SB Nation - Jason Hunter

Thursday Notes: Calvin Johnson Practices, Kevin Smith Sidelined with Shoulder Injury

Sean Yuille — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:02:13 -0000

about 1 month ago: Detroit Lions running back Kevin Smith is stopped by St. Louis Rams defenders Quincy Butler (36), David Vobora, Paris Lenon and James Laurinaitis (55) in the first quarter of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Browse more photos »

Although he was listed as limited, Calvin Johnson practiced on Wednesday with the No. 1 offense. That's a good sign, because even Matthew Stafford was listed as limited in practice. He was listed as limited last week as well, but he obviously ended up playing. For Calvin, it looks like he will be a game-time decision, which is probably what Kevin Smith will be as well. Smith missed yesterday's practice because the shoulder he injured during the Rams game is still sore. If Smith is unable to play on Sunday, Maurice Morris will step in as the starter, and you can probably expect to see more of Aaron Brown as well.
Jason Hunter finally returned to practice after missing a couple games. It would be nice to get him back for this weekend.
Wide receiver Eric Fowler has been signed to the practice squad by the Lions.
It looks like Manny Ramirez and Jon Jansen are competing for the starting spot at left guard.
Danny Amendola, the returner that got lit up by Zack Follett, has a concussion. When asked about the hit, Amendola said this:

"The hit didn't hurt, but my mind wasn't working," Amendola said. "I walked off, I think. Just got my head buzzed a little bit."
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
Roy Williams complained to the media about how Tony Romo's passes to Miles Austin are thrown much better than when they go in his direction. I still can't believe we got a first- and third-round pick for him.

Friday Notes: Calvin Johnson Returns to Practice

Sean Yuille — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:48:20 -0000

My confidence level in a Lions victory over the Rams has changed quite a bit this week. On Monday, with there still being no word on the status of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, I was predicting a Lions victory, but there wasn't a ton of confidence behind that. After Tuesday, I started to gain more confidence after learning that Stafford had returned to practice. My confidence grew even more one day later after hearing that Stafford had again practiced. After yesterday, my confidence in a Lions victory rose to an all-time high, because Calvin Johnson returned to practice. As long as Johnson's knee responds well to the practice and he doesn't suffer any setbacks, it appears that the Lions' deep-ball connection between Stafford and Megatron will be on the field on Sunday. That's great news considering the Rams will likely present many opportunities to go deep, which could make for a big day for both Stafford and Johnson.
Stafford practiced for the third day in a row on Thursday, so I would peg his chances of playing on Sunday as probable. It appears that he should be good to go barring any unforeseen setbacks.
Terrelle Smith returned to practice on Thursday, whereas Jason Hunter and Zack Follett were sidelined with an ankle injury and an illness, respectively.
Gunther Cunningham apparently has a list of players that are basically on notice, and if they don't start playing better, they will be headed to the bench.
Brandon Pettigrew is surprisingly on pace to have a great rookie season by a tight end's standards.
Larry Foote would "love" to finish his career in Detroit.
Here is an interesting (and depressing) stat on Sunday's game from Inhistoric, SB Nation's sports history blog (HT: Turf Show Times):

Next Sunday's matchup between the Rams and the Detroit Lions will be one for the history books (no, seriously). Both teams have lost 17 of 18 games and 25 of their last 27. And if the Rams go 0-16, and it would make this game the only matchup in NFL history between a team coming off a win-less season and a team on its way to a win-less season.
Some people are dubbing this the "Toilet Bowl" on account of how bad the Lions and Rams have been in recent history. I think that would only be an accurate description if Stafford and Megatron don't play.
Carson Butler has been signed to the 49ers' practice squad.

Updates on Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Blackout Situation

Sean Yuille — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:15:26 -0000

More photos » by Kiichiro Sato - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) goes up over Chicago Bears cornerback Zackary Bowman (35) to make a catch during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)

Browse more photos »

For the second day in a row, Matthew Stafford fully practiced, meaning the chances of him starting on Sunday are looking better and better. The big concern was how his knee would respond after going through a full practice, and considering he has now done that two days in a row, it must have responded well. There's always the chance of a setback as the week goes on, but for now, at least, it seems like his chances of playing are probable.

I'm not so sure what Calvin Johnson's chances of playing are, but I have to think they are questionable at best after he missed practice again on Wednesday. The same goes for Jason Hunter, who also missed practice. Jerome Felton did return, but apparently on a limited basis.

Whether or not we see some of these injured players on Sunday remains to be seen, but it appears that people in the blackout zone won't get to see them even if they do play. There are 10,000 tickets left for Sunday's game, meaning a blackout is basically all but official at this point. The team has until 1 p.m. on Thursday to reach a sellout or at least get close enough to one for the NFL will grant a 24-hour extension. Neither of those things seems likely, so it looks like those of us in the blackout zone will have to go stream hunting on Sunday. Pride of Detroit will still provide live updates, so make sure to check out the site during the game.

Matthew Stafford Returns to Practice; Jon Jansen Elevated to Starting LG?

Sean Yuille — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:51:04 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford smiles at a teammate late in the fourth quarter of their 19-14 win over the Washington Redskins in an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009 in Detroit. Stafford passed for 241 yards and a touchdown to help end the Lions 19-game losing streak. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Browse more photos »

The Lions returned to practice on Tuesday after having the weekend off, and a few injured players who sat out on Friday were back on the field, joining their teammates for what probably was the practice with the most participation in at least the last few weeks.

The most notable player to return to practice was Matthew Stafford, who took approximately half of the reps on Tuesday. He seemed to be happy with how his knee held up, though he didn't feel comfortable giving a percentage on how healthy he is. Even if he had shared one, it wouldn't really mean anything until Wednesday's practice. I say that because no one will really know how healthy Stafford is until his knee has a day to recover from Tuesday's practice. If it swells up again, then chances are we will have to wait at least another week for Stafford's return to game action. If it is fine and looks/feels like nothing happened on Tuesday, then the odds of him playing on Sunday greatly increase. I don't want to get my hopes up just yet, but Tuesday brought more positive news on Stafford than I expected.

One of the other notable injured players, Calvin Johnson, did not return to practice on Tuesday. He did do some running on the sideline, but that was about it for Megatron. Calvin did say that he is "optimistic," but he also admitted that he's "not positive about what's going to happen." The best thing to do with Calvin is take a wait and see approach. If he suddenly feels well enough to practice sometime this week, he could also return to game action on Sunday against the Rams.

Staying on the topic of injuries, Dewayne White, Sammie Hill, and Ko Simpson all returned to practice on Tuesday as well. Jerome Felton and Jason Hunter didn't get back on the field, but even so, it's nice to see so many of the injured players start to participate in practice again. Hopefully that means that the Lions will be almost at full strength on Sunday, and as the season continues, hopefully it means that I will have to spend less time typing up the injury report each week.

One other thing I want to mention is unrelated to injuries, but it does involve a change to the starting lineup. According to John Niyo, Jon Jansen "appears to be the new starting left guard," and Daniel Loper has shifted to right tackle to be Gosder Cherilus' backup. It's obvious that the Lions want to find an offensive line combination that will work, so here's to hoping that Jansen is the answer at left guard, even though he has never started at a position other than right tackle in his career.

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

Preview: Lions at Packers

Brandon — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:01:03 -0000

by Duane Burleson - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions kicker Jason Hanson reacts after missing a 49-yard field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Detroit. The Steelers defeated the Lions 28-20. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

View full size photo »

The Green Bay Packers are coming off the bye week, and into one of the easiest games on their schedule. The lowly Detroit Lions, in Lambeau. I gave up on looking back for the Lions last win in Green Bay, it's been a while, but it doesn't really matter since it's almost an entirely new Lions team in 2009. Here are the league rankings for both teams, based on yardage from NFL.com:

Team	Pass Offense	Pass Defense
Packers	12	17
Lions	16	27

Team	Run Offense	Run Defense
Packers	22	20
Lions	19	21

Or maybe this game is going to be closer than some people expect. Neither team is very good at running the ball, or stopping the run. Both teams can get yardage passing the ball. The only thing that really stands out is the Lions bad pass defense. We need to take a closer look at this game, after the jump.

While the Packers lead the league in sacks allowed, the Lions lead the league in a more important stat; points allowed. That seems a little odd since their defense doesn't look that bad. At least it looks a lot better than last season. Imagine the worst defense you can, then double it (maybe triple it) and that's the Lions 2008 defense. One reason for the turnaround is the arrival of Jim Schwartz, their new head coach who was previously the defensive coordinator for the Titans. However, Schwartz doesn't play on the field. Looking at their current stats, their top 8 defensive players, as ranked by tackles recorded, are all new guys. They added some free agents (LB Larry Foote, ex-Packers SS Marquand Manuel and DE Jason Hunter, and CB William James), made a couple trades (LB Julian Peterson, CB Anthony Henry), and picked up a couple guys in the draft (2nd round S Louis Delmas and 3rd round LB DeAndre Levy). It's not the next Steel Curtain, but they're playing better than last season.

However they are still giving up a lot of passing yards, and QB Aaron Rodgers should have better pass protection on Sunday with the likely return of LT Chad Clifton. The Lions pass defense has given up 15 TD passes and only 3 INTs, a 119.7 QB rating against, highest in the league. The yardage might not kill them, but all those TDs might. The Lions pass defense statistically looks worse than the Rams, and Rodgers had 13 completions and 2 TDs against them. And that was despite a couple drops from his receivers.

Although the Lions are giving up fewer yards rushing, teams haven't run the ball that often against them either. The Lions are allowing a terrible 4.9 yards/carry against, which should help even RB Ryan Grant have a solid game.

While their offense has shown some signs of life moving the ball, they are having a hard time hanging on to it. Rookie QB Matthew Stafford has dropped back to pass 150 times this season, and has 10 sacks, 6 INTs and 2 fumbles. So something bad happens to him about once a quarter. With Stafford's injury, QB Daunte Culpepper might be under center and he isn't any better, with 57 dropbacks for 7 sacks, 1 INT and 3 fumbles. Something bad happens to him almost twice as often. Still they've managed 103 points which is 19th best (by average) in points.

While the Lions have amassed a decent amount of total yards running the ball, it takes them a lot of carries. Leading rusher RB Kevin Smith has a miserable 3.1 yards/attempt. Despite the high total yards the Packers have surrendered against opposing running backs, I'm very optimistic about their run defense after it stopped RB Adrian Peterson two weeks ago in Minneapolis.

While I'm not a huge fan of SS Atari Bigby, his likely return is great news. The Packers pass defense struggled two weeks ago because of SS Derrick Martin, who was benched mid-game. And that came on the heels of the poor start by SS Aaron Rouse, and now current NY Giant, against the Bengals. While the Packers pass defense should be much improved, the Lions are likely to be without star WR Calvin Johnson. Still they managed almost 300 yards passing last week against the Steelers with nothing from him. The Packers may give up some yards passing, but they'll hopefully be able to take advantage of turnovers by Culpepper.

If you're looking for the special teams to provide an X-factor in this game; don't. The Packers haven't gotten anything positive, and only some negative, from them this season. It's worse for the Lions because the special teams just collapsed last week against the Steelers.

The Lions remind me of the Bears offense, combined with the Rams defense, two teams the Packers have beaten this season. Packers 38, Lions 17.

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)

Browse more photos »

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.

Ending The Bye Week Blues

Mitchell_M — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:32:36 -0000

It's been a rough fortnight for me, Packer fans. Not only did Green Bay lose round one of FavreFest 2009 (while watching Jared Allen and his lame-unless-he-was-on-your-team stirring sack celebration), but they headed into the bye week at 2-2, re-signed an old favorite who may or may not be ready to play, and draw a feisty Detroit Lions team that looks like it's charging back towards middle-of-the-pack status.

So there's that whole deal. Combine that with the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks are wrapping up their preseason (and Brandon Jennings looks even less ready than we thought he would), the World Series is shaping up to be a showdown between the Dodgers and Yankees (after yet another disappointing Brewers campaign), and hockey is less important to me than the price of high heels in Sri Lanka, and you can see that it's a tough time for a Wisconsin-native sports fan. Even my fantasy teams are imploding (1-4 and 2-3 in the leagues that matter).

It's tough to lose your last game before a bye week. It gives you an awful taste in your mouth about your chances afterwards. But then I remember that the Packers are playing the Lions at Lambeau this week. That makes me feel slightly better.

DET rushing vs. GB defense: Every time I think of the Detroit running backs, I think of Kevin Smith, and every time I think of Kevin Smith, I think of Clerks 2, and every time I think of Clerks 2, I think of the scene where Randal and Elias debate which trilogy was better: Lord of the Rings or Star Wars (definitely NSFW). Specifically, I think of the part where Randal reenacts the LOTR movies by simply...walking.

That scene is oddly parallel to the story of Detroit's run game. Detroit's top 4 running backs (Smith, Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown, and Jerome Felton) are averaging less than 3.6 yards per carry. Not that we're used to dominant running performances around these parts, but Kevin Smith and his 3.1 average (287 yards on 94 carries) does not strike fear into opposing defenses.

It's not even that Kevin Smith is a below-average running back. He has good size (6'1", 217), and excellent speed and agility. He regularly breaks off 10+ yard runs, and is even a decent pass catcher (19 receptions for 143 yards). But his line is giving him no help.

Jeff Backus (6'5", 305) and Gosder Cherilus (6'7", 325) are capable bookends (especially Cherilus, who is a nasty run blocker), but the interior linemen, Daniel Loper (6'6", 320), Dominic Raiola (6'1", 295), and Stephen Peterman (6'4", 323) simply aren't able to move defenders and open running lanes. Smith is the type of running back that needs space to gain momentum and use his second gear, but he can't get started because he's constantly running into brick walls.

Green Bay has fared well this season against opposing running backs. Besides Cedric Benson (who has looked every bit like the player Chicago wanted him to be, including breaking Baltimore's streak of 39 games without allowing 100+ rushing yards to a single player), the Packers have effectively bottled up opposing running backs. As a team, Green Bay is only allowing 3.5 yards per attempt, in no small part because of the "Big Okie" formation that puts 5 linebackers on the field, allowing effective pursuit to the ball, stringing plays out to the sideline, and cutting off gaps. Brandon Chillar is a surprise tackling leader this season (26 on the year), but 7 other players in the front seven have at least 11 tackles.

Advantage: Green Bay. As a team, the Packers do an excellent job of closing running lanes, while Detroit does not do a good enough job at opening them up.

DET passing vs. GB defense: When I was a kid, 'Transformers' was awesome. When Michael Bay tried to turn it into a summer flick, it made me want to further repress my childhood so that I'd have no memory of ever enjoying the battle of Autobots vs. Decepticons. But there's still one guy that makes me glad to have watched that cartoon: Calvin "Megatron" Johnson.

Whoa, nelly. Megatron is a beast. I know I gushed about him last year, but I don't care. The 6'5", 236 lb. Georgia Tech product managed to put up 1331 yards and 12 touchdowns on the putrid 2008 Lions squad. He is big, fast, strong, has great hands, and can make any catch at any time. He has been limited in the last two weeks because of injury, but coach Jim Schwartz says that it isn't serious and he is currently listed as probable.

After Johnson is where the problems start. Bryant Johnson is a first round pick who never lived up to his promise. Dennis Northcutt is a Jacksonville castoff, which is saying something. Derrick Williams has some promise, but is buried on the depth chart. Yamon Figurs is a recent addition, but will likely focus on return duties. Will Heller is a career backup at TE, and first-rounder Brandon Pettigrew was injured in training camp and is still trying to figure out his role.

Behind center, Detroit went all-in on Matthew Stafford, which I thought was a terrible decision back in April. Stafford hasn't looked awful, but he certainly hasn't outplayed fellow rookie Mark Sanchez (who is on a much better team). Stafford has a big arm (894 yards, 3 TDs), but merely average accuracy (56.8% completion) and questionable decision-making (6 INTs, 65.6 QB rating). Basically, I didn't think that Detroit should have spent first-overall money on a guy who may or may not work out at the pro level, but the jury is still out on him.

Ever since dislocating his kneecap against Chicago, however, the Matthew Stafford debate is moot for the time-being. With Stafford likely sidelined another week, Daunte Culpepper takes the reigns again. And you know what that means:

I've got these tiny hands...

While we remember his time with Minnesota in the earlier parts of the 2000's, Culpepper has never been the same since his 2006 knee injury. He's bounced around a bit before settling in Detroit as a stop-gap QB, but he's still a capable passer. He still has a big arm, decent accuracy, and can run a huddle effectively. As weird as it seems, one of Daunte Culpepper's biggest weaknesses is the size of his hands. For a few years, Culpepper was averaging over a fumble per game. He has compensated for his tiny mitts by employing an unconventional throwing motion, but when he tries to run or gets hit in the pocket, he is prone to losing control of the ball.

And Culpepper has been hit a lot lately. Seven sacks against the Steelers is downright Rodgers-esque. Even before that, though, the Lions gave up 10 sacks in 4 games, giving them 17 total for the season. The Lions simply cannot protect their quarterback, something we know all about. Backus is a decent blind-side protector, and Raiola has been around long enough to make good adjustments on the line, but Cherilus is still too raw, the interior linemen are too weak, and the backs do not block well.

Green Bay's 3-4 defense was supposed to be the kind that got after the quarterback and forced turnovers. While the +7 ratio fulfills the second part, the sacks simply haven't been there. Through four games, the Packers have five sacks. Two came against Jay Cutler, and two against Marc Bulger. Brett Favre and his porous offensive line wasn't even touched on Monday night.

The decision to change Aaron Kampman into a pass-rushing OLB was a head-scratcher during the offseason, and it's become downright dumbfounding in October. On the play where Favre had over 7 seconds to find a receiver, Kampman wasn't shut down by a Vikings lineman. He was in zone coverage, someplace he has been found all too often. Dom Capers' blitz-happy defense took a turn for the conservative when Atari Bigby went down in Week 1, so his return is much anticipated. The lack of pass rush has severely hampered the production of the defensive backfield. Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, Al Harris, and Tramon Williams are still ball-hawks. As long as they get opportunities from the front seven, they will break up more than a few passes.

Advantage: Push. While Green Bay has the clear advantage on paper, I want to see more results before I declare them to have any sort of edge.

GB rushing vs. DET defense: Detroit's run defense was one of the many weak points in 2008. Thus far in 2009, it hasn't been fixed. The Lions give up 4.9 yards per attempt on the ground. That includes performances of 142 yards by Mike Bell, 92 yards by Adrian Peterson, 121 yards by Matt Forte, and 77 yards by Rashard Mendenhall. Jim Schwartz has tried to fix the problem by shuffling personnel, but results are mixed. LB Ernie Sims was benched last week for rookie DeAndre Levy, DT Chuck Darby was waived to make room on the field for rookie Sammie Lee Hill, and Grady Jackson has seen more and more snaps.

It doesn't help that the Lions are starting Packer castoff Jason Hunter at LDE with the 240 lb. Julian Peterson playing both at LOLB and at the other DE spot. Aside from Larry Foote, the Lions don't have anyone that can really shoot gaps and take on lead blockers. Ernie Sims was supposed to be that guy, but he's currently in the dog house. Rookie safety Louis Delmas is a big hitter, but he's no Troy Polamalu just yet. The only run-stopper they have is Grady Jackson, who is getting up there in years.

Luckily for Detroit, Green Bay doesn't seem that interested in running the ball. I did a little post last week exploring where the Green Bay rushing attack has gone. As it turns out, it really hasn't gone anywhere, it's just been ignored. The team averages a shade under 100 yards per game, which is somewhat respectable, but they haven't been able to sustain long drives by picking up yards on the ground. 2007 Ryan Grant is still MIA, and DeShawn Wynn has been downright awful. Brandon Jackson is coming back from injury, which might help, but he's best suited to a 3rd down back role anyway.

Up front, Green Bay's injury problems and lack of depth have exposed the team in pass protection, but also showed below-average run blocking. With Chad Clifton returning from injury, Daryn Colledge can resume his normal role at LG, putting Jason Spitz back at C and Scott Wells on the bench. From here, the Packers have a better shot of opening running lanes, especially on the right side (where Allen Barbre performs well).

Advantage: Push. This matchup is like the stoppable force against the movable object. If Green Bay calls an even offensive game, they might have an advantage, but I don't see any at this point.

GB passing vs. DET defense: Quarterbacks like playing Detroit. Against the Motor City Kitties, NFL passers have put up 15 scores against only 3 INTs while amassing a 73.3% completion rating. While the Lions have had middling success getting to the quarterback (10 sacks in 2009), their highest individual total is 2.0 (Jason Hunter). There is no designated pass rusher, unless you count Julian Peterson, who has been a failure as a DE on passing downs. Whether the sacks have been from good downfield coverage, poor blocking by opponents, or a schematic advantage, one thing is for sure: they aren't blitzing very much (bottom third in NFL).

The defensive backfield has been a sore point in Detroit. Anthony Henry has performed well as the #1 corner, but Will James and Philip Buchanon have been switching in and out of the starting lineup. Rookie Louis Delmas is best used in run support, but he is capable in pass coverage. The Lions split time at the other safety between Ko Simpson and former fan favorite Marquand Manuel.

Passing offense has been, for Green Bay, one of the lone bright spots in a disappointing start. Aaron Rodgers has put up big numbers behind an awful offensive line, showing accuracy and poise despite getting sacked 20 times in 4 games and having to run out of the pocket on numerous occasions. The receivers have been somewhat underwhelming, amassing 10 of the team's 14 drops. Greg Jennings has been unusually quiet in the first quarter of 2009, and has gone on record to say that he thinks that the team needs to get back to the short-passing game that allowed he and the other WRs to create yards after the catch. Hear, hear, Greg.

Advantage: Green Bay. If Rodgers can get hit 8 times and still throw for over 300 yards, he will get good looks against Detroit.

Preliminary verdict: Coming off a bye, Green Bay seems to have changed a bit as a team. Mark Tauscher has been re-signed. Brandon Jackson, Jeremy Thompson, Chad Clifton, and possibly Atari Bigby should be returning from injury. The offensive line should get back to the group that started the season, and the defense should get back to the blitzing that gave us all high expectations for 2009. Perhaps this is the week where we see the 2009 preseason team in action instead of the poor impersonation we've watched for the last month.

I can't think of how the timing could be better than hosting Detroit. Unless it was Oakland, or Kansas City, or the Browns, or even the struggling Cowboys. See, Lions fans? Your team has improved a lot!

Poll

What outcome do you see for Week 6 vs. Detroit?

Big GB win.

414 votes

Slim GB win.

197 votes

Too close to call.

26 votes

Slim DET win.

40 votes

Big DET win.

11 votes

688 votes | Poll has closed

Week 4 Preview: Lions (1-2) @ Bears (2-1)

Dane Noble — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:51:10 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y Huh - AP

Browse more photos »

The Chicago Bears will be looking for the first win over a division opponent this week, while the Lions will be flying high after snapping their 19 game losing streak dating back to 2007. Chicago defensive line coach/ assistant head coach Rod Marinelli will be facing his former team for the first time. Kickoff will be Sunday at noon Central Time at Soldier Field.

Week 3 Recap

Last week had to be a bittersweet win for Detroit, as their win over the Redskins came in front of the smallest crowd at their home field in 20 years, and with the game being blacked out on television. Nonetheless, owner William Clay Ford says the win was like getting King Kong off their back, and hoping that the win "gets us over that hump and gives us a winning attitude." The Lions set the tone in that game early, stopping the Redskins in the first quarter on a 4th and 1 goal line stand, which set up a 99 yards TD drive. The Lions never trailed in that game, and Matt Stafford looked like the QB the Lions hoped he would be after drafting him #1 overall in this past April's draft.

The Bears got a win of their own last week as well, having traveled to Seattle for what ended up being a much tougher contest than anticipated with the Seahawks. But, after having virtually zero offensive rhythm early in the game, Jay Cutler and company put together a couple of late game drives, and came out with a well earned victory. Cutler ended the day 21/27 for 247 yards and 3 TDs, while Devin Hester and Earl Bennett combined for 9 catches for 156 yards. Matt Forte also had over 100 yards of total offense.

Key Match Ups for Week 4

The Bears defense has definitely shown a bend but don't break pattern this season, and this could end up allowing Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson to develop a good rhythm in the passing game. The Bears have provided a pretty good pass rush this season, but short passes (screens, quick slants, etc) could easily offset any pass rush we may generate against the Lions. Johnson is dangerous when he gets the ball, so Chicago will really have to do a good job of tackling to keep from getting beat by the talented WR.

On the other side of the football, Detroit ranks 30th in the league for passing yards allowed per game (278.7) but 16th in rushing yards allowed (111.3). With Chicago's running game not nearly as effective as last season, we should see a good passing attack at Soldier Field Sunday. Will we get off the bus running? We might, but look for early and often play-action passes from Cutler. The Lions only have one player with more than one sack, and that is from defensive end Jason Hunter, with 2 sacks. Chris Williams should have his hands full this week against the 6'4, 271 lb defensive lineman.

Injury updates for both teams will be coming soon.

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.