The Detroit Lions have positioned themselves for a playoff run by getting to the midway point of the season with a 5-3 record.
Here are five storylines to ponder during this weekend's bye:
1. BIGGEST SURPRISES
Two months ago, nobody would have given any consideration to center Dominic Raiola, rookie offensive guard Larry Warford and linebacker DeAndre Levy for the Pro Bowl.
But based on their first eight games, you can make an argument that each deserves to at least be on a list of midseason candidates.
Some are calling this Raiola's best season in 13 years in the league. Who saw that coming?
Warford, meanwhile, has made an impressive transition to the NFL after being a third-round draft pick.
And then there's Levy, who has become a real playmaker with four interceptions. It appears that the game is slowing down for him in his fifth year as a pro, which has made his athleticism more evident.
Other bright spots include cornerback Rashean Mathis, tight end Joseph Fauria and receiver Kris Durham.
Mathis, who was dumped by Jacksonville and signed by Detroit in mid-August, has become the Lions' most reliable cornerback.
Fauria, an undrafted rookie, has five touchdown catches in a limited role.
Durham, a former college teammate of quarterback Matthew Stafford, appears to be emerging as a valuable part of the pass game.
2. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS
The struggles of Chris Houston show just how fragile life can be in the NFL for a cornerback.
Houston was supposed to be the one dependable corner for the Lions, but he was getting burned so much that he actually got benched to start the second half a couple weeks ago.
To his credit, Houston bounced back with a strong performance last Sunday against Dallas.
Defensive tackle Nick Fairley also has been terribly inconsistent. He continues to show flashes of greatness, but still doesn't do it often enough. Part of the problem could be a shoulder injury sustained early in the season.
The defense sorely needs Houston to match up strongly with some of the league's top receivers and for Fairley to be disruptive upfront to take a little pressure off the secondary.
If those two don't produce, the Lions will be much more vulnerable defensively the rest of the way.
3. SECOND-HALF SCHEDULE
Detroit's final eight opponents currently have a combined record of 20-38, including Tampa Bay (0-7) and Minnesota (1-6).
After playing their next two on the road, the Lions will finish with four of their final six at home.
It all sets up well for a strong push to get back to the playoffs for the second time in three years.
But beware of this: Four of those eight teams have quarterbacks who have won Super Bowls -- Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, Baltimore's Joe Flacco and the New York Giants' Eli Manning.
Pittsburgh (2-5), Baltimore (3-4) and the Giants (2-6) are having down years, but they are all capable of playing the spoiler against Detroit.
4. WHY THEY'LL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
The confidence gained from stealing that game against Dallas with a last-minute comeback could carry the Lions a long way.
Teams that win in that type of dramatic fashion sometimes go to another level and become better than they really are, at least for the short term.
The three-star attack of Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush has made this a pick-your-poison offense. The return of Nate Burleson from a broken arm should be a nice -- and needed -- lift for the receiving corps.
Despite last year's 4-12 meltdown and the franchise's horrible history, this team appears to be quite resilient and able to overcome the inevitable adversity throughout a NFL game and season. They're 3-0 the week after a loss, which is a very good sign going forward.
5. WHY THEY WON'T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS
They're the Lions.
The defense is giving up too many big plays, both in the run game and through the air.
They're the Lions.
The offense is averaging 63.3 yards rushing in the three losses.
They're the Lions.
The punt and kick return units have been largely ineffective with little, if any, big-play potential.
They're the Lions.
