Barry Sanders: Lions good enough to reach Super Bowl 50

PHOENIX – California dreaming?

Maybe, but Hall-of-Fame running back Barry Sanders said the Detroit Lions have a good enough nucleus to play in Super Bowl 50 when it hits the Golden State next year.

"I don't think the team is far off," Sanders said from radio row Thursday at Super Bowl XLIX. "Hey, I'm pretty sure that in the board room as (the front office is) making those plans (this off-season) they got to see that same thing that the team's not far off. And if they can come back and build on what we did this year then, hey, look, the Lions could be in Santa Clara next year."

The Lions were one of the most improved teams in the NFL this year, winning 11 games under first-year coach Jim Caldwell and reaching the playoffs for just the second time since the turn of the century.

They have 17 of 22 starters under contract for next year, but All-Pro defensive player Ndamukong Suh, will be a free agent March 10 if the Lions can't sign him to a long-term deal in the coming weeks.

Sanders said it's imperative that the Lions re-sign Suh, who led the team with 8.5 sacks this year.

"He's one of the dominant players at that position," Sanders said. "Unless you're talking about going out and being able to bring in a guy like that, whoever that guy is in the NFL at this time, and that's highly unlikely, then you can certainly see where there's going to be a drop off potentially.

"But hey, they'll figure that out. Suh, he'll do what's right for him. Obviously, we all hope he's back there, but you've got to line up and play and get it done."

Sanders, who spent the day trying to bring awareness to a condition called Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) that's brought on by brain injuries, said the Lions have improved enough that the four-time defending NFC North champion Green Bay Packers "should be a little worried about this team."

The Lions split the season series with the Packers, but finished a game behind Green Bay in the division after losing a Week 17 game at Lambeau Field.

"That's a team that can go into Green Bay and win, or a team that now, instead of just thinking about playoffs should be thinking about home-field advantage," Sanders said. "That team is well suited for home-field advantage. They should be able to win enough games in the course of a season with that talent to be able to do that. And obviously that drastically improves your chances of being able to get to Santa Clara."

Austin powers : Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn won't acknowledge the worst kept secret in the NFL – that he'll be named the Atlanta Falcons' next head coach sometime after Sunday's game.

Quinn's players, however, have had a hard time pretending they don't know what his future holds.

"Dan Quinn will be a great head coach," Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett said. "Any team that gets him, quote-unquote, they'll be a great team.

"He hasn't said anything (about the Falcons job), but, quote-unquote, anything that Adam Schefter says usually happens."

Per NFL rules, the Falcons cannot offer Quinn their head coaching job, and Quinn cannot accept another position, while his team is still in the playoffs.

Quinn said this week that his focus has been entirely on Sunday's game against the New England Patriots. But he did take time Tuesday to praise Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, the runner-up for the Falcons job.

"I know T.A. and I thought he did a good job," Quinn said. "In fact, I followed him at Florida (as defensive coordinator), so good guy, good coach."

Matchup problem : The Patriots handed the Lions their worst loss of the season in November, 34-9, but cornerback Darrelle Revis said that game wasn't as lopsided as it looked.

"The Lions game, trust me it was very tough going against (Matthew) Stafford, going against Calvin (Johnson) and Golden Tate. They've got a great offense they've got Reggie Bush as well, so they've got a lot of talent. It was a great matchup for us."

Revis covered Tate most of that game, while the Patriots used Brandon Browner and a safety to double-team Johnson. Tate and Johnson caught four passes each in that game, and both had less than 100 yards receiving.

"We had a great game plan and those guys we felt that we knew them very well across the board and matching up against them," Revis said.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.