SB Nation - Dennis Northcutt

Who would you take from the Detroit Lions?

Fooch — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:00:24 -0000

by Carlos Osorio - AP

I got this idea from Andrew over at Revenge of the Birds. We have plenty of discussion about who we like on the 49ers, and who we fear on the opposing team. However, this post allows us to go off into fantasy-land a bit and decide who we might like from an opposing team. In doing this, you can approach it from a variety of angles. You can take a player just because you like that player, no matter what the 49ers current situation is at that position. You can consider who the 49ers might lose in the offseason or positions they need to improve. If you want to take into account the player's contract and look for "realistic" additions, you're free to do that. You can be as realistic or as fantastical (if that's even a word) as you'd like. For this week, here are some of the guys I'd enjoy having on the 49ers...

Today we're looking at a franchise, the Detroit Lions, that has been struggling most of this decade, with their last winning season coming in 2000. Given their struggles, it's not surprising that it is rather difficult to come up with four players I'd want. I'd say the first two are the most obvious selections. The third is a rookie I'm at least a little intrigued by. The final one is a guy who is a bit of a homer selection

Calvin Johnson, WR: Amazingly enough, this is the third time we've done this feature, and all three times the first guy I listed has been a wide receiver. It's safe to say the man they call Megatron (nickname provided by Roy Williams) is the most talented player on the Lions roster. They've got some other solid players, but Johnson has been the man for them. Johnson's numbers haven't been spectacular this season (Vernon has better numbers), but he was sidelined with a knee injury, and of course, he's dealing with double-teams. When your #2 and #3 statistical wide receivers are Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson, I'd imagine teams will be giving your #1 guy a lot more respect.

Even though the 49ers have some solid wide receivers in their stable, adding a beast like Calvin Johnson would certainly help. At 6-5 236 lbs, there are not many corners who can handle his combination of size and speed. Having a duo of Calvin Johnson and Michael Crabtree? Well that would be a thing of beauty.

Louis Delmas, S: Delmas is a rookie out of Western Michigan and has made an immediate impact for the Lions at the free safety position. He's third among all rookies in tackles, leading rookie DBs. If the 49ers could roll him into their roster, they could either put him at strong safety, or move big hitter Dashon Goldson over to strong safety. Whatever the case may be, I have to say that a pairing of Delmas and Goldson would conceivably set up the 49ers at the safety spots for the next decade. Two young players? Oh yes I definitely think so. At this point I've got Calvin Johnson listed at the top, but I would argue Delmas is a close second. In fact, one could argue him ahead of Megatron given the 49ers own existing needs in the secondary.

Cliff Avril, DE: Avril has yet to break through two seasons into his career, and Lions fans were rather disappointed with his 2009 season. I suppose I'm looking more at the upside that people thought he might have had back when he was drafted in the third round in 2008. I know he's in the 4-3 and a bit undersized, but maybe they could slim him down a little bit and move him back to outside linebacker and take advantage of his rather decent pass rushing skills.

Julian Peterson, OLB: Peterson was always one of my favorite 49ers when he was still in town. He showed amazing versatility, most notably in battling Tony Gonzalez a few years back. He's on the wrong side of 30, but I believe he can still provide that versatility. He struggled early on with the Lions but seems to be kind of finding himself in the defense. I suppose in the end it's more of a fan pick than anything else. I wouldn't mind seeing him work with Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks and Manny Lawson on their skills.

Saturday Notes: Daunte Culpepper to Start on Sunday

Sean Yuille — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:08:14 -0000

Matthew Stafford is doubtful for tomorrow's game, and as a result Daunte Culpepper will start again. Culpepper has only led the Lions to one field goal in his last two starts, and with Kevin Smith done for the season and Calvin Johnson questionable, there aren't many signs that that will change against Arizona.
Speaking of Calvin, he and Louis Delmas practiced yesterday. Aaron Brown did not, however, because of a knee injury. Dennis Northcutt and Don Muhlbach also missed practice.
I have tried to avoid talking about the recent debate regarding trading Calvin Johnson, which really has come about simply because there's not much else to talk about. Well, I will talk about it once, but only to relay what Jim Schwartz and Scott Linehan think about the idea. Both pretty much sum up my thoughts on the situation.

"Yeah, um, we're in the process of trying to acquire good players, not let good players leave," coach Jim Schwartz said. "If we've learned anything from history, it's to value talent and not to discard it."

"To me, it's completely insane,'' Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "Calvin Johnson is one of the best receivers in football and he's had to struggle through some things this year from a health standpoint, but once you've got one of those, you don't want to lose him. That's one man's opinion. I would be pretty depressed.
Listen, if another team's general manager has a few too many one night and calls up Martin Mayhew with an absolutely ridiculous offer, obviously the Lions would listen. But since that is beyond unlikely, can we please just try to move on to other topics? I know it feels like the offseason has already started, but there are plenty of other things we can talk about that are far more likely and far less infuriating than Calvin Johnson being traded.
Marvin White was fined $7,500 for a horse-collar tackle in the Ravens game.
Cliff Avril put up a new post on his blog about his and the team's struggles this season.
Another attempt to stop the sale of the Silverdome has been thrown out.

Extended Recap: Green Bay Packers Defeat Lions 34-12

Brandon — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:20:53 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

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I was nervous the entire first quarter while watching the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving. The Lions had a quick 7-0 lead, and the Packer offense had already stalled once before they missed a FG attempt. I was wondering if this was going to be like their last loss in Tampa. But once QB Matthew Stafford threw his first INT, and QB Aaron Rodgers completed a 68 yard pass to WR Donald Driver to end the 1st quarter, I wasn't nervous anymore.

The Lions weren't exactly a big test for the Packers, they beat them in most major categories like points, yards (422 to 272), time of possession (33:59 to 26:01), and turnovers recovered (5 to 2). But I'm not a big believer in tests, or teams having to prove something. I believe in wins against any team they play, as they right now control their own destiny for a wild card playoff spot. And also stay healthy, which is something they did a good job of on Thanksgiving.

The complete play-by-play recap is after the jump.

Packers vs Lions coverage; Packers vs Lions recap; Packers vs Lions boxscore; Pride Of Detroit

Play-by-play from NFL.com:

First Quarter

4-J.Hanson kicks 71 yards from DET 30 to GB -1. 87-J.Nelson to GB 21 for 22 yards (75-T.McBride). FUMBLES (75-T.McBride), RECOVERED by DET-57-J.Dizon at GB 20. 57-J.Dizon to GB 20 for no gain (87-J.Nelson).

And they started the game with a thud. The special teams were awful, committing 4 penalties (1 intentional 4th quarter delay of game), and 2 big kick returns could have even been bigger if not for saving tackles by TE Spencer Havner and K Mason Crosby.

(14:23) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 84-B.Pettigrew pushed ob at GB 6 for 12 yards (50-A.Hawk).

It was interesting that this was their first pass play. The Lions must have seen something they liked because they threw 13 passes to their tight ends, usually out in the flat. None of them were big plays, but Stafford completed 9 of them, so they were just about as successful as anything they did on offense. Unfortunately this was the last one for rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew. He suffered a season ending knee injury on the play.

(13:07) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 81-C.Johnson for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

Instead of taking advantage of the LBs in coverage against the tight end, the Lions decided to force 12 passes to an obviously hurting WR Calvin Johnson. This was their biggest offensive play of the game, and maybe it gave them false hope that Johnson could have a big game. Instead, it just might have made CB Charles Woodson very angry.

(12:16) 25-R.Grant right tackle to GB 32 for 15 yards (41-W.James).

This was a good run in a game with few good runs. RB Ryan Grant should have had a big game against a weak Lions run defense, but instead he had a poor game (only 3.1 yards/carry). Four days earlier, he was great against an excellent 49ers run defense.

(4:43) 2-M.Crosby 43 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Right, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

More lousy special teams. As good as this drive was, the Packers were forced to convert four times on 3rd down and they went 3 for 4. It seemed odd since the Packers weren't taking any shots down field against a defense that was torched 4 days earlier. 10 minutes into the game, down 7-0, and I'll admit I was a little nervous.

(1:27) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 89-W.Heller INTERCEPTED by 36-N.Collins at GB 26. 36-N.Collins ran ob at GB 26 for no gain.

The Lions were getting a little something going, moving the ball 30 yards after the missed FG, and FS Nick Collins made a great reaction on the ball. Watch the replay.

(:13) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep right to 80-D.Driver to DET 7 for 68 yards (25-M.White).

What a way to end the quarter. The Packers were still down 7-0 at this point, but after watching them force an INT and 3 plays later attack the awful Lion secondary, it felt like they had turned the corner.

Second Quarter

(15:00) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 86-D.Lee for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

That was quite a leap by TE Donald Lee. Watch the replay.

(14:26) 34-K.Smith left tackle to DET 34 for 4 yards (36-N.Collins).

There were a few times in the game when RB Kevin Smith got a cutback lane, and it looked like he could bust out for a big gain. But there was always a Packer there to tackle him, and Smith didn't have a single carry for more than 6 yards. Everyone on defense did their part on run defense.

(8:24) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short middle to 88-J.Finley. GB-88-J.Finley was injured during the play. His return is Probable. PENALTY on DET-26-L.Delmas, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at DET 40.

(8:19) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 88-J.Finley to DET 16 for 9 yards (25-M.White). PENALTY on DET-25-M.White, Horse Collar, 8 yards, enforced at DET 16.

It was rough going for TE Jermichael Finley on those two consecutive plays. He took one (two) for the team, and set up a 1st and goal, but they settled for a FG.

(5:28) 34-K.Smith up the middle to DET 44 for -4 yards (90-B.Raji).

(4:49) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep left intended for 86-D.Northcutt INTERCEPTED by 38-T.Williams at GB 40. 38-T.Williams pushed ob at GB 46 for 6 yards (86-D.Northcutt).

DE B.J. Raji slipped a tackle and got quickly into the backfield. His tackle set up a 3rd and 5, which was then intercepted by CB Tramon Williams. Two great plays in a row.

(1:03) 2-M.Crosby 25 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-61-B.Goode, Holder-10-M.Flynn.

Another good drive ends in a FG (or FG miss). They've been settling for a lot of FGs the past two weeks, but overall they're still about average (scoring a TD about 51% of the time in the red zone). It's a bad trend, but it's hard to call it a problem since the offense is playing so well overall.

(:04) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford sacked at DET 48 for -8 yards (52-C.Matthews).

What would you call that sack by LB Clay Matthews? Tenacious? Watch it here.

Third Quarter

(14:11) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 80-B.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at DET 38. 21-C.Woodson to DET 38 for no gain (80-B.Johnson). Detroit challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was Upheld. (Timeout #1 at 14:06.)

He had a sack in the 1st half, but the Woodson show got going early in the 2nd half. The 1st of his 2 INTs.

(13:27) 12-A.Rodgers pass incomplete short right to 86-D.Lee.

Lee had a TD earlier, but he had been dropping some passes in recent games. I'd been wondering if TE Spencer Havner should be playing ahead of him. This play is another drop, and I'm not sure how he'll be going forward.

(12:41) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers sacked at DET 37 for -6 yards (59-J.Peterson). FUMBLES (59-J.Peterson) [59-J.Peterson], RECOVERED by DET-97-J.Hunter at DET 37. 97-J.Hunter to DET 37 for no gain (71-J.Sitton).

LT Chad Clifton left LB Julian Peterson unblocked, while Clifton blocked no one, and it led to the only sack of the game for the Lions on 4th down. Tom Pelissero goes into more detail about why Clifton's decision to leave Peterson unblocked was more complicated then it seemed, and that Rodgers should have gotten rid of the ball quickly since it was an empty backfield and they left no one in to block on a blitz.

(11:06) 12-A.Rodgers pass deep middle to 80-D.Driver to DET 45 for 45 yards (41-W.James).

(9:01) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 80-D.Driver to DET 31 for 7 yards (23-K.Hobbs).

(6:43) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short right to 80-D.Driver for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN [23-K.Hobbs].

A quick 3-and-out by the defense was somewhat wasted after a 51 yard net punt pinned the Packers down at their 10 yard line. But that didn't matter because WR Donald Driver took over. 59 yards alone on the drive, including the TD reception.

(1:31) 12-A.Rodgers pass short left to 89-J.Jones to DET 21 for 4 yards (41-W.James).

(:47) (Shotgun) 12-A.Rodgers pass short middle to 89-J.Jones for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Earlier this season, I was ready to write WR James Jones off. He only had a couple catches, and it seemed like Rodgers would only throw to him if he was wide, wide open. But he's become more involved in the offense (15 receptions in the last 4 games) and has 4 TDs on the season. He might never be good enough to start, but now he's doing well as a No. 3 receiver.

Fourth Quarter

(12:35) 7-J.Kapinos punts 57 yards to DET 11, Center-61-B.Goode. 86-D.Northcutt ran ob at DET 25 for 14 yards (51-B.Poppinga).

A conservative drive, the Packers were trying to kill some clock, ended with the Packers' first punt of the game.

(12:02) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass deep middle to 86-D.Northcutt to GB 22 for 47 yards (38-T.Williams).

If there was one weak link in the pass defense, it was CB Jarrett Bush. WR Dennis Northcutt got behind Bush, and ran away from him for the big gain. All the comments I've read about Bush are usually hoping he'll be released soon, and he didn't do anything in this game to prove to those fans that he's becoming a better defender.

(10:09) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass incomplete short right to 81-C.Johnson [20-A.Bigby]. Ball thrown away.

(10:05) 25-R.Grant right tackle to GB 1 for no gain (90-G.Jackson).

(9:22) 25-R.Grant right end to GB -1 for -2 yards (26-L.Delmas). FUMBLES (26-L.Delmas), RECOVERED by DET-57-J.Dizon at GB -1. TOUCHDOWN. Green Bay challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. 25-R.Grant right end tackled in End Zone for -1 yards, SAFETY (26-L.Delmas).

A big defensive stop on the 1 yard line leads to a collapse by the run blocking. I'm sure everyone blocking on those two running plays will be hearing it from their coaches next week.

(5:05) 4-J.Hanson 22 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-D.Muhlbach, Holder-2-N.Harris.

The drive stalled, but should Detroit have really been settling for a FG? No pass was completed for greater than 13 yards on the drive. They were just daring Stafford to make accurate, short passes. The Packers were going to let them work their way down the field, which was something they hadn't done well all game.

(3:55) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right intended for 81-C.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 21-C.Woodson at DET 38. 21-C.Woodson for 38 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

(2:51) (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 82-C.Fitzsimmons to DET 41 for 13 yards (21-C.Woodson). Green Bay challenged the fumble ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) 9-M.Stafford pass short right to 82-C.Fitzsimmons to DET 40 for 12 yards (21-C.Woodson). FUMBLES (21-C.Woodson), RECOVERED by GB-21-C.Woodson at DET 41. Referee blew the ball dead.

Unlike their last game against the 49ers, the Packer offense wasn't able to run out the clock. They give the Lions two more chances, and Woodson forced two turnovers (one returned for a TD).

Packers Post-Game: Injuries and The Week Ahead

Brandon — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:16:06 -0000

More photos » by Daniel Mears - AP

28 days ago: Green Bay Packers' Charles Woodson intercepts a pass intended for Detroit Lions' Calvin Johnson, second from right, and takes it in for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at Ford Field in Detroit, on Thursday Nov. 26, 2009.(AP Photo/The Detroit News, Daniel Mears)

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From Mike McCarthy's press conference:

(Did you have any injuries?)
Jermichael Finley has the wind knocked out of him; he did return. Chad Clifton had a hamstring; he did not return. Cullen Jenkins had the wind knocked out of him; he did return. Jordy Nelson had a shoulder injury; he did not return. Brandon Underwood had a hamstring; he did not return. And with that, I'll take your questions.

The only injury he didn't address above was QB Aaron Rodgers, who had x-rays after the game for an injured knee and elbow, but when asked specifically about it, Mike McCarthy said "Yeah he's fine. He'll be sore in the morning."

One thing that did surprise me was that Underwood didn't play a bigger role in replacing CB Al Harris, though he still got injured at some point. But now I see that the Lions don't play more than 3 WRs and they like to use multiple tight end sets. The Packer LBs were usually left in the game to cover the tight ends.

They didn't do a good job exploiting Harris's absence, in part because their No. 2 and No. 3 WRs aren't very good. WR Dennis Northcutt had one big 47 yard reception against CB Jarrett Bush, he dropped another one with Bush in coverage that should have been a 1st down, but then only caught 1 of the other 3 passes thrown his way for 5 yards. WR Bryant Johnson only had 1 reception for 17 yards on 3 pass attempts.

It will be a slow news period for the rest of the long Thanksgiving weekend. The Packers are treating this like a bye week, and the players have off until Monday. They don't play the Ravens until December 7th, so they'll have 11 days in between games. It also might give all the injured players time to heal, including LB Brandon Chillar who's been on the active roster but kept out to rest his broken hand.

Friday Notes: Kevin Smith Returns to Practice

Sean Yuille — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:24:21 -0000

Kevin Smith returned to practice on Thursday, splitting No. 1 reps with Maurice Morris. Calvin Johnson also practiced again on Thursday. It appears both will be game-time decisions for Sunday's game, but if I had to make a prediction right now, I'd say that the Lions will have all of their offensive weapons against Seattle.
A lawsuit against Dennis Northcutt that brought about some pretty serious accusations was dropped.
Although twins are on the way, Nick Harris will be with the team in Seattle this weekend.
Unlike Julian Peterson, Sunday's game is not circled on Cory Redding's calendar.
Chris Osgood used to be a Seahawks fan, but the Lions are his favorite team now.
This year's Thanksgiving game halftime show will be "A Motown 50th Anniversary Tribute." For more information, click here.
The 49ers signed former Lions cornerback Keith Smith and already released Carson Butler from their practice squad.
SB Nation's mid-season studs and duds awards are out.

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 6

DrewsLions — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:07:19 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions' Daunte Culpepper (11) limps around the field after getting hurt against the Green Bay Packers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. Culpepper left with a right hamstring injury Sunday during Detroit's first possession of the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers after coming up limping on a 5-yard scramble. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)

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I'm all about context. As a finance analyst, my job is about more than just the hard, cold data at the end of the day. It's about the environment and circumstances that drive that data to be able to properly measure and analyze it. Now, I refuse to sit here this morning and make excuses for the extraordinarily shoddy play by the Lions yesterday, but I do think a little context is needed.

This is a wounded team right now. Yesterday was a perfect storm of injuries, mental lapses, environment and yes, unquestionably poor play in every phase of the game. But what this really shows - glaringly, I might add - is our lack of depth. For a team coming off the season it had last year, there is no room for injuries when it comes to your few, real playmakers. As we have seen, once these guys are out, we are not even competitive. So the end result was that for the first time this season, I can say that there was no progress made. Yesterday was a step backwards. This regression occurred on a number of levels and it's really tough to gauge its full impact on the team and the season. I'll get into this a little deeper....

What we know now offensively... We know that if Stafford misses significant time, we are smacked two-fold. First, we miss out on valuable experience that might somewhat reduce our gains for next season and surely adds to a significant reduction in our offensive abilities this year. Second, Stafford being out has clearly shown that we don't have a viable back-up option, as Culpepper is... I'm very sorry to say... done in this league as a starter and Stanton just hasn't had enough reps and remains unpolished at best. We know that Calvin being out absolutely destroys any chance of a running attack as there are no other receivers viewed as threats on this team. Johnson is a game-changer, through and through. He and Stafford need this valuable time together to build the ever-important chemistry between a quarterback and a top receiver. We also know that our offensive line cannot withstand constant blitzing and eight men in the box. Without a passing threat like Johnson, defenses just send everything at the offensive line, knowing we can't block it and our quarterbacks can't get it done.

What we now know defensively... We know that Sammie Hill and Dewayne White need to get healthy in a hurry. We know that pressure is the ONLY way to mask the symptoms of a truly diseased secondary. Hopefully, everyone realizes that this secondary is unfixable this year. Unless Mayhew can put together some blockbuster trade before tomorrow, there are no diamonds in the rough to be had from combing the waiver wire that will save this sinking ship. I think it is very unlikely that the Lions make any trades for several reasons. First, we have nothing to offer. What players on the Lions roster are trade-worthy? Exactly... none. Second, Mayhew is building for the future and will not nor should not offer draft picks as compensation to try to buffer the secondary play in a season that is going nowhere fast. That would be counterproductive to the long-term strategy of this team. We just have to ride this out and hope that our defensive line gets healthy and starts to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Thoughts About the Game:

I think I'll just make it habit to start with the quarterbacks. It's the most intriguing storyline anyway. Culpepper simply affirmed everything I wrote about him last week. This week, his flaws were simply magnified by an unrelenting defense, hell-bent on blitzing or stacking the box every play. If Stafford and Johnson continue to be on the bench, this is the blueprint for every team to shut out the Lions. Culpepper basically folded under the pressure. The defense came at him fast and furious all day and he just couldn't read-and-react quick enough. As pocket after pocket collapsed, so did Daunte. Like I said last week, Culpepper needs time to go through his progressions. Once he feels pressure, he mentally breaks down and is left scrambling to make a play. He's a gifted athlete, so sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. Yesterday, it just all fell apart for him. I don't think he's as bad as he played yesterday and the receivers did little to help him, but as a starter... he's washed up, I'm afraid. Stanton fared a little better because he stood firm in the pocket even as it crumbled. He showed some poise in there. His downfall, I feel, is that he is simply too green. He hasn't had enough true-blue, meaningful game experience and he is prone to making critical mistakes - like his second interception. He doesn't have the skill-set that Stafford has to make up for the lack of experience. I think Stanton has some upside though. In my humble opinion, I think Stanton should be the number two and if the Lions can get even a seventh round pick for Culpepper, they should trade him by tomorrow.

The Calvin Johnson factor on this team is immeasurable. The Packers match-up without him was so lopsided that the NFL's competition committee should have been consulted before the game. The score should have been more like 38-0, in all honesty. All the Packers did was play to stop the run or blitz on every play and let Bryant Johnson and Dennis Northcutt try to beat Al Harris and Charles Woodson one-on-one. Can you say "mismatch"? Without Calvin on the outside, the Packers simply disregarded our outside game altogether. They gave it no respect, nor should they have. It was a joke. Very few offensive lines in the league could stand up to the constant blitzing and run stuffing like the Packers did yesterday. The receivers needed to be fast off the line and get open on quick slants and outs and they failed to get it done all day long. Kevin Smith continues to take a beating because of this lack of production by the receivers. I think Daunte would have seen fewer blitzes with Calvin in the game, too. No one can cover Calvin Johnson. Woodson? Harris? Puh-lease... No one can cover him.

The one bright spot has been the tattered remnants of our defensive line. Now, I'm not saying that they played well for sixty minutes, but for what we had to work with, they did pretty well. I'll say it this way... I'll take Avril, Jackson, Cohen and McBride's pressure from yesterday over any game we played last year. That's without some starters. I feel pretty good about that, I guess. This unit has surprised me some, considering the low expectations I had for them. I definitely think we need to add at least one defensive tackle and end next year, but I think we will have solid depth at that position in a year or two. Problem is there just isn't enough talent there to get pressure the whole game right now. There are not even enough players healthy to form a solid rotation. Once everyone is back, this unit might be pretty good.

Special teams are still a disaster. The blocking on returns is atrocious and block-shedding on kickoffs and punts is ridiculous. We will not win another game this season if we can't alter the field position battle. Of course, most of this lies with the offense's inability to move the ball. It's a vicious circle that goes round and round until one unit makes something happen. When the offense goes three and out, then the punt coverage allows forty yards on the return and the defense can't get off the field on 3^rd and 8.... you lose. Want proof... check the Lions' stats from 2001-08.

I don't think the bye week could have come soon enough for the Lions. Can you imagine if we would have had a week 10 bye? Good Lord. This team is beaten, battered and bruised. I just pray that they use this time to regroup, get healthy and come out swinging in week 8, because they cannot lose to the Rams. What they need to do is come out and slaughter the Rams. I mean like a 35-7 beatdown. Show the fans that with a full deck, they are competitive and better than your average cellar-dweller in this league. Matt and C.J. need to get back on the field and show that they will be a dominant tandem in this league for years to come. They have some very winnable games down the stretch and they need to get back on the right track. This week they completely derailed.

I'll say it one more time, I think we have to look at the Packers loss with a little context. The Lions lost to a good team, on the road with a lot of good players not on the field. It was a brutal and deadly cocktail right from the start. To be honest, it could have been (and maybe should have been) a lot worse. Maybe it's the ever-present optimist in me, but I thought we played very well against the run and got some good pressure on Rodgers - if only sporadically. It was the offense that was just dismal for the entire game. I haven't looked at the official stats, but did we cross midfield more than twice all game? I'd venture a guess that we did not. Most thought that we would be 0-6 at the bye and we're 1-5. I can list about a dozen teams in the league right now that would be no better than that after playing our schedule. It's time for us all to take a deep breath... exhale... then get set for the second stretch of games that should offer several opportunities for us to get wins. The most important thing for the Lions right now is to get healthy.

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

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

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

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

(More after the jump)

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

Thursday Notes: Lions Sign Billy Cundiff as Camp Breaks

Sean Yuille — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:16:05 -0000

Training camp is now technically over. Players are no longer required to stay in a hotel, and there is no longer a curfew. Practice still continues on, but the players' living arrangements are a bit different now (if they choose to leave the hotel).
With Jason Hanson out until at least the start of the regular season and Swayze Waters suffering the effects of a tight hamstring, the Lions decided to sign kicker Billy Cundiff on Wednesday. (Waters was released to make room on the roster.) Cundiff began his career as a starter for the Cowboys and has been on a few teams since then. He hasn't played in an actual game since 2006, and I hope he doesn't get to end that drought in a Lions uniform. It's nothing against him, I just want Hanson to be healthy enough to return for the season opener.
Receiver Dane Looker did a great job of filling in at kicker the last couple of days. He made a kick from 48 yards out yesterday before missing a couple attempts from 53 yards away. Like I said once before on this site, kicking is a lot harder than it looks, so I have an immense amount of respect for what Looker did. Yes, he was a backup kicker in high school, but it's not easy to suddenly start kicking again. For me, I maxed out somewhere between 30-35 yards recently, so nailing one from 48 is a great feat.
Louis Delmas helped cause a brawl during yesterday's practice after he laid out Aveion Cason similar to the way he hit Aaron Brown last week. Jim Schwartz again made sure Delmas realized that in practice you don't need to be laying such big hits on teammates. While Delmas does need to be a bit more careful, I love his physicality.
Ernie Sims was out for the second straight day with an oblique muscle pull.
Anthony Henry was also again missing from practice.
Kevin Smith left practice after Jordon Dizon's knee collided with his thigh.
On the positive side, Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson will likely play on Saturday against Indianapolis. Brandon Pettigrew may play as well, but don't expect to see Dennis Northcutt.
Gunther Cunningham is "flat pissed off" with the defense's recent tackling.
Louis Delmas originally didn't answer the Lions when they called on draft day because he thought it was a college teammate since a 313 area code showed up on his caller ID.

Monday Notes: Lions Place Kenneth Harris on Waived/Injured List, Sign Tristan Davis

Sean Yuille — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:38:51 -0000

The Lions signed running back/returner Tristan Davis (undrafted rookie from Auburn) today and put wide receiver Kenneth Harris (undrafted rookie from Georgia) on the waived/injured list. Rather than add another receiver to the team to fill Harris' roster spot, the Lions likely opted for a running back because of injuries to Maurice Morris, Allen Ervin, and Aveion Cason. Ervin and Cason missed practice today, according to CBSSports.com's Rapid Reports.
Although the Lions lost Harris, who had missed the last week or so of practice, they got Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson, and Dennis Northcutt back today. All three are expected to play on Saturday, which is great news for the quarterback who ends up starting against Indianapolis.
Jason Hanson said his recovery from knee surgery is on schedule, though he admitted he really doesn't know what that schedule is. Martin Mayhew said the plan is for Hanson to be ready for the start of the regular season, but he didn't exactly make any promises that that would happen.
Mayhew wasn't surprised that Matthew Stafford struggled on Saturday because he is a rookie playing in his second NFL game.
When asked about whether the Lions could cut Daniel Bullocks in the future (after coming to a settlement), Mayhew didn't rule out the possibility of that happening, though he said they don't plan on releasing him right now.

(More after the jump)

When asked if the Lions have any interest in superhuman sprinter Usain Bolt, Jim Schwartz said no and explained that "nobody ever won the 100 meters with somebody standing in their lane." While that is very true, I'd love to see what Bolt can do on a football field. One thing that is certain is that he would be a better kick returner than Aveion Cason.
Shaun Smith supposedly yelled at Browns GM George Kokinis after Saturday's game.

"According to WKNR radio, former Browns defensive lineman Shaun Smith, now with the Lions, gave Browns General Manager George Kokinis an expletive-filled tongue lashing in the stadium hallway Saturday night. The station reported that Kokinis said nothing and walked away.
I understand that Smith is upset over how his stay in Cleveland ended, but it's really not necessary to seek out your former team's general manager and swear at him. That just is really unprofessional and sort of embarrassing for the Lions. Speaking of embarrassing...
As many of you know, Dewayne White and Carson Butler got into a fight during warm-ups on Saturday night. After Butler scored on a pass from Drew Stanton, one of the TV announcers said that White congratulated him. That couldn't be farther from the truth, however. White explained after the game that he didn't congratulate Butler and that this feud is far from over.

"No," White said. "I don't kiss and make up. What's wrong with you? We'll probably have to go at it one more time -- when we're not playing a game in a few minutes. Next week sometime."

White sort of laughed as he said that. Then he grew more serious when asked if the two were not done yet.

"We might go at it," White said. "I'm not saying that we are. But it's going to be bad blood between us, yeah."

Butler has a history of fighting, as he and a teammate beat up a fellow Michigan student on St. Patrick's Day a couple years ago. It was bad enough that the victim had to suffer the effects of getting beat up, but it turned out he wasn't even the person they were after. That's right, they beat up the wrong person. Both Butler and the teammate eventually got kicked off the team, but Butler was allowed back the next summer. Last year against Notre Dame, Butler punched an opposing player and got ejected, landing him in Rich Rodriguez's doghouse. If I were Butler, I would be on my best behavior considering he is fighting (no pun intended) for a roster spot.
While White played especially well in the second half of the Browns game, don't get too excited. Why? Well, he was lining up against George Foster.
I shared my thoughts on what the NFL's Twitter policy should be for WashingtonPost.com's The League.