The Lions a surprise pick for the Playoffs next year?

The big question going into next season for not only the Lions, but the rest of the 31 teams in the NFL is whether or not there will be a season. As many NFL fans know there is still no agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement which in turn may lockout the players.
The other question that most pertains to Lions fans is that if there is an NFL season, will the Lions be part of it’s post season?
Chris Chase of Yahoo Sports points out that according to history, six of the 20 teams that didn’t qualify for the 2010 NFL playoffs will do so next year.
The first team Chase mentions is the San Diego Chargers, who like the 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers were more the victim of heartbreaking loses rather than having a bad team.
Chase also highlights the St. Louis Rams for the simple fact that Sam Bradford may be the best QB in a NFC West that could still be weak come 2011.
Lastly however, Chase says that the Detroit Lions could be a surprise playoff team come 2011 and he compares them to the 2010 Atlanta Falcons. Yes the Atlanta Falcons who were arguably the best team in the NFC this season. Here is what he has to say about his Lions pick…
At the start of December, the Lions were 2-10 and appeared headed for a third straight winless season on the road and another top-three draft pick. Four straight wins later – two against NFC playoff contenders and two of which were on the road – Detroit improbably changed the entire tone of the franchise. Can they keep it up next season?
A hot finish can often be the catalyst for a future playoff run, as the Falcons showed this season when they built on their three straight wins that closed 2009 and became the top team in the NFC. Detroit doesn’t have a 13-3 season in its immediate future, but with a young quarterback (Matthew Stafford(notes)), a top-flight receiver (Calvin Johnson(notes)) and a rising defensive star (Ndamukong Suh(notes)), the future is bright in the Motor City. Finally.
Now the Lions can’t hang their hopes for next season on the fact that they had a four game winning streak to close out this season, even if the Atlanta Falcons carried over momentum from 2009 to 2010. I think Detroit still has a few more holes to fill going into next season then Atlanta did going into the 2010 season.
However, the NFC North is a division that can be had next season.
There are still plenty of questions surrounding the other three teams like who is going to be the quarterback in Minnesota, can Green Bay remain healthy, and will  the Chicago Bears over achieve again?
The big question for the Lions though, a question that may determine whether or not they get into the playoffs is the durability of QB Matthew Stafford.
If Stafford remains healthy all season next year, then I certainly like the chances that the Lions make the playoffs. This is based off of what I saw from him this year and I know it wasn’t too much but the time he spent in games he either won or left the game where  he had the team winning.
I guess crazier things in the NFL has happened. The 2010 season is surely an example of that.
Source: Yahoo Sports