Not that long ago the Detroit Lions were a laughingstock, finishing the 2008 season without a single win. Those days are long gone now. With a stud receiver in Calvin Johnson and a quarterback in Matthew Stafford approaching elite levels, Detroit has a pair of stars on offense who are still getting better.

They’re complemented by talented skill players like Brandon Pettigrew, Titus Young and, if he can overcome his injuries, the exciting Jahvid Best. And on defense, Cliff Avril, Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh star on a defensive line that anchors a fast-improving unit that helped the Lions finish 10-6 while earning their first playoff berth since 1999.

There are still improvements to be made, but this is a team built for sustained success. So how do they get to the next level? Zac Snyder, editor of the SideLion Report, shared some of his thoughts. Here’s what he had to say:

Zoneblitz: With Mikel Leshoure missing the season and Jahvid Best’s future uncertain, what does the future of Detroit’s run game look like?

Zac Snyder: That’s been a hot topic in Detroit and a lot of speculation has centered around whether or not the Lions will use a draft pick on a running back in April. I’ve been of the position that the future of the team’s running game has more to do with upgrading the offensive line (Peter Konz is my early favorite for the Lions at pick 23). The good news is that the organization seems confident both players will return healthy and keeping Kevin Smith around will with depth at running back.

Zoneblitz: Matthew Stafford attempted more regular season passes than any other quarterback. Is that safe given his injury history?

Snyder: Absolutely. The rate at which the Lions threw the ball has nothing to do with his injury history. The team was never concerned with Stafford being injury prone and he rewarded their faith this past year.

Zoneblitz: The Lions offensive line was pretty solid in protecting Stafford in 2011, but a couple of those guys, particularly Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola, are getting up there in age. What are your thoughts on the line as a need going forward?

Snyder: The Lions do not have an in-house replacement for Raiola and one of the reasons I’d like to see them come away with Konz in the drafts is that he can push for playing time at guard while waiting to step in for Raiola. The picture is less clear at left tackle. The Lions drafted Jason Fox a couple years ago but injury problems have held him back. I’m not sure that the Lions are in the market for another developmental left tackle but they could certainly draft a guy that they really like. Backus is set to become a free agent although the team is likely to retain him.

Zoneblitz: Can Stafford and Calvin Johnson match the production they put forth in 2011 and how do you assess the development of the supporting cast of guys around those two, particularly Brandon Pettigrew and Titus Young?

Snyder: I believe Stafford and Johnson can keep it going because nothing they did last year was a trick or gimmick. CJ showed he is truly an elite receiver and Stafford put himself on the cusp of the same label. Pettigrew and Young (and Nate Burleson) give Stafford more targets and defenses more to think about beyond Calvin Johnson. That’s good for everyone involved.

Zoneblitz: With Kyle Vanden Bosch, Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh, this defense is clearly built around its line. Yet soon-to-be free agent defensive end Cliff Avril led the team in sacks. Will he be back?

Snyder: I think so. The team and Avril both seem to want to stay together and they’ve downplayed concerns over cap space. The Lions don’t want to have to use the franchise tag but they’ve said that it is a better option than going on without Avril so I don’t see him suiting up for anyone else next year.

Zoneblitz: Suh is getting a bit of a bad reputation around football for his temper and in-game actions. As a Lions fan and someone who covers the team closely, is the reputation warranted and what is Suh like to deal with?

Snyder: It’s hard to argue that the reputation isn’t warranted after his stomp on Thanksgiving Day but the on-field incidents are unfortunate because he comes across as a different person off the field. He’s a respectful and somewhat quiet guy off the field.

Zoneblitz: The Lions’ defensive backs were exposed in season-ending losses to Green Bay and New Orleans. Is that a seasoning issue or do the Lions need to revamp the secondary?

Snyder: It would be easy to blow the whole thing up in response to the final two games but that would be an overreaction. The Lions will look to upgrade where they can but they won’t throw the baby out with the bath water. What gets overlooked is that the Lions played one of their best defensive games on Christmas Eve against the Chargers – the game before the two-game stretch that looked so bad.

Zoneblitz: The Lions have made a remarkable turnaround over the last couple seasons. What does the team have to do to now make a deep run in the playoffs?

Snyder: They need to continue adding talent and building consistency. They have a nice base to build on that can grow together as more pieces are added.

Zoneblitz: What would you like to see the Lions do in free agency and the draft?

Snyder: I would love to see them retain Stephen Tulloch and Jeff Backus. I would be happy to see Avril return as well. I don’t foresee them having the cap space to make a big splash so they’ll likely be in play for some value-guys once the frenzy quiets down. As for the draft, I’m just really excited to see how it plays out. The front office has built up trust through their previous drafts so I’m content to sit back and watch.

Zoneblitz: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Snyder: I’d like to encourage football fans to watch the Lions and make a judgment for themselves instead of grasping on to media memes. The Lions got a reputation for being a dirty team based on the number of personal fouls they committed but I think people that actually watched the plays in question would feel differently.

Follow SideLion Report on Twitter at: @SideLionReport
Follow Zoneblitz on Twitter at: @ZoneblitzCom

Previous In Depth: Atlanta Falcons
Next In Depth: Pittsburgh Steelers