SB Nation - Jerome Felton

Updates on Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Blackout Situation

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

More photos » by Kiichiro Sato - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

More On The Shutout Against The Lions

Brandon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:00:37 -0000

More photos » by Jeffrey Phelps - AP

about 1 month ago: Green Bay's Clay Matthews, top, sacks Detroit Lions' Dante Culpepper during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

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Please tell me that LB Clay Matthews is never coming off field again. From the Press-Gazette:

Matthews played every snap at right outside linebacker for the first time on Sunday and turned in a performance worthy of a player taken 26th overall in the draft.

Yes! Every time I saw LB Brady Poppinga playing at right OLB I wondered why. I didn't notice him on Sunday, except on special teams, but I wasn't exactly taking a roster count on every play either. Big thanks to Rob Demovsky for confirming it. Not that I think Matthews was personally responsible for the shutout, but he's clearly outplayed Poppinga.

Also ILB Nick Barnett played on every defensive snap, to the detriment of ILB A.J. Hawk. But that might be a good thing. From the Press-Gazette:

On the 19-yarder in the second quarter, FB Jerome Felton’s lead block picked off buck ILB A.J. Hawk too easily and several players made technique errors against the draw...

With Capers employing a nickel defense on 39 of 48 snaps (81.3 percent) against Scott Linehan’s three-wide offense, Hawk played only nine snaps and didn’t register a tackle.

I earlier blamed Matthews for the penalty that brought back the opening 99 yard TD return, but apparently G Evan Dietrich-Smith really was to blame. From the Press-Gazette:

Rookie OL Evan Dietrich-Smith might have gotten away grabbing around DE Copeland Bryan’s left shoulder, but officials had no choice but to wipe away WR Jordy Nelson’s 99-yard TD on the opening kickoff once Dietrich-Smith threw Bryan to the ground.

I like FB John Kuhn, but I don't think he's a good lead blocker. They were better last season when FB Korey Hall started. As the running game is struggling again this season, lots of fingers are being pointed, and it's time to point them at Kuhn. Remember when the Packers started getting some good running plays in the 4th quarter? From the Press-Gazette:

FB Quinn Johnson punctuated his NFL debut with a devastating pancake block on one running play and a decent lead on RB Ryan Grant’s 22-yard gain in the fourth quarter...

With Johnson on the field, the Packers ran 17 times for 72 yards (4.2 average), compared to 10 for 24 (2.4) without him.

Friday Injury Report: Lions at Green Bay Packers

Brandon — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:36:39 -0000

It's a brutally long injury report this week for the Green Bay Packers and the Lions. While it could be hitting the Lions hard, it's just long for the Packers.

FB Korey Hall and RB DeShawn Wynn are out, but FB Quinn Johnson will come off the inactive list for his first action and RB Brandon Jackson is back from injury for the first time this season. Recently resigned RT Mark Tauscher is out, but that's expected since he's practicing himself back into football shape. Although both centers (Jason Spitz and Scott Wells) are listed, Mike McCarthy expects them both to play.

The injuries have hit hard in Detroit. Obviously WR Calvin Johnson and QB Matthew Stafford are the two big names. At this point in their careers, QB Daunte Culpepper is just as good, so Stafford's loss won't matter much in this game. Except Johnson's absence is a tough loss no matter the QB. I'm not sure which other potential starters are missing, except LB Ernie Sims would start if he were healthy. RT Gosder Cherilus is a starter, but he'll play on Sunday. Even if they aren't missing any other starters, their depth is certainly being tested this week. On all the injuries, from Pride of Detroit:

All I can say is that I'm glad the Lions have a bye next week.

The complete injury lists after the jump.

Green Bay Packers:

Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Atari Bigby	S	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Chad Clifton	T	Ankle	Limited Participation	Probable
Daryn Colledge	G	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Korey Hall	FB	Calf	Out	Out
Brandon Jackson	RB	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Cullen Jenkins	DE	Ankle	Full Participation	Probable
Quinn Johnson	FB	Not Inj. Related	Did Not Participate	N/A
Ryan Pickett	NT	Hip	Full Participation	Probable
Brady Poppinga	LB	Illness	Full Participation	Probable
Jason Spitz	C/G	Back	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Mark Tauscher	T	Knee	Limited Participation	Out
Jeremy Thompson	LB	Knee	Full Participation	Probable
Scott Wells	C	Hamstring	Limited Participation	Questionable
DeShawn Wynn	RB	Knee	Did Not Participate	Out

Detroit Lions:


Player	Pos.	Injury	Friday Participation	Friday Status
Gosder Cherilus	T	Shoulder	Full Participation	Probable
Jordan Dizon	LB	Foot	Limited Participation	Probable
Jerome Felton	FB	Shoulder	Limited Participation	Questionable
Casey FitzSimmons	TE	Thigh	Limited Participation	Questionable
Sammie Hill	DT	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Jason Hunter	DE	Ankle	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Grady Jackson	DT	Knee	Did Not Participate	Probable
Calvin Johnson	WR	Knee	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Maurice Morris	RB	Hip	Limited Participation	Questionable
Brandon Pettigrew	TE	Hamstring	Full Participation	Probable
Koe Simpson	S	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Doubtful
Ernie Sims	LB	Shoulder	Limited Participation	Probable
Matthew Stafford	QB	Knee	Did Not Participate	Questionable
Dewayne White	DE	Hamstring	Did Not Participate	Questionable

Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson Miss Practice Today

Sean Yuille — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:38:21 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford looks on from the sideline against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Although he practiced on a limited basis yesterday, Matthew Stafford did not practice at all today. Stafford is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered against the Bears, and as it stands right now, it doesn't look like he will play on Sunday against the Packers. The same goes for Calvin Johnson, who missed practice both today and yesterday. The chances of him playing at this point seem unlikely, though I suppose he could miraculously recover between now and Sunday.

There are a few different theories out there as to why Stafford practiced on Wednesday but not today, including a slightly paranoid one from Tom Kowalski, who seems to be freaking out a little bit over the fact that the Lions are now a secretive team that will play some mind games. Kowalski thinks that Stafford was sent out to take some snaps with the media watching but didn't do anything else, leading to the media saying he practiced when he really didn't.

Could that be the case? It wouldn't surprise me one bit. Let's remember that Jim Schwartz, as he once said, has a degree in football from the University of Bill Belichick. Even so, I don't see it as a big deal at all. We aren't going to find out if Stafford is the starter until before the game on Sunday, and you can bet that Schwartz and company will say as little as possible about his status in the mean time. If throwing Stafford out there for a few minutes on Wednesday throws even a little curve ball at the Packers' preparation for Sunday, then it's worth it. I don't necessarily think it will change anything, but I like that the Lions may be trying to play mind games, and I certainly don't think it's worth freaking out over.

Staying on the topic of injuries, it looks like the Lions' injury report will once again be quite large headed into Sunday's game.

Safety Ko Simpson (hamstring), running back Maurice Morris (hip) and defensive linemen Dewayne White (hamstring), Jason Hunter (ankle) and Sammie Hill (ankle) also missed practice for a second straight day, though Simpson at least did some work in the portion of practice open to reporters.

Fullback Jerome Felton (shoulder) and tight end Casey Fitzsimmons (thigh) were listed as limited after missing practice Wednesday. Linebackers Ernie Sims (shoulder) and Jordon Dizon (foot) were listed as limited for the second straight day.

All I can say is that I'm glad the Lions have a bye next week.

Ending The Bye Week Blues

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I've got these tiny hands...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poll

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

Big GB win.

414 votes

Slim GB win.

197 votes

Too close to call.

26 votes

Slim DET win.

40 votes

Big DET win.

11 votes

688 votes | Poll has closed

Friday Notes: Matt Millen-Free for a Year Already

Sean Yuille — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:20:15 -0000

According to Tom Kowalski, 10,000 tickets were available yesterday at the 1 p.m. blackout deadline. That's how many tickets were available on Wednesday, so it appears the threat of a blackout didn't cause hardly anyone to go buy tickets to the game.
If you are going to the game on Sunday, plan on showing up a little earlier than usual due to expected delays related to security. All over the country there is heightened security at sporting events, including the University of Michigan, which actually banned all bags from the Big House.
It's already been a year since Matt Millen was fired. It seems like he's been gone for much longer than that, though the stink of his presence is still on this franchise.
Describing his fumble against the Vikings, Kevin Smith said it best: "You never like to drop the money on the way to the bank."
Gunther Cunningham thinks highly of Redskins tight end Chris Cooley.
Turk McBride is quickly adjusting to playing in a 4-3 with the Lions.
Add Mike O'Hara to the list of people placing the blame of the Jared Allen sack on Jerome Felton.
Larry Foote is concerned with some of the problems the Detroit PSL has been having.
40 former Lions players will be at Sunday's game as part of alumni day festivities. The list of players includes Lomas Brown, Luther Elliss, Eddie Murray, and Charlie Sanders, among others.
The Detroit News obtained the police report from when Charles Rogers was arrested earlier this month.
As always, check out SB Nation's fantasy football page for continuous updates all weekend on who to start and who to sit.

Thursday Notes: Inconsistency Highlights 7-on-7 Drill

Sean Yuille — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 20:32:15 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

4 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws during at NFL football training camp in Allen Park, Mich., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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Louis Delmas missed practice again today and is officially day-to-day with a knee injury.
Grady Jackson missed the morning session of practice yesterday, but it wasn't because he was injured. Jackson and Ephraim Salaam both only participated in one practice, as the Lions want to slowly ease them into camp, especially Jackson since he had only practiced once since signing with Detroit.
Jordon Dizon and John Standeford missed the afternoon session of practices yesterday due to injury.
Jared DeVries missed the afternoon session on Wednesday as well, though he was out because of personal reasons.
After struggling in the 7-on-7 drill yesterday, the Lions' quarterbacks performed better today.
Drew Stanton's unit was the only one to score in Wednesday's two-minute drill.
Matthew Stafford threw a no-look pass to Calvin Johnson on Tuesday.
The battle for the third running back spot on the roster will likely be between Aveion Cason and Aaron Brown. Both are also returners and are very similar players in general. Brown has age working for him, as he is younger and hasn't had a chance to prove himself. Cason, on the other hand, has the obvious edge in experience. One area where Brown clearly has Cason beat is speed, so we will have to see how big of a factor that plays when the final round of roster cuts arrives.

(More after the jump)

Philip Zaroo of the Highlight Reel has a recap of how the offense and defense performed during practice yesterday. Also in the defense post is a funny moment with offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam.
Jerome Felton has been getting some carries out of a 2-fullback set that features him and Terrelle Smith.
Gunther Cunningham really likes the Detroit area and its people.
Rich Gannon thinks Matthew Stafford will be the Lions' starter when the season opens.
Ernie Accorsi was invited to practice by Jim Schwartz.
With this whole Twitter-fad going on right now, some teams, including the Lions, have prohibited the media from Tweeting while watching practice. What's funny is that any fan with a cell phone can do just that, yet the media aren't allowed to. Something just doesn't make sense about that policy.
Michael Crabtree is threatening to sit out the 2009 season and re-enter the draft in 2010.

Week 12 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:15:47 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Dan Orlovsky	Hand	Out
RB	Kevin Smith	Groin	Probable
RB	Rudi Johnson	Knee	Probable
FB	Jerome Felton	Ankle	Probable
WR	Calvin Johnson	Quad	Probable
WR	Mike Furrey	Concussion	Out
OG	Edwin Mulitalo	Knee	Questionable
C	Dominic Raiola	Hand	Out
DE	Ikaika Alama-Francis	Concussion	Probable
DE	Jared DeVries	Hand	Probable
DE	Dewayne White	Calf	Out
DT	Cory Redding	Groin	Probable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Probable
CB	Keith Smith	Groin	Out
S	Dwight Smith	Foot	Questionable
S	Kalvin Pearson	Shoulder	Probable

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Brian Griese	Right Elbow	Questionable
RB	Carnell Williams	Hamstring	Questionable
RB	Warrick Dunn	Back	Probable
WR	Ike Hilliard	Shoulder	Probable
TE	Alex Smith	Ankle	Questionable
OG	Arron Sears	Shoulder	Probable
S	Jermaine Phillips	Forearm	Doubtful

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 11 Injury Report

Sean Yuille — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:11:17 -0000

DETROIT LIONS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
QB	Dan Orlovsky	Hand	Doubtful
FB	Jerome Felton	Ankle	Probable
WR	Mike Furrey	Concussion	Doubtful
TE	John Owens	Hamstring	Questionable
TE	Casey FitzSimmons	Ribs	Probable
C	Dominic Raiola	Hand	Out
DE	Jared DeVries	Hand	Out
DE	Dewayne White	Calf	Out
DT	Shaun Cody	Ankle	Probable
DT	Chuck Darby	Calf	Probable
DT	Cory Redding	Groin	Questionable
LB	Ernie Sims	Shoulder	Questionable
CB	Keith Smith	Groin	Out
S	Dwight Smith	Foot	Out

CAROLINA PANTHERS
Pos.	Player	Injury	Status
C	Ryan Kalil	Ankle	Doubtful
DT	Darwin Walker	Neck	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