Most Detroit Lions fans coming off a playoff season which ended due to a very debatable call in the Wildcard game against the Dallas Cowboys, just lost another game likely due to poor officiating once again on Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. This is obviously not at all good for the Lions this season and likely destroys any remaining chance at a playoff spot, as well as setting it up to a likely 0-5 start, which would make it their worst in the Matthew Stafford-era.
However, the loss might not actually be so bad after all. The Detroit Lions had very little hope for a playoff spot this year regardless, as they still have a very difficult schedule remaining, starting with another top ranked defense in the Arizona Cardinals next week. Ultimately, unless the Lions are one win away from a playoff spot after week 17 (or in some remarkable case where the team's seed depends on it), the loss doesn't really hurt the Lions all that much. In fact, it just might help them long term.
The Lions went into this week currently projected by WalterFootball.com's Charlie Campbell to have the number two pick in the draft based on current standings. With the Chicago Bears having pulled off a somewhat surprising victory in Jay Cutler's return, the Lions are now the only winless team left, and are of course projected based on current standings to have the number one overall draft pick.
Yes, it is the first week of October and the draft is already coming into play. It is most Lion's fans favorite time of the year due to the hope it provides for the following season. If the Lions continue to struggle, the loss versus Seattle might just be the difference between either trading down and picking up a yacht full of draft picks, or getting the ability to select someone like cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III from Florida. If the Lions front office plays things right, maybe even a top offensive lineman who might have a chance to produce in his rookie year.
Looking ahead to the draft class, it seems like the 2016 class is going to be quite top heavy, with depth being limited. In other words, the higher the pick, the bigger the difference in talent level. Names such as wide receiver Tyler Boyd (who broke a lot of Larry Fitzgerald's freshman receiving records for the Pittsburgh Panthers), offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley out of Notre Dame, and defensive end Joey Bosa from Ohio State, arguably one of the best defensive line talents likely to come out in recent years. All three headline the class along with a multitude of top quarterbacks that could lead to a kings ransom if the Lions trade down. Connor Cook of Michigan State and Cardale Jones of Ohio State are two of the current top names approaching the halfway point of the college season. It seems every place the Lions have had an issue this year, there is someone available at the top of the draft under current rankings that could lead to significant improvement in the area.
This year is arguably looking like the most important draft year the Lions have had since selecting Ezekiel Ansah in 2013. The loss against Seattle, however controversial it may be, could be the difference between a top pick and a middle of the road pick, and the Lions future could be at stake because of it.