SB Nation - Phillip Buchanon

Preview: Green Bay Packers at Lions

Brandon — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:27 -0000

by Carlos Osorio - AP

The big news in Green Bay this week have been the injuries, and the big news in Detroit have been the injuries. My opinion is that while the injuries to LB Aaron Kampman and CB Al Harris are significant, they still have a good defensive unit in place. For the Lions, it seems like their offense can't function without QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson. Based on the fact that the Lions only had 149 yards of total offense when the teams met last month, and that Stafford and Johnson were out for that game as well, it's a fair point.

League rankings, based on yardage, from NFL.com:

Team	Run Offense	Pass Offense	Run Defense	Pass Defense
Packers	11	7	4	7
Lions	25	18	20	32

The Packers offense has been productive all season, and should have no trouble gaining yards against a struggling Lions defense (especially their patchwork secondary). While it looks like the Lions might have a shot at attacking the injured Packer pass defense, that No. 18 ranking is based on yardage and doesn't consider that the Lions have a league leading 18 INTs. And how ineffective their offense is without Johnson.

Packers run offense vs. Lions run defense: RB Ryan Grant had one of his best games of the season last week against the 49ers, go vote for him as the FedEx Ground Player of the Week, in large part because the offensive line had their best game of the season. The 49ers run defense has played very well this season, but the o-line opened big holes and controlled the line of scrimmage. The return of RT Mark Tauscher for more than just one half was part of the reason they succeeded, but everyone played better too. If C Scott Wells misses the game, it should hurt, but it might not be a big drop down to C Evan Dietrich-Smith. Since D-S has never had much playing time, it's hard to tell how well he'll play. It's not a given, but there's no reason to suspect Grant, or RB Brandon Jackson, can't have a big game.

Packers pass offense vs. Lions pass defense: QB Brady Quinn has started, and finished, 4 games this season. In those first 3 starts, he threw for a combined 499 yards, 1 TD, and 4 INTs. In his last start against the Lions, he had 304 yards and 4 TDs. Part of their problem is that they don't generate much of a pass rush, only 18 sacks in their first 10 games (and 5 against the Packers in week 6), which comes almost exclusively from their blitzing linebackers. But the bigger problem is their patchwork secondary. They recently lost SS Marquand Manuel and CB Jack Williams for the season, and S Kalvin Pearson and S Ko Simpson should miss the Thanksgiving game too. Rookie 2nd round pick FS Louis Delmas has had a good season, and free agent signing CB Phillip Buchanon has managed to keep his starting job. But veteran CB Anthony Henry had been benched the past few weeks (he might be the nickel CB on Thursday) and journeyman CB William James is probably the other starter. My best guess is that journeyman S Marvin White, who did start 10 games for the Bengals in 2007, will probably be the other starting safety. When it's a challenge for me to figure out who's starting in the Lions secondary, that's the definition of patchwork. And QB Aaron Rodgers has never thrown for under 300 yards in 3 career games against the Lions.

Lions run offense vs. Packers run defense: The Packers run defense has been exceptional this season, and the Lions aren't running the ball. As a team, the Lions are averaging 3.9 yards/carry, but they rarely call for a run (it's only been called on approximately 40% of their plays this season). The injuries to Kampman and Harris shouldn't effect the run defense.

Lions pass defense vs. Packers pass defense. There are so many unknowns. Will Calvin Johnson play? Does QB Daunte Culpepper have anything left? Will the loss of Kampman and Harris give the Lions an opening to attack? The Packers had a great pass rush against QB Tony Romo two weeks ago without Kampman, but one game is a small sample size. The pass defense was very good during Harris's absence last season with a spleen injury. The Lions won't repeat last Sunday's dominant performance against the Browns, but they could be anywhere from decent to awful in this game. Culpepper had 282 yards passing and 1 TD in week 5 against the Steelers, and he could approach those numbers again.

X-Factor - Special Teams: The Packers awful special teams unit moved up to No. 31 overall, according to Football Outsiders, due to the unbelievably bad Steeler kick coverage, but the Packers are still very bad. However, this isn't an area the Lions can exploit much because their own special teams unit stinks, ranked No. 29 overall by FO. And the Lions top kick returner, WR Derrick Williams, is battling a hip injury.

Though the Lions were shut out in Lambeau last month, they've been scoring between 10 to 20 points/game at home (Browns game excepted), while the Packers have been scoring 26 to 31 points/game (Cowboys game excepted) over their past 6 games. Packers 31, Lions 17.

Wednesday Notes: Stephen Peterman, Ernie Sims, Others Miss Practice

Sean Yuille — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:50:51 -0000

According to John Niyo, the players listed below missed practiced today for the Lions.

Quick injury update from practice: Guard Stephen Peterman (ankle), linebacker Ernie Sims (hamstring), defensive end Dewayne White (toe), safety Kalvin Pearson (hamstring) and receiver Derrick Williams (hip) all are sitting out today.
Also according to Niyo, Daniel Loper has stepped in for Peterman at right guard.
Louis Delmas, who didn't end up playing against Minnesota because of an infected tooth, did practice, as did Larry Foote and Phillip Buchanon, who are both recovering from injuries.
According to Jim Schwartz, Anthony Henry is going to be active this Sunday and will be "in a lot of different roles." Schwartz specifically mentioned that Henry can play at outside cornerback, nickel cornerback, and safety.
Joshua Cribbs, perhaps the Browns' best player, missed practice today because of an injury that happened on the last play of Monday's game against the Ravens. The game was basically over, but Cribbs was still out there playing and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher after receiving a big hit. Why you would have a player like that out there when the game has already been decided is beyond me, but this is Eric Mangini we are talking about. He may be one of the most incompetent coaches I've ever seen (the NFLPA is reportedly going to Cleveland to investigate his practice methods for crying out loud), and if you don't already think that, wait until you read the next bullet. As for Cribbs, he merely hopes to play on Sunday. For the Lions' sake, I hope he takes this game off, because he owned Detroit in the preseason.
Vikings cornerback Benny Sapp talked up Calvin Johnson yesterday, calling him the "best receiver in the league, hands down." He also said this about Megatron:

"He's like the LeBron James of football because of his size, speed and his knowledge of the game."
What's funny is that if Eric Mangini had it his way, LeBron James would be the LeBron James of football. James talked on Tuesday about how he could become a football player if he was committed to it, and Mangini said this about the possibility of him playing for a different Cleveland team:

"I think he should come on down," Mangini said.
Shaun Rogers was a bit more skeptical, but for marketing reasons alone I wouldn't hesitate to sign LeBron James if he truly wanted to become an NFL player. Still, Mangini must be pretty desperate if he has no qualms about an NBA player joining the team. Then again, without Joshua Cribbs, the Browns' top receiver is Mohamed Massaquoi, who was one of Matthew Stafford's targets at Georgia last year. Maybe signing James wouldn't be such a bad idea considering how little talent the Browns currently have, especially since Mangini thinks that the Cleveland Cavalier could play outside linebacker, wide receiver, and tight end.
The Lions have already been eliminated from contending for the NFC North title.

A Canadian real estate company won the auction for the Silverdome and will buy it for only $583,000. The plans for the Silverdome are to refurbish it and try to bring a Major League Soccer team to the area. To that I say good luck, because the Silverdome is way, way too big for an MLS team. Also, the commissioner of MLS sort of shot down the idea already, so I hope the new owners have a plan B. Regardless, it's nice to see that there are actually plans to do something with the Lions' former stadium, though I'm saddened that there will be no Pride of Detroit Dome.
Staying on the topic of the Silverdome, there is a story on WDIV's website about how a local development company is going to try to block the sale of the stadium to the Canadian real estate company. Why?

Silver Stallion lawyers said the company offered to purchase the stadium for $20 million but the negotiations broke down.

Silver Stallion, which describes itself as a minority company, claims that the city breached contract and racially discriminated against them.
I had to laugh when I read that. Yeah, the city of Pontiac turned down an extra $19.4 million because they didn't want to sell it to a minority company. Oh common sense, where art thou?
I'm going to blame all of the recent injuries on Tom Kowalski because he jinxed the Lions about 40 minutes before Sunday's game.

The Lions, though, aren't really in need of roster spots at this point in the season. The Lions are in relatively good shape physically -- Sims is believed to be the only player on today's inactive list because of an injury. The rest of the inactives are coaching decisions.
The inactive list will definitely not include only one injured player this week.

(The above quote is from Kowalski's story about how Ernie Sims' injury reportedly isn't season-ending, by the way.)
It was nice not having Brett Favre in the division last year, because he owns the Lions.
This week's SB Nation power rankings have been posted.
Jon Gruden signed an extension with ESPN, meaning he won't be getting a job in the NFL (or with Notre Dame) anytime soon.
The Bills fired Dick Jauron.
The Bengals signed Larry Johnson.
Vikings coach Brad Childress is likely going to receive a contract extension in the near future. I'm fine with that, because Childress really doesn't seem like that great of a head coach. Some of the decisions he made on Sunday left me scratching my head, and if it weren't for Brett Favre, he would probably be on the hot seat right now.

Tuesday Notes: Kevin Smith Hoping to Play on Sunday

Sean Yuille — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:31:40 -0000

Specific details about Kevin Smith's injury weren't released (Jim Schwartz didn't want to elaborate beyond the fact that it's a shoulder injury), but Smith did shed some light on how he is feeling right now.
"I’m alive," Smith said today. "I’m not ready to play if we had to play a game tomorrow, and that’s just probably because of the general soreness. But I’m 22 years old. I usually heal pretty fast. I don’t have any bone damage or anything like that."

Asked if it was just a bruise, Smith said: "I don’t know yet. I’m about to go walk in there and find out. I haven’t gotten my results yet. But they say I’m not out of it, so that’s a good sign."
I'd be willing to bet that Smith will be questionable on Sunday and ultimately play if he isn't in too much pain. If the injury is only a bruise or something like that, then he just needs time to heal. Considering how great of a game he had on Sunday and how important the Lions' running game is in their overall gameplan, I really hope Smith is able to play.
DeAndre Levy played a hell of a game in his first career NFL start, and Jim Schwartz had nothing but good things to say about him yesterday. John Niyo asked what will happen when Ernie Sims comes back from his injury, but Schwartz unsurprisingly didn't answer the question. It is one worth asking, though, as it will be interesting to see if Levy stays in the starting lineup a little bit longer than expected or if Sims is back out there with the first-string when he is healthy enough to play.
Stephen Peterman is not afraid to admit that he cries "all the time."
Despite being active on Sunday, Phillip Buchanon was benched in favor of Will James.
If you are going to win DIRECTV's contest for being the "Ultimate Displaced Fan," you will have to top a Cowboys fan who won the whole thing last year by turning his garage into his own Texas Stadium.
Due to bad weather yesterday, the extremely important Twins-Tigers series is now going to feature four games in three days (with two of them being played today). Basically the entire season rests on the outcome of this series, as the Tigers can either pull away and win the division or fade and find themselves in a deep hole heading into the weekend. For full coverage of the Tigers, check out Bless You Boys.

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 3

DrewsLions — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:40:33 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford celebrates with fans after defeating the Washington Redskins 19-14 in an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. The Lions ended their 19-game losing streak with the victory. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Browse more photos »

I just can't wipe that smile off my face. One measly little regular season win should never feel this good, but I can't help it... it just does. As I've read through this morning's local and national articles about the Lions' win, there is one underlying theme: this win felt just as good for the players as it did for the fans. Now that the losing streak is over, I think for the first time we can see what a massive stranglehold it had on the players. Maybe not so much the guys brought in this year, but definitely for the few remaining holdovers. And even going back to last year, I now firmly believe that losing has much more of a psychological effect on a game's outcome than I ever credited it for. The outpouring of emotion from guys like Backus and Raiola was very telling. This indeed was the proverbial monkey on their backs and was weighing them down more than I ever suspected. Now that the tremendous burden is lifted, we will see if the opposite is true - which I believe it can be - can a team be lifted to wins with a simple winner's approach and attitude?

But let's be real here. The next three games... at Chicago, home against Pittsburgh, then at Green Bay... are going to be very tough to win. I think if we can steal one of those, that would be a true blessing. That's the logical side of my brain talking, which is always trying to stay even-keeled and realistic. This side of my brain appreciates the win, but sees that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. But the other side of my brain, the off-the-meds, uneven, lack-of-reasoning fan side of me, says, "Yeah, but what if...." Hmmm... yeah, what if? I was sure to pay special attention to both the Bears and Steelers games yesterday (love my FREE NFL Sunday Ticket) and I spent the afternoon flipping back and forth between the two. Still punch-drunk and on cloud nine from the win, the fan side of my brain took over. I started to see how both of these teams looked beatable. Chicago fought back from behind, but struggled at times against a vulnerable Seattle defense. Pittsburgh looked quite average against a Cincy team with a new found sense of purpose. Heh... we could have beaten either of those teams today, I thought. If we play tough against both teams, we could legitimately be 3-2 heading into Green Bay. Hmmm....

See... this is what winning does for you. Too bad for me the logical side usually wins every day aside from Sundays. This morning, I am back to my senses. Still relishing the beautiful win, but fully realizing what lies ahead for our Lions. There are going to be more losses. There are going to be more horrendous rookie interceptions thrown by Stafford. Our defensive secondary will have streaks where they simply get torched. That's reality, I guess. But there is also a renewed sense of hope in the win. Yesterday showed that there will be more wins, too. Stafford has continually progressed and will have good games that actually help us win. The defense is much better than last year and has shown that it can be very tough at times. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it is getting brighter each week... the true sign of progress.

Thoughts About the Game:

I love what Jim Schwartz brings to the city and to the organization. I love that his first comments after the game were basically, "why is everyone so surprised... didn't we expect to win?" I love that the first thing on his mind when he got the team together in the locker room was the fans. I love that we have a coach that is a true asset before, during and after a game. From me personally, I just want to say "Congratulations on the win, Coach". I'm sure this is the first of many and the start of something wonderful.

We got to see our first real glimpse of the Lions' future through the solid play of the talented young core of this team. Every rookie that saw significant playing time, played very well. Stafford, Pettigrew, Delmas, Levy, Hill... all of them made contributions to the win. Other young guys like Cohen, Ramirez, Cherilus and especially Smith and C. Johnson, are the reasons that there is so much to be excited about in the years to come. If there was any doubt that Kevin Smith was the real deal... that debate can be put to bed. He was phenomenal against a solid run defense and would have ended the game over 150 yds if he would not have gotten hurt, no question. It may not all come together every game, but when it does, it is a beautiful thing.

I am still quite pissed about having to watch the Lions' win on a grainy, lagged internet stream. I know that the NFL is pretty dead-set in its ways with the blackout policy, but hopefully the national attention it is getting from situations like this is putting a few dents in the armor. We can do nothing but hope, because I fear this wasn't even close to the last time we'll have to watch a game this way.

Kudos to Scott Linehan who called a great game this Sunday. Unlike the first two games where there were many instances of questionable playcalling, I thought this game was nearly perfect. The only play I can remember that left me scratching my head was the Lions' last offensive play of the game. With as well as Stafford played, I thought they should have let him try to convert and let the victory kneeling begin, but that is being nitpicky. Hope you have another one up your sleeve for Chicago....

I didn't realize this, but Phillip Buchanon was benched, not injured (per Tom Kowalski). He was even active for the game, but didn't play a snap. Not sure what this says about our already suspect secondary, but in my mind, this is the unit that scares me the most. I wrote about this earlier this summer and now my fears are confirmed about this being our weakest link. At times, Campbell was simply lighting up our secondary. It is a big concern that throws some clouds on an otherwise sunny defensive performance. We'll have to watch what happens with Buchanon over the coming days. If it is strictly a performance issue with him, I wouldn't be surprised to see him cut by the end of the week.

Okay, so I would be remiss if I didn't talk about Stafford's performance yesterday. I need to be careful, because I don't want to either overstate or understate the significance of it. I don't want to understate it because it was truly his coming out party as an NFL quarterback. Not that he made all the throws, but he was confident, showed real leadership ability and was a huge part of the Lions winning that game. The big third down conversions again and again showed that he belongs at this level. He needed to have this game to prove his worth almost as much as the Lions as a team needed a win. I really think he won over the fans and the locker room with his swagger and ability yesterday. Then again, I don't want to overstate the significance, because it is only one of three games that he has played well. He is going to have more bad outings, more bad interceptions and probably lose a game or two for this team with his mistakes. But if you sprinkle a good performance and a win here and there and show consistent progress, they become forgivable rookie offenses. We just need to see the flashes of greatness from time to time, just to remind everyone why we made the investment. Yesterday was a big flash and everyone can collectively exhale (short-term). If there is any doubt that Stafford is significantly progressing, just look at his QB rating over the last three games .... NO: 27.4, MIN: 56.5, WAS: 87.8

Congrats to everyone here at POD on the win yesterday. What a great group of fans we have! I know the last couple of weeks we have all been a bit chippy, but this win should cure a lot of that. Kick back and enjoy this one for a few days... then it's time to get ready to kick the stuffing out of the "teddy" Bears!

Official Vikings/Lions Injury Reports

Gonzo — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:54:02 -0000

Good evening/morning, campers! Glad to see that things have been relatively normal here, with the exception of some of the more creative FanPosts (all of which have been deleted). I would have gotten to these injury reports a bit sooner, but I spent my evening last night in New Orleans at a retirement party for a very good friend of mine that is moving on to the civilian world after putting in his 20 years. Let me tell you. . .Disney World might advertise themselves as the happiest place on Earth, but they've got nothing on Bourbon Street.

And I'll just leave it at that. This is, after all, a family show.

So, let's move on to the injury reports. As is customary here, we'll look at the visiting team first, so his Minnesota's injury report for tomorrow's game.

Minnesota Vikings Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Anthony Herrera	back	09/18/2009
Jim Kleinsasser	hand	09/18/2009

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Heath Farwell	hamstring	09/18/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Erin Henderson	calf	09/18/2009

Henderson is going to be out, we know that already. The big question here is Heath Farwell's status. According to Access Vikings, Henderson was the only member of the team that didn't practice on Friday, so since Farwell practiced, I'm guessing that he'll be a go for tomorrow's game, barring anything surprising. So, the Vikings should basically have their entire complement of players going into Ford Field tomorrow.

And here's the injury report for the Lions:

Detroit Lions Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Grady Jackson	knee	09/18/2009
William James	foot	09/18/2009
Jason Hanson	knee	09/18/2009
Phillip Buchanon	neck	09/18/2009
Daniel Loper	knee	09/18/2009

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Eric King	shoulder	09/18/2009
Andre Fluellen	knee	09/18/2009

Doubtful

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Cliff Avril	hamstring	09/18/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Cody Spencer	knee	08/18/2009
Daniel Bullocks	knee	08/20/2009
Jared DeVries	achilles-tendon	08/11/2009
Chris Roberson	undisclosed	09/05/2009
Damion Cook	triceps	08/07/2009

Grady Jackson is probable despite not having practiced on Friday, and his matchup against Vikings' center John Sullivan will be one of the more interesting ones to watch tomorrow. Sullivan had his difficulties with Shaun Rogers last week in Cleveland, and while Jackson is no longer in the class of guys like Rogers, he's still a big run-stuffing body in the middle of the Detroit defense.

Cliff Avril will likely be inactive for the Lions tomorrow, and I haven't seen anything indicating that anyone else on the Lions' injury report is a definite deactivation for tomorrow.

So there are the bumps and bruises for both teams going into the Week 2 matchup at Ford Field. Not a lot of hugely game-changing injuries for either side. We're about 12 hours away, folks, so make sure you're here for the Game Thread and all the fun that's involved with that. We'll see you here then!

Predicting the Arizona Cardinals Record: Part 4

Andrew602 — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 11:00:23 -0000

For the last three weeks, we've spent some time breaking down what the Cardinals record may be for the 2009 season. Over the weeks we looked at each game of the Arizona Cardinals schedule, and broke down each team they will play. You can see parts part 1, part 2, and part 3 right here, where you'll see that the Cardinals record at this point is 8-4. In part three, the Cardinals came out 3-1, only losing to the Titans. During this next stretch, they face 2 division opponents, and two others from the NFC North. So to finish our segment before the season begins, here is the final part of the prediction for the Cardinals 2009 record.

Week 14 - At San Francisco 49ers

Key Additions: WR Brandon Jones, CB Dre Bly, DE Demetric Evans, FB Moran Norris

Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain, WR Bryant Johnson, CB Donald Strickland, QB J.T. O'Sullivan, DT Ronald Fields

Analysis: After Mike Singletary took over for the 49ers last year, he immediately made a difference, and since then, he's stamped his identity on this team. He's created a tough and smart football team over at 49er camp. Although the 49ers are one of our rivals, you have to respect what Singletary has done for them at this point.

What to watch for: In their first match up, I gave the Cardinals the win at home, as they were opening the season after their Super Bowl run against a division rival on their home field. This time, the Cardinals travel to San Francisco, where the 49ers can play very aggressive against road teams. It's also on the Monday night stage, where both teams have played very cutthroat in the past. Expect a lot of emotions to come out as this has become a great rivalry.

Key Match Up: Chris Wells vs Patrick Willis - This would be a very exciting match up on the national stage, as our bruising rookie running back takes on their Pro Bowl hard hitting linebacker.

Prediction - Loss - Last year the Cardinals barely escaped a win over the 49ers at home. This year I'd expect us to split the series, with each team winning at home.

Week 15 - At Detroit Lions

Key Additions: LB Julian Peterson, QB Matthew Stafford, LB Larry Foote, CB Phillip Buchanon, CB Anthony Henry, DT Grady Jackson, OT Jon Jansen, WR Bryant Johnson, RB Maurice Morris, WR Ronald Curry, CB Eric King

Key Losses: CB Leigh Bodden, DT Shaun Cody, DT Cory Redding, DE Corey Smith, QB Jon Kitna, QB Dan Orlovsky, WR Shaun McDonald, FB Moran Norris, G Edwin Mulitalo, S Dwight Smith, WR Travis Taylor

Analysis: There's not much to say after a team goes 0-16 during the regular season. The Lions just plain stunk last year. This year proves to be a different experience for a team that's struggled in recent years. As you can see, they've cleaned house and started fresh. It began in the off season when they hired Titans defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz, as their head coach. They also took the next step in rebuilding their team, in drafting a franchise quarterback by the name of Matthew Stafford. The team can only improve from last year and anything more then 4 wins would be a success.

What to watch for: By the time the Cardinals head to Detroit at this point in the season, they will likely be vying for a playoff berth. On the other hand, the Lions may just want to play spoiler. Another thing to watch for is Calvin Johnson. He's already been regarded as one of the best wide recievers in the NFL at this point in his career. Watch to see how DRC handles himself against the tall receiver. If Stafford is in the game at this time, watch for the Cardinals defense to try and rattle the rookie QB.

Key Match Up: Adrian Wilson vs Matthew Stafford - If the rookie is starting at this point in the season, he has a big arm and likes to air it out. Expect Wilson to drop in coverage a few times but also layout Stafford a few times in the backfield.

Prediction: Win - It's simple, the Cardinals will be fighting for a playoff spot at this point in the year and the Lions will not be.

Week 16 - St. Louis Rams

Key Additions: SS James Butler, C Jason Brown, FB Mike Karney, OT Jason Smith

Key Losses: WR Torry Holt, OT Orlando Pace, QB Trent Green, S Corey Chavous

Analysis: After dusting off the cob webs and bringing in some youth, the Rams look to another challenge in '09, WIN. The last two years have been struggles for this Rams team that used to be the greatest show on turf. With Spagnola at the helm now, we may actually see a division rival actually become...a division rival.

What to watch for: The Rams come to University of Phoenix Stadium with hopes of knocking off a divisional opponent. Unfortunately, they haven't played that well there in the past, and will likely have some difficulty. The Cardinals will be ready for this game, hoping to catapult themselves into the playoffs with a win.

Key Match Up: Gerald Hayes vs Steven Jackson - Last year Hayes swarmed Jackson when the Rams came to Arizona. Will Jackson have revenge on his mind?

Prediction - Win - The Cardinals may need this win more then the Rams will at this point in the season.

Week 17 - Green Bay Packers

Key Additions: S Anthony Smith, C Duke Preston, DT B.J. Raji

Key Losses: DT Colin Cole

Analysis: The Packers had high hopes last year, after coming off an NFC Championship appearance. Unfortunately, it didn't translate into the 2008 season. While they had a good offense in '08, they suffered injuries that caused them to lack a rushing attack to go with their passing offense. The defense was the obvious weak spot, as they gave up a significant amount of points and were playing catch up most often then not. This year they bring back their explosive offense, and most are healthy. Aaron Rodgers has looked amazing at this point in the preseason, and they outscored their opponents in each game. They brought in Dom Capers and drafted DT B.J. Raji to improve their defense, and it's already showed as they've forced numerous turnovers and have limited their opponents scoring so far.

What to watch for: Watch for the Cardinals to head into this game with revenge on their minds. Even though it was only the preseason, the Packers put a shellacking on the Cardinals first team offense and defense. Expect to see fireworks in this game as the Cardinals defense would like to get after Aaron Rodgers.

Key Match Up: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie vs Packers Wide Receivers - After getting embarrassed in the preseason, we can only expect DRC to come out with something to prove in this game.

Prediction - Loss -Although the Cardinals will likely play differently this game, the Packers look to be much better in '09 and will be playing aggressively in their last game of the season, as their division will be competitive.

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Arizona Cardinals final projected record - 10-6

So after the final four games, the Cardinals finish their 2009 season at 10-6, which will likely land them with another division title and a playoff berth. Although you could easily mix and match some wins and some losses, 10-6 may still be the record, with 9-7 or 11-5 not that far out of the question. Although I'd like to see them go 16-0, I can live with the projected record if it happens. As far as anything less, the Cardinals would have to have a complete meltdown or a massive amount of injuries. What's your take on a final record of 10-6? Do you think the Cardinals would do better or worse?

Poll

How many wins will the Cardinals have in 2009?

13 or higher - Super Bowl here we come...again.

62 votes

10-12 - What hangover? We're back in the playoffs.

495 votes

7-9 - Another average season in the books

183 votes

6 or less - Same Ole Cardinals?

47 votes

787 votes | Poll has closed

Wednesday Notes: Stafford Expected to Start Tomorrow, No Official Word on Culpepper

Sean Yuille — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:15:06 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

4 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterbacks Matthew Stafford (9) and Daunte Culpepper (11) practice during NFL football training camp Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, in Allen Park, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Browse more photos »

Drew Stanton's specific injury is torn knee cartilage, and he could have surgery done on it today.
As for Daunte Culpepper, he cut his toe when he stubbed it on carpet at his house. I'm guessing he caught it on the edge of the carpet or something, because to end up with eight stitches, he really must have stubbed it.
Culpepper hasn't officially been ruled out of tomorrow's game yet, but the chances of him playing seem slim. Matthew Stafford is expected to start, but it is unknown just how long he will play.
Ernie Sims, Phillip Buchanon, and Anthony Henry are probably going to be out of tomorrow's game against the Bills. Jason Hunter, who has a rib injury, could miss the preseason finale as well.
Jason Hanson is starting to slowly work his way back, kicking in the indoor facility by himself on Tuesday.
To make room on the roster for Kevin O'Connell, the Lions waived wide receiver Glenn Holt, who was just claimed last week.
According to John Niyo, the Broncos, Browns, and Jets all put in waiver claims for O'Connell. There was no mention of the Chiefs, but it still is evident that there is some demand for the newest Lion. Whether or not that actually results in a trade is left to be seen, but as Niyo pointed out, the Lions have way too many needs to keep four quarterbacks on the roster going into the regular season (it is assumed that Brooks Bollinger won't be around for long). Considering that, I think either Stanton is going to be placed on the injured reserve or O'Connell will be traded.
The Bears have signed cornerback Rod Hood.

Friday Notes: Culpepper to Start; Lions Sign Alexander, Release Ervin

Sean Yuille — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:50:12 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

5 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Daunte Culpepper throws during football minicamp, Wednesday, June 24, 2009, in Allen Park, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Daunte Culpepper will start for the Lions against Indianapolis tomorrow. Culpepper will play for all of the first quarter and half of the second. Matthew Stafford will come in after that and play until the end of the third quarter. (Drew Stanton will get to play in the fourth quarter.) The starters will be in the game for both Culpepper and Stafford, allowing the coaches to get a look at what each can do with the No. 1 offense.

Jim Schwartz cautioned to not read into this very much, as someone has to go out there first. He also made sure to mention that a starter probably won't be named until the week of the Saints game, and even then we probably won't hear who is getting the start until right before the game. That way the Saints have to spend time preparing for both quarterbacks.
The Lions signed linebacker Rufus Alexander and released running back Allen Ervin on Thursday. Alexander has previously played for the Vikings and Colts. Ervin had played quite well in the first preseason game before suffering an injury the next week in practice. He was not going to play on Saturday, and the Lions probably figured he wasn't going to make the team, so it's best to move on and give someone else a chance.
Starting cornerbacks Phillip Buchanon and Anthony Henry both will not play against the Colts. Keith Smith will play in his first preseason game, but I think Peyton Manning is going to have a field day with our secondary. He very well may have anyways, but with the starters out this probably will get ugly really quickly.
Dennis Northcutt has also been ruled out of tomorrow's game.
Kevin Smith and Ernie Sims are going to be game-time decisions tomorrow.
Brandon Pettigrew is going to play against Indianapolis.
Daniel Loper and Manny Ramirez are battling it out for the starting spot at left guard.
People were actually lined up at Ford Field's box office to buy Lions tickets when they went on sale Thursday morning.
With all of this talk about backup kickers lately, Jim Schwartz decided to show the team a clip of when offensive line coach George Yarno kicked an extra point back when he played for the Buccaneers. He was actually the long snapper, but when the starting kicker got hurt, Yarno ended up coming in as the emergency backup and did quite well.

(More after the jump)

The Vikings' locker room reportedly is already divided on Brett Favre.
Roy Williams hurt his shoulder last night during a Cowboys practice and will likely miss the rest of the preseason. There was a report from PFT that he broke his collarbone, but his X-rays came back negative.
The Broncos have suspended Brandon Marshall.
The Cowboys are not going to have to raise their giant scoreboard, as the NFL has simply created a do over rule, meaning that if a punt hits the scoreboard, the play will just be done again. I realize it would cost $2 million to raise the scoreboard, but this rule is just stupid. The Cowboys have spent over a billion dollars on the stadium already, so what's another $2 million? Besides, they are the ones responsible for not testing this out in the first place, so they should be responsible for fixing the problem. This rule will just cause problems, and I can't wait to see the outcry the first time a do over punt is blocked.

Know Thy Enemy 2009: Detroit Lions - December 27

Fooch — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:00:13 -0000

Let's start by stating that a lot could certainly change between now and the last two games of the year. However, at this point, if the 49ers are in the midst of a playoff chase, they face a potentially easy close to the season at home against Detroit and on the road at St. Louis. Certainly not gimmes, but exceedingly winnable games. Those could be seriously exciting games when we reach that point. At the same time, both teams, and particularly the Detroit Lions are intriguing this year. The Lions have made some major additions that will make or break this season (at least in terms of actually winning a few games).

The Detroit Lions are represented here at SB Nation by Sean Yuille over at Pride of Detroit.

2008 Overview
Not much needs to be said about the 2008 Detroit Lions. There are train wrecks and then there are train wrecks. For those that were living under a rock, the Lions managed to become the first team in league history to finish 0-16. There had been numerous opportunities in the past, but the Lions stepped up to claim the prize. It's not exactly shocking then to take a look at their offensive and defensive DVOA and general team efficiency and see a team at or near the bottom in every category. One interesting note is that in looking at their overall efficiency, they really weren't that much worse than the Rams. Of course, the question becomes, do you want to go 2-14 and be generally ignored? Or would you rather go 0-16 and take history with you? Me, personally, I want infamy. Why be bad when you can be historically bad? It's one reason (of many) 7-9 can drive me crazy. You're middle of the pack of mediocrity and nobody cares about that. Either be good or god-awful.

After the jump we look at the Lions offseason additions and subtractions, 2009 Questions and Answers and a quick preview of the matchup...

Additions
Aside from the #1 pick, the Lions dealt for the 20th pick in the first round, giving them 3 of the first 33 picks. For believers in building through the draft, that's definitely a good start. They added QB Matt Stafford, TE Brandon Pettigrew and S Louis Delmas with those picks. Injuries have gotten in the way of Pettigrew and Delmas but both are expected to get extensive playing time early on. One draft pick of particular note for Bay Area sports fans was 7th round pick, OLB Zack Follett. Lions fans were happy with the pick and I have to say I can't blame them. Maybe he doesn't have superstar athleticism, but he's a badass plain and simple.

Outside of the draft, the Lions were extremely busy in the offseason. Of course, given how awful they were is that all that surprising? Their most high profile move was a trade that sent away DT Cory Redding and a fifth round pick for old 49er favorite OLB Julian Peterson. They also got former 49ers WR Bryant Johnson. He's been banged up in camp (shocker there) and continues to struggle to make the "leap." We'll see if he can do it with a rookie QB (or even Daunte Culpepper). Aside from that they added an assortment of new starters including CB Phillip Buchanon, TE Will Heller, DT Grady Jackson, MLB Larry Foote, and LG Daniel Loper among others. We'll see if they improve, but at least they look a heck of a lot different.

Subtractions
Considering the Lions made a lot of offseason additions, it's only natural that they would also have numerous subtractions. They of course dealt Redding away for Peterson. In free agency they lost DT Shaun Cody and FB Moran Norris, among many others. Given how bad they were I'd imagine a lot of turnover is not really a bad thing, even if it included their leading tackler Paris Lenon. Rather than go into more depth here, I thought I'd move it down to the more fitting...

2009 Questions and Answers
My biggest question in a broad sense is how quickly the turnover will be reflected in the record? The team has added a variety of players across the board, and also added a new coach in former Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The 49ers made some drastic moves back in 2005, but it did not really seem to be along the lines of this. It was more build down in order to eventually build up (or something like that). One way to assess it: The over/under on Lions wins in 2009 is 4.5. Would you go over or under that number?

Getting a little more specific, a big early question is the QB position. The Lions drafted Matt Stafford #1 overall and I'm wondering how long it will take for him to claim the starting job. The current unofficial depth chart at Lions.com lists Culpepper #1 and Stafford #2. I wouldn't be surprised to see Culpepper rolled out early on, but I'm wondering if he'll hold onto the job all season long. Given how bad the Lions look to be, is it worth just rolling out Stafford, or do you let him sit and learn for a year? Good teams tend to sit the QB while bad teams throw him to the wolves. Personally I say sit him and avoid getting him killed. Maybe they'll struggle but why destroy his confidence within the first month of the season?

Other than that it's really a question of how the youngsters (such as Kevin Smith and Gosder Cherilus) continue to develop. If the Lions can continue to grow, they could get back to respectability in the not too distant future. They simply need to show patience in the process (fitting coming from a 49ers fan).

@ San Francisco
I don't care how quickly the Lions improve, the 49ers simply cannot lose this game. In Bigelow and I's early season discussion, it was fairly easy to agree on a win here. As I said then, I do think the Lions will be an improved team, but I think the 49ers are simply better at this point, no question about it. The 49ers had very few statement games last year, but the home win over Detroit was probably the easiest. It's safe to say we would like a lot more statement games in 2009.

Wednesday Notes: Lions Claim Orion Martin, Release Eric Fowler

Sean Yuille — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:18:20 -0000

Don't forget, individual tickets for Lions home games go on sale tomorrow morning.
The Lions claimed linebacker/defensive end Orion Martin on Tuesday. Martin was released by the Dolphins on Monday, and the Lions wasted little time in claiming him. With depth at linebacker getting a little thin thanks to Darnell Bing's injury, the Lions felt it was necessary to bring someone in to shore things up a bit. Martin is an undrafted rookie from Virginia Tech.
To make room on the roster for Martin, the Lions released Eric Fowler. With a trio of Lions receiver returning to practice earlier this week, it's not too surprising that Fowler was released. I would have rather seen Keary Colbert get released, but it's not like Fowler was doing anything special. I'm sure he will be back at some point anyways. It seems like he is always getting signed and released by the Lions.
Brandon Pettigrew was back in practice on Monday, though it was in a limited fashion. Regardless, it's good that he has returned. There is a chance he could play against Indianapolis, though I imagine things would have to go perfect for him the rest of this week for that to happen.
Anthony Henry missed the morning session of practice yesterday, and fellow cornerback Phillip Buchanon only participated in individual activities.
Aveion Cason missed practice again, as did Allen Ervin, who just stopped wearing his protective boot.
While the Lions did add a running back to the team earlier this week, they may not be done with that position just yet. If injuries continue to pile up, undrafted rookie Tyrell Fenroy, who visited the Lions on Monday, could join the team. Fenroy went to Louisiana-Lafayette and was briefly on the Bears following the draft.
Although receiver turned kicker Dane Looker didn't miss a single field goal during yesterday's practice, the Lions are going to host a few free agent kickers for a visit today. Everyone was impressed with what Looker did, but the Lions probably want him to stay focused on being a receiver. Plus, the Lions need to have a kicker ready to go just in case Jason Hanson isn't able to return when the regular season begins. Swayze Waters hasn't looked bad or anything, but Detroit has to make sure he isn't injured on a regular basis with Hanson's status in question. Considering that, a backup backup plan may be necessary.
Aaron Brown is spending time in practice working on his pass-blocking.
With T.J. Duckett becoming a free agent, there has been some talk about the Lions bringing him back. Duckett is a good player for short-yardage situations, but I'm happy with Jerome Felton.
As if Daniel Bullocks wasn't having a rough enough time as it is, news broke yesterday that he may have been a victim of a Ponzi scheme.
Former Lion Dick LeBeau is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2010 class.