The Good
Oh, stop laughing. Things may have finished on a downward spiral but that’s no reason to ignore all the fun times we had! You don’t win nine games against anybody without some stretches of good play. These are the guys that made it happen.
Team MVP/Offensive Player of the Year
Drumroll, please…..
Because if Matthew Stafford isn’t your answer, get out. Close the page, find another team to root for and follow a different site. The Lions might have won two games this year with a different quarterback. Forget the NFL record eight fourth quarter comebacks. Forget the 65.3 completion percentage, the 4,327 yards, and the 24 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. Those numbers don’t come close to putting into context the season Stafford delivered for the Lions. The Lions had no run game. Bottom of the NFL. Sketchy offensive line play. More drops than the stock market. No defense. Worst in the NFL by advanced metrics. This was a team that had Stafford and a whole lotta nothin’. He carried this Lions team to each of those nine wins and an unlikely playoff berth they had no business earning. Without Stafford, this team is picking in the top five of the draft. Stop hating.
Defensive Player of the Year
Darius Slay is living up to the Big Play moniker he wants to be known by. While an embarrassing Lions defense didn’t offer many deserving candidates, make no mistake, Slay earned it this season. He has truly blossomed into the shut-down corner the Lions hoped they were getting when drafting him out of Mississippi State and of course when signing him to a huge contract extension in the offseason. He’s taken his game to another level both in coverage and as a tackler. He singlehandedly swung an early season game against Philadelphia when forcing a fumble that led to the Lions game-winning score. He sealed the Eagles fate minutes later with a game-ending interception. The next step for Slay is trying to limit the nagging injuries that have kept him off the field at times.
Rookie of the Year
They’ll never tell you now, but many questioned the Taylor Decker pick at 16th overall. Most thought he was better suited to right tackle in the NFL and fans questioned whether he would be an upgrade over incumbent Reilly Reiff. The early returns weren’t promising but Matthew Stafford survived those few extra blindside hits and eventually, Decker really came into his own locking down the left tackle spot. He seemed to get better each week and looks like a possible mainstay on the left side for the next ten years. He needs to grow more consistent, especially as a run blocker but those things will come in time. As a rookie, Decker was thrown in the fire day one and performed better than any reasonable expectations. If he continues his upward trend for the next few years, he’ll become one of the NFL’s elite left tackles.
Special Teams Player(s) of the Year
I’m cheating but it’s not my fault. Matt Prater and Sam Martin are both among the best at what they do in the NFL and the dynamic duo is irreplaceable for the Lions. Martin was third in the NFL for punt average and second in net yards per punt. He constantly flipped the field for Detroit and played a big albeit subtle role in Detroit’s run to the playoffs. His punts are as controlled as they are strong with only three of his 62 punts landing in the end zone for touchbacks. There’s nothing subtle about Prater’s rocket leg and his impact is well known among Lions faithful. His clutchness is unquestioned, rivaled only by his quarterback’s, and his range near limitless. Prater was perfect on field goals longer than fifty yards this season and has never missed a game-tying or go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter or overtime during his entire career. This jaw-dropping 58-yard missile that saved the day and the Lions season in Minnesota won’t be soon forgotten. He’s a weapon capable of changing the team’s approach and a critical part of the Lions nine victories this season. Here’s to the duo booming kicks in Honolulu Blue for many years.
Comeback Player of the Year
A third-round pick out of Kentucky in 2013, Larry Warford exceeded all expectations his rookie season. An immediate starter for the Lions at right guard, Warford didn’t give up a single sack and played like a ten-year veteran. That fantastic rookie year was all but forgotten as he battled through injuries and poor play the last couple seasons. When he was healthy enough to start, Warford looked nothing like the dominant guard he flashed the potential to be. Coming into 2016, his starting job and his future with the team were in jeopardy. Despite rotating parts and a subpar Lions offensive line, Warford was a bright spot locking down his guard spot once again. He was the Lions most consistent blocker and the only lineman with real push in the run game. Once again, Warford looks like the future of the position but the Lions will have to make him a priority in free agency if they wish to keep him.
Biggest Surprise
Even most avid fans had no idea who Kerry Hyder was before his breakout season with the Lions this year. The undrafted free agent was signed by the Jets in 2014, stashed on their practice squad, and never heard from again. Until this year of course. The Jets moved on from Hyder and the Lions signed him to their own practice squad in 2015. Their directive was clear. Lose weight and switch to defensive end. A long shot to make the 2016 roster, Hyder had a great preseason performance capped by a three sack final game. It was enough to make the Lions roster but that was just the beginning. Hyder posted two sacks in the season opener helping the Lions to a narrow win in Indianapolis. He would finish the season with eight sacks, highest on the team. With Ziggy Ansah battling through injuries, Hyder was a much needed lone bright spot on the defensive line. Every Lions fan knows Kerry Hyder now.
Best Beast Mode Impression
Rest In Peace Perrish Cox.
