NFL Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions Getting Healthy On Bye Week Vital To Stretch Run Success

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By @travisto989

Reggie Bush running back Detroit Lions

Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL standings have been shaken up a bit this season. Teams that did not perform very well in 2013 are sitting in good position to make the playoffs. The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and of course the Detroit Lions are all in a position where they can win their division. It may not exactly be a shift of power in the NFL, but it is a start.

The Lions have a lot of good news coming off of their bye week. A handful of injured players will be back in action, and they get to return to a home game at Ford Field. For the first time in what feels like the entire season, the Lions are returning to action at nearly full strength.

Calvin Johnson may be the most important piece to the Lions’ puzzle, and he should be back to full strength after their bye. Johnson is an offensive star and one of the best wide receivers in the game. Getting a healthy Johnson is going to make the Lions’ job of winning their division much easier. Having a healthy Johnson will also help quarterback Matthew Stafford convert first downs.

Reggie Bush is another big-name player the Lions should have back at full strength after their bye. Bush has yet to have a breakout game in 2014, but that does not mean that it will not happen. Within the next few weeks, the Lions will need Bush to carry the load offensively. If Bush comes back fully healthy, then his breakout performance could come when the Lions return to action against the Dolphins.

The Lions also have a few tough players returning on the defensive side of the ball. Kyle Van Noy, the Lions’ 2014 second-round draft pick, should be back after suffering a sports hernia in the preseason. Van Noy is a tough outside linebacker and should give the Lions a polished pass rush. He can also play contain, so he fits into the Lions’ defense very well. Van Noy is ready to take the field, and he is ready to add to an already dominant Lions defense. Along with Van Noy, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley will also be returning from a team suspension.

The bye week did its job for the Lions. They had a week off right when they needed it, and their team should be much better down the stretch. The Lions are going to be nearly entirely healthy for the first time in 2014, and the rest of the NFL had better start taking them seriously.

Travis Newville is a Detroit Lions writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @travisto989, or Like him on Facebook here. Add him to your Google network.

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