It's been a while since you could use words like "continuity" or "consistency" with the Detroit Lions offensive line, but that's becoming the case.

The team picked up veteran guard Rob Sims from Seattle before last season. Other than that addition, which worked out well for Detroit, the Lions' offensive line depth chart has had much the same look since inserting then-rookie Gosder Cherilus into the starting lineup for Week 3 of the 2008 season.

Veteran Jeff Backus at left tackle, Dominic Raiola at center, Stephen Peterman at right guard and Cherilus at right tackle. The Lions return all five - including Sims, who anchors the left guard position.

Peterman told

it's difficult to overestimate how important it is for an offensive lineman to be familiar with the guys he's playing with.

"For an offensive lineman - people don't realize - once you get the play, that's just part of the battle," he explains. "You get the play; you get the snap count; you get up to the line. And from that time until the ball is snapped, a lot of things can happen: Defenses can shift, Matt might change the play, (dealing with) crowd noise and stuff.

"So you have to be comfortable with the guys next to you, knowing what they're gonna do and they have to know what you're gonna do. Because if one guy messes up, up front, it messes us all up.

"So it's good to have those guys, it's good to have the same coaches, it's good to have all of our coaches back, and have the same system where we're not changing any calls, not changing any plays and line calls, and stuff like that. It's really good to have us together.

Listen to the full interview to hear Peterman's opinion of what makes quarterback Matthew Stafford so special: