SB Nation - Casey FitzSimmons

Full Rundown of Lions' Recent Roster Moves

Sean Yuille — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:50:22 -0000

The Lions have been quite busy this week making changes to their roster. I wouldn't exactly call it a roster shakeup considering injuries forced two of the moves, but I am glad there are at least a few new faces in wake of what happened in Baltimore last Sunday. The season is as good as over already, but the Lions might as well get a look at as many players as they can with 2010 quickly approaching. Anyway, here is a rundown of the moves the Lions made this week:

Placed RB Kevin Smith (knee) and TE Casey FitzSimmons (concussion) on injured reserve
Signed RB Cedric Peerman from the practice squad to fill Smith's spot on the roster
Signed free agent TE Michael Matthews to fill FitzSimmons' spot on the roster
Claimed CB/KR Brian Witherspoon (he was waived by Jacksonville on Monday)
Released CB Jahi Word-Daniels to make room for Witherspoon
Released FB Terrelle Smith just days after Baltimore's Terrell Suggs called him out for taking a cheap shot at his injured knee
Claimed OG Roy Schuening to fill the open roster spot (he was waived by Oakland on Tuesday)
Signed WR Eric Fowler and DT Terrance Taylor (former Michigan player) to the practice squad

As you can see, it's been a busy week for the Lions. Although the season is winding down, it's at least good to see that the front office still has its eyes glued to the waiver wire. You never know when you might stumble upon somebody who just needed a change of scenery to really get his career going. At the same time, many of other teams' cast offs are upgrades over players currently on the roster, so the Lions probably figure that they might as well bring in talent whenever they can.

Friday Notes: FitzSimmons Misses Practice; Gronkowski to Get His Shot at TE on Sunday?

Sean Yuille — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:03:52 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

3 months ago: Detroit Lions tight end Dan Gronkowski (47) catches a 21-yard touchdown reception from Drew Stanton as Indianapolis Colts safety Travis Key defends during the fourth quarter of an exhibition NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Dan Gronkowski may get a chance to play tight end on Sunday because Casey FitzSimmons is suffering from concussion-like symptoms. FitzSimmons missed Thursday's practice, and if he is unable to play, Gronkowski will see his first regular season action at tight end. Quite a few friends and relatives of Gronkowski will be at the game since he played college football at the University of Maryland, so it would be pretty cool if he got to play at TE this week.
Ernie Sims could return against Baltimore.
Louis Delmas and DeAndre Levy have the third- and fourth-most tackles, respectively, out of all the NFL's rookies.
Gunther Cunningham loves Levy.
Kalvin Pearson was back at practice on Wednesday and should play this week.
There was some talk that the Lions might bring in a few punters for a workout in case Nick Harris is too injured to play this week, but considering I haven't heard anything about a tryout yet and that no punter has been signed, I'd imagine that Harris will play.
Some Lions players shared their thoughts on who should win the Heisman Trophy.
Chris Spielman was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame earlier this week.
Chad Ochocinco was fined $30,000 for the sombrero celebration he did during last Sunday's Lions-Bengals game.

David Hawthorne is Playing Big But Can He Play Correct?

John Morgan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:42:00 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

At ends of the spectrum: D.D. Lewis is the elder linebacker that does his job and only that. David Hawthorne is the prospect flashing great potential, but struggling with fundamentals.

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David Hawthorne has three sacks, five tackles for a loss and three interceptions in three starts. It's a line that has a few thousand Lofa Tatupu backers questioning their allegiances. Few want to say Hawthorne is better than Tatupu, but fewer still know how to prove otherwise. Hawthorne is active, making plays, making tackles, forcing turnovers, and Tatupu is on IR, on IR in his get-healthy season. If Tatupu has been Tats of old in 2008, this discussion might be more muted, but Tats of old is starting to look like, well, a player that doesn't exist anymore.

If Hawthorne had accumulated his eye-popping stats over a season, it would have inspired heated Hawthorne versus Tatupu debate. Heater had to do it in four. So how are we going to do this? Should I make rules or just hand out handguns. Field Gulls is place as any to wage this war. Let's pick sides and tear each other apart.

Ok, but really: Hawthorne is a find, but he's miles away from Tatupu when it comes to fundamental linebacker play. I gave myself a short schedule and stumbled into the most boring tape dissection I've had since Seattle at Pittsburgh in 2007. It's hard to judge an offensive line when Matt Hasselbeck pitches a tent in the pocket. It's hard to evaluate the wide receivers when they are never targeted. It's hard to evaluate a defense that started strong and then sat back and awaited the next drive ending pick. One drive was instructive, and it spoke to this debate.

Nate Burleson had committed pass interference in the end zone and still managed to drop a gimme touchdown. Detroit was back on the field, hoping to stem the comeback or at least kill some clock. It did neither, but it was close to achieving both.

What matters is Hawthorne. Seattle's linebackers are synchronized and interdependent. When Leroy Hill gets a tackle, Tatupu might have jammed the fullback and Aaron Curry contained the cutback lane. The tackle is typically the easy byproduct of team execution. On the first snap, Hawthorne jumped back and out of position. He did exactly same on the next snap, perhaps anticipating pass. His linebackers in smash did their job, but Hawthorne was sealed out by bad anticipation and a poor angle to the ball carrier. He made both tackles, the first after seven, the second after eight.

Hawthorne took a bad angle on a toss right to Aaron Brown. He couldn't bluff his way back into the action this time and Jordan Babineaux cleaned up after 19. Hawthorne didn't stand out on the next play, but he was all to apparent on the interception. Seattle got excellent pressure from its front three, and thankfully for us, Patrick Kerney shielded Stafford's vision before Stafford chucked an interception to Deon Grant. Behind Kerney, wide open in the middle stood Casey Fitzsimmons, open, open where Hawthorne had failed to drop. As the camera panned to Grant running under the pick, it was obvious a better quarterback would have found Fitzsimmons for the first.

If you're the right age, you probably remember thinking Michael Boulware was a superstar safety in the waiting. He had that Babineaux knack to be where the action was. In two seasons he had nine interceptions, three forced fumbles, three sacks and a touchdown return. His play was noticeable, electric, and terrible. Boulware couldn't read a route or defend play action. He was around tips but not in throwing lanes, he was a good blitzer, but absent in deep cover. Seattle never mustered much of a pass defense with Boulware and when Ruskell deigned to remake the secondary, Boulware was shipped out, benched by the Texans and then run out of the league.

Hawthorne is auditioning for a starting role, be it at MLB in Seattle, OLB in Seattle or LB somewhere else. His highs are exciting and his lows too subtle for most fans. His weaknesses reading an offense are apparent, but he's young. He could improve his execution and awareness with experience, and soon combine what he already has, playmaker potential, with what he needs to start. But I beg, before we pit these two young linebackers in combat, let's be sure the apprentice is good and not just bumbling his way into big plays.

Tony Gonzalez is Scary

saints-nation — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:20 -0000

by John Bazemore - AP

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Facing the Falcons on Monday night will present another challenge for the overwhelmingly successful story that is the New Orleans Saints defense this season. Believe it or not, though, I'm not that worried about Michael Turner, Roddy White or Matt Ryan. Why? Dolphins game aside, the Saints are actually very good against the run. Sure, Ellis being out concerns me but Kendrick Clancy isn't a slouch at stopping the run and he'll make his return to the lineup this week. I'm sure Turner will have his share of successes but I don't see him being the difference in this game.

I believe the Saints will get pressure on Ryan, either with their four man front or more likely when Gregg Williams dials up his complex blitz packages to confuse the young quarterback. The Cowboys were very successful at doing that a week ago. I believe the Greer, Porter and/or Sharper combination will cover Roddy White and limit his effectiveness. They've been so fantastic all season-long, there is no reason to believe that White will turn in anything better than an adequate performance. So that leaves Tony Gonzalez, and I'm actually not sure what the Saints have planned for him.

Falcons vs Saints coverage

The way I see it, the possible players that will draw Gonzalez as a coverage assignment depending on the down and distance are: Scott Shanle, Jonathan Vilma, Roman Harper and Randall Gay. The first three players listed will be covering Gonzalez more so than Gay. I can see Gay picking up Gonzalez on 3rd and long plays but for the most part that will be an anomoly. That matchup, by the way, is a mediocre one given Gonzalez' size and athleticism compared to Gay's size. I do like Gay's physicality for his size, his coverage skills and his speed so hopefully he can hold his own when he has to cover the big tight end. But let's look at the more frequent matchups on passing plays:

Gonzalez vs. Shanle:

Shanle has very sound technique and is very good in coverage for the most part. He's physical, strong and intelligent but he's a little stiff and his range is somewhat limited. Gonzalez runs well for his size and he's so athletic he'll beat Shanle to almost any well thrown ball. Shanle is probably most exposed on routes over the middle and routes down the field with no safety help.

Gonzalez vs. Vilma:

The part that really bothers me about this matchup is that it will take away from Vilma's effectiveness against the run. As we saw last week against the Dolphins, Miami was completely shut down in the second half thanks to Vilma's tackling and pursuit. Like Shanle, Vilma is good in coverage and has size and aggression but he's also got a little more speed and athleticism. That said, the athleticism still doesn't compare to Gonzalez and with a running back like Michael Turner, it's extremely dangerous to potentially distract your best weapon against the run by sticking him on a dangerous tight end.

Gonzalez vs. Harper:

Harper is probably the weakest pass defender of all the defensive backs on the team but he's without question the best tackler and the most physical. His awareness with the ball in the air can be poor so Gonzalez could take advantage of that having some of the best awareness of anyone in the NFL at his position. Harper, for his size, can still stay physical with Gonzalez but the Saints could be in big trouble on plays where Gonzalez makes a play on the ball and breaks Harper's tackle.

In all three scenarios the Saints are potentially exposed to getting beat, whether it's Gonzalez doing the dirty work himself or opening things up for the other playmakers on his team.

Consider the tight ends the Saints have faced so far this season:

Week 1: Casey FitzSimmons

Week 2: Brent Celek, who by the way had a monster game.

Week 3: Derek Fine

Week 4: Ben Hartsock

Week 6: Anthony Fasano

None of these guys are Tony Gonzalez caliber players and frankly none of them are even remotely close. The only tight end of this group that's of any dangerous ability in the passing game is Celek and he posted over 100 yards receiving against the Saints. You get the idea. Gonzalez is scary and he's going to be the biggest problem for the Saints come Monday night when their defense hits the field. The Saints have yet to face someone of Gonzalez' ability and there's no clear cut way they're going to stop him without leaving themselves vulnerable in other areas.

Do you think the combination of Shanle, Vilma, Harper and Gay can slow Gonzalez down at all? Give us your prediction on Tony Gonzalez' final statline for the game.

Friday Injury Report: Lions at Green Bay Packers

Brandon — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:36:39 -0000

It's a brutally long injury report this week for the Green Bay Packers and the Lions. While it could be hitting the Lions hard, it's just long for the Packers.

FB Korey Hall and RB DeShawn Wynn are out, but FB Quinn Johnson will come off the inactive list for his first action and RB Brandon Jackson is back from injury for the first time this season. Recently resigned RT Mark Tauscher is out, but that's expected since he's practicing himself back into football shape. Although both centers (Jason Spitz and Scott Wells) are listed, Mike McCarthy expects them both to play.

The injuries have hit hard in Detroit. Obviously WR Calvin Johnson and QB Matthew Stafford are the two big names. At this point in their careers, QB Daunte Culpepper is just as good, so Stafford's loss won't matter much in this game. Except Johnson's absence is a tough loss no matter the QB. I'm not sure which other potential starters are missing, except LB Ernie Sims would start if he were healthy. RT Gosder Cherilus is a starter, but he'll play on Sunday. Even if they aren't missing any other starters, their depth is certainly being tested this week. On all the injuries, from Pride of Detroit:

All I can say is that I'm glad the Lions have a bye next week.

The complete injury lists after the jump.

Green Bay Packers:

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Atari Bigby	S	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Ankle	Limited Participation	Probable
Daryn Colledge	G	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Korey Hall	FB	Calf	Out	Out
Brandon Jackson	RB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Cullen Jenkins	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Quinn Johnson	FB	Not Inj. Related	Did Not Participate	N/A
Ryan Pickett	NT	Hip	Full Participation	Probable
Brady Poppinga	LB	Illness	Full Participation	Probable
Jason Spitz	C/G	Back	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Limited Participation	Out
Jeremy Thompson	LB	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Scott Wells	C	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Questionable
DeShawn Wynn	RB	Knee	Did Not Participate	Out

Detroit Lions:


Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Gosder Cherilus	T	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Jordan Dizon	LB	Foot	Limited Participation	Probable
Jerome Felton	FB	Shoulder	Limited Participation	Questionable
Casey FitzSimmons	TE	Thigh	Limited Participation	Questionable
Sammie Hill	DT	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Jason Hunter	DE	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Grady Jackson	DT	Knee	Did Not Participate	Probable
Calvin Johnson	WR	Knee	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Maurice Morris	RB	Hip	Limited Participation	Questionable
Brandon Pettigrew	TE	Hamstring	Full Participation	Probable
Koe Simpson	S	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Ernie Sims	LB	Shoulder	Limited Participation	Probable
Matthew Stafford	QB	Knee	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Dewayne White	DE	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Questionable

Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson Miss Practice Today

Sean Yuille — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:38:21 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford looks on from the sideline against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Although he practiced on a limited basis yesterday, Matthew Stafford did not practice at all today. Stafford is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered against the Bears, and as it stands right now, it doesn't look like he will play on Sunday against the Packers. The same goes for Calvin Johnson, who missed practice both today and yesterday. The chances of him playing at this point seem unlikely, though I suppose he could miraculously recover between now and Sunday.

There are a few different theories out there as to why Stafford practiced on Wednesday but not today, including a slightly paranoid one from Tom Kowalski, who seems to be freaking out a little bit over the fact that the Lions are now a secretive team that will play some mind games. Kowalski thinks that Stafford was sent out to take some snaps with the media watching but didn't do anything else, leading to the media saying he practiced when he really didn't.

Could that be the case? It wouldn't surprise me one bit. Let's remember that Jim Schwartz, as he once said, has a degree in football from the University of Bill Belichick. Even so, I don't see it as a big deal at all. We aren't going to find out if Stafford is the starter until before the game on Sunday, and you can bet that Schwartz and company will say as little as possible about his status in the mean time. If throwing Stafford out there for a few minutes on Wednesday throws even a little curve ball at the Packers' preparation for Sunday, then it's worth it. I don't necessarily think it will change anything, but I like that the Lions may be trying to play mind games, and I certainly don't think it's worth freaking out over.

Staying on the topic of injuries, it looks like the Lions' injury report will once again be quite large headed into Sunday's game.

Safety Ko Simpson (hamstring), running back Maurice Morris (hip) and defensive linemen Dewayne White (hamstring), Jason Hunter (ankle) and Sammie Hill (ankle) also missed practice for a second straight day, though Simpson at least did some work in the portion of practice open to reporters.

Fullback Jerome Felton (shoulder) and tight end Casey Fitzsimmons (thigh) were listed as limited after missing practice Wednesday. Linebackers Ernie Sims (shoulder) and Jordon Dizon (foot) were listed as limited for the second straight day.

All I can say is that I'm glad the Lions have a bye next week.

Matthew Stafford to Start Against Cleveland

Sean Yuille — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:13:43 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

4 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter of an exhibition NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 15, 2009 in Detroit. Stafford passed for for 114 yards and a touchdown in a 27-26 win.(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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As expected, Jim Schwartz has named Matthew Stafford the Lions' starting quarterback for tomorrow's game against the Browns. I say this was expected because Daunte Culpepper got the start in the first game, and now it is Stafford's turn to work with the first team. Similar to the rotation they have in practice, both Culpepper and Stafford have had their fair share of work with the starters, and the hope for the coaches is that after tomorrow's game someone will have played well enough to stand out as this team's starting QB. That way naming a starter for the third preseason game, which usually mirrors a regular season game the most, wouldn't be too tough of a decision for Jim Schwartz and company.

I doubt a starter for the season opener will be named publicly until the week of the first game or days before it, but we should get a pretty good indication of who that will be based on the depth chart for next week's game against Indianapolis. Like I said, the third preseason game usually is the most like a regular season game, and the coaches probably would like a starter to be in place by then. Of course, chances are that both Stafford and Culpepper will play pretty equally, keeping us wondering a while longer. Then again, if Stafford is already equally as good as Culpepper, shouldn't he get the nod to start based on how little time in the league it took him to do that? I guess only Schwartz knows the answer to that question, but really any speculation before tomorrow's game is pointless.

Safety Louis Delmas is also going to be in the starting lineup tomorrow. He missed the first preseason game because of an injury, but it looks like the injury list in general will be a little smaller for the Browns game.

Receiver Calvin Johnson (thumb), rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew (thigh), kicker Jason Hanson (knee), tight end Casey FitzSimmons (ankle), running back Allen Ervin (ankle) and receiver Kenneth Harris (ankle) will not play.

Receivers Bryant Johnson (leg) and Dennis Northcutt (hand) will be game-time decisions.

I'm really hoping at least one of those two game-time decisions end up playing, as I'd like both quarterbacks to have decent receivers this week. At least for Stafford's sake, I hope Keary Colbert isn't on the field until Culpepper comes in at QB.

Thursday Notes: Daniel Bullocks Could Still Be Put on IR

Sean Yuille — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:49:47 -0000

Although Daniel Bullocks was placed on the waived/injured list, that doesn't necessarily mean he will become a free agent. I have always wondered what being put on the waived/injured list meant, but thankfully Tom Kowalski outlined it in a story today.

Assuming Bullocks clears waivers, the Lions can agree to an injury settlement with him and then waive him or re-sign him in approximately four to six weeks, or they can put him on the injured reserve. If they decide to do the latter, which seems to be the most logical move, Bullocks would become a restricted free agent after the 2009 season. The Lions would still be able to re-sign him and match any offer he receives from another team if they want to bring him back.

The one thing I don't understand about all of this is why Bullocks wasn't simply put on the IR in the first place. It's not like every player who has gone on the IR had to be put on the waived/injured list first, at least not as far as I know. Maybe it is because Bullocks is entering the final year of his contract. I'm not really sure, so if anyone knows or looks up the details of going on the IR and all that, leave a comment sharing what you know/found. I will do some research today and see what I can find.

UPDATE: I missed this at first, but John Niyo explained it in his blog yesterday, saying that before the first round of roster cuts happens, players who have been in the league for less than four years have to be put on waivers prior to going on the injured reserve.
Brandon Pettigrew and Calvin Johnson for sure won't play against Cleveland on Saturday. The same likely goes for Casey FitzSimmons, who just returned to practice this week.
Jim Schwartz is going to announce the starting quarterback for the Cleveland game tomorrow. I expect Matthew Stafford to get the start. The hope is that the Lions will have a better idea of who should be the permanent starter before the third preseason game, which is usually the closest thing to a simulation of a regular season game.
There were two fights during practice this morning.
Keith Smith has returned to practice.
What was supposed to be the Lions' final open practice has been closed to the public since it was moved indoors due to bad weather.
The AP's Larry Lage wrote an in-depth piece on Ramzee Robinson.
Pride of Detroit passed 2,000,000 page views this week!

Wednesday Notes: Four Injured Lions Return to Practice

Sean Yuille — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:23:54 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

4 months ago: FILE -- This is a June 24, 2009, file photo showing Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas watches during NFL football minicamp, in Allen Park, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

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Calvin Johnson and Louis Delmas returned to practice on Tuesday. Johnson was without his cast, but he didn't have any passes thrown to him just to be safe. Delmas made his presence felt by destroying Aaron Brown with a ferocious hit during today's practice. Jim Schwartz made sure to tell Delmas to be a bit more careful when jacking up teammates, but he seemed to enjoy the hit. Gunther Cunningham, as expected, seemed to like what he saw as well.
Casey FitzSimmons and John Standeford returned to practice today. FitzSimmons was limited, but the fact that he simply returned is good news, as I didn't expect him to be back so soon. Standeford fully participated in practice.
Wide receiver Kenneth Harris was carted off the field because of an ankle injury.
Daniel Loper didn't practice today and was replaced by Manny Ramirez at left guard.
Running back Allen Ervin was wearing a boot at practice because of an ankle injury. Jim Schwartz said it was more serious than a day-to-day issue, which is too bad. Ervin played well against the Falcons and certainly looked better than Aveion Cason. Ervin and Aaron Brown pulled ahead in the competition for the third running back spot for sure. Obviously Brown has the upper hand (and will continue to have it with Ervin out), but losing a player means less competition, which is never a good thing.

(More after the jump)

Jim Schwartz compared Brett Favre unretiring again to this famous quote from Godfather III: "Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in."
Favre's decision to sign with the Vikings caused a big increase in ticket sales for the Lions. The Vikings play at Ford Field on September 20 -- the Lions' home opener -- and it seems like there is a very good chance of it being a sellout. In that sense, thank you, Brett Favre.
Nick Schuyler, the lone survivor of the boat accident that involved Corey Smith, was interviewed by Bryant Gumbel and recounted what happened during the tragedy.
Tarvaris Jackson's days with the Vikings are numbered, and it is expected that he will be released or traded by Friday. The Pioneer Press speculated that the Lions could be interested in him based on the fact that he was with the Vikings and has knowledge of their offense, but I highly doubt Detroit would waste anything on him. It's not like he would be anything more than the Lions' third-string QB, so I would be shocked if he ended up joining Detroit via a trade. If he does become a free agent, I wouldn't be too surprised if the Lions showed interest in signing him, but does anyone honestly think Jackson is going to sign with a team that already has a couple QBs that would be ahead of him?

Friday Notes: Daunte Culpepper Named Starter for Preseason Opener

Sean Yuille — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:57:27 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

4 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Daunte Culpepper (11) throws during an NFL football training camp in Allen Park, Mich., Friday, Aug. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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Daunte Culpepper has been named the Lions' starting quarterback for their preseason opener against the Falcons tomorrow afternoon. Matthew Stafford and Drew Stanton will still get an equal amount of playing time, but Culpepper will get to play first, with Stafford expected to come in during the second quarter and Stanton some time in the second half. Knowing that, this move really isn't too big of a deal. It's only the first preseason game, and for me, it was expected that Culpepper would be the starter initially.
Casey FitzSimmons, Keith Smith, and Daniel Bullocks were ruled out of the Falcons game by Jim Schwartz. That doesn't mean they are the only ones who won't play, however, as the injury list will probably reach double digits. Those three players are just the ones that are out for sure. Other injured players will participate in the pregame warm-ups before a decision on their status is made. I would be surprised if a player who is injured gets a significant amount of playing time. There is simply no point in risking further injury at the very start of the preseason.
The Lions' depth chart has been posted on the team's official website. It accounted for some injured players, as their names are italicized and dropped to the end of their position.
Decals honoring Corey Smith and Ricky Sandoval will be on the Lions' helmets this season.
NFL teams are allowed to have a sponsor on their practice jerseys, and the Lions are going to put the Ronald McDonald House of Detroit's logo on theirs.
Drew Stanton did a good job of running the scout team in preparation for the Falcons.
Members of Michigan's Air National Guard attended practice yesterday and got to be a part of the Lions' circle after practice.
Louis Delmas had a rough childhood.
Brian Billick is a fan of Jim Schwartz.
Grady Jackson is the slowest player in Madden 10, coming in with a speed rating of 34. That's pretty bad, but at least he isn't 34 overall like cornerback B.J. Sams.
In case you hadn't already heard, the Eagles signed Mike Vick.