To put it plainly, Detroit Lions fans have suffered. It wasn't too long ago that they were presented with a winless season. But the fans stayed strong, kept cheering their team, removed the bags from their heads and even started a petition to remove Nickelback from their Thanksgiving Day halftime show. That sort of devotion and pride demands respect.
Now look where they are. In a crowded NFC playoff race, the Lions went 11-5 to earn a spot in the Wild Card round. They were also just one game away from winning the NFC North, and that's saying a lot when you have Aaron Rodgers to deal with.
Under new head coach Jim Caldwell, the Lions offense wasn't the one-dimensional attack it was in the past and was far more balanced. Pair that with a stingy defensive front, and you have the makings of a Super Bowl contender, something Lions fans haven't been able to say since ... well, yeah.
Given all that, there is a feeling that the window to make a deep playoff run could be closing in sooner rather than later. Ndamukong Suh's future is a huge concern. Distraction or not, Suh's the foundation of an elite defense (2014's top rushing defense and second only to Seattle in yards allowed). His future could determine the Lions' 2015 season.
Dynamic Duo
There was a time when the Lions' strategy was to throw down field to Calvin Johnson and watch the magic happen. It worked, but it was their only strategy. He was/is that good.
What helped the passing attack the most this season was Golden Tate. In his first season as a Lion, Tate proved that he's not only a great compliment to Johnson, but he can carry a heavier load, averaging 116 yards a game with Johnson on the sideline.
Slow down, I'm not saying he's better than Megatron. Johnson has a combination of size, speed and strength that is simply unfair. He's made Pro Bowl level DBs look foolish with man-to-man coverage. But, he'll turn 30 this coming season, which means his speed could begin to decline. There's also the injuries to consider.
Tate provides a great one-two punch at receiver that Detroit has been missing. Tate is talented enough to take advantage of single coverage since Megatron will attract the most attention. If Johnson can stay healthy next season, you're looking at what might be the best pair of deep threats in the league. One that would be a big boon to Matthew Stafford.
Trio of runners
Lions fans are pretty familiar with the duo of Joique Bell and Reggie Bush by now. They're an effective pair in a league that's seeing more teams go with running back committees.
But the 2014 season was a little different. Bush got the most starts again, but also missed five games and never quite got going. Bell did most of the damage out of the backfield with over 1,100 total yards. And there was also Theo Riddick. He didn't do much between the tackles but was a solid pass option in the redzone, catching 316 yards and four touchdowns.
Shouldering most of the load, Bell was able to establish a consistent rushing attack, which produced better results when Megatron wasn't sidelined, which helped spread the field.
Whether Bush or Bell is getting the starts in 2015, the Lions' running game is bound to bring an attack that will take advantage of defenses focusing on stopping the pass.
That defense, though
As mentioned before, the Lions defense is outstanding. Yes, there is a question about Suh's future as he's a crucial cog to that machine. But solely focusing on Suh is a discredit to the other players that put in great seasons.
Linebacker DeAndre Levy was everywhere in 2014. He led the team in tackles with 151. That's just two behind league leader Luke Kuechly. He's shown an ability to defend the pass as well. With Levy, the Lions have a player that will make offenses think twice before attacking up the middle.
The Lions had some solid playmakers in the secondary as well. Glover Quin led the league in interceptions with seven and James Ihedigbo had four of his own. A defense that's this solid and can create turnovers is a scary combination.
There you have it, Lions fans. Even if Suh goes elsewhere, you still have a solid defense, even if it's not the shutdown D of 2014. Increase the turnover rate and pair that with one of the NFL's best aerial attacks, and this team is a serious contender to top the extremely competitive NFC North. Stafford could be in for a heck of a season.
Daniel Williams is a Digital Features Editor at NFL.com. You can follow him on Twitter _@danielwilliams_.
