SB Nation - Andy McCollum

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 1 vs. the Detroit Lions

Saintsational — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:00:14 -0000

We begin now with our early look at each of the Saints 2009 opponents. These posts will offer just a brief overview of each opponents off-season moves, detailing the more important ones, and quickly discuss how each team might match up against the Saints this year. We begin at the very beginning, a very good place to start: The Detroit Lions.

Of course we all know the story of the winless Detroit Lions of last year, right? Presumptuous Saints fans will consider this a sure win and an easy start to a Superbowl season. Well guess what...it's not 2008; the Lions are banking on that. That means anything can happen. Heck, if the Lions were in the NFC South, a first place finish in the division would be a lock. Fortunately they're not, but the Lions have nowhere to go but up. A new head coach, Jim Schwartz in his first season at the position, mixed with a heavily revamped team with a lot to prove, could be a dangerous combination. Let's take a look at how far the Lions have come and what we might expect right out of the box.

Lions Offense

It's not really possible to even begin to speculate on what the Lions offense will look like next season. With rookie quarterback Matt Stafford expected to be the starter from week one, there is sure to be a learning curve and a "getting to know you" period before anything begins to really click. This should be good news for the Saints, who get to play the Lions early and before they go on any sort of Cinderalla story-like tear.

Stafford will have some decent targets to throw to in Detroit. Though the Lions enter 2009 without Shaun McDonald or Mike Furrey, the team still has an incredible receiving threat in Calvin Johnson, they've added Dennis Northcutt, Bryant Johnson and Ronald Curry through free agency and drafted tight end Brandon Pettigrew late in the first round of the draft this year.

In the running department the Lions leading rusher, Kevin Smith, returns as the inevitable starter while newly acquired Maurice Morris should take over backup duties from Rudi Johnson, who is no longer with the team. They also added fullback Terrelle Smith.

The Saints defense may very well be going through their own transition period at the time with new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams calling the shots but they should still have the advantage in this matchup.

Lions Defense

The Lions defense finished dead last in so many categories last season; there is no place for them to go but up. With improvement needed everywhere, the team has attempted to add depth at nearly every position. Detroit upgraded their line with Grady Jackson to offset the loss of Shaun Cody, added veteran linebacker Larry Foote for help in the middle and signed Phillip Buchanon and Eric King to help stop the pass. They also drafted safety Louis Delmas with their third pick in the draft.

That being said, if the Saints offense can peform at nearly the same level as last year then expect the black and gold to win this matchup hands down.

Lions 2009 Season

0-16 record

Last Meeting

December 21, 2008

Week 16 1 2 3 4 OT Final

Saints 14 14 14 0 0 42

Lions 0 7 0 0 0 7

Why the Saints can win

Because the Lions were really bad last year. Really bad.

Why the Saints can lose

Because the Lions have to win eventually.

Prediction

Saints 35 - Lions 10

Free Agent Pickups

RB Maurice Morris

WR Dennis Northcutt

WR Ronald Curry

WR Bryant Johnson

TE Will Heller

OT Daniel Loper

OT Jon Jansen

DE Jason Hunter

DT Grady Jackson

OLB Julian Peterson

ILB Larry Foote

ILB Cody Spencer

CB Phillip Buchanon

CB Eric King

CB/S Anthony Henry

S Marquand Manuel

2009 Draft Picks

QB Matt Stafford

TE Brandon Pettigrew

FS Louis Delmas

LB DeAndre Levy

WR Derrick Williams

DT Sammie Lee Hill

RB Aaron Brown

OT Lydon Murtha

OLB Zack Follett

TE Dan Gronkowski

Key losses

QB Jon Kitna

QB Dan Orlovsky

QB Drew Henson

RB Rudi Johnson

FB Moran Norris

FB Jon Bradley

WR Shaun McDonald

WR Mike Furrey

TE Dan Campbell

TE Michael Gaines

TE John Owens

OT George Foster

OT Junius Coston

OT Jon Dunn

G Edwin Mulitalo

C Andy McCollum

DE Corey Smith

DT Cory Redding

DT Shaun Cody

DT Langston Moore

OLB Ryan Nece

OLB Alex Lewis

ILB Paris Lenon

CB Leigh Bodden

CB Travis Fisher

CB Stanley Wilson

S Dwight Smith

Linkage

Pride Of Detroit

Lions vs Saints coverage

CSC: Saints @ Lions Postgame

CSC: Saints @ Lions: Who Dat Say!?

CSC: Saints @ Lions: Making the Grade

Detroit Lions 2009 Transactions

Detroit Lions 2009 Draft

Detroit Lions 2009 Free Agent Tracker

Detroit Lions 2009 Roster

Poll

What will be the outcome of the Saints week 1 match-up against the Lions?

The Saints will win handily

405 votes

The Saints will win a squeeker

97 votes

The Lions will win handily

43 votes

The Lions will win a squeeker

155 votes

700 votes | Poll has closed

Centered: NFC West position review of centers

VanRam — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:28:58 -0000

The Rams may not get much respect within the division, conference or the league - yet - but when I sat down with my SBN NFC West colleagues for a position review, we came out on top at the center position. The addition of Jason Brown without a doubt gives the Rams the top player in the division (and maybe the conference) to anchor the middle of their line. But what about the other teams? Grades and reviews after the jump

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals opened training camp last year with what most assumed to be a decent veteran starter at center and the 'center of the future' as his primary backup. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the veteran starting center, Al Johnson, never recovered from off season surgery and was placed on IR in early September. That move pushed young Lyle Sendlein, an undrafted second year player, into the starting lineup and left virtually no one to back him up. Luckily for the Cardinals, Sendlein stayed healthy, at least enough to play, all season long although most would say that his play was average at best. As with most undersized centers, Sendlein excelled at getting to the next level and picking up linebackers but he struggled with facing larger nose tackles either in the running game or passing game. Of course we know now that he played most of the season with a bum shoulder that required surgery in the off season but questions still remained about his future as a starter.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Sendlein a vote of confidence shortly before the draft, saying that he had the potential to be a great center in the league, and he backed it up by not addressing the position in the draft until late in the seventh round. Sendlein enters this season as the unquestioned starter and with a surgically repaired shoulder and more strength than he's had in years, there are hopes that he'll take the next step in his third season.

The depth behind Sendlein is still shaky, at best. There are three other 'true centers' on the current roster (Ben Claxton, Donovan Raiola and Patt Ross) and their respective careers have consisted of two games during the 2005 season. Trevor Canfield, the 254th overall selection this April is capable of playing guard and he's got a chance to be the primary backup if he performs well in camp. There's a good possibility though that if Sendlein were to go down for any length of time the interior of the line would get shuffled around with right guard, Reggie Wells, sliding over to center and someone stepping into his guard spot. Basically, the Cardinals need to have Sendlein healthy if they want anything close to average performance from the center position. Overall grade: C

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle gets a "B". Chris Spencer is decent to average but has good potential and the team drafted Max Unger, so there's further good potential and exceptional depth.

Seattle selected Chris Spencer with the 26th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was just the thirteenth center selected in the first round since the merger. Spencer was a great athlete and considered a safe pick. Fans envisioned a future star. Upon further inspection, that was an unreasonable expectation. Of the sixteen centers since 1970 selected in the first round, only three were ever elected to a Pro Bowl and only one was elected to multiple Pro Bowls: Don Mosebar.

Instead, investing in a first round center is investing in a starting center. Only one of the thirteen was a true bust, Robert Shaw, and Shaw blew out his knee and was forced into retirement. That’s what Chris Spencer is, a starting center. He started 29 games in 2006 and 2007 after apprenticing under Robbie Tobeck, and was shut down in 2008 only after the season was lost. He’s a steady center that sometimes shows flashes of great athleticism and physical dominance, but hasn’t developed into a consistent or technically sound blocker. His footwork is unrefined, though he’s improved enough to not trip over himself. Spencer is derided for few reasons. Mike Holmgren was critical of his play. He reportedly was slow to pick up line calls. He is wont to the big gaffe. He’s not Robbie Tobeck, and the memory of Tobeck has grown well beyond the man. Spencer is physically gifted. He’s a former record setting power-lifter and rare- quick and agile for a center. So there’s still chance of breakout in a big way.

Max Unger is not the opposite of Chris Spencer; he’s more like the negative. Unger is not nearly as powerful and might struggle against stronger nose tackles. He’s not unrefined and full of potential, but skilled and NFL-ready. He’s a good athlete, but a better offensive lineman. Unger could overtake Spencer or settle in at guard. He’s a natural center and has expressed his desire to play the position.

Between the two, the polished rookie and the veteran full of potential, Seattle should have an above average starting center and the best center depth in the NFL. The grade is tilted towards the starter, but accounting for Spencer’s potential, Unger’s potential, Spencer’s standing level of play, Unger's polish and Seattle’s depth at the position, this is a solid B with a chance to be better.

San Francisco 49ers

Center is a tough position to grade when it comes to the 49ers. They've got a very solid guy starting in Eric Heitmann (underrated in the league), but their depth is questionable at best.

Heitmann is still on the right side of 30 and quietly has been a very impressive center for the 49ers. Last season, Mike Martz actually referred to Heitmann as the best center he's ever coached by far. That can certainly be taken with a grain of salt, but it goes to show what some folks think of him. While the team is developing young talent around him, Heitmann has been the anchor of the line. Heitmann had fallen off the radar a bit due to a broken leg late in 2006. He struggled in 2007 while recovering, but seemed to be completely recovered in 2008. While he's not the most athletic of centers, he is able to stand his ground and anchor the line.

Behind Heitmann, question marks abound. Cody Wallace is listed as the backup center but it's hard to tell if he'll amount to anything in the coming years. He's entering his second year in the league and saw no playing time his rookies season so it's hard to tell what he can provide the 49ers. As a 4th round pick, there's just not a whole lot to work with looking ahead. The 49ers signed Heitmann to an extension through 2011 and if he stays healthy, Wallace might never see more than some backup time. This preseason could be big for determining Wallace's future role.

Although not listed as a center on most depth charts at this point, guard Tony Wragge filled in for Heitmann back in late 2006 after Heitmann broke his leg. If Heitmann went down again, Wallace might get a crack at the lineup, but it wouldn't exactly surprise me to see Wragge moved back over to center. Wragge is not great by any means, but he's a serviceable backup.

Given the lack of backup options, I'm probably grading this a little high, but I am really this happy with Eric Heitmann as the 49ers center this year. Grade: B

St. Louis Rams

The Rams have struggled to find a center since age caught up to Andy McCollum during the 2006 season, and the team parted ways with the then-37-year-old center after an injury riddled 2007 campaign. Heading into 2008, Mark Setterstrom looked like an odds on favorite for the job, but injuries got to him early in camp. The undersized, overmatched dup of Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg started at center for the Rams last season, making the middle of the offensive line by far the weakest link on an already troubled offense. Half of the numerous sacks endured by Rams passers last year came through the middle, which is to say nothing about how much the run game suffered.

Under new management and coaches, the Rams made a huge splash in the free agent market, signing Ravens C Jason Brown, the most coveted offensive lineman to reach free agency this year, to a lucractive five-year, $37 million deal. Whether or not they paid too much is beside the point. The Rams desperately needed to do something at center or risk losing the investments they've made in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger. Brown, just 26, will be a cornerstone of an up and coming offensive line that could be the best in the division, if not this year, then vey soon. Not bad for a unit that was the team's biggest liability just a few months ago.

Depth is a concern, but the Rams have a good situation in regards to their middle linemen. Should Brown not be available, they can plug in the capable Mark Setterstrom, who they would have killed to have at center last year. They also have the option of sliding RG Richie Incognito over to center and replacing him with either Setterstrom or John Greco (more on those names in the guard write-up) and be just fine in the middle. Grade: A

NFC West Position-by-Position: Centers

Hawkwind — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:00:17 -0000

We're still plowing through our weekly installments of position by position breakdowns of the NFC West (check out previous stories here) and today we start looking at the big uglies, specifically the only player who touches the ball more than the quarterback. Yes the big men in the center of every offensive line get little fanfare but today we put them in the spotlight. Lyle Sendlien headlines the center of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line but how does the rest of the division stand and how would the teams rank?

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals opened training camp last year with what most assumed to be a decent veteran starter at center and the 'center of the future' as his primary backup. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you look at it, the veteran starting center, Al Johnson, never recovered from off season surgery and was placed on IR in early September. That move pushed young Lyle Sendlein, an undrafted second year player, into the starting lineup and left virtually no one to back him up. Luckily for the Cardinals, Sendlein stayed healthy, at least enough to play, all season long although most would say that his play was average at best. As with most undersized centers, Sendlein excelled at getting to the next level and picking up linebackers but he struggled with facing larger nose tackles either in the running game or passing game. Of course we know now that he played most of the season with a bum shoulder that required surgery in the off season but questions still remained about his future as a starter.

Head coach Ken Whisenhunt gave Sendlein a vote of confidence shortly before the draft, saying that he had the potential to be a great center in the league, and he backed it up by not addressing the position in the draft until late in the seventh round. Sendlein enters this season as the unquestioned starter and with a surgically repaired shoulder and more strength than he's had in years, there are hopes that he'll take the next step in his third season.

The depth behind Sendlein is still shaky, at best. There are three other 'true centers' on the current roster (Ben Claxton, Donovan Raiola and Patt Ross) and their respective careers have consisted of two games during the 2005 season. Trevor Canfield, the 254th overall selection this April is capable of playing guard and he's got a chance to be the primary backup if he performs well in camp. There's a good possibility though that if Sendlein were to go down for any length of time the interior of the line would get shuffled around with right guard, Reggie Wells, sliding over to center and someone stepping into his guard spot. Basically, the Cardinals need to have Sendlein healthy if they want anything close to average performance from the center position. Overall grade: C

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

Center is a tough position to grade when it comes to the 49ers. They've got a very solid guy starting in Eric Heitmann (underrated in the league), but their depth is questionable at best.

Heitmann is still on the right side of 30 and quietly has been a very impressive center for the 49ers. Last season, Mike Martz actually referred to Heitmann as the best center he's ever coached by far. That can certainly be taken with a grain of salt, but it goes to show what some folks think of him. While the team is developing young talent around him, Heitmann has been the anchor of the line. Heitmann had fallen off the radar a bit due to a broken leg late in 2006. He struggled in 2007 while recovering, but seemed to be completely recovered in 2008. While he's not the most athletic of centers, he is able to stand his ground and anchor the line.

Behind Heitmann, question marks abound. Cody Wallace is listed as the backup center but it's hard to tell if he'll amount to anything in the coming years. He's entering his second year in the league and saw no playing time his rookies season so it's hard to tell what he can provide the 49ers. As a 4th round pick, there's just not a whole lot to work with looking ahead. The 49ers signed Heitmann to an extension through 2011 and if he stays healthy, Wallace might never see more than some backup time. This preseason could be big for determining Wallace's future role.

Although not listed as a center on most depth charts at this point, guard Tony Wragge filled in for Heitmann back in late 2006 after Heitmann broke his leg. If Heitmann went down again, Wallace might get a crack at the lineup, but it wouldn't exactly surprise me to see Wragge moved back over to center. Wragge is not great by any means, but he's a serviceable backup.

Given the lack of backup options, I'm probably grading this a little high, but I am really this happy with Eric Heitmann as the 49ers center this year. Grade: B

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

The Rams have struggled to find a center since age caught up to Andy McCollum during the 2006 season, and the team parted ways with the then-37-year-old center after an injury riddled 2007 campaign. Heading into 2008, Mark Setterstrom looked like an odds on favorite for the job, but injuries got to him early in camp. The undersized, overmatched duo of Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg started at center for the Rams last season, making the middle of the offensive line by far the weakest link on an already troubled offense. Half of the numerous sacks endured by Rams passers last year came through the middle, which is to say nothing about how much the run game suffered.

Under new management and coaches, the Rams made a huge splash in the free agent market, signing Ravens C Jason Brown, the most coveted offensive lineman to reach free agency this year, to a lucrative five-year, $37 million deal. Whether or not they paid too much is beside the point. The Rams desperately needed to do something at center or risk losing the investments they've made in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger. Brown, just 26, will be a cornerstone of an up and coming offensive line that could be the best in the division, if not this year, then very soon. Not bad for a unit that was the team's biggest liability just a few months ago.

Depth is a concern, but the Rams have a good situation in regards to their middle linemen. Should Brown not be available, they can plug in the capable Mark Setterstrom, who they would have killed to have at center last year. They also have the option of sliding RG Richie Incognito over to center and replacing him with either Setterstrom or John Greco (more on those names in the guard write-up) and be just fine in the middle. Grade: A

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

Seattle gets a "B". Chris Spencer is decent to average but has good potential and the team drafted Max Unger, so there's further good potential and exceptional depth.

Seattle selected Chris Spencer with the 26th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was just the thirteenth center selected in the first round since the merger. Spencer was a great athlete and considered a safe pick. Fans envisioned a future star. Upon further inspection, that was an unreasonable expectation. Of the sixteen centers since 1970 selected in the first round, only three were ever elected to a Pro Bowl and only one was elected to multiple Pro Bowls: Don Mosebar.

Instead, investing in a first round center is investing in a starting center. Only one of the thirteen was a true bust, Robert Shaw, and Shaw blew out his knee and was forced into retirement. That's what Chris Spencer is, a starting center. He started 29 games in 2006 and 2007 after apprenticing under Robbie Tobeck, and was shut down in 2008 only after the season was lost. He's a steady center that shows flashes of great athleticism and physical dominance, but hasn't developed into a consistent or technically sound blocker. His footwork is unrefined, though he's improved enough to not trip over himself. Spencer is derided for a few reasons. Mike Holmgren was critical of his play. He reportedly was slow to pick up line calls. He is wont to the big gaffe. Finally, he's not Robbie Tobeck, and the memory of Tobeck has grown well beyond the man. Spencer is physically gifted. He's a former record setting power-lifter and rare- quick and agile for a center. So there's still chance of breakout in a big way.

Max Unger is not the opposite of Chris Spencer; he's more like the negative. Unger is not nearly as powerful and might struggle against stronger nose tackles. He's not unrefined and full of potential, but skilled and NFL-ready. He's a good athlete, but a better offensive lineman. Unger could overtake Spencer or settle in at guard. He's a natural center and has expressed his desire to play the position.

Between the two, the polished rookie and the veteran full of potential, Seattle should have an above average starting center and the best center depth in the NFL. The grade is tilted towards the starter, but accounting for Spencer's potential, Unger's potential, Spencer's standing level of play, Unger's polish and Seattle's depth at the position, this is a solid B with a chance to be better.

The only real sticking point in the rankings were between second and third so basically it's a clear cut top and bottom with a very close second and third:

St. Louis Rams
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals

--------------------------------------------------------------------

For the record, I think these ranking might look very different next year if Sendlien is healthy and his strength has improved as much as they're implying right now. He might very well be the key to the Cardinals offensive line being borderline average again this season or being well above average. Thoughts? How would you rank the division?

NFC West Roundtable: Center

John Morgan — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:19:00 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Steve Vallos and John Owens are merely exchanging long protein strings.

Browse more photos »

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

The Rams have struggled to find a center since age caught up to Andy McCollum during the 2006 season, and the team parted ways with the then-37-year-old center after an injury riddled 2007 campaign. Heading into 2008, Mark Setterstrom looked like an odds on favorite for the job, but injuries got to him early in camp. The undersized, overmatched duo of Nick Leckey and Brett Romberg started at center for the Rams last season, making the middle of the offensive line by far the weakest link on an already troubled offense. Half of the numerous sacks endured by Rams passers last year came through the middle, which is to say nothing about how much the run game suffered.

Under new management and coaches, the Rams made a huge splash in the free agent market, signing Ravens C Jason Brown, the most coveted offensive lineman to reach free agency this year, to a lucrative five-year, $37 million deal. Whether or not they paid too much is beside the point. The Rams desperately needed to do something at center or risk losing the investments they've made in Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger. Brown, just 26, will be a cornerstone of an up and coming offensive line that could be the best in the division, if not this year, then very soon. Not bad for a unit that was the team's biggest liability just a few months ago.

Depth is a concern, but the Rams have a good situation in regards to their middle linemen. Should Brown not be available, they can plug in the capable Mark Setterstrom, who they would have killed to have at center last year. They also have the option of sliding RG Richie Incognito over to center and replacing him with either Setterstrom or John Greco (more on those names in the guard write-up) and be just fine in the middle. Grade: A

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

Center is a tough position to grade when it comes to the 49ers. They've got a very solid guy starting in Eric Heitmann (underrated in the league), but their depth is questionable at best.

Given the lack of backup options, I'm probably grading this a little high, but I am really this happy with Eric Heitmann as the 49ers center this year. Grade: B

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan

Seattle selected Chris Spencer with the 26th overall pick in the 2005 draft. He was just the thirteenth center selected in the first round since the merger. Spencer was a great athlete and considered a safe pick. Fans envisioned a future star. Upon further inspection, that was an unreasonable expectation. Of the sixteen centers since 1970 selected in the first round, only three were ever elected to a Pro Bowl and only one was elected to multiple Pro Bowls: Don Mosebar.

Instead, investing in a first round center is investing in a starting center. Only one of the thirteen was a true bust, Robert Shaw, and Shaw blew out his knee and was forced into retirement. That’s what Chris Spencer is, a starting center. He started 29 games in 2006 and 2007 after apprenticing under Robbie Tobeck, and was shut down in 2008 only after the season was lost. He’s a steady center that shows flashes of great athleticism and physical dominance, but hasn’t developed into a consistent or technically sound blocker. His footwork is unrefined, though he’s improved enough to not trip over himself. Spencer is derided for a few reasons. Mike Holmgren was critical of his play. He reportedly was slow to pick up line calls. He is wont to the big gaffe. Finally, he’s not Robbie Tobeck, and the memory of Tobeck has grown well beyond the man. Spencer is physically gifted. He’s a former record setting power-lifter and rare- quick and agile for a center. So there’s still chance of breakout in a big way.

Max Unger is not the opposite of Chris Spencer; he’s more like the negative. Unger is not nearly as powerful and might struggle against stronger nose tackles. He’s not unrefined and full of potential, but skilled and NFL-ready. He’s a good athlete, but a better offensive lineman. Unger could overtake Spencer or settle in at guard. He’s a natural center and has expressed his desire to play the position.

Between the two, the polished rookie and the veteran full of potential, Seattle should have an above average starting center and the best center depth in the NFL. The grade is tilted towards the starter, but accounting for Spencer’s potential, Unger’s potential, Spencer’s standing level of play, Unger's polish and Seattle’s depth at the position, this is a solid B with a chance to be better.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

Lions Release Six Players, Announce UFAs

Sean Yuille — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:32:15 -0000

The Lions have announced that six players were released today, including the four that were already reported. Here is the full list:

WR Mike Furrey
TE Dan Campbell
OT Jon Dunn
OG Edwin Mulitalo
CB Leigh Bodden
S Dwight Smith

Along with that announcement, the Lions also confirmed that eighteen players will become unrestricted free agents on February 27:

QB Dan Orlovsky
RB Aveion Cason
RB Rudi Johnson
FB Moran Norris
WR Keary Colbert
WR Shaun McDonald
TE John Owens
OT Damion Cook
OT George Foster
OG Stephen Peterman
OG Andy McCollum
DE Corey Smith
DT Shaun Cody
DT Langston Moore
LB Paris Lenon
LB Ryan Nece
CB Stanley Wilson
K Jason Hanson

Week 10 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:49:37 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Dan Orlovsky	Right Hand	Out
FB	Jerome Felton	Ankle	Out
TE	Casey FitzSimmons	Ribs	Out
TE	John Owens	Hamstring	Questionable
C	Dominic Raiola	Hand	Out
OG	Andy McCollum	Finger	Probable
DT	Cory Redding	Groin	Questionable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Probable
LB	Jordon Dizon	Hamstring	Probable
LB	Ernie Sims	Shoulder	Probable
S	Dwight Smith	Foot	Out

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
RB	Fred Taylor	Knee	Probable
WR	Mike Walker	Knee	Probable
DT	John Henderson	Knee	Out
LB	Justin Durant	Rib	Probable
CB	Rashean Mathis	Foot	Probable
S	Pierson Prioleau	Foot	Probable

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

Week 9 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 06:55:28 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
FB	Jerome Felton	Ankle	Out
TE	Casey FitzSimmons	Ribs	Doubtful
OG	Damion Cook	Knee	Questionable
OG	Andy McCollum	Finger	Questionable
DT	Cory Redding	Groin	Questionable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Questionable
LB	Jordon Dizon	Hamstring	Out
S	Dwight Smith	Foot	Out

CHICAGO BEARS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
WR	Brandon Lloyd	Knee	Questionable
WR	Marty Booker	Knee	Probable
DT	Tommie Harris	Knee	Probable
LB	Hunter Hillenmeyer	Thumb	Questionable
CB	Charles Tillman	Shoulder	Probable
CB	Nathan Vasher	Wrist	Probable
S	Danieal Manning	Hamstring	Questionable

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

Tuesday Notes: No Word on Jon Kitna's Health

Sean Yuille — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:35:39 -0000

The Lions aren't divulging any information about the status of Jon Kitna. He missed practice all last week and didn't even make the trip to Minnesota due to his back problems. Right now it is looking like he will miss the Texans game this upcoming Sunday, and there is some talk that he may be out even longer than another week or so.
Dan Orlovsky said this about the safety he caused on Sunday:

"When they started blowing the whistle, I was like, 'Did we false start or were they offsides or something?' " Orlovsky said. "And I looked, and I was just like, 'You're an idiot.' "
Bad play or not, Orlovsky is ready to start again if Kitna is too hurt to play this week.
Kevin Smith bruised his shoulder on the Lions' third play of Sunday's game. Smith caught a pass and tried to get to the first down marker but wound up a yard short. While trying to fight for extra yardage, he bruised his shoulder but stayed in the game and finished the first half. However, during halftime Smith tested his shoulder and didn't feel like it was strong enough for him to remain in the game, so he sat out the third and fourth quarters.
Rudi Johnson started the game for the Lions.
Brian Kelly returned to the starting lineup after not playing at all against the Bears.
The referee that upheld the Calvin Johnson fumble call in the fourth quarter had this to say about the play:

"In order to overturn any decision on the field, I have to have clear and visual evidence indisputable evidence of what I saw. From the shots that I got, his knee was on the ground as the ball was coming out. So the question is, was the ball coming out or was he firmly in control of the ball? It's impossible to tell. It's not indisputable that his knee was on the ground with control of the ball; therefore, I have to go with the call."
From the angles shown on TV, it looked pretty clear to me that Johnson's knee was down and he had control of the ball. Like I said in the game recap, he didn't lose the ball until a Vikings defender took it out of his hands, so it's not like it came loose or something like that.
Calvin Johnson didn't return after that play since he had blurry vision. He was hit in the helmet by one defender and bounced into the helmet of another, so it's no surprise that he was unable to return.
Shaun McDonald replaced Mike Furrey as the Lions' punt returner and seemed to have more success than Furrey.
As I posted in a FanShot yesterday, Leigh Bodden wants an apology for the blown pass interference call that sort of cost the Lions the game.
Chuck Darby left Sunday's game with a calf injury.
George Foster came in for Gosder Cherilus in the second half and played well. Manny Ramirez had a few good moments but was struggling for the most part, so he was replaced with Andy McCollum in the third quarter.

Week 16	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Saints	14	14	14	0	0	42
Lions	0	7	0	0	0	7

SB Nation - Andy McCollum

2009 Schedule Preview: Week 1 vs. the Detroit Lions

Lions Defense

Lions 2009 Season 0-16 record Last Meeting December 21, 2008 Week 16 1 2 3 4 OT Final Saints 14 14 14 0 0 42 Lions 0 7 0 0 0 7

Lions 2009 Season 0-16 record

Lions 2009 Season

Last Meeting

Why the Saints can win

Why the Saints can lose

Prediction