5 Things The Detroit Lions Need To Be Successful In 2015

By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins

Here we are again. It's almost August and the NFL machine is about to begin turning once again.

Training Camp opens for the Detroit Lions on August 3, seven months after suffering a heartbreaking Playoff loss at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.

However, that season is over and it's time to look forward. Let's start by looking at some of the most important acquisitions and departures the teams has seen this offseason.

Key Acquisitions

DT Haloti Ngata
DT Tyrunn Walker
CB Josh Wilson
OT Laken Tomlinson
RB Ameer Abdullah

Key Departures

DT Ndamukong Suh
DE George Johnson
RB Reggie Bush
FB Jed Collins
DT C.J. Mosley

With the loss of Suh -- especially -- many people believe the Lions will be far away from the 11-5 record they posted in 2014. Perhaps rightfully so -- many of the same issues remain, but the defense should still be pretty good.

Here's a look at just five of the things that the Lions need to do in order to be successful in 2015:

5. Establish a running game

The Lions ranked 28th in the NFL in rushing yards in 2014. The only teams worse were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders. Michigan-native Joique Bell carried the load almost exclusively (56 percent of team carries) as Reggie Bush was on and off the field all season with nagging injuries.

The Lions cut Bush and in an attempt to move forward, drafted Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. In today's NFL, you need a diverse running game to be successful, unless you have a superstar running back. Look at the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots: true, most of their offense revolves around Tom Brady, but they also had three players with more than 88 carries on the season in 2014.

The Lions made strides to improve their running game, drafting Abdullah along with offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson, but it will have to come together on the field for the team to be productive.

4. Calvin Johnson needs to stay healthy

Calvin Johnson will turn 30 before the beginning of the next NFL season, so it's safe to say that his best football is behind him. However, the more he's on the field, the better the Lions are. Johnson missed three games in 2014, and the Lions surprisingly won all of them thanks to the emergence of Golden Tate.

[MORE: Calvin Johnson Not Expecting Age, Injuries To Slow Him This Season]

But the fact remains that the Lions are just better with Megatron on the field. Whether he's used as a decoy or a home run threat, Johnson is still an elite wide receiver in the NFL and the Lions need to continue making it a priority to get him the ball.

Even missing three games and being a non-factor in two others (two targets against the New York Jets and one target against the Buffalo Bills), Johnson was able to collect his fifth straight 1,000 yard season (1,077).

3. Get the ball to Golden Tate

As good as Calvin Johnson is, the Lions have another legitimate receiving threat on their squad. Golden Tate would be the No. 1 wide receiver on the vast majority of NFL teams, it just so happens that he plays alongside Megatron.

In the first nine games of last season, Tate averaged 101 receiving yards per game on 10.3 targets per game. The Lions were 7-2 in those games.

In the final seven games the Lions posted a 4-3 record, and Tate's those numbers dropped to 60.3 receiving yards on 7.3 targets per game.

Most of Tate's numbers in the first half of the season were inflated, however, because of Johnson's ailing ankle. Tate filled in well during the three games Johnson missed, catching 24 passes and averaging 116.3 yards per game.

2. Solid production from the offensive line

The Detroit Lions have a talented, though young offensive line. LaAdrian Waddle, Larry Warford, Riley Reiff, Travis Swanson and newcomer Laken Tomlinson will likely comprise the Lions' O-line this season -- all of whom are 26-years-old or younger. Losing veterans Dominic Raiola and Rob Sims will put pressure on the young guns to perform early.

"It's going to be a fun one, but we're going to have some young guys up front," Matthew Stafford said after the team's OTA practice on June 4. "It'll be a lot of fun just communicating and trying to make sure that we're all on the same page doing the right thing as much as we possibly can. I think that's going to be a big one for us and for me personally."

1. Matthew Stafford needs to be elite

This one is plain and simple -- it's a quarterback league and time is running out for Matthew Stafford to live up to his potential. Lions fans all know the story: he's a former No.1 overall draft pick who the team signed to a three-year, $53 million contract extension in 2013.

The old story of injuries is over. Stafford has started 16 games in every season over the last four years. Stafford backers will be quick to flash his gaudy numbers in defense (I mean, he does have a 5,000 yard season).

But it's not the statistics that Stafford needs to approve upon -- it's his decision-making. He has two of the best wide receivers in football at his disposal and needs to do a better job of knowing when to use each one. Although, a lot of that can also be pinned on offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.

There is no doubt that the Lions go as Stafford goes, and if they want to succeed in 2015 or any season in the future, he need to be the focal point.

What do you think? Do you agree with this list? Let us know what you think the most important thing for the Lions is going to be in 2015 in the poll below.