SB Nation - Chuck Darby

Seahawks Humiliated on the Road; Deliver Signature Loss of the 2009 Season

John Morgan — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 21:46:40 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

I am pretty sure George Walker Bush busted coverage on a few plays. Fire him. Fire EVERYBODY!

If ever a time for finger pointing and easy answers existed, it is now. I could attack the character, play and talent of about any Seahawk and score. We don't know exactly how Seattle failed, but we all certainly saw someone in blue fail and that, that guy, is the problem. Panic loves a demagogue and I've the rich pipes to shout orders at the assembling mob. To Renton!

The coaches! We can be sure they're dumb.

The line! Sucked like an Oreck.

Matt Hasselbeck! Boy that guy's done!

The Seattle Seahawks were 4-12 last season. They are now 5-8. They should win against Tampa, and since we're talking "shoulds", they should finish the season 6-10. That is a reasonable step forward for the 2008 Seattle Seahawks. The 2008 Seattle Seahawks were one of the five worst teams in football. The 2009 Seattle Seahawks are one of the ten worst teams in football. And when a bad team, with a suspect line, conservative playbook and aged quarterback gets behind early on the road, it has no answer. It is not one player's fault, but a complete team failure.

That Julius Jones! What a jobber.

And Housh! An overpaid primadonna!

I hope that is sufficient aperitif for everyone's hunger for blame.

Here are some sure to be unpopular observations.

Josh Wilson ran down the field and tipped away a deep pass. That was an exciting display of man cover for the kid and a small, small-small step towards realizing his potential. Wilson might settle at nickel and he is already a fine situational defensive back, but there's room for Pistol to develop into a Antoine Winfield type corner.

Deon Butler can own the short pattern. He's smooth into and out of his cuts and the rare receiver capable of quick acceleration and long-stride speed. Butler must be embraced as a receiver rather than a forty time. From the time he was drafted, Seattle has mismanaged his talent: Wasting time and development, not to mention risking injury, auditioning him as a returner; Sending him streaking up the sideline without a quarterback that could target him; seeing him as a deep receiver because of one attribute and missing his true profile as an underneath burner.

The defense kept its pride even after being handed its ass. Seattle forced two big turnovers that quickly dissolved into nothing, but were clean, meaningful turnovers. Seahawks fans are done thinking this is an elite unit, and with ample reason, but it is young, it is mostly cheap and it is worth picking apart and finding value within. Whether Seattle needs a complete rebuild or not is mootable. I see young talent growing within an otherwise crumbling team.

The team is crumbling. Today a pillar broke off and landed on the Seahawks coaching staff. I like Gus Bradley, Greg Knapp and Dan Quinn. I think all three have a future in this league, but probably not together. I can't see Jim Mora escaping such an embarrassing loss. It was always unlikely Mora would stay. New general managers want their guy. I will not look back at Mora and feel contempt, but he has not earned much respect in his short time here. Fiery is fine. I see desperation. The look of a man that thinks he can yell his way out of failure.

This loss hurt through the first half and settled in the second. Now I don't feel it all. A better team, at home, that matches strength against many of Seattle's weaknesses, playing from well ahead from the first quarter on...

And it won't matter a damn in a month. The Seahawks live beyond the players, coaches and fans. Suck as today sucks, and this sucks, Seattle will rise again. And someday, that good coverage down field by Wilson, the rollicking tiny power presence of Justin Forsett, that force of nature hitting by Aaron Curry, will matter again. Just not today. Or soon. Or even next year, probably.

Game ball: Brandon Mebane was stuck behind Chuck Darby not too long ago. Back then, I was sure to point out Darby's missteps and Mebane's potential. He finally got his shot when Darby was lost to injury and has been nothing but special ever since. He is, accounting for position, Seattle's best pass rusher. He is clearly Seattle's best run stuffer.

Mebane is the rare defensive lineman that bunches double teams and brutalizes them if the quarterback double-clutches. He sticks-out when he's in and even more when he's out. A dozen players on the current roster would be lucky to make the next winning team, but make one Brandon Mebane. Kid was playing for a good team, he would be bashing backs and sacking quarterbacks towards his second Pro Bowl.

The Rise and Fall of Tim Ruskell: 2005

John Morgan — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:49:56 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

Joe Jurevicius was cut by the Tampa Bay Bucs March 1, 2005. Tim Ruskell signed him to a one-year contract later that month. He was Seattle's most valuable target in 2005, catching ten touchdowns and leading Seahawks wide receivers in DVOA. Darrell Jackson missed ten games that season.

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Tim Ruskell was announced as Seattle's new general manager of football operations February 23, 2005. He inherited a good team, a team that had made the playoffs in each of the prior two seasons, and a team with a winning record in four of Mike Holmgren's six seasons as head coach. He inherited a franchise quarterback turning 30, Matt Hasselbeck, two hall of fame talents on the offensive line, Steven Hutchinson and Walter Jones, a great running back in his prime, a good young cornerback, a three-tech, an oft-injured one-tech, a pair of system correct wide receivers and two controversial young safeties. A year later, the team Ruskell inherited represented the National Football Conference in Super Bowl XL.

Rumors notwithstanding, Ruskell's contract is up after the season. Seattle was 4-12 in 2008 and is 4-7 so far in 2009. His job is in the balance.

Seattle ranked 16^th in DVOA in 2004. It ranked 9^th in 2003 and 18^th in 2002. It had a below average defense in all three seasons. Ruskell was brought in to fix Seattle's defense. He built his reputation under Rich McKay and the Bucaneers dominant Tampa 2 defense was his living resume. The 2004 team finished 21^st in total defensive DVOA, 17^th in passing DVOA and 30^th in rushing DVOA. Pro Football Reference provides the starting defense in 2004 and the starting defense in 2005.

Seattle finished 15^th in defensive DVOA in 2005. It was worse against the pass, fading to 24^th, but better against the run, 5^th overall. The team did not make a sudden leap as is often described. It did improve significantly and through a significantly remade roster. The front seven was gutted. Rookies Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, and free agent acquisitions Chuck Darby, Bryce Fisher and Jamie Sharper all started eight or more games.

All but Sharper started for Seattle in its two playoffs wins preceding the Super Bowl. Seattle allowed under 300 yards to the 10^th ranked, Washington, and 14^th ranked, Carolina, team offenses. It smothered the Redskins. Shaun Alexander missed most of the game, and Seattle lacked the rushing attack that defined it. The Seahawks dropped five fumbles and lost three, forced no interceptions and lost the turnover battle three to one. But it held the ninth ranked Redskins rushing attack to 59 yards on 25 attempts. The Redskins had only three rushing first downs, and were 0-2 in red zone efficiency.

Seattle hired Tim Ruskell to remake the defense and he did. The Seahawks won their first playoff game in 20 years because of that defense. It then blew out the Carolina Panthers, powered by three interceptions, a forced fumble, its trademark rushing attack and sound execution in every phase, by every unit.

Seattle lost Super Bowl XL, but was not outplayed. Ruskell was the toast of the NFL. He was hired to remake the defense and did, and his remade defense was critical for the greatest run in Seahawks history. Ruskell also scored on offense. He signed Joe Jurevicius and Jurevicius was Seattle's most valuable target, keeping the pass game afloat after Darrell Jackson missed ten games.

Ruskell was unimpeachable. He was the pulse of the organization and the face of its future. The Seahawks success lifted all boats. Mike Holmgren was venerated after a controversial start to his career. John Marshall stepped in for Ray Rhodes, who had suffered a stroke in September of 2005, and his defense looked young and promising. Fringe players like Jordan Babineaux had earned a following among a resurgent fanbase. Matt Hasselbeck was in the discussion of best quarterbacks in football. Shaun Alexander was the league's MVP. Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson formed the best left side in football. The spectre that haunted Seattle, the Seahawks could not win in the playoffs, was exorcised. It had won and decisively.

It finished the season Super Bowl losers. It was a team in decline.

Lofa Tatupu Undergoes Surgery on Torn Pectoral Muscle

John Morgan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:12:22 -0000

Lofa Tatupu will undergo surgery performed by Dr. James Andrew to repair a partially torn left pectoral muscle. This should end his season. Tatupu made some noise about returning, and he, like most athletes, would rather play without an arm than miss a snap, but the extent of the tear has narrowed that chance and maybe for the best.

Ever since Frank Gore ran all over the 2006 Seahawks, Tatupu has bulked up every season. He was cast as an active, attacking but often overmatched middle linebacker and wanted the muscle to bull through fullbacks and break free from pulling linemen. That muscle has come at the cost of lateral agility and wrap-tackling. Tatupu has become that too-common linebacker that hits, but bounces off the ball carrier and too-often allows yards after contact.

Seattle hasn't fixed its Frank Gore woes. Gore was able to slice through the Seahawks line and run for over two hundred yards in week two. Tatupu wasn't out there, but a detailed study showed it was the line and not any one linebacker that allowed Gore to storm into the second level uncontested. And it's the line that must be forever fixed to stop that from happening again.

The Seahawks could add another tackle in the middle and attempt to approximate the Marcus Tubbs, Rocky Bernard and Chuck Darby rotation that allowed its then small linebackers to swarm and stop staggered rushers. The solution is not for Tatupu to get bigger. He has bulked up so much, not coincidentally become barrel chested and can shaped, that his arms almost look like they have receded back into his body. Middle linebackers can be small. 34 year old London Fletcher-Baker has made a career out of quickness and technique. Jonathan Vilma was written off before he got some bulk back in front of him. The 238 pound Tatupu that entered the league could cut and wrap and make a play on the ball in the air, but the modern Tatupu hits, misses misdirection and must tackle after the reception. Get well Tats and maybe lose a couple while you're at it.

Wednesday Notes: Lions Sign Demarcus Faggins, Re-Sign John Standeford

Sean Yuille — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:46:56 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Detroit Lions wide receiver John Standeford catches a two-point conversion from quarterback Drew Stanton during the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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The reason teams hold mass tryouts every once in a while was exemplified today, as the Lions signed free agent cornerback Demarcus Faggins. The Lions needed to add another corner to the team after Eric King was placed on injured reserve, and Faggins tried out with the team earlier this season. He was obviously at the top of their list of free agent corners, and he is now a member of the team. (John Niyo thinks Kevin Hobbs will become the Lions' nickel corner and Faggins will be inactive on game days for now.)
At the top of the Lions' list of free agent wide receivers must have been John Standeford, as he was re-signed by the team on Tuesday. Standeford was released during the final round of cuts before the season, but he has been brought back to add depth to the wide receiver position. What that means for the health of Calvin Johnson is beyond me, but I'm hoping the Lions just want to have depth going forward so they are never again left with only three healthy receivers during a game like they were last Sunday.
On a more positive note, Sammie Hill must be healthy again based on the fact that the Lions released Chuck Darby to make room on the roster for Standeford. Darby was brought back after Hill got banged up a few weeks ago, but the rookie must be ready to return if the Lions are willing to part with Darby.
The Lions not only signed a couple players on Tuesday, but they also held another tryout. This one only included three players: offensive tackle Levi Jones, center Melvin Fowler, and defensive back Jahi Word-Daniels.
When Ernie Sims returns to full health, he will be one of the Lions' starting linebackers.

(More after the jump)

The Lions have agreed to a deal with 97.1 The Ticket that will keep it as the team's flagship radio station for at least three more years.
Bidding on the Silverdome begins next month, and remember how I joked about how Pride of Detroit should buy it? Well...

"The Silverdome is a marquee property and in good condition, but the city can't run it properly, and it should be turned over to someone who can return it to a vibrant asset," Leeb said. "We're told there has already been considerable interest, but if the high bid is only $1, well, then that's it."
If the auctioneers happen to stumble across this post, I am officially bidding $1 (and whatever else POD readers want to throw in) for the former home of the Lions. The yearly costs of maintaining it would be a pain in the ass, but how sweet would it be to own the Silverdome? I can see it now... "Hi, my name is Sean, I own the Silverdome, err, the Seandome." Talk about a great conversation-starter.
Remember how Tom Lewand said a good way to sell tickets is by winning games? I have an even better strategy: Hope and pray that the Steelers come to Ford Field more often. At least half (probably more) of the fans at Sunday's game were waving terrible towels, and it was probably the most friendly game for an away team in the history of the NFL. I know the Steelers travel well, but as Larry Foote pointed out, quite a few of those fans didn't even come from Pittsburgh.

"I'm a little disappointed," Foote said. "On my way home on the freeway, I seen a lot of Michigan plates with a lot of Terrible Towels in the car. The people who live here and are Steeler fans, shame on you guys. You will be on our bandwagon sooner than later."

Foote smiled as he spoke. He expects the Lions to turn themselves around and win over those fans.

"These Detroiters that love Pittsburgh, they're going to have Honolulu blue on," Foote said. "People like to support a winner. I understand that. But I wanted to run some cars off the road yesterday."
He couldn't have summed up my feelings on this any better.
Quite a few players were fined because of plays that happened in the Bears-Lions game earlier this month, including Adewale Ogunleye, who got docked $7,500 for the sack that injured Matthew Stafford.
The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is going to pay for two new police dogs for the city of Detroit.
Dre' Bly is not very intelligent.
I knew Owen Schmitt was crazy, but I didn't know he was quite this crazy.
How's this for a stat: All of the Redskins' first six games will end up being played against winless teams. Here's an even better stat: Not counting the Giants (the Redskins' Week 1 opponent), Washington's opponents have a combined record of 2-22, and both of those wins came against the 'Skins.

Tuesday Notes: Lions Activate Zack Follett, Waive Darnell Bing

Sean Yuille — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:57:12 -0000

The Lions have activated linebacker Zack Follett from the practice squad. Linebacker Darnell Bing was waived to make room on the roster for Follett, who is being added to the active roster mainly for his special teams skills. He flies down the field on special teams, and during the preseason he had quite a few tackles on kickoffs, so the hope is that adding him to the mix will improve a rather lackluster coverage unit.
Adam Jennings was placed on injured reserve yesterday, as the ankle injury he suffered against Chicago is season-ending. To fill the opening created on the roster, the Lions claimed safety Marvin White, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals.
RB Jehuu Caulcrick (of Michigan State fame), OT Isaac Sowells, OG Kurt Quarterman, DE Robert Henderson, LB Vinny Ciurciu, DB Vernon Fox, and S Todd Johnson tried out for the Lions on Tuesday.
Even if Jim Schwartz had challenged Johnny Knox's kick return for a touchdown (it appears Knox threw the ball before he reached the end zone), the Bears still would have ended up with the ball. The original thought was that the play would have been a touchback since the ball ended up in the end zone, but since Knox threw it forward, it would have simply been an illegal forward pass. The penalty would have put the Bears on the 6-yard line at worst, so in hindsight it wasn't quite as big of a deal. Still, it pisses me off that FOX Sports cut off the replay and kept the Lions from seeing if the play was worth challenging. I personally didn't even notice what happened at the time, as I turned away from the TV around the time Knox crossed midfield. I knew it was a touchdown by then and didn't want to see the rest of the play, so I didn't even realize what had happened until someone pointed it out in a FanPost earlier today.
John Clayton thinks the Lions will rest Matthew Stafford for a couple weeks since the bye week isn't too far away.
Don't expect any coaches (I'm looking at you, Stan Kwan) to be fired in the middle of the season, as it doesn't sound like Jim Schwartz rolls like that.
Cliff Avril isn't 100% just yet, but his "hamstring is getting better."
Chuck Darby spent much of the three weeks in between stints with the Lions fishing.
I don't have much to say about the Tigers other than I can't believe they choked that game away. They had so many chances to win the game or pull away, only to blow all of them and let the Twins end it in the 12th inning. I'm also extremely pissed off at the umpire for not realizing Brandon Inge got hit, costing the Tigers a run, but Detroit didn't deserve to win. They choked away the entire season over the last few weeks, and really I think it's time for a change at manager. Sure, there are many problems with this team, from the hitting to the pitchers to the management, but this entire organization needs some changes, starting with replacing Jim Leyland.

Lions Re-Sign Chuck Darby, Release Marcus McCauley, and Shake Up Practice Squad

Sean Yuille — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:25:22 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

5 months ago: Detroit Lions defensive tackle Chuck Darby reaches for a football during the NFL team's minicamp Tuesday, June 23, 2009, in Allen Park, Mich. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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The Lions no longer hold the top waiver priority in the league, so they have to start doing their homework to get a list of possible players that are worth signing should injuries pop up. To do that, they held a mass tryout today, bringing in a total of 11 players (including some familiar faces).

Per a league source, they were running back Aveion Cason, cornerback Travis Daniels, defensive tackle Chuck Darby, cornerback Demarcus Faggins, defensive back Isaiah Gardner, receiver Taurus Johnson, safety Stuart Schweigert, receiver Derek Stanley, running back Kenny Watson, cornerback DeAngelo Willingham, and cornerback DeAndre Wright.

The Lions ended up re-signing defensive tackle Chuck Darby and releasing cornerback Marcus McCauley. Darby was released during the final round of roster cuts, and McCauley was claimed a day later.

Tight end Carson Butler and wide receiver John Broussard, members of the practice squad, were also released. Taking their spots are wide receiver Taurus Johnson and cornerback DeAndre Wright.

Best Case or Worst Case = Basket Case

DrewsLions — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 19:14:53 -0000

Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions represented in this article are those of the author and any similarity of ideas or depictions of persons, real or fictional, is purely coincidental. Using this article without the expressed, written consent of the author is perfectly fine and can be shared with whoever the hell wants to read it.

Everyone here has an opinion on the Lions, right? Optimistic, pessimistic, indifferent... whatever it might be, it's still a formed opinion based on the data presented in the argument or situation. As the countdown to the Lion's training camp now enters the final week, I feel that we've all put our best thoughts and ideas to pen and paper (or more like keyboard to screen) to try to exude our feelings on what will happen with the Lions this year. Some are very optimistic and think that we can make the "P-word" (for those new to the site, I have vowed not to use the word that starts in "play" and ends in "offs" with respect to the Lions until they actually make it). Some feel like we have a lot to prove and are quite far from true contention. The thing about it is... none of us really knows.

The Lions of 2009 could be anywhere from a true-blue contender to a bona-fide joke. Where you think we might fall into place within that very wide margin is simply a guess based on your personal views of the off-season moves. Truth be told, this is probably the most unpredictable team put forth in Lions history. It's a perfect storm of intriguing mystery and debatable unknowns. The Lions were a winless team a year ago, but "appear" to have made some significant strides in the off-season. They also still "appear" to have some major holes. All of this breeds a level of uncertainty and it can be maddening to say the least.

I think the Lions will fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. I don't think we'll see all the potential come to fruition this year, but I also don't think we see a bunch of turkeys crapping all over the field all season long like last year. But for the first time in a long time, I think that the best case and worst case scenarios are miles apart.

The Best Case Scenario

This is all a matter of opinion... so I'm sure other's opinion of a best case scenario will vary. But taking all factors into account (schedule, off-season moves, etc.), I think the '09 Lions have a very high ceiling. Call me a Kool-Aid addict, call me über-optimistic, whatever... but I think if everything clicks, the Lions could shock a lot of people this year. This is not me saying that this will happen or that the Lions can go to the Super Bowl... it's just me saying that the Lions could accomplish more than some might think. Obviously, the stars must align and certain conditions must happen for the Lions to achieve the top end of the potential spectrum. I'll list a few of those.

First and foremost, the quarterback situation must sort itself out before the season starts. It cannot be a revolving door between Culpepper and Stafford and whoever is practicing best that particular week. And more importantly than the "who" is the "how"... meaning, how well the starter ultimately plays. In order for the Lions to achieve a high level of success, it is imperative that the Lion's offense is run efficiently and with leadership exuding from that position. I think both guys have that leadership quality, so it's ultimately about winning and execution. I know most will be shocked to hear me utter these words (especially you, KDawg), but I think the top end of this best case scenario can only be reached by playing Culpepper. Now let me level-set here. I personally think that the best thing for the team long-term is to play Stafford, but that's not what I'm talking about here. I'm talking about the best case scenario for this year... and with that as the backdrop - Culpepper might be the best shot of achieving that.

Next, the offensive line must show significant improvement in both the passing and rushing game. Duh, right? But to get more specific, I think the key is in momentous potential shifts from Cherilus, Loper and Peterman. It can happen. I think all three of those guys could surprise us and all of a sudden we find ourselves with a much improved offensive line. With Backus and Raiola, I think by this point it's "what you see is what you get". Backus will never be more than an average, inconsistent tackle - regardless of scheme. I do think his flaws can be masked somewhat by not leaving him one-on-one in the passing game and by having a good, bulky left guard next to him when executing the run offense. Raiola is feisty and probably an above average center for the most part. Regardless of what a lot of fans think about him, he is an asset to the team both on the field and in the locker room. If more players had his attitude, we would win more games. That said, Raiola will always struggle with the bigger defensive tackles in this league. He's just a tad too small and will always have that work against him. In the end though, if Cherilus, Loper and Peterman show tremendous strides, especially in the run game, we will have ourselves a pretty good line. So contrary to many opinions I've read here, this could be the first time in many years where our line is an asset versus a liability.

We all know Calvin is a mega-stud. He should account for most of our offense if Linehan is as smart as we all hope. Kevin Smith should turn out to be a good back for the Lions and is brimming with confidence and youthful energy. If Smith can turn into a great downhill runner and punch out 1300 yds this year, we will win a lot of games... even a few shockers. If you can combine that with a 100 catch season for Calvin Johnson, we will be fielding one of the better offenses in the league. I think two of the keys of that happening lie with two other players. Both Brandon Pettigrew and Bryant Johnson need defenses to fear them. Not like they fear Calvin, of course, but to fear them as enough of a threat that the defense is forced to view Pettigrew as a bona-fide blocking and receiving threat and Bryant Johnson as a guy that can burn the defense if too much attention is given to Calvin. If those two can pick up their roles quickly, this offense could be absolutely explosive... both running and passing. That's a scary and delightfully giddy thought.

The boom/bust potential of this team becomes very apparent when critiquing the defensive side of the ball. The obvious holes in the defensive line and secondary cannot be ignored. But again, if the dream of potential meets reality, this could be a really good group... my heavens, did I just say that?

First, the linebackers were the most significant upgrade to the entire team this off-season. If Larry Foote can show he's an every-down middle linebacker and a field general for this defense, we are going to be improved. If Julian Peterson shows that he can still be the versatile Pro-Bowl caliber player that has the ability to flawlessly cover as well as add 5-8 sacks to the defense, we are going to be greatly improved. If you put those two together with a newly energized Ernie Sims - who should be allowed to unleash his animal instincts and use his speed and tenacity effectively once again - we are going to have the best linebacking corps in the league - bar none. That is very exciting to me and is not simply a pipe dream - it could very well happen.

Second, we must get pressure from the down lineman to be at all successful. Avril needs to have a double-digit sack season. There's no room for wiggle there. To reach our max defensive potential, Avril needs to take a massive step forward and become the next, young Dwight Freeney. Also, we need to get more plays than we think we can get from both Grady Jackson and Chuck Darby. They need to surprise everyone with their play. We also need to get some semblance of a rotation from our depth guys. From Fluellen to Cohen to the young Stillman alum, we need our back-ups to make an impact - or better yet... play well enough to take over as starters. Even the best case scenario on the line is not very good, I think. But if we can keep from leaking like a sieve and get some pressure on the opposing quarterback, we should be moderately improved.

As for the secondary... two things are vital. The first thing depends on the defensive line getting pressure. That should mask some of the matchup problems in coverage, because again... I think the ceiling of the secondary is not very high. Second, Delmas must be an animal. He must catch on quickly to the speed of the NFL and make an immediate impact in the run defense. If we are forced to rely on the likes of Manual and Pearson, we can really only be below average at best in our secondary.

All in all, I believe the offense has the potential to be very good... maybe a top ten offense if all of the above happens. The defense, while potentially fielding the best linebacking corps in the league, might only be able to crack the top fifteen to twenty if all the stars align. But if the offense is ranked 8th-12th and the defense is ranked 15th-20th, that might mean a winning season. This, of course, is all barring significant injuries to our key playmakers. Unlikely scenario... yes, but what a wonderful thought and my most realistic best case scenario.

The Worst Case Scenario

Well, coming up with the worst case is pretty easy. Just sit back in your desk chair, close your eyes and think about the 2008 season. There you go... worst case scenario. But, we have a different coaching staff and different personnel... so the road to unimaginably horrible will have to follow a different set of street signs this year.

First, a catastrophic injury to someone like Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith, Julian Peterson, Larry Foote, Louis Delmas or one of the quarterbacks without the other being able to match great play, would likely end any bid to reach our peak potential. Calvin would be a deal-breaker. Without him, our passing game will lose every bit of potency and most likely become the anemic game of dink-and-dunk that we've come so accustomed to watching over the past few years. Our defense without Peterson or Foote will most definitely be a setback. Those types of big-name injuries almost always start a bleeding process for the team and slowly through the season, it all unravels.

Of course, if both Culpepper and Stafford struggle... game over offensively. I think we are sure to get some good play out of Calvin and a few good runs from Smith, but we had those last year. What we lacked was consistent line and quarterback play and without that again, we will rank no higher than last year. And that, my friends, is losing football. Not just losing, but badly losing football.... as in, down by 24 at the half and not getting any better kind of football. That same level of offensive play will result in five or fewer wins and a guarantee at another top ten pick in the draft next year.

Defensively, it is a very slippery slope. I don't think I need to go into a ton of detail here as we all know that there is a good chance that this defense could really struggle this year. As stated above, an injury to one or two of the starting linebackers and this thing could get ugly very quickly. We might see those same gaping holes and blown coverages of last year. Also, we have to remember that Cliff Avril is a Matt Millen pick and although not taken in the second round, how well have his third rounders panned out? We have to face the possibility that he might not produce his potential alá Kalimba Edwards. If he doesn't, we'll get an average-at-best outing from White and that simply won't be enough pressure. Without at least a decent rush from the front four, we are looking at an exposed secondary and a weakened linebacking group. I believe in Schwartz and that he will be prepared on gameday, but I don't care if you are Vince Lombardi incarnate, you can't win or scheme without talent... period. If we can't get pressure, cover or do the simple things like tackle or force turnovers, it's 2008 all over again and we are looking at a long, long season.

I think that it might be very easy to see a worst case scenario, unfortunately. I think that's why I've tempered my expectations to brace for some of those situations above to materialize. Injuries will happen. That's just a part of football. Let's just hope that they are not tagged to a Larry Foote or a Julian Peterson. If they do, they will neutralize a massive amount of our defensive versatility and you will see less blitzing and a lot more of the bend but don't break zone scheming we all hate so much.

In Conclusion...

As I alluded to in the name of this article, there are so many unknown factors that could shift the Lions from contenders to cellar-dwellers that it can drive you crazy trying to decide which team we will ultimately see. I think we'll see a combination of the two resulting in a progressive, but ultimately losing season. I think that they'll make opponents respect them, but still not have enough talent to shut teams down or get over that hurdle of closing games out. If that's the case, we're in for a roller coaster ride this season. I foresee with all my Jedi wisdom that we will have some shining moments that give great hope to the future mixed with moments of shear frustration and speculation of whether we will ever turn the corner. I see all this happening within each game. I can see a 90 yd Culpepper/Stafford to Calvin Johnson play to go up by 3 late in the fourth quarter, only to turn around and see our secondary get torched on a skinny post for 75 yds between Anthony Henry and Daniel Bullocks with 30 seconds to go. I think it's going to be one of those seasons. Most likely, it won't be until week 8 or so before we will know the true identity of this team.

Ultimately, we have to understand this is really year one of the Detroit Lions Version 50.0. There's just not enough talent and it will take the best of every scenario to realistically come away with a winning record. Could it happen? Absolutely. Will it? Most likely, no. But the excitement and frustration lies in this team's enigmatic character. High hopes shrouded in the unknown. But guess what? The Lion's first preseason game is in exactly 21 days. That's when we'll get our first glimpse of either Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde... whichever decides to show up.

Week 17 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:15:27 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Daunte Culpepper	Right Shoulder	Doubtful
RB	Kevin Smith	Ankle	Questionable
WR	Calvin Johnson	Knee	Probable
DE	Dewayne White	Calf	Questionable
DE	Corey Smith	Hamstring	Questionable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Probable
LB	Ernie Sims	Knee	Questionable
CB	Travis Fisher	Concussion	Questionable

GREEN BAY PACKERS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
RB	Brandon Jackson	Wrist	Doubtful
RB	Korey Hall	Knee	Questionable
OT	Breno Giacomini	Ankle	Out
OT	Chad Clifton	Knees	Probable
OG	Jason Spitz	Knee	Probable
DT	Justin Harrell	Hip	Out
LB	Spencer Havner	Ankle	Probable
CB	Charles Woodson	Toe	Probable
CB	Joe Porter	Concussion	Probable

NFL INJURY REPORT GUIDE
Status	Definition
Probable	75% chance that the player will play in the game
Questionable	50% chance that the player will play in the game
Doubtful	25% chance that the player will play in the game
Out	0% chance that the player will play in the game

Week 16 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 15:32:54 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Daunte Culpepper	Right Shoulder	Doubtful
RB	Kevin Smith	Ankle	Questionable
TE	Casey FitzSimmons	Illness	Probable
OG	Edwin Mulitalo	Ankle	Questionable
DE	Dewayne White	Calf	Questionable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Probable
CB	Leigh Bodden	Groin	Questionable

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
RB	Deuce McAllister	Knee	Probable
OT	Jammal Brown	Ankle	Probable
DT	Kendrick Clancy	Hamstring	Out

NFL INJURY REPORT GUIDE
Status	Definition
Probable	75% chance that the player will play in the game
Questionable	50% chance that the player will play in the game
Doubtful	25% chance that the player will play in the game
Out	0% chance that the player will play in the game

Week 15 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:23:15 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Daunte Culpepper	Right Shoulder	Doubtful
QB	Dan Orlovsky	Hand	Probable
RB	Kevin Smith	Ankle	Questionable
WR	Calvin Johnson	Hand	Questionable
WR	Shaun McDonald	Ankle	Out
DE	Dewayne White	Calf	Questionable
DT	Cory Redding	Ankle	Out (IR)
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Probable
CB	Leigh Bodden	Groin	Questionable
CB	Keith Smith	Groin	Questionable

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
RB	Joseph Addai	Shoulder	Questionable
RB	Chad Simpson	Ankle	Questionable
WR	Pierre Garcon	Non-injury	Questionable
OT	Tony Ugoh	Knee	Questionable
DE	Keyunta Dawson	Hamstring	Questionable
DT	Eric Foster	Neck	Questionable
LB	Gary Brackett	Fibula	Out
LB	Tyjuan Hagler	Knee	Out
LB	Freddy Keiaho	Abdomen	Questionable
S	Bob Sanders	Knee	Questionable

NFL INJURY REPORT GUIDE
Status	Definition
Probable	75% chance that the player will play in the game
Questionable	50% chance that the player will play in the game
Doubtful	25% chance that the player will play in the game
Out	0% chance that the player will play in the game