Lions look to dole out a few bruises

It has long been called the "Black and Blue Division" of the National Football League. It's the color of bruises, you see. They don't play kissy-face in the NFC North, not on the frozen tundra in Green Bay or against the harsh lakefront where they grow linebackers in Chicago or in Minnesota, where they wear purple and defenders figuratively eat people.

It has been a long time since the Detroit Lions lived up to the division in which they play. It has been an equally long time since they had a coach who set out to do something about it.

Sure, he has one of the league's most promising young quarterbacks in Matthew Stafford. Sure, he has a premier receiver in Calvin Johnson. Sure, he has a new running back, Jahvid Best, who has drawn the occasional comparison, albeit far too prematurely, to Barry Sanders.

But if the Lions are to improve, if they are to be in any way, shape, or form feared by the rest of the Black and Blue, second-year coach Jim Schwartz knows it starts on defense.

A year ago, the Lions ranked last among 32 teams in defense for the third consecutive season, and while Schwartz maintained a neutral, arms-crossed presence on the sideline, he didn't attempt to hide his distaste in candid talks with the media and certainly behind closed doors.

A former defensive coordinator in Tennessee, where the Titans regularly stuffed the run and put quarterbacks down, Schwartz spent the offseason rebuilding his defense up front, in the trenches and on the edges.

Long before the Lions spent their No. 2 overall draft pick on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the pillar upon which the team hopes everything will revolve for many seasons, Schwartz signed free agent tackle Corey Williams and, most importantly, one of his former stars in Tennessee, defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch.

In four years with the Packers and two with the Browns, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Williams had 199 total tackles and 21 sacks. Vanden Bosch (6-4, 278), an eight-year veteran, came with 344 career tackles and 42 1/2 sacks. The lone holdover to the front four is end Cliff Avril.

Schwartz also cleaned house among cornerbacks, and if safety Louis Delmas stays healthy it is a secondary that could create far more turnovers than a year ago.

Order playoff tickets? Goodness no, not so fast. The Lions are probably still a last-place team. They open with three of four on the road, and all three of those away games are against the Black and Blue. They're a number of holes and a draft or two away from even thinking about the playoffs, but it figures opponents finally will walk away with some of the bruises.

NFC North: Brett Favre and Vikings can't be as charmed this time around. 1. Green Bay, 12-4; 2. Minnesota, 10-6; 3. Chicago 7-9; 4. Detroit, 6-10.

NFC East: No question, the toughest top-to-bottom division in the NFL. 1. Dallas, 10-6; 2. Washington, 9-7; 3. NY Giants, 8-8; 4. Philadelphia, 8-8.

NFC South: The Saints are still marching through this division. 1. New Orleans, 11-5; 2. Atlanta, 10-6; 3. Carolina, 6-10; 4. Tampa Bay, 4-12.

NFC West: Derek Anderson beat out Matt Leinart? Really? 1. San Francisco, 8-8; 2. Arizona, 7-9; 3. St. Louis, 5-11; 4. Seattle, 5-11.

NFC Wild-Card Round: Dallas d. Atlanta; Minnesota d. San Francisco.

NFC Divisional Round: Green Bay d. Dallas; New Orleans d. Minnesota.

NFC Championship: Green Bay d. New Orleans.

Contact Blade sports columnist Dave Hackenberg at: dhack@theblade.com or 419-724-6398.