NFL: Detroit Lions will be in the playoffs in 2014 if…

And: The Detroit defense adds a little roar to its resume. Similar to the offensive side of the football, this is a unit with talent but somehow hasn’t live up to its billing.

Here we will focus on the front seven. The tackle spots are manned by Pro Bowler Ndamukong Suh as well as talented Nick Fairley, while well-traveled Jason Jones and second-year pro Ziggy Ansah are the ends. The latter was the team’s first pick in the 2013 draft and the fifth overall selection that year and he showed enormous promise by totaling a team-high eight sacks and a pair of forced fumbles in just 14 games.

Productive linebackers Stephen Tulloch and De’Andre Levy could be joined this year by a new face in the starting lineup courtesy of Ansah’s former teammate at BYU. Second-round pick Kyle Van Noy has the ability to add a big-play presence that the club has lacked as of late.

How so? After totaling 44 sacks in 2010, the team has seen a decrease in production in this department every year since, amassing only 33 sacks this past season. And after forcing an impressive 34 turnovers during the team’s 10-6 campaign in 2011, the Lions have totaled a mere 39 takeaways in their last 32 regular-season games and forged an 11-21 record in those outings.