SB Nation - Detroit Lions

A Bad Time for an Otherwise Good Decision

John Morgan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:55:09 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Runs by Julius Jones have been worth 0 DYAR. Passes targeting Julius Jones have been worth 48 DYAR. This isn't Shaun Alexander's run game, but it does resemble 2007.

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Four down football is coming. Its path to Seattle was retarded last Sunday. Jim Mora chose to go for it on fourth and one from the Seattle 38 because of frustration and desperation. The decision did not swing the game. Probability was already decidedly in Detroit's favor. But even most proponents of going for it on fourth would have been wary of going for it on one's own 38.

The Seahawks were favorites at home. The defense was not struggling - it had been burdened with two short fields in three drives. Seattle was down fourteen, but it was early in the first and Detroit's offense had shown no signs of being able to run away with the game. Seattle was creating pressure. On the preceding drive, the defense had quickly forced third and ten but was scored on when Bryant Johnson disguised a push-off within a one-handed catch. It was not an egregious no call, but nor was it call to panic.

Seattle had run twice and twice Julius Jones ran into his blockers attempting to find a hole. The interior offensive line was not creating push and, for whatever reason, the Lions linebackers where charging the line. They did not expect Seattle to pass. Matt Hasselbeck finally did pass, but it was a short pass to Justin Forsett and Forsett did the man's working, breaking two tackles to put Seattle within one.

On fourth and one, the Seahawks piled their linemen up and motioned their third tight end in to play fullback. The Lions were standing atop each other to attack the middle. Jones received the snap and ran into a wave of bodies. He wasn't even close.

The Lions dinked and dunked their way into, out of and back into field goal range. Before the failed first down attempt, Seattle had but an 11% chance of winning. After the field goal, Seattle had an 11% of winning. The field goal had done little but cash in the field position Seattle had ceded after failing to convert. It underscores just how aggressive coaches should be on fourth down that even a poor decision, poorly planned and poorly executed, didn't bury a team already down 14 in the first. But it was a bad decision and the execution made it worse. Sometimes a coach needs to step back, not consider the game in a global sense, but as it's unfolding, the individual matchups won and lost, punt the damn ball and allow the defense a chance to rally.

Lions Claim Jack Williams, Release Jason David

Sean Yuille — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:55:26 -0000

More photos » by Chris Schneider - AP

Jack Williams salutes the crowd after the Broncos beat the New England Patriots 20-17 on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Denver. Williams was claimed by the Detroit Lions on Monday, Nov. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Schneider )

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Jason David's stay in Detroit was a short one. Less than a week after being signed by the Lions, he was released to make room for cornerback Jack Williams, who was claimed by Detroit on Monday.

Williams was recently released by the Broncos to open up a spot on the roster for Ty Law, and the Lions were one of four teams to claim him. The Browns, Colts, and Eagles also put in a claim for Williams, meaning the silver lining in losing to Seattle was that the Lions were able to get Williams. The Denver Post said that the Lions ended up with Williams because of their 2008 record, but waiver priority is now based on teams' current records. Perhaps 2008 records come in to play when there is a tie -- both Detroit and Cleveland have only 1 win -- but usually ties like this are broken based on strength of schedule.

Either way, Williams is now a member of the Lions, and Jim Schwartz shared his assessment of the former Bronco on the radio last night, suggesting that the newest Lion could play both nickel and outside cornerback.

"He'd been playing nickel for them," Schwartz told WXYT 1270 on Monday night. "He's a guy that our scouts liked. He has some slot ability, also can play outside. But he's a young player, and we've talked about not having scholarships for 16 games and rolling the roster and keep trying to improve and keep trying to get better. We need young corners, and hopefully he can fit that bill."

I'm a big fan of this move, because I'd much rather have a player like Williams, who is only in his second season in the league, than someone like Jason David, who is a veteran that hadn't even been on a roster since August until last week. Williams was a fourth-round pick in last year's draft, and excuse me for sounding like Mel Kiper, but he has tremendous potential and enormous upside. The fact that three other teams wanted him, including the Colts and the Eagles, says a lot about what kind of talent and potential Williams has.

Calvin Johnson Says He Has No Issues with Matthew Stafford

Sean Yuille — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:31:26 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

9 days ago: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson watches warmups before a game against the St. Louis Rams in an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009. Johnson was inactive for the game. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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Much was made of how few times Matthew Stafford threw the ball in the direction of Calvin Johnson during Sunday's game, especially once cameras caught the two having a conversation on the bench. Actually, it wasn't really a conversation. Stafford was talking, and Calvin walked away after seemingly not wanting to listen to what the rookie had to say. The announcers commented on the exchange, and many people assumed that there was a beef between the two. I personally thought it was just a heat of the moment type of thing, which is why I hadn't even brought it up until now.

Calvin Johnson spoke to reporters yesterday, and when asked about the exchange, he basically said that it was no big deal and that there is no problem between him and his quarterback.

"I haven't seen the TV replays, because there's no reason for me to watch them -- we're fine," he said. "People are blowing this way out of proportion. Trust me, no one is going to be happy during a game like that. If you win, all this goes out the window."

Jim Schwartz talked to Calvin and Stafford to make sure there was no problem, and he came away from the meeting echoing what Calvin said.

"There's no issue there," Schwartz said. "You always want to be winning games and happy and cheerful, but goodness gracious, if you had a camera on every person on every play, you could try to read between the lines on a million things. There are times you need to talk things out, but there's no issue here with the players, and I don't understand why people are trying to create one."

To me, I interpret what happened on Sunday as a frustrated player on a losing team boiling over and reacting poorly to the situation. Let's not forget that this was Calvin Johnson's first game back from injury, and there's no question something was up. I don't know if the injury was still bothering him or what, but it's not like Stafford went out there and purposely ignored the best player on the team. My guess is that it was a combination of many factors that led to Calvin's statistically bad game, and I'm betting once he is fully recovered from his knee injury, things will be back to normal in no time.

Pour Some Sugar On Me - One More Year For Zorn Edition

Sugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:27 -0000

by John Amis - AP

A member of the Washington Redskins training staff whispers into Clinton Portis' earhole, "I don't know what you're doing after the game, but can we maybe go somewhere and get a cup of coffee? I can't be the only one feeling these feelings."

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We are now through Week 2 of the Sherm Lewis experiment. In two weeks, we have managed 17 points per game. Hmmmm...that strikes me as EERILY similar to our offensive output for the last few years. You guys mentioned it yesterday and it bears repeating--the adjustments that were made at halftime were reminiscent of the kind of adjustments that made previous teams in this town famous. Sherm Lewis put something together in the second half that resembled a legit offense. His play-calling skills are sharpening to be sure. Part of my problem with this setup though is that it adds yet another category on the Spin-the-Wheel of excuses that every TV analyst on ESPN and Fox is using for their explanation for why this team continues to struggle. So no matter how successful Sherm is, it becomes impossible to separate his role as "consultant" from the circus that is our front office. If we started winning, it would be easier to ignore that aspect. But that leads me into my other issue with this whole setup. At 2-6, is the Sherm Lewis experiment more about saving our season or saving Vinny Cerrato's job? Nobody wants this team to win more than me/us. But I am seriously conflicted with regard to my rooting for Sherm Lewis. The complexity of this soap opera is hilarious. One character in this thing though that I find myself more and more drawn to is Jim Zorn.

Partly because I believe that Jim Zorn is the kind of man that is worth giving every chance to and partly because I don't think a quality coach is going to come here with genuine intentions I just want to say that Jim Zorn should be our coach next year. First let's talk about...well, the first part. It is not Jim Zorn's fault that Dan Snyder hired a guy who may have been a little raw to be the head coach here. In fact, the one thing everyone knew was that Jim Zorn was raw. If Dan Snyder saw something in Jim Zorn that made him think Zorn could be a future successful head coach, then he simply has to be patient. You can't be right about something like that immediately every time. We have come to know since he was hired that Jim Zorn is a man of character and integrity. If Snyder learned anything from Joe Gibbs, it is that character and integrity are the most important things to build a team around. It is what a man does when things aren't going his way that you learn the most about him. To put it mildly, things aren't going his way these days. Zorn is not running from the challenge. Do any of us honestly blame Zorn for the offensive line problems? Cerrato rolled the dice big time and it cost Zorn any chance to get his offense going. Finally, we have fired coach after coach after coach. At some point it is not the coach (although at multiple points in our past...it was the coach...hehehe.)

As for my assertion that no good coach is going to come here with genuine intentions, I think what I mean is that with the amount of money it is going to cost Snyder, it will be very, very difficult to discern the true motives for anyone stepping into this situation. There are only 32 head coaching jobs in the league. One thing the Raiders have taught us is that even though there is a scarcity of opportunities, qualified candidates can and will decline to enter into a situation that seems problematic (is that putting it nicely enough?) So, here is a press conference I will not buy at all:

Mike Shanahan: "I am excited to work with Vinny Cerrato and Dan Snyder to put this franchise back on the map in the NFL. I think the way they do things here makes a lot of sense and I look forward to participating in the decision-making process."

So whether I am way off on this thing or not, one thing I think I would really like to see is Jim Zorn be given a chance to grow into his job...perhaps with a different guy pulling the strings on the personnel side.

Now on to our award-winning league notes:

Ten Yard Fight: 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

1) You don't go undefeated in this league without some close calls to some teams that have no business playing you tough. That is why you have to circle Sunday, December 6th on your calendars. The Saints travel to Washington, D.C that day, likely with a perfect record. You heard it here first: Skins over the Saints 28-27.

2) Something about Tom Brady that continues to bother me is his insistence on telling people that him and his teammates are motivated by comments made by their opponents leading up to a game. Really? You mean you otherwise wouldn't have done everything in your power to win? You mean you don't expect guys like Joey Porter to forever be running his mouth? In a game where if you give less than 100% for even a second you could end up in a hospital, I simply find it hard to believe that Tom Brady actually cares what guys like Joey Porter says. Just say what you mean...I would buy this:

Tom Brady: "Beating that son of a bitch is so satisfying, given the amount of trash that dude talks."

3) I am wrong about so much...really, I am simply wrong constantly. But not about the Bengals! I have taken so much heat from Steelers and Ravens fans in recent weeks for expressing my belief in Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer. This week I'd like to thank Brian Leonard for always seeming to know where the 1st down marker is and for playing the way you wish everyone on your favorite team played all the time.

4) Now on to my wrongness...fine, I made the Redskins 10-6 in my preseason predictions. I guess all I can really say now is...THE SKINS ARE GONNA RATTLE OFF 8 STRAIGHT WINS!

5) Who has a better shot at the playoffs? Chicago or Green Bay? I am going with Green Bay because like an idiot, I still think that defense will come around.

6) When Kris Brown missed that field goal against the Colts, I felt like this team might actually be destined to go undefeated. The loss of Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson should be too much for the Colts to overcome--from a "going undefeated" standpoint. But one thing you always know you can count on...Peyton Manning is capable of outscoring any opponent at any time. He doesn't even need a lot of time to do it. Remember the Dolphins game? Their defense was roundly beaten, but in the 15 minutes he had, Peyton put up enough points to win.

7) Is anyone more quietly in the playoff race than the Jacksonville Jaguars? At 4-4, they are in thick of the AFC playoff race. I just don't know if I buy into that offense fully, but the Garrard/Jones-Drew/Sims-Walker battery is winning me over.

8) Watching the Giants lose is normally so much fun. But when Norv Turner is on the other sideline, some of the joy is sucked out of the experience. Who would you rather have: Eli Manning or Philip Rivers?

9) Tough loss for Mike Singletary and the 49ers. A win would have gotten them to .500. That division was squarely in their sights but now at 3-5 (after starting 3-1), they have a lot of work to do in the second half of the season. They came in with one of the stingiest run defenses in the league. Chris Johnson got his though didn't he?

10) If Matthew Stafford would have thrown only 2 or 3 interceptions, they might have won. But FIVE? I have Stafford on my fantasy team and I had to play him because mark Sanchez was on a bye (yeah, my team sucks). Every time the Lions had the ball, I would think, "OK, a chance for some points." Then the graphic would come up that it was Seattle's ball. Really? No...another pickle? You're killing me dude.

Give Me The Numbers, Stat!

In case any of you missed it on the Monday Night Football telecast, here are the last 7 first round picks by the Pittsburgh Steelers:

2003 - SS Troy Polamalu
2004 - QB Ben Roehtlisberger
2005 - TE Heath Miller
2006 - WR Santonio Holmes
2007 - LB Lawrence Timmons
2008 - RB Rashard Mendenhall
2009 - DE Ziggy Hood

It should be noted that for the most part this team picks late in the 1st round, so maybe that explains the lack of a top offensive tackle selection. Their line is certainly in good shape though.

Last week's picks: 2-2

This week's picks:

49ers over Bears

Jets over Jacksonville

Colts over Patriots

Bengals over Steelers

From Zero to Seven

John Morgan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:27:29 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

Jordan Babineaux sacked Matthew Stafford to force third and 20. Seattle's slack zones allowed Stafford to connect with Brandon Pettigrew for 18 on the next play. Detroit easily converted the fourth and two.

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Seattle allowed Brandon Pettigrew to receive for 18 before Detroit converted the fourth two different ways. By the official scorer's spot, Kevin Smith ran for three to convert fourth and two. The play was ruled dead because the Seahawks had too many men on the field.

I say Seattle allowed Pettigrew to receive for 18 because that is how the zone was constructed. Jordan Babineaux had perfectly timed a delayed blitz and broke down to sack Matthew Stafford for ten. Seattle then went soft. It dropped a loose zone and rushed four. Seahawks defended the first down marker and opened the underneath. Aaron Curry seemingly knocked Pettigrew another three yards over the marker and for the first.

The ball was marked at the Seattle 29. The Lions raced to the line of scrimmage and snapped before Seattle could set, simultaneously converting the first on the ground and forcing the penalty to convert the first. I guess Seattle couldn't fathom a team going for it on fourth and two.

Jason Hanson missed the field goal attempt, but a play later, Detriot would have the ball again.

Seattle had given itself a big thumbs up to the eye socket. Brandon Mebane had blown up their first run attempt in the backfield. Curry had hit Stafford twice and Babineaux had sacked him for a loss of ten. It had forced three third and longs and allowed two conversions - the unconverted third picked up on fourth down. It attacked and retreated for 14 plays, 16 unofficial, and was spared by dumb luck.

In the jubilant arms of fortune, it threw the ball right back to Detroit.

Matt Hasselbeck passed into triple cover or, more accurately, at single cover. He threw it to Louis Delmas and broke to tackle Delmas before he could score. Hasselbeck didn't see Delmas but Delmas saw him. Looking down T.J. Houshmandzadeh and patting the ball once before firing.

Craig Terrill fired into the right tackle and Cory Redding came untouched from left end on a five man line. Redding hit Smith in the backfield and forced a fumble, but the play was ruled dead. Pettigrew had committed a false start. Pettigrew ran between Seattle's zone and Stafford hit him as he turned in a play that looked indefensible. Stafford's pass was too fast and Pettigrew too large for Seattle's zones to factor.

Seattle had played well but was down seven. It could have been down 10. The Seahawks were executing. Why then were they reeling? Hasselbeck bears the brunt: He made an indefensible pass. But that touchdown reception - rookie to rookie - that looked unstoppable -- what explains that? The 18 yard reception that preceded it, that didn't contest the pass and set up a makeable fourth, what explains that? If zones can make routine plays look unstoppable, maybe it is the defensive game plan that is truly indefensible.

Introduction to the Last Weekend of the Regular Season

John Morgan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:15:43 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Seattle spotted Detroit 17 points in the first quarter. Matthew Stafford spotted Seattle 300 yards to build its comeback from.

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I will take on a little more breakneck, a little less detail-rich rundown of last Sunday's game. My goal is to be done by tomorrow.

Seattle flies to Arizona Bay this weekend to fight for its last gasping chance at the playoffs. Arizona is 5-3 and owns the tiebreaker against Seattle. If Seattle wins, it is a game behind and will have neutralized the Cardinals tiebreaker. If Seattle loses, it will be all but out of the race.

The 2006 Seahawks scrabbled their way into the playoffs. The 2009 Seahawks are a better team. The 2009 Arizona Cardinals are probably better than both. The 2006 Seahawks lost twice to the Alex Smith-led San Francisco 49ers. The 2009 Seahawks lost to the Shaun Hill-led 49ers, but could beat the Alex Smith-led 2009 49ers at home. The 2009 Arizona Cardinals were not able to. The 2009 Seahawks need only be better for a day to crawl back into this.

And around. Seattle may not be better than Arizona, but short of total mismatches like yesterday's, early breaks can decide a game between close-matched opponents. Seattle has snuck into the playoffs before and could do so this season. Arizona like Seattle is dependent on the health of their aged quarterback. The Cardinals are a Kurt Warner injury from probable collapse. Maybe Matt Leinart steps up, but we'll cross that bridge when he puts down the beer bong.

Seattle did not win convincingly against Detroit. It profited from an exceptionally bad showing from Matthew Stafford. As I mentioned in my post game, Stafford's picks alone account for at least 225 yard and as much 300. Interceptions are, in classic coach speak, mistakes. An interception reflects a mistake by the offense more so than it reflects an achievement by the defense.

That was obvious for anyone who watched yesterday's game. Stafford threw jump balls, and often threw jump balls that descended closer to a defender than a receiver. Seattle caught them. It pressured Stafford and forced poor down and distance, but of the many things Stafford could have done, he often chose the worst possible.

So Seattle roared back against a team it is categorically better than. But it won. And it is categorically better than the Detroit Lions. That, however hollow feeling at the time, is a hopeful reminder. Seattle is on the low end of average. The Arizona Cardinals are on the high end of average. Seattle might have a one in three chance of beating Arizona on the road.

Maybe the breaks fall Seattle's way this time. If Arizona spots Seattle 17 in the first like Seattle spotted Detroit, Seattle's young defense could swarm and attack and maybe even run away with it. It's the unit that will carry Seattle these final eight weeks. It's the unit that is young, growing into its own, that shows flashes that it could sustain once the talent and coaching coalesce.

The 2006 Seahawks were hanging on to the inexorable. The 2009 Seahawks are building off the eventual. The 2006 Seahawks were sad and fading. We didn't realize it then but most realize it now. Maybe we don't yet realize how good the 2009 Seahawks are becoming. Maybe it will be 2012 before we do. This weekend they fight for the relevance of 2009. The Seahawks are old but they are healthy. The Seahawks are young but they are desperate. Let's go kick the Cards in the mouth.

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 9

DrewsLions — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:29:36 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

1 day ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford leaves the field after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Seattle Seahawks' Josh Wilson in the fourth quarter during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 32-20. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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First of all let me say, regardless of the loss, it was good to see Lions football on my TV again. Because of the blackout and bye week, it had been three weeks since I'd seen a game. I'll always enjoy game day - even if it ends in a loss. There is nothing like that hopeful feeling that always seeps in, even when you know the likely outcome. That said, no matter how long they lose, I will never get used to it. Each one brings the same frustration, just new circumstances. Monday mornings after losses are for level-setting and re-adjusting expectations. So what am I feeling today? Well, I think that this team is what it is... that being a very bad roster that is really counting heavily on its young players to save the day. So when the rookies shine, the Lions shine. When they don't, well... the Lions look miserable. That's why we get such stark contrasts, not only week to week, but sometimes quarter to quarter. Rookies are inconsistent at best. When the Lions get a few lucky breaks and a little momentum, things can look good. That can be deceiving, though. The bottom line is that every team can look good when the opponent is making mistakes, but only the good teams rebound and sustain play into the fourth quarter.

Let me expound on that last sentence. Just because things go well for a while doesn't make you a good team. Every team in the league has things go against them at times. But the real difference between teams in the NFL is that good teams with good talent play well for an entire game and can overcome those mistakes. Bad teams that make mistakes get blown out. When evenly talented teams meet, most times the lucky breaks can be the difference between winning and losing. It's just the way of the NFL. The sad fact is that the Lions don't have the talent to play well for an entire game. They are one of the bad teams that cannot afford to make any mistakes. The lucky breaks only last so long and the result is a mirage. Yesterday, it was more about Seattle's mistakes and us having a short field than it was about us being a good football team in the first quarter. Sure, we made some good plays, but we simply don't have the talent on either side of the ball to sustain anything.

At the most basic level, it comes down to match-ups. The Lions against their opponents, man to man, individual position to individual position, each and every Sunday, is a mismatch. Whether it's a defensive end against a tackle, receiver against a corner or center against defensive tackle, the Lions almost always have the weaker player. The opponents are usually just a little bit stronger, a little bit faster, a little more seasoned or a little more confident. The problem is simply talent, folks. Nothing is going to fix this team except a few more years of good drafting and picking up a few quality free agents along the way. For now, we'll just have to sit back and look for signs of progress from the young players, enjoy the good plays when we get them and hope that things can come together for four straight quarters one or two more times again this year. I'm not being pessimistic, just realistic. I think we've seen enough to call this what it is... a rebuilding year, pure and simple. I still think that we have a good core group of young players, regardless of what they did yesterday.

Thoughts About the Game:

As usual, I'll start with Stafford's performance. Five interceptions are ugly no matter what way you slice it and it was a miserable last three quarters for him. He is the quarterback and therefore, takes the bulk of the blame offensively. I won't make any excuses for his decision making and lack of execution. You could say he's just a young player trying to make plays. That's true, but aside from the last pick, the team was never down more than 8 points. You have to stay poised. You have to be smart. He'll learn the hard way that you can't give games away like this. I will say that the blame is not solely on Stafford, however. On more than one of those picks, it looked like a receiver was not where he was supposed to be. It's just not a good offense right now. They have to learn to execute as a team. The old Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach John McKay said it best, when he was then referring to his abysmal '76 Bucs. When asked what he thought about his team's execution, McKay replied, "I'm all for it." That pretty much sums up the Lions' offense as well.
Calvin Johnson did not look like himself yesterday. He looked like he is still suffering the effects of the injury. I think by the time the 1^st quarter ended, the Seahawks knew this. They remained focused on the run game and contained the Lions' passing attack with minimal personnel. He needs to be the dominant player he can be to pull this offense from the doldrums.

I still think Kevin Smith's lack of running lanes has much more to do with the awful play by the offensive line than with his running ability. I can't count how many times the lanes were closed before he even got to the line of scrimmage. I'd love to put him behind a great line for a few games and really see if he explodes. I bet he would. He runs as hard or harder than any back in Lions' history. I'll go on record right now by saying that I won't complain one bit if the Lions take a tackle with their top pick next year. Hold me accountable for that, guys.

Special teams are still a disaster. Just too many damn leaks. Players bunching up in the center of the field, no decent returns and sieve-like blocking. Not sure it's going to get any better this year. I think it's a matter of collective prayer and finger-crossing any time this unit is on the field.

Defensively, it was once again a hodge-podge, lackluster performance. A few good plays, sprinkled with loss of containment, missed tackles and blown assignments. By the way, can any of our corners tackle? I mean, there was just some plain wuss-bag tackling going on out there by Buchanon, James and Hobbs, to be specific. Man up. Gunther's gonna hand out a good old-fashioned passionate ass whooping to those guys at practice this week. But that's the discouraging part... if these guys can't tackle at this level, no amount of weekly practice is going to help. If we Lions fans have learned anything, it's that you can't get more out of a player than he is capable. If he is a free agent that has suspect tackling, he will be a Lion with suspect tackling. No coaching change is going to matter enough to make an impact. So we are stuck until next year with this mess.

Did anyone but me notice that Ernie Sims was pretty much invisible when he was on the field for most of the day? But as soon as he got hurt, I saw Levy making plays all over the place. Look, I wasn't one of the guys calling for Sims to be traded. I think he's still a good player and is playing hurt right now. But even I can't deny Levy's impact anymore. I believe that - since the season is pretty much officially in the tank (can anyone object at 1-7?) - Levy should take over as the starter for the rest of the season. Let Ernie get healthy and let the two of them duke it out over the position next year. I think Levy could be special and as much as I like Ernie, we need to find out if that is the case. If by the end of the season you think he's the real deal, you then have options. If Foote bolts via free agency, you could move Levy to MLB. If Foote is resigned (which I desperately hope is the case), you can either trade Sims or keep him as a back-up, albeit an expensive one. There is also the option of moving to a 3-4 defensive scheme and keep both Levy and Foote in the middle and see how Ernie does in a pass-rushing role (or vice-versa). Although neither really fits the mold of a traditional 3-4 OLB, they are both very fast and it might simplify the game for Sims.

It's that time of the year when we all pretty much know what this season is and what is to be anticipated. I think most of us expected this, but had hoped for a miracle. Well, the hope for that miracle is all but gone, but there is still hope for the future and that is now officially what we are playing for. I know that seems to be a perennial theme, but with so many young players getting time, this year is a little different. I for one, will enjoy simply leaving any and all expectations at the door and watch solely for progress and entertainment. Forget wins and losses... they are irrelevant now. I will be watching for more sequences like the one yesterday when Delmas picked off Hasselbeck, then Stafford threw the TD pass to Pettigrew to cap it off. That was progress, regardless of what followed.

As for the Stafford haters... hate on. Your insults and bust predictions will have absolutely no impact on what he will become, so keep blowing your hot air at any and all brick walls around you. Stafford is a 21 year old rookie on a very bad team. He is measured in progress and potential right now. There will come a day when we can label him boom or bust, but right now - even after a five interception game - those labels are moot. Me personally... I still believe wholeheartedly that he was the right choice and will eventually lead the Lions to the post-season and perennial contention.

Go Lions!

Edit: Guys, I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, so there won't be a MMM again until Nov. 30th. I know, I know... this disappoints you all greatly. Actually, I thought I could hear the faint sound of cheering and applause, lol. Anyway, there are a few deer in the U.P. that need a bullet. Sorry if that sounds barbaric.... but it's true.

Is Jason Campbell an option for the Rams at QB in 2010?

VanRam — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:25:00 -0000

More photos » by Alex Brandon - AP

Another ~~man's~~ team's treasure?

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With a bye week, Mondays can be a little tough. I forgot, but it has been a year (or more) since our last bye week. Anyway, we have plenty to talk about, and one of the most engaging conversations in the midst of a 1-7 season (we are on a winning streak) is the future of the St. Louis Rams.

The draft and quarterbacks have been on our minds lately, after watching Marc Bulger fail to live up to even the most modest expectations against the Lions last week (How bad did Hasselbeck look this week against those same Lions too? Not good for Seattle.) The first round of the draft is the most obvious source for a new franchise QB, but what about a young guy with some NFL experience...a guy who needs a change of scenery in a bad way? I present for your consideration - this is not an endorsement, just consideration - the now out of favor Jason Campbell.

Campbell's getting scapegoated in Washington, the lightening rod for a long-mismanaged team. Fair or not, that's made him a lame duck, and a sure-fire entrant into the Spring's free agent derby. Is he worth a shot for the Rams? Let's look a little deeper.

The former Auburn QB was drafted by the Redskins in 2005, a move the team didn't get much praise for after trading up to get him in the first round. He didn't play in '05, but he got into 7 games in '06 and started from there on out for Washington. Take a look at his top line stats from this year.

		Passing
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	INT	Sack	YdsL
2009	8	86.5	151	228	66.2	1677	7.4	9	8	25	148

And here are Campbell's stats from '07 and '08:

Season	Games	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/A	TD	INT	Sack	YdsL	Rating
2008	16	315	506	62.3%	3,245	6.4	13	6	38	266	84.3
2007	13	250	417	60.0%	2,700	6.5	12	11	21	110	77.6

Improved completion percentages, improved QB ratings...those aren't too be overlooked for a guy who's getting sacked at a rate that only Marc Bulger could appreciate. He also can run a little bit, saving fans from having to see another half-assed slide just short of a first down.

The Washington playcalling has been even more mysterious than our own; talk about a coaching staff hesitant to use the downfield pass. But, in theory, the Redskins and Jim Zorn run a very similar offense to the Rams. Need we bring up that whole coaching tree thing again? Spagnuolo and Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur are also highly familiar with Campbell, having seen every season from the QB during their days coaching in the NFC East.

The INT he threw that Tye Hill (d'oh!) returned for a TD went right to the hands of the impressive Fred Davis, who dropped it and gave Hill his ready-made INT.

Concerns I have about Campbell: 1) How does the high sack rate impact his future, 2) He'll turns 29 next season, a year younger than Kyle Boller, is that too old for a rebuilding team, and 3) Is he enough?

To be sure, Campbell's not going to be a sexy acquistion for whoever signs him. Expect grumbling. You have to wonder though if he couldn't step in behind a much improved Rams offensive line and run a somewhat familiar offense. This route frees up the Rams to take a WR or DL with their top pick in the draft. Campbell and Kyle Orton are the biggest, more proven names under-30 on the free agent list of QBs for 2010, so barring a trade, finding a QB via this route only gives the Rams a few options, since they don't need to be concerned with the older names on the list.

Thoughts?

Drive-By-Drive Breakdown of Seahawks' 32-20 Win Over Lions

Sean Yuille — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:03:35 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

1 day ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford leaves the field after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown as Seattle Seahawks' Lawrence Jackson celebrates behind in the fourth quarter during an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 32-20. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

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Here is a drive-by-drive look at how the Seahawks beat the Lions by a score of 32-20 on Sunday.

1st Quarter

The Lions opened the game by putting together an outstanding drive. The ground game was working, as was the intermediate passing game. There were third-down conversions and even one fourth-down conversion that the Lions ran so quickly that Seattle didn't get all of its players off the field in time. The drive did eventually come to a disappointing end, though, when Kevin Smith was stuffed for no gain on 3rd and 1 at the 15. Many wanted the Lions to go for it, but they decided to kick a field goal to simply get points. Well, they didn't get points either way, because Jason Hanson made a rare mistake and kicked the 34-yard field goal off the right upright.
The mistake was quickly forgotten when Louis Delmas intercepted a Matt Hasselbeck pass on the very next play. Delmas undercut the route and appeared out of nowhere to make the interception. He returned it to the 2-yard line, giving the Lions a golden opportunity to take the lead.
It looked like the Lions were going to find a way to screw this up. On 1st and goal, Kevin Smith was hit as soon as he got the ball and fumbled. Luckily Brandon Pettigrew was flagged for a false start, meaning the play never happened. It was probably the best false start ever, especially since Pettigrew made a catch in the back of the end zone for a touchdown on the very next play. Matthew Stafford threw a bullet over the defense and Pettigrew made the catch to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.
Just like their last drive, the Seahawks gave the ball right back to the Lions after only one play. This time Hasselbeck completed his pass to the right team, but the fullback who made the catch had the ball stripped by Julian Peterson. Ko Simpson fell on it, and the Lions suddenly had the ball at the Seattle 29-yard line.

Another false start backed the Lions up 5 yards, though Maurice Morris got all of it back on the next play. An incomplete pass made it 3rd and 10, and it looked like the Lions were on the verge of having to settle for a field goal. That is when Matthew Stafford made an amazing pass to the back corner of the end zone and Bryant Johnson made an even more amazing catch. Johnson brought the ball in with one hand as he was falling down to score the touchdown, putting the Lions on top 14-0.
After a pair of rushes went for a loss of a yard, the Seahawks picked up 11 yards to make it 4th and 1 at their 38-yard line. I figured Seattle would think about going for it and then decide to punt, but Jim Mora kept the offense out on the field. Julius Jones got the handoff and was absolutely stuffed by the Lions' defense. Jones went nowhere, and the Lions got to start a drive in Seattle territory for the third consecutive time.
The Lions converted one third down on this drive, but the Seahawks' defense made a stop the second time around, forcing the Lions to kick a field goal. Jason Hanson booted it right down the middle of the uprights from 41 yards out, making this a 17-0 game.

2nd Quarter

The Seahawks finally got things going on their next drive, especially after center Max Unger was in the right place at the right time to recover a fumble. T.J. Houshmandzadeh made a catch on 3rd and 2 for a gain of 3 yards, but Kevin Hobbs lit him up and forced a fumble. Unger was trailing the play and quickly fell on the ball and rolled forward to make sure it was still a first down. It was, and the Seahawks just tore up the Lions' defense from that point on. Julius Jones eventually ran into the end zone from 3 yards out to give the Seahawks their first points of the day, starting what would end up being a slow but effective comeback.
Derrick Williams returned the ensuing kickoff to the 38-yard line and was tackled out of bounds, drawing a penalty. That meant that the Lions again got to start their drive in Seahawks territory, but this time the great field position didn't produce any points. It looked like the Lions were well on their way to at least a field goal after a couple completions, but on 3rd and 9 from the 33, Matthew Stafford threw a terrible pass and was intercepted.
The Seahawks drove down the field mainly thanks to a bunch of short passes that picked the Lions' secondary apart. Detroit seemed content with giving Seattle everything underneath, and the Seahawks took full advantage by moving down the field slowly but surely. The defense did come up with a stop once the Seahawks entered the red zone, but Olindo Mare connected on a 37-yard field goal to make this a one-touchdown game.
The Lions didn't start their next drive in Seattle territory, but it didn't take long for them to cross midfield. Kevin Smith ran the ball a couple times for gains of 7 and 8 yards, and then Aaron Brown went for 19 down the right side of the field on a pitch. That put the Lions at the Seattle 38, and once again it looked like they were on their way to at least a field goal. Just like the last drive, though, it came to an end when Stafford made a terrible throw and was intercepted.
Seattle had 1:13 left on the clock to put something together, and just like the last couple of drives, it slowly worked its way down the field with lots of short passes. The strategy paid off, and Olindo Mare made another 37-yard field goal just before the end of the half. Matt Hasselbeck wanted a chance to go to the end zone, but Jim Mora settled for the field goal, and Seattle only trailed by 4 points at halftime.

3rd Quarter

The Seahawks took the opening kickoff of the second half back 41 yards to the Seattle 44. It seemed like they were destined to go down the field and take the lead, but the Lions' defense stepped it up and caught a break as well. Jordon Dizon forced a fumble on second down to make it 3rd and 8, and Matt Hasselbeck had Justin Forsett open, but the pass bounced off the turf for an incompletion.
The Lions went three and out, but Nick Harris boomed a punt 55 yards. Good coverage on the return backed Seattle up 3 more yards to the 22-yard line.
The Seahawks picked up a third-down conversion and then executed a perfect screen on the next play. Hasselbeck faked a WR screen to the left and found Julius Jones on the right side. Jones had lots of room to run and many blockers alongside him, and he ran down the sideline for a gain of 49 yards. It looked like this was going to be an easy touchdown, but Louis Delmas hustled and barely got a piece of Jones' foot on a diving tackle attempt. Jones fell down, and the Seahawks were unable to pick up another first down. Hasselbeck wanted to go for it on 4th and 1, but Jim Mora sent the field goal unit out. Olindo Mare connected on his third kick of the game, cutting the Lions' lead down to 1 point.
Detroit went to the dink and dunk style of passing for a couple plays and moved the chains. The drive came to a quick halt after that, though. Matthew Stafford was sacked and fumbled the ball on the next play. He recovered the ball, but the play was good for a loss of 7 yards. A delay of game penalty before the next snap made it 2nd and 22, and Stafford was clearly frustrated with somebody not being lined up correctly. After a 4-yard run on second down, Stafford threw the ball about 17 yards down the field for Casey FitzSimmons, who failed to make the catch. Even if he had caught the ball, FitzSimmons would have been a yard short of the first down, so the Lions would have had to punt either way.
About midway through the next drive, the Seahawks faced 3rd and 3 at the Detroit 48. Matt Hasselbeck overthrew Nate Burleson, and it looked like the Lions made a stop. The referees disagreed, though, and flagged William James for defensive pass interference. James barely even touched Burleson, and the pass didn't appear to be catchable anyways, as Burleson didn't seem to know where it was. The refs thought it was interference somehow, and Seattle got 16 free yards out of the penalty. One play later, Seneca Wallace connected with T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a gain of 15 on a reverse pass, setting up a 2-yard touchdown pass from Hasselbeck to Houshmandzadeh a couple plays later. The snap was fumbled on the extra point, meaning the Seahawks led by a score of 22-17.
Things went from bad to worse on the next drive when Matthew Stafford was intercepted again. This time he went in the direction of Calvin Johnson on 3rd and 16 and the pass was a bit off target and intercepted by David Hawthorne for his second pick of the game.

4th Quarter

The Seahawks put together a 13-play drive that took 5:45 off the clock and got another field goal out of it. It looked like the Seahawks were going to score a touchdown, as they had 1st and goal from the 3, but the defense made a good stand and held Seattle to a 20-yard field goal.
Now trailing 25-17, the Lions needed to get things going. They did for one play on their next drive, as Kevin Smith ran through a big hole and gained 31 yards, taking the ball into Seattle territory. The drive stalled after that, though, and the Lions had to settle for a 50-yard Jason Hanson field goal.
Justin Forsett returned the proceeding kickoff 46 yards to the Detroit 48, but the defense made a stop and Seattle went three and out.
Matthew Stafford was picked off on third down yet again on this drive. He went downfield for Calvin Johnson, but the pass was intercepted by Marcus Trufant at the Seattle 40.
The Lions' defense again made a stop, leaving the offense with 2:03 on the clock. A good punt was downed at the 5-yard line, so the offense had to go 95 yards to win the game.
Detroit was moving the ball in small chunks in the middle of the field, which is exactly what Seattle wanted. The Lions were wasting valuable time and not moving the ball all that much. Eventually they ended up with 3rd and 10 at their 47 with around 30 seconds left. Stafford made another bad throw and was intercepted for the fifth time in this game. The pick was taken back for a touchdown, adding to the Seahawks' lead and giving them a 32-20 victory.

Without a doubt, the interceptions are what killed the Lions' chances of winning in this game. I don't know what was wrong with Matthew Stafford, but he was just making some terrible throws, most of the time on third down. I'm sure part of it was that Stafford felt like he had to make plays on third down, but some of those interceptions were just awful throws that didn't make it to the intended target. If the Lions are going to win another game this season, Stafford is going to have to stop turning the ball over. The offense still has room for improvement as a whole, but quite a few points were left on the field because of those interceptions, and other times drives didn't have a chance to even develop because of them.

On the defensive side of the ball, the big issue was that Seattle was able to move the ball at will with the underneath stuff. Like I said earlier, the Lions appeared to be content with giving Seattle the short passes, and Seattle was more than happy to take advantage of the open field. Matt Hasselbeck went 39/51 for 329 yards, and though he only had 1 touchdown, the defense spent quite a bit of time on the field. The time of possession was close to 12-3 in the Lions favor after the first quarter, but by the end of the game the Seahawks ended up with an advantage of 30:42 to 29:18.

If you take the interceptions out of yesterday's game, the Lions would have two wins right now. Plain and simple, the Lions need to take care of the ball to win. This is simply not a good enough team to win with all of these mistakes, which was evident both yesterday and against Washington earlier this season. Against the Redskins, the Lions committed zero turnovers and held on for the win. Against Seattle, the turnovers absolutely killed the Lions and led to a close loss. Just look at the difference between the first quarter and the rest of the game. The Seahawks turned the ball over twice in the first quarter and trailed 17-0. They didn't give the ball away again the rest of the game and ended up winning 25-20. Going forward, priority No. 1 for the Lions should be to take care of the ball, because that is something that has to happen for this team to win another game.

Lions Blow 17-0 Lead, Lose to Seahawks 32-20

Sean Yuille — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:30:17 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

1 day ago: Seattle Seahawks' T.J. Houshmandzadeh cheers after scoring a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the third quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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The Lions started today's game by playing their best quarter of the season. It got off to a rough start when Jason Hanson missed a 34-yard field goal, but the Lions followed that up with an interception by Louis Delmas, a touchdown pass to Brandon Pettigrew, a fumble recovery by Ko Simpson, an amazing touchdown reception by Bryant Johnson, a big stand on fourth and short, and a field goal. All of that gave the Lions a 17-0 lead after one quarter, and it looked like the Lions had complete control of the game.

Apparently the Lions forgot how to play football as soon as the second quarter began, because they absolutely fell apart. The Seahawks slowly scored points with field goals and a couple touchdowns and just chipped away at the Lions' lead. Detroit couldn't get anything going offensively, as every decent drive seemingly ended with an interception. That trend continued in the second half, and Seattle took the lead late in the third quarter. The Lions made it a 5-point game with a field goal in the fourth quarter and had a chance to win the game on multiple occasions. Matthew Stafford didn't have any fourth-quarter magic, though, and instead he just kept throwing interceptions. His fifth of the game came with less than a minute remaining and was returned for a touchdown, giving the Seahawks a 32-20 victory.

Two different teams showed up for the Lions today. The first was the team that came out at the start of the game and played great football. They were forcing turnovers, moving the ball, and most importantly, scoring points. A different team showed up for the final three quarters, and boy were they awful. The offense couldn't sustain a drive. The defense couldn't stop Seattle from dinking and dunking their way down the field. And finally, the special teams played rather poorly by failing to do a good job of covering kickoffs. When Jason Hanson is the person responsible for stopping kick returns on multiple occasions, there is a definite problem.

The Lions will look to rebound next week by traveling to Minnesota. Considering how well the Vikings have been playing, it looks like the Lions will be lucky to simply make the game look competitive. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on FOX.