions on the coverage units. That put him in a tie for the best special teams grade on the Lions if you take kicker, punter and returner out of the equation.</p>
<p><b><span>John Wendling</span> - 16 games (0 starts) | 14 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>Wendling also received a +3.0 grade on PFF for his special teams work, and he actually only played a single defensive snap all season. Wendling was essentially exclusively a special teams player in 2013.</p>
<p><b><span>Akwasi Owusu-Ansah</span> - 1 game (0 starts) | </b><b>0 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>The Lions added Owusu-Ansah from their practice squad at the very end of the year, and he played strictly on special teams in Detroit's season finale.</p>
<p><b><span></span></b></p>
<p><i>Previously: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/22/5292764/detroit-lions-roster-review-quarterback"><i>Quarterback</i></a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5302116/detroit-lions-roster-review-running-back">running back</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5302118/detroit-lions-roster-review-wide-receiver">wide receiver</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5340706/detroit-lions-roster-review-tight-end">tight end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5351732/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-tackle">offensive tackle</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">offensive guard</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">center</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/4/5362016/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-end">defensive end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/5/5378200/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-tackle">defensive tackle</a>, </i><i><i><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/11/5384644/detroit-lions-roster-review-linebacker">linebacker</a></i>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/12/5387302/detroit-lions-roster-review-cornerback">cornerback</a></i></p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/13/5399970/detroit-lions-roster-review-safetySean Yuille2014-02-12T13:00:01-05:002014-02-12T13:00:01-05:00A look back at our 2013 Lions predictions
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<figcaption>Leon Halip</figcaption>
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<p>How accurate were our 2013 predictions for the Detroit Lions? Let's take a look back at our picks from before the season.</p> <p>Before this past season began, Pride Of Detroit's writers <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/3/4690292/detroit-lions-predictions-2013">put together various predictions</a> for how things would play out in 2013. POD readers also made various predictions by voting in polls before the 2013 season kicked off, and below is a look back at how our picks from early September fared.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/3/4684788/detroit-lions-record-2013-poll/in/4454333">Lions' record</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b>10-6 led the way with 29 percent of the vote.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a> seemed well on their way to a 10-6 season after getting off to a 6-3 start, but they stumbled down the stretch and finished 7-9. Only 95 people (9 percent) voted that the Lions would go 7-9 in 2013.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/3/4686720/detroit-lions-jim-schwartz-job-poll/in/4454333">Jim Schwartz's job status</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b>65 percent of the voters thought Schwartz would still be the Lions' head coach in 2014.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>Schwartz was fired a day after the 2013 season came to a close. Had the Lions actually finished with a 10-6 record like most people expected before the season, chances are Schwartz would still be the head coach.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/3/4686750/detroit-lions-offensive-mvp-2013-poll/in/4454333">Offensive MVP</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b><span>Calvin Johnson</span> got 50 percent of the vote and was the clear winner. <span>Reggie Bush</span> and <span>Matthew Stafford</span> were a distant second and third with 22 and 20 percent of the vote.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>I think it's safe to say we got this one right. Johnson missed two games in 2013, and the Lions struggled to do much of anything on offense in those two games. The offense was really lost without Megatron, and he was pretty clearly their most valuable player on that side of the ball.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/4/4686828/detroit-lions-defensive-mvp-2013-poll/in/4454333">Defensive MVP</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b><span>Ndamukong Suh</span> ran away with this poll even more than Johnson did for the offensive category. Suh received 55 percent of the vote, and second place was <span>Nick Fairley</span> with a mere 13 percent.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>Suh is a fine choice for defensive MVP, but you could make a strong case for <span>DeAndre Levy</span> as well. Interestingly, Levy wasn't even included in our poll from before the season, although 4 percent of the vote did go to the "Other" category. I guess that just shows how surprising Levy's outstanding season was. Nobody really saw it coming back in early September.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/5/4686928/detroit-lions-special-teams-mvp-2013-poll/in/4454333">Special teams MVP</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b>67 percent of the vote went to Sam Martin. David Akers came in second with 14 percent.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>Just like the defensive MVP category with Suh, Martin is a fine choice for special teams MVP. You could also make a strong case for <span>Jeremy Ross</span>, who obviously was not included in our poll from before the season. That's because he was with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.acmepackingcompany.com/">Green Bay Packers</a> at the time. His emergence after joining the Lions during the season was really a surprise.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/6/4686884/detroit-lions-breakout-offensive-player-2013-poll/in/4454333">Breakout offensive player</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b><span>Joique Bell</span> narrowly edged <span>Ryan Broyles</span> by a margin of 34-31 percent.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>Bell had another solid season, so that part of the prediction was pretty good, but Broyles had a pretty disappointing 2013 after suffering another serious injury. <span>Dominic Raiola</span> deserves some recognition for the breakout season he had, but his outstanding performance was another complete surprise considering he wasn't even on our radar for this category before the season.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/7/4687020/detroit-lions-breakout-defensive-player-2013-poll/in/4454333">Breakout defensive player</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b>Fairley won the poll with 34 percent of the vote, and none of the other players really came close to that mark.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>Levy was the clear winner for this category given how much he elevated his game in 2013. Once again, he was not even included in the poll from before the season, but we're definitely taking notice of him now. Well done, Mr. Levy.</p>
<h4><a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2013/9/7/4687046/detroit-lions-rookie-of-the-year-2013-poll/in/4454333">Rookie of the year</a></h4>
<p><b>How we voted: </b><span>Ziggy Ansah</span> edged <span>Darius Slay</span> by a margin of 32-28 percent to win this poll.</p>
<p><b>In reality: </b>Ansah had a solid first season in the NFL, and he led all rookies in sacks. Slay... not so much. Regardless, the real winner here was <span>Larry Warford</span>, so well done to the 27 of you who actually voted for him before the season.</p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/12/5384830/2013-lions-predictionsSean Yuille2014-02-12T11:00:08-05:002014-02-12T11:00:08-05:00Lions roster review: Cornerback
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<figcaption>Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look back at how the Detroit Lions' cornerbacks performed in 2013.</p> <p><i>As part of our season wrap-up series, we are going to examine how each player on the roster performed in 2013. Next, let's take a look at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>' cornerbacks.</i></p>
<p><b><span>Chris Houston</span> - 12 games (12 starts) | 44 tackles, 1 TFL, 9 PD, 2 INT</b></p>
<p>Houston had a rough season, to say the least. After playing extremely well in 2012 and earning a new five-year deal, Houston was supposed to be the Lions' No. 1 cornerback. However, he faded pretty quickly after a good start to the 2013 season. He ended up finishing with a -8.1 grade on <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.prideofdetroit.com%2F2014%2F2%2F12%2F5387302%2Fdetroit-lions-roster-review-cornerback" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Pro Football Focus</a>, and he routinely got burned by opposing wide receivers. Some of his struggles could be related to nagging injuries, and the Lions have to be hoping that was the case. They really need him to bounce back in 2014.</p>
<p><b><span>Rashean Mathis</span> - 15 games (13 starts) | 47 tackles, 2 TFL, 16 PD, 0 INT </b></p>
<p>The Lions didn't sign Mathis until mid-August, but he turned out to be their top cornerback by a wide margin in 2013. He led the team in passes defended, and he graded out as their top cornerback with a +5.8 mark on PFF. Mathis will be 34 next August, but he has likely earned himself another deal (in Detroit or somewhere else) given his consistently strong play in 2013.</p>
<p><b><span>Bill Bentley</span> - 13 games (5 starts) | 29 tackles, 3 TFL, 5 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>Bentley served as the Lions' starting nickelback when he was healthy. He had a few solid performances in 2013, as well as several rough games. The end result was a -5.1 grade on PFF. He showed a lot of potential at times, but the Lions could have used more consistency out of Bentley. (That statement really applies to the cornerback position in general, though.)</p>
<p><b><span>Darius Slay</span> - 13 games (4 starts) | 34 tackles, 1 TFL, 6 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>Slay had a tough rookie season. He lost his starting job on multiple occasions early in the season before the Lions decided that Mathis was the better option moving forward. Through the first 12 weeks of the season, Slay actually had a dismal -10.4 grade on PFF. However, he put together an excellent performance on Thanksgiving, and after missing a month because of an injury, he came back and had a decent game in the Lions' season finale. This resulted in him finishing with a -7.0 grade on PFF. That's obviously not good, but hopefully the way he played in his final two games of 2013 will turn out to be a sign of things to come.</p>
<p><b><span>Jonte Green</span> - 9 games (2 starts) | 9 tackles, 0 TFL, 3 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>Green had a tough time breaking into the lineup at cornerback. He got some playing time in Week 4 and did an admirable job (a +1.5 on PFF in a limited amount of snaps), but he didn't play on defense again until Week 15. Injuries piled up at cornerback, and he was forced to play nearly every snap in back-to-back weeks. He recorded a -1.8 and -2.7 in those two games, which isn't exactly very good. Then again, he's got such a small sample size that it's tough to tell what kind of player he could be moving forward, especially with the Lions bringing in so many new coaches on defense.</p>
<p><b><span>Chris Greenwood</span> - 3 games (0 starts) | 6 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 0 INT</b></p>
<p>Greenwood also has a very small sample size. He spent a few weeks with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/">Dallas Cowboys</a> after they signed him off the Lions' practice squad, but he returned to Detroit after he was released. At the end of the season, the Lions promoted him to their 53-man roster, and Greenwood got an excellent +2.9 grade on PFF for his play against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>. He only received a -0.6 in a limited amount of snaps a week later, but Greenwood flashed some potential. He is yet another young cornerback for the Lions who could see a bigger opportunity in 2014 with a new coaching staff in place.</p>
<p><b><span></span></b></p>
<p><i>Previously: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/22/5292764/detroit-lions-roster-review-quarterback"><i>Quarterback</i></a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5302116/detroit-lions-roster-review-running-back">running back</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5302118/detroit-lions-roster-review-wide-receiver">wide receiver</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5340706/detroit-lions-roster-review-tight-end">tight end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5351732/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-tackle">offensive tackle</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">offensive guard</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">center</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/4/5362016/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-end">defensive end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/5/5378200/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-tackle">defensive tackle</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/11/5384644/detroit-lions-roster-review-linebacker">linebacker</a></i></p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/12/5387302/detroit-lions-roster-review-cornerbackSean Yuille2014-02-11T17:00:02-05:002014-02-11T17:00:02-05:00Lions roster review: Linebacker
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<figcaption>Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A look back at how the Detroit Lions' linebackers performed in 2013.</p> <p><i>As part of our season wrap-up series, we are going to examine how each player on the roster performed in 2013. Next, let's take a look at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>' linebackers.</i></p>
<p><b><span>DeAndre Levy</span> - 16 games (16 starts) | 119 tackles, 8 TFL, 15 PD, 6 INT, 0 FF, 0 FR, 1 TD</b></p>
<p>Levy put together a career season and was one of the Lions' top overall players in 2013. He became an interception machine, and if not for an untimely penalty by <span>Ndamukong Suh</span> on one of his picks, Levy would have had two touchdowns last season. Generally speaking, he really took a big step forward as a linebacker, and the Lions definitely made the right move by re-signing him over <span>Justin Durant</span> last year.</p>
<p><b><span>Stephen Tulloch</span> - 16 games (16 starts) | 135 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 8 TFL, 2 PD, 1 INT, 0 FF, 0 FR</b></p>
<p>Tulloch had a pretty solid season. He once again led the Lions in tackles, and he recorded a career high in sacks with 3.5. Tulloch was only able to produce a single turnover, but he was one of the Lions' top defenders in 2013.</p>
<p><b><span>Ashlee Palmer</span> - 16 games (10 starts) | 33 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 PD, 0 FF, 1 FR</b></p>
<p>Palmer was technically a starter at outside linebacker for the Lions, but you wouldn't necessarily know that by looking at his snap counts. The Lions were in the nickel so much last season that Palmer was barely even on the field during certain games. And even when the Lions were a bit more balanced between their 4-3 look and nickel package, it's not like Palmer was playing nearly every snap in games. He was more of a situational player than a starter in 2013, and I suppose his stats reflect that.</p>
<p><b><span>Rocky McIntosh</span> - 16 games (0 starts) | 15 tackles, 1 TFL, 0 PD, 0 FF, 0 FR</b></p>
<p>McIntosh was mainly a special teams guy, although he made a few key plays on defense over the course of the season. In that regard, he was nice to have as extra depth at linebacker. The Lions were able to keep him on special teams for the most part, but if they needed an extra linebacker, he was always seemingly ready to come in and make a play.</p>
<p><b><span>Tahir Whitehead</span> - 16 games (0 starts) | 9 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 1 FF, 0 FR</b></p>
<p>Whitehead was strictly a special teams player for the Lions in 2013. He did a good enough job that his teammates <a target="_blank" href="http://www.detroitlions.com/news/lions-insider/article-1/Tahir-Whitehead-named-Yale-Lary-Special-Teams-Most-Valuable-Player/5eb09fbf-ec12-4ed1-88bb-dde92667d2fe">voted him the special teams MVP</a>, and that's obviously a good thing. As a defensive player, though, he was unable to beat out Palmer for the starting job at left outside linebacker in training camp, and at this point the chances of him developing into a regular contributor on defense don't seem great. Then again, perhaps that will change with a new position coach and defensive coordinator in 2014.</p>
<p><b><span>Travis Lewis</span> - 12 games (0 starts) | 6 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 0 FF, 0 FR</b></p>
<p>Lewis was also strictly a special teams guy, but he didn't receive the same kind of accolades as Whitehead. Actually, Lewis was suspended for the final four games of the season after violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, so the lack of accolades was no surprise. He really needs to improve this offseason to remain on the team going forward.</p>
<p><b><span>Julian Stanford</span> - 4 games (0 starts) | 3 tackles, 0 TFL, 0 PD, 0 FF, 0 FR</b></p>
<p>Stanford was brought in toward the end of the year to fill a hole on special teams following Lewis' suspension. He made 3 tackles in the final quarter of the season, and there's not really much else to say about him beyond that.</p>
<p><b><span>Cory Greenwood</span> - 0 games (0 starts)</b></p>
<p>The Lions claimed Greenwood off waivers last offseason, and he had an excellent first couple weeks of training camp. Unfortunately, an injury resulted in him landing on IR, and he missed the entire 2013 season. If healthy in 2014, Greenwood could be a threat for a roster spot based on his abilities on special teams.</p>
<p><i>Previously: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/22/5292764/detroit-lions-roster-review-quarterback"><i>Quarterback</i></a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/23/5302116/detroit-lions-roster-review-running-back">running back</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/27/5302118/detroit-lions-roster-review-wide-receiver">wide receiver</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/1/29/5340706/detroit-lions-roster-review-tight-end">tight end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/1/5351732/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-tackle">offensive tackle</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">offensive guard</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/3/5354474/detroit-lions-roster-review-offensive-guard-center">center</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/4/5362016/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-end">defensive end</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/5/5378200/detroit-lions-roster-review-defensive-tackle">defensive tackle</a></i></p>
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https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/11/5384644/detroit-lions-roster-review-linebackerSean Yuille