Our NFL preview section came out today and for those of you not lucky enough to see a copy I wanted to share my preseason picks. There's some genuine excitement around the Lions this season, not of the Super Bowl-contending variety, but most expect them to be an improved team (not hard coming of a 3-13 season). I agree, to a point.

I have the Lions finishing 6-10, with the possibility of 8-8 if all goes well. The offense has tremendous potential with Jon Kitna, Roy Williams, Mike Furrey, Calvin Johnson, and I believe the running game will be better than advertised with all that competition. Defensively I have my doubts like everyone else, and from that standpoint Sunday's season-opener will be a good barometer. The Raiders were beyond terrible on offense last year. If they put up 20-plus points Sunday, I'd be extremely worried.

Defensive coordinator Joe Barry said today Shaun Rogers is ready to play a full compliment of snaps, but the team has a plan (the details of which he wouldn't share) on how to use him early. Backup Shaun Cody is a more than capable No. 2, so don't expect the Lions to overextend their biggest difference-maker at this point in the season.

That said, my game-by-game predictions call for the Lions to lose Sunday. Frankly, I have visions of Josh McCown and Mike Williams putting it to their old team. Beyond that, Detroit should get its first win next week against Minnesota, Johnson will challenge for rookie of the year (but lose out to Buffalo's Marshawn Lynch), and Kitna will top the 4,000-yard passing mark for the second straight year. I've got the Bears winning the NFC North again (who doesn't?) and the Chargers winning the Super Bowl with LaDainian Tomlinson as MVP. My most off the board pick? Whoever wins the NFC West, San Francisco or Seattle, will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.