NFL Notebook: The Lions might be good

The bandwagon, abandoned for more than a decade, is filling rapidly. Every day another network pundit, another national magazine, another fortune teller predicts big things for the Detroit Lions in 2011.

No one has gone so far as to put the Lions in the Super Bowl, but predictions of a 10-win season and a playoff appearance are common. And when a team has not been to the postseason since 1999, the talk of playoffs is heavy stuff.

But it always comes with a qualifier: If Matthew Stafford stays healthy

That is the great worry hanging over the Lions. That is the dreaded thing-bound-to-go-wrong for a franchise where things always go wrong. But Stafford isnt worried. He is healthy and confident and ready for what he believes will be a breakthrough season.

If Im healthy and out there, I feel like I can execute at a high level, Stafford told USA Today. We have enough weapons at this point in our offense where we can attack all over the field and really be successful.

No one has ever questioned Staffords talent. The 6-2, 230-pound former Georgia star was the first pick in the 2009 draft. He is a big, strong kid who can make all the throws. Ironically, one of his biggest assets was his durability. He never missed a game in seven years of high school and college ball.

It wasnt until he came to the NFL that he started getting hurt. As a rookie, he injured his left shoulder. Last season, he separated his right (throwing) shoulder. He has started only 13 of a possible 32 regular season games. But Stafford spent this off-season working out and getting stronger and he feels ready to put those injury concerns to rest.

It is frustrating, but it is part of football, Stafford said. Ive got great teammates and great coaches (who) kept pushing me along and helped me get through this. I can just go out there this year and play all 16 games and feel good.

The Lions won all four pre-season games (St. Louis is the only other team to finish the pre-season unbeaten) and they finished last season by winning their last four games so they are on a roll. Were not talking dynasty but when you consider the team was 0-16 just three years ago this is at least a start.

Two weeks ago the Lions pummeled New England, 34-10. It was just a pre-season game but there was something about the way the Lions bullied the Patriots and sent Tom Brady off the field shaking his head that got our attention.

Stafford was very sharp, directing a hurry-up offense and leading the Lions to scores on three long drives. He completed 12 of 14 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns in less than a half. More importantly, he walked off the field in one piece.

In his three pre-season games, Stafford is 24 for 31 passing for 356 yards and three touchdowns. His passer rating is 154, just 4.3 short of perfect. It appears he is ready to become the franchise quarterback the Lions were looking for when they drafted him.

The Lions had setbacks with first round pick Nick Fairley and second round pick Mikel Leshoure going down with injuries. Fairley, a defensive tackle, had foot surgery but will be return in a few weeks. Leshoure is lost for the year with a torn Achilles. Still, it did nothing to dim the optimism around the team.

I see great things for this football team, great things, said head coach Jim Schwartz.

The Lions have an interesting regular season opener. They face another hungry NFC up-and-comer, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

K.C. worries?
The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the feel-good stories of the 2010 season. A proud franchise that had fallen on hard times rebounded to win the AFC West with a 10-6 record.

It was a downer when they lost in the first round of the playoffs, falling at home to wild card Baltimore 30-7, but coach Todd Haley felt confident the team would come into this season and build on last years success. So far it hasnt happened.

The Chiefs were a feeble 0-4 in the pre-season. They were outscored 90 to 42 and the No. 1 offense could not produce a touchdown. Haley used the old we werent game-planning excuse for awhile but by the end even he admitted there were problems.

Haley expressed confidence in his key playersquarterback Matt Cassel, running back Jamaal Charles and wide receiver Dwayne Boweand said they would be ready for the regular season, but the overall poor execution has K.C. fans worried.

Here is another worry: As a division winner, the Chiefs got a tougher schedule for 2011. They have home games against last years Super Bowl teams, Green Bay and Pittsburgh, as well as road games in Detroit, Indianapolis, New England, Chicago and the Jets.
A sad note
Ray Abruzzese, a South Philadelphia native who played five seasons in the American Football League, passed away on August 22. He was 73 and living in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl., when he died.

Abruzzese attended South Philadelphia High School and the University of Alabama where he played on the 1961 National Championship team coached by Paul Bear Bryant. He was drafted by Buffalo in the AFL and spent three seasons with the Bills as a defensive back and kick returner. He was traded to the New York Jets in 1965.

Abruzzese was credited with helping to lure Joe Namath to the AFL. In those days, the NFL and AFL were rival leagues and competed for players. Namath was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the NFL and the Jets in the AFL. Abruzzese and Namath were friends from their Alabama days and Abruzzese felt he could convince Namath to sign with the Jets if they could be teammates.

A deal was worked out between the Bills and Jets with Abruzzese being traded to New York and, as the story goes, he sold Namath on signing with the AFL. Of course, the 400,000 that owner Sonny Werblin put on the table probably appealed to Namath, too. Anyway, Abruzzese and Namath roomed together and became partners in the Manhattan night spot Bachelors III.

Abruzzese is a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame and the South Philadelphia High School Hall of Fame. He is survived by his wife Patricia and three sisters.

E-mail Ray Didinger at viewfromthehall@comcast.net.