SB Nation - Will Heller

Primer: Detroit Lions (2-9) at Cincinnati Bengals (8-3)

Kirkendall — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:00:31 -0000

by Carlos Osorio - AP

19 days ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford throws during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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Game: Detroit Lions (2-9) at Cincinnati Bengals (8-3)
Series Leader: Bengals 6-3
Streak: Bengals have won three straight and six of the past seven
Coaches vs. Opponent: Lewis: 1-0. Schwartz: 0-0
Broadcast: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, Laura Okmin (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 155 (Det.), 91 (Cin.). XM: 108 (Cin.).
SB Nation: Pride of Detroit
NFL.com: Game Center
Weather: Partly cloudy with a high around 39. [Weather.com]
Uniform: Black
Television Coverage: State of Ohio, most of Kentucky, West Virginia, eastern Pennsylvania, Michigan and northern Wisconsin. [506]

LAST GAME: The last time the Bengals played the Lions was December 18, 2005. The Bengals beat the Lions 41-17 in Detroit on their way to sweeping the entire NFC North that season. Palmer recorded three touchdown passes and outgained the Lions 426-270 in total yards. This was the game that the Bengals clinched their first division title in 15 years.

LAST GAME IN CINCINNATI: The last time the Lions played the Bengals in Cincinnati, the Lions beat the Bengals 19-13 behind a 151-yard day by Barry Sanders.

ONE NOTABLE: Cincinnati's own Thom Brennaman is scheduled to broadcast Sunday's game.

Cincinnati Bengals

With a win, Marvin Lewis (54-53-1) will tie the legendary Paul Brown (55-59-1) for the second most wins in franchise history. Sam Wyche has 64 wins.
Bengals look to recorded their fourth straight win when playing the Lions.
Against the NFC North this season, the Bengals are 2-0 and Carson Palmer has completed 35 of 47 passes for 418 yards and eight touchdowns for a 123.0 passer rating.
In his only meeting against Detroit, Palmer recorded three touchdown passes and a 95.5 passer rating.
Cedric Benson only needs 141 yards rushing to record his first 1,000-yard season in his career.
In his past two games, Bernard Scott is averaging 103 yards-per-game.
Chad Ochocinco is averaging 104.5 yards receiving against the NFC this year.
Defense is ranked 1st in the NFL, allowing only 15.8 points-per-game. Rushing defense ranks third, allowing 81.9 yards rushing per game.
Leon Hall ranks second with 17 passes defensed and Johnathan Joseph is tied for fourth with 15 passes defensed.

Detroit Lions

Matthew Stafford leads all NFL rookies with 2,124 yards passing and 12 touchdowns.
Running back Kevin Smith has recorded 970 yards from scrimmage and needs 30 yards to reach 1,000 in back-to-back seasons.
In his past three games against the AFC, Smith is averaging 123 yards from scrimmage per game.
Calvin Johnson looks to record a touchdown in three straight games. Johnson also has four 100-yard receiving games against the AFC, including two of the past three games.
Tight End Will Heller has a touchdown in two of his past three games.
Linebacker Julian Peterson recorded a sack and forced fumble last week and has 29 quarterback sacks since 2006.
Safety Louis Delmas recorded a safety last week (irony!)
Cornerback Anthony Henry has an interception in two of his past three games against the Bengals.

TEAM RANKINGS

Offense	Bengals	Lions
Total	332.9 (17th)	308.2 (26th)
Scoring	21.0 (16th)	17.5 (25th)
Third Downs	42% (11th)	39% (16th)
Rushing	135.3 (7th)	96.2 (25th)
Rushing TDs	9 (t-15th)	6 (23rd)
Passing	197.6 (21st)	212.0 (19th)
Passing TDs	15 (t-16th)	13 (t-20th)
Sacks Allowed	20 (t-7th)	33 (t-28th)
20-yard Passes	28 (20th)	31 (t-16th)

Defense	Bengals	Lions
Total	297.6 (6th)	394.3 (32nd)
Scoring	15.8 (1st)	30.5 (32nd)
3rd Downs Allowed	34% (5th)	42% (27th)
Rushing	81.9 (3rd)	112.9 (19th)
Rushing TDs	5 (6th)	9 (t-16th)
Passing	215.7 (16th)	281.4 (32nd)
Passing TDs	12 (t-9th)	27 (32nd)
Sacks	26 (t-10th)	19 (t-27th)
QB Rating	75.5 (6th)	111.8 (32nd)
20-Yard Passes Allowed	31 (t-15th)	38 (27th)
Interceptions	12 (t-7th)	6 (t-31st)

Special Teams	Bengals	Lions
Kickoff Return	22.2 (t-22nd)	20.8 (27th)
Punt Return	11.2 (5th)	9.2 (14th)
Punting (Net)	37.7 (t-19th)	37.6 (t-22nd)
Punts Inside the 20	18 (t-12th)	16 (t-20th)

2009 STATISTICAL INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Carson Palmer	Stat	Ranking
Quarterback Rating	86.7	15th
Yards Passing	2,327	17th
Touchdowns	15	t-14th
First Downs	119	t-16th
Average Yards/Att	6.9	t-17th
Completions	205	18th
Interceptions	8	t-16th
Times Sacked	20	t-16th

Cedric Benson	Stat	Ranking
Yards Rushing	859	9th
Attempts / Game	22.8	1st
Touchdowns	6	t-12th
First Downs	36	12th

Chad Ochocinco	Stat	Ranking
Receptions	53	t-24th
Yards Receiving	773	16th
Touchdowns	5	t-15th
20-yard receptions	11	t-12th
First Downs	42	t-9th

CAREER AGAINST THE DETROIT LIONS

Carson Palmer

Date	Result	Comp.	Att.	Yards	TDs	Int
12.18.2005	W 41-17	28	39	274	3	2

Chad Johnson

Date	Result	Rec	Yards	TDs
12.18.2005	W 41-17	11	99	1

Cedric Benson

Date	Rushes	Yards	TDs
10.28.2007	13	50	0
9.30.2007	15	50	0
12.24.2006	15	49	0
9.17.2006	10	25	0
10.30.2005	3	35	0
9.18.2005	16	49	0

Laveranues Coles

Date	Rec	Yards	TDs
10.22.2006	4	29	0
11.7.2004	4	46	1
11.17.2002	7	114	0

Larry Johnson

Date	Rushes	Yards	TDs
12.14.2003	4	26	0

Opponent History: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins

sireric — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:00:15 -0000

Buffalo Bills (3-7) vs Miami Dolphins (5-5)
Sunday, November 29, 2009 at 1:00 PM EST
Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

The Buffalo Bills have begun to play division opponents for the second time. The first meeting this year had the Bills heading into Miami with high hopes for the season, while the Miami Dolphins had just lost Chad Pennington for the year and were still without a win. We all know how that match-up ended.

Chad Henne, he of the too-small helmet and scrunched up forehead, leads the Dolphins into Buffalo this week. The last five meetings at the Ralph after the jump.

Sunday, October 17, 2004: Bills 20, Dolphins 13
Drew Bledsoe. Jay Fiedler. Need I say more about the suck involved in this game? Both sides got a touchdown and two field goals out of their offenses, but the difference was a Takeo Spikes pick-six. The Bills' D came to play in this game, recording five sacks along the way. Aaron Schobel (2.5), Ron Edwards (2.0) and Pat Williams (0.5) did the honors. Other than that, there isn't a whole lot to tell.

Sunday, October 9, 2005: Bills 20, Dolphins 14
The score and date looks eerily similar to the year before. This time, the Bills jumped out to a 17-0 lead on the strength of a Willis McGahee one-yard touchdown run, an Eric Moulds touchdown from Kelly Holcomb, and a Rian Lindell 24-yard field goal. Gus Frerotte led the Dolphins back by hitting Will Heller and Randy McMicheal for scores to bring the Fish back to within three points. Lindell would hit his second field goal of the day to cap the scoring and help preserve the win for Buffalo. Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney each had a sack in this game.

Sunday, December 17, 2006: Bills 21, Dolphins 0
J.P. Losman tossed three touchdown passes, one each to Robert Royal, Josh Reed, and Lee Evans. That was more then enough scoring, as the Bills' defense shout out the Cleo Lemon/Joey Harrington lead Dolphins offense. Schobel and Kelsay proved yet again that they are only effective against the Dolphins by getting another half-sack each.

Sunday, December 9, 2007: Bills 38, Dolphins 17
The Bills jumped out to a 21-0 lead thanks to a George Wilson fumble return for a touchdown and not one but two Trent Edwards-to-Robert Royal touchdown passes. Samkon Gado put the ball in the endzone for the Dolphins twice, but those scores sandwiched a Lindell field goal and an Evans touchdown catch. Evans would catch one more to continue his dominance over the Dolphins. Both Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch rushed for over 100 yards in this game. Being that Cleo Lemon was at QB for the Dolphins, this was of course a good day for the Bills' D numbers-wise. Four sacks and two interceptions (one each by Donte Whitner and Terrence McGee) added to the eight fumbles by the Dolphins. Of course, the Bills were only able to recover 3 of those 8.

Notice a pattern? The first two games had the Bills playing the Dolphins almost a year apart to the day and winning by almost identical scores. The second two have the Bills winning by identical margins (21) almost a year to the day apart. The dates are also the same - 17 and 9. Weird.

Sunday, December 7, 2008: Dolphins 16, Bills 3
The Bills' first-ever regular season game played in Toronto gave the Canadian fans quite the show. The Bills had almost nothing on offense that day, gaining only 163 total yards. J.P. Losman was the Bills leading rusher with 53 yards. Of course Losman offset his rushing prowess by getting sacked 4 times...

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

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.

NFC West Breakdown: Seattle Seahawks

Pyromnc — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:00:14 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

4 months ago: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck throws at a NFL training camp workout Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Browse more photos »

Key Additions: FB Justin Griffith (Raiders), DT Colin Cole (Packers), WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Bengals), CB Ken Lucas (Panthers), TE John Owens (Lions), DT Cory Redding (Trade Lions), CB Travis Fisher (Lions).

Key Losses: DT Rocky Bernard (Giants), WR Bobby Engram (Chiefs), RB Maurice Morris (Lions), FB Leonard Weaver (Eagles), C Dominic Raiola (Lions), WR Samie Parker (Raiders), TE Will Heller (Lions) LB Julian Peterson (Trade Lions).

Draft: OLB Aaron Curry (1st), OT Max Unger (2nd), WR Deon Butler (3rd), QB Mike Teel (6th), S Courtney Greene (7th), DE Nick Reed (7th), TE Cameron Morrah (7th).

If there was anything constant about the NFC West division the past few years, it was that Seattle was going to win the division. In the past six years they have been to the playoffs five times and won the division four times. Things have changed for the Seahawks as they are coming off a dreadful season in which went 4-12. They endured tons of injuries, the defense didn't play up to it's ability, and head coach Mike Holmgren coached his final season. This season they hope to fix those problems and get back to what they are used to doing, making the playoffs.

The biggest change this off season for Seattle has to be replacing Mike Holmgren. Seattle has known for sometime that Holmgren has wanted to retire, or leave football for awhile, so in 2007 they went out and hired Jim L. Mora as the secondary's coach/future head coach when Holmgren left. Mora was a head coach for the Atlanta Falcons from 2004-2006 and had some success, taking the team to the playoffs in his first season. In 2006 he instigated a lot of scrutiny when he said he would leave Atlanta to be the head coach of the University of Washington if it was offered to him that season, even if they were in playoff contention which at the time they sort of were. This led to his firing and is how he was available to be a coach for Seattle. One thing is for sure, if he wants to get this team back to the playoffs he will have to fix the injury bug on offense.

Under Holmgren, Seattle had one of the best offenses in the NFL until last season. The offense had virtually no running game and could not keep anyone healthy. They lost several of its receivers to injury including Bobby Engram, Deion Branch, and Nate Burleson. It seemed like they were having to go out and sign someone every week to fill in at receiver. The most important injury this team had was losing Matt Hasselbeck for most of the season. The three time Pro Bowler only played in seven games because of back and knee injuries. If Seattle wants to have any success on offense it needs to keep the offensive line, Hasselbeck, and it's receivers healthy, because they are what made this offense a threat in the past. This has already been a daunting task as WR Deion Branch has had swelling in his reconstructed knee and starting C Chris Spencer hurt his ankle in a pile up. Neither one of them looked to be serious but coming off a season like the Hawks had in 2008, there is still cause for concern.

This off season the team went out and tried to fix some of the problems it faced at receiver by adding star receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The former seventh rounder has proved the past five seasons that he is a top receiver by catching at least 70 passes for over 900 yards in each season despite having Chad Ochocinco wanting the ball every play. Other additions to the offense include Max Unger who can play any position on the offensive line and TE John Owens who is a very good blocking tight end. Both of those players were picked up in hopes of keeping Hasselbeck healthy, which again is very important.

The offense is looking poised for a rebound this season but is the defense looking the same?

Before the start of last season the Seahawks defense looked like it could rank in the top five. It had one of the best linebacker units in the NFL with Julian Peterson, Lofa Tatupu, and Leroy Hill. Their defensive line also looked pretty good with DE Patick Kerney, DE Darryl Tapp, DT Rocky Bernard, and Brandon Mebane starting at the front four. They had Marcus Trufant coming off of a Pro Bowl season, Deon Grant and Brian Russell at safety, and a promising young player in Josh Wilson starting the other corner spot. The defense wasn't immune to injuries either though as Patrick Kerney suffered a shoulder injury that caused him to miss the final nine games of the season. Kerney's absence caused a domino effect that started with a weaker pass rush that in turn put increased pressure on the secondary. The linebackers unit really failed to be the tops in the league even though they played almost every game with the exception of Leroy Hill missing 4 games. Marcus Trufant failed to shutdown any receiver like he did in the 2007 season and the safeties really failed to cover the ball at all.

Despite the lack of plays on defense, there is still reason to be excited with the additions of Cory Redding and Colin Cole at defensive tackle and Aaron Curry replacing Julian Peterson. Curry has missed the first week of training camp but he has as much potential as any young player in the league and could become the best LB on the roster rather quickly. If that is so, then the LB unit will be even scarier than it had been in 2007. Cornerbacks Ken Lucas and Travis Fisher have been added to bolster the depth and act as an insurance policy should the injury bug decide to attack the secondary. Both are veteran defenders with starting experience but hopefully their playing time will be limited to nickel and dime situations. The biggest key for the secondary will be the resurgence of Marcus Trufant because when he's playing up to his ability, he's a special player. Despite the question marks, this defense still has plenty of potential and there are plenty of reasons to be excited if you're a Seahawks fan.

This team is showing some promise but the same question keeps coming up, can this team stay healthy? They have already experienced some injuries in camp with Spencer, Trufant, and Branch which isn't a good sign. You also have to wonder how this team adjusts to Mora's coaching style compared to Holmgren's but that's true for any new head coach. This team is definitely a sleeper team for this season and if they stay healthy they could push the Cardinals for the division.

Record for 2009: 8-8
Record Vs the Cardinals: 1-1 (both teams winning their home games)
Record Vs the NFC West: 4-2

Poll

Biggest Obstacle Seattle has to overcome?

Keeping the offense healthy

307 votes

Defense playing up to the ability is showed in past seasons

115 votes

Learning Jim Mora's style of coaching

44 votes

Something else, specify in comments section

11 votes

477 votes | Poll has closed

Friday Notes: Reps Will Be Distributed Evenly Among QBs Early On

Sean Yuille — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:21:12 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

7 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, signals during drills at football minicamp at the team's practice facility in Allen Park, Mich., Friday, May 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Browse more photos »

Daunte Culpepper, Matthew Stafford, and Drew Stanton are initially going to split reps evenly when the entire team works out together for the first time since the draft.
Stanton ended yesterday's OTA by throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Will Heller.
Jim Schwartz was asked about Kevin Smith's playoff prediction and basically said that the Lions need to worry about today, not making predictions about the playoffs or even the season opener, for that matter.
Part of the reason Jordon Dizon had such a tough time last year was because he just didn't feel comfortable in the system or with the coaches. That has changed now, though, so hopefully we will see how far he has come on the field this season.
There was an interesting interview with Jim Schwartz on NFL Total Access yesterday. You can watch it here, and make sure to look out for the picture of Schwartz from when he worked in Cleveland. It is pretty hilarious.
MLive has pictures from yesterday's OTA.
Via Tom Kowalski, here is the Lions' OTA schedule:

Thursday was the Lions fourth official Organized Team Activity. They also will have OTA's May 19-21, 27-28, June 1 and June 3-4 before the voluntary mini-camp June 23-25.
Rookies will report to Allen Park on Monday and can begin working out with the rest of the team. On Tuesday, the Lions will hold their first OTA with both rookies and veterans.
The 49ers have started to sign late-round draft picks already.

Friday Notes: Stanton's Future Doesn't Look Promising

Sean Yuille — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 04:57:09 -0000

Drew Stanton's future with the Lions doesn't look so hot. And yes, as mentioned in the article I just linked to, the Lions should have drafted David Harris instead of Stanton. If they had, we wouldn't be worried about the Lions needing to find another starting linebacker.
Since the Lions have so many picks, Jim Schwartz wants to draft based on talent first. Need will obviously play a role, but he would prefer to make picks based on talent before anything else it sounds like.
Jim Mora Jr. had positive things to say about new Lions and former Seahawks Julian Peterson, Will Heller, and Maurice Morris.
Daunte Culpepper visited a school on Wednesday and was asked the tough question of "Why did the Lions go 0-16 last year?"
Jim Schwartz used a picture of the 100-meter final from the 2004 Summer Olympics to demonstrate his point about having both talent and good technique.
Dave Birkett doesn't think the Lions have a whole lot of bargaining power with the top pick because the same agency represents Matthew Stafford and Jason Smith.

Tuesday Notes: Schwartz Implements New Rule to Keep Players Quiet

Sean Yuille — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:08:05 -0000

Jim Schwartz reportedly told his players that they can't speak to the media without getting permission from the team first. Schwartz held a team meeting Monday, kicking off the start of the offseason program.
New tight end Will Heller's deal is one year long.
Aaron Curry visited the Lions on Sunday, and the team's official website has a story up about it.
Apparently the Cory Redding trade may not be official yet. The Lions were waiting to hear from the Seahawks that he passed his physical, and no news had been passed along as of yesterday evening. Redding participated in the offseason conditioning program with his new teammates on Monday, so I'm guessing there is just a communication issue and the trade has been completed.
John Clayton thinks the Browns have the best chance of landing Jay Cutler since they could send Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn to Denver in a trade.
Details of what happened to the four men lost in the Gulf of Mexico are now out.

Lions Sign TE Will Heller, Release LB Anthony Cannon

Sean Yuille — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:39:25 -0000

The Lions signed free agent tight end Will Heller and released linebacker Anthony Cannon. Heller played for the Seahawks the last three seasons. Cannon has been on and off the Lions' roster since he was drafted in 2006. This move adds depth to the tight end position, but it also may suggest that L.J. Smith is no longer an option, which would be interesting considering it looks like his deal with the Falcons fell apart earlier today. I'm not sure if Smith could still be signed, but maybe the Lions assumed he was headed to Atlanta and decided to sign Heller. I don't know if they would sign Smith as well, but I imagine we will know in a few days.

49ers-Seahawks: Trying to rain on my own parade

Fooch — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:00:07 -0000

As I look back at my posts this week, you'd think this was a lock-win for the 49ers and anything less than a two touchdown victory might be a disappointment. The gambling folks appear to agree with my initial thoughts (maybe they read NN, right?). The Seahawks opened as 9.5 point favorites, but as of this evening they sit as only 6.5 point favorites, meaning heavy money is going on the 49ers.

So I thought I'd take a step back and see what the folks at Scouts Inc. and the rest of the World Wide Leader have to say about our favorite team. In their predictions, there's a 4-4 split among ESPN analysts. However, the scouts are predicting a 24-14 as they think the defense will be its stellar self and the offense wil somehow find a way to make plays.

While I realize Matt Hasselbeck is a very solid quarterback, it's hard for me to fathom what he will create Sunday. But as they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. According to the scouts, when the Seahawks are on offense:

The pass protection . . . must improve after Hasselbeck was repeatedly dropped by an aggressive Bills pressure package. More three-step drops and quick throws can limit the hits on Hasselbeck, but will the timing be there with a group of inexperienced wideouts? The Seahawks could get the backs and tight ends more involved on short zone reads and checkdowns. Yet another injury -- RB Maurice Morris' knee -- will mean more carries for RB Julius Jones, which could be beneficial. A rotation keeps backs fresh but can make it difficult for runners to find a rhythm.

If the Seahawks go to a lot of short reads and checkdowns, how will that affect the 49ers defensive scheme? I'd imagine Manny Lawson will get a lot of time covering the likes of John Carlson and Will Heller. With Parys Haralson and the defensive line able to bring the heat, it opens up a guy like Lawson for coverage.

The Scouts also pointed out three keys to success. For Seattle these were:

1. Give Hasselbeck more time: "Expect more conservative two-man routes and max-protect schemes this week if the 49ers try to emulate the Bills by pulling out the stops."

2. Develop a run game: "The front side of the line needs to be more physical on wide run plays, and all Seahawks blockers need to do a better job of sustaining contact."

3. Make dramatic improvements in the third phase (special teams): "Preseason concerns about coverage units were well-founded, but the Seahawks need to get much better in all areas of the kicking game."

As far as the third one is concerned, it will be tough without your regular return man, so hopefully the 49ers can take advantage. The other two will be interesting. Julius Jones was mostly a platoon running back with Marion Barber down in Dallas. So, if he's going to be carrying the load tomorrow, I'm curious how he can handle it. TJ Duckett is there to spell him, but it sounds like they want Jones to be the guy, at least for now.

It's obvious to state, but the running game will play a major role in the success of the Seahawks. It's tough enough when your top receivers are all injured, but the running game is huge for winning, but also for that first key to success. The offensive line will need to create time, but an established running game slows down the pass rush considerably. I think Matt Hasselbeck could make some nice, short plays with me as a wide receiver if given enough time. If Jones can be contained, the 49ers will be able to send additional blitzers without fear of getting burned. Furthermore, the lack of a running game would kill any play-action plays, freeing up the linebackers and safeties for blitzing or pass coverage.

I do think this will be a relatively low-scoring, defensive battle. Neither offense did much of anything last week and both defenses are going to be solid this season. It's a huge game, particularly for the 49ers. A loss drops them to 0-2 in the division. Considering the crappiness of the division and the tough non-division schedule, every divisional win is huge.