SB Nation User Blog: DrewsLions

Lions Go Incognito?

DrewsLions — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:42:51 -0000

Anyone got any thoughts on Richie Incognito, the C/G that was just cut by the St.Louis Rams today? No doubt the guy is a bit of a headcase and was voted by The Sporting News as the 'dirtiest player in the league', but he's still a pretty decent player from what I've heard. When healthy he's been a starter. With all the injuries and the revolving door at LG, would he not be worth a look? Typically, I'm usually the first to speak out against the headcases.... but the reality of our talent level has to make him more appealing. What do you guys think?

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 14

DrewsLions — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:15:51 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

9 days ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford watches from the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Baltimore. Stafford was injured in last week's game. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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I'm going to have to take a bit of a mulligan for today's version of MMM. I am home from work nursing not only my own illness, but both of my little ones' as well. In fact, you'll have to forgive my lack of posting in general lately as it seems that life as a single, working father as finally caught up with me. Our new über-hectic schedule, complete with two hours of commuting each day to drop and pick up kids at sitters and pre-school, combined with cooking, cleaning and oh yeah, my other full-time job (the one that pays my bills)... and I think you get the picture. Actually, I am going to use this time to say that I've had fun writing MMM this year, but I simply don't have the time to do a regular column anymore. I will still try to post when I can, but Monday mornings are just becoming increasingly more difficult to try to push out content worth reading. So with that, today will be the last of the MMM series. Maybe by next year, circumstances will change and I can resume writing it if there is still a desire to read it.

As for yesterday's game... three words... "What - a - mess!" I think Sean's summary of the game yesterday was spot on. In my opinion, Kevin Smith was the only bright spot in a complete and utter drubbing at the hands of a mediocre 6-6 team. We played better against the Saints and Vikings... teams with a combined 24-2 record. I feel that the official race for the highest draft position has begun. With Stafford hopefully back next week, that should at least make the last three games entertaining and worth watching (although, the two home games will most likely be blacked out). After watching our defensive line get shredded yesterday, it's now about trying to get Ndamukong Suh in next year's draft. Both St. Louis and Tampa Bay got a thorough beating yesterday, so it doesn't look good. Right now, there are four teams in the running: St. Lous (1-12), Tampa Bay (1-12), Cleveland (2-11) and Detroit (2-11).

As far as I can tell, the current strength of schedule is ranked like this (without the Arizona vs. San Francisco game being played yet):

Tampa Bay: 117 - 91

St. Louis: 112 - 92

Detroit: 110 - 96

Cleveland: 108 - 100

Here is the breakdown of what each of these teams have left schedule-wise and our chances in surpassing them:

Cleveland:

Wk	Date	Game	Stadium
15	Dec 20	CLE @ KC	Arrowhead Stadium
16	Dec 27	OAK @ CLE	Cleveland Browns Stadium
17	Jan 03	JAC @ CLE	Cleveland Browns Stadium

So the Browns helped our cause with a big win over the Steelers on Thursday, as it appears that the win pushes us into 3^rd place. The Browns have had a mini-resurgence since the loss to the Lions and it could translate into another win or two. They have a pretty easy schedule left and I think they could win at least one more game. That could come in any of the three remaining weeks, as both Jacksonville and Oakland have struggled on the road and Kansas City is well... Kansas City.

Tampa Bay:

Wk	Date	Game	Stadium
15	Dec 20	TB @ SEA	Qwest Field
16	Dec 27	TB @ NO	Superdome
17	Jan 03	ATL @ TB	Raymond James Stadium

I feel much less warm and fuzzy about Tampa Bay on three different levels. First, it's much less likely that they win any of these games. It looks like Seattle on the road is our best bet... and I'm not sure I would take that bet. But I don't think one win is enough. Because of the goofy strength of schedule thing, I think Tampa Bay would need to win two more games to be 3-13 and Detroit finish at 2-14. Lastly, it also worries me that Tampa Bay is most likely to take Suh. I can't really see any circumstances where they pass on his immense talent. In order for us to get in front of Tampa Bay, it appears that they will have to take Seattle on the road and then (hopefully a Matt Ryan-less) Atlanta at home (although, I think Ryan will be back by then). Oh yeah... and Detroit still would have to lose their remaining games.

St. Louis:

Wk	Date	Game	Stadium
15	Dec 20	HOU @ STL	Edward Jones Dome
16	Dec 27	STL @ ARI	University of Phoenix Stadium
17	Jan 03	SF @ STL	Edward Jones Dome

St. Louis still has to win another game either way, but the head-to-head loss does nothing for us (yeah... ridiculous). It would then come down to strength of schedule, where the Rams have us by two opponent wins. This could go a multitude of different ways and will be a week to week thing, but it still comes down to the Rams having to upset a team. I don't like those odds too much.

Detroit:

Wk	Date	Game	Stadium
15	Dec 20	ARI @ DET	Ford Field
16	Dec 27	DET @ SF	Candlestick Park
17	Jan 03	CHI @ DET	Ford Field

The Lions only real hope for another win is the final game against the Bears at home. I don't think too highly of the 49ers, but it is a road game, so scratch that one. All things considered... the Bears game will be blacked out and the difference between 2-14 and 3-13 is negligible.

So here's the skinny... we need to root for Cleveland to just win one more and they are basically out of the picture altogether. We need St. Louis to upset Houston at home next week (and then have the SoS go our way) and the big one... Tampa Bay must have a revival and take down Seattle on the road and then upset Atlanta at home. Tall, tall order indeed. If the Rams can just upset Houston, that might just be enough for the 2^nd pick and a shot at Suh, albeit it a long one. In the end though, Tampa Bay will most likely shaft us all.

Thoughts About the Game:

I'll start with Culpepper's performance... or lack thereof. I'm not quite as down on him as Sean was, because he got little help from the line and his receivers, but he was borderline atrocious. The difference between the horrible interceptions thrown by Culpepper (and there should have been three of them) and the horrible ones thrown by Stafford is separated by 10 years of NFL experience... and that's the bottom line on Culpepper. Some of those decisions were just flat out rookie mistakes that a grizzled veteran can't be making. I'll say it for the umpteenth time... he's done in this league as a starter and maybe even as a back-up. He's certainly done in Detroit after this year.
Jim Schwartz made a Marinelli-like error in not putting Stanton in at some point yesterday. This made no sense. The only thing I can figure is that this staff has no more faith in Stanton than the last staff. I can't understand this. Stanton must have just horrible practices (although, he's probably just running the scout team most weeks). He looked promising during the preseason and always seems exciting to watch. I don't know what's going on, but I can't believe that Schwartz is not smart enough to give Stanton a look while Matt is down. Big mistake, in my opinion.

What a shame about Kevin Smith. The kid has played so hard the last few weeks and was really coming into form. If I was forced to place a bet on his injury... ACL, out for the year, might not be ready for next year's regular season. Some people might now get their wish for the Lions to take a back in this year's draft.

The defense was an appalling train wreck yesterday. There's really nothing more to say about it. Where was that decent run defense that we've been seeing over the course of the year? The Raven's offensive line simply man-handled the Lions' defensive line. That line has to be priority number one in the off-season. More and more it looks like there are simply too many holes to fill in 2010 to make enough of a difference to be competitive. Players who we were pinning our hope to - like Avril, Cohen, Buchanon, etc. - all let us down this year. Personally, I was hoping that Avril, Hill, Cohen and White would turn out to be a defensive line worth fearing. Now, I think that Hill is the only one of those four that might be starter-capable. I'd love to see Hill and Suh next to each other. Yeah... that sounds good... :o) Okay, I'll admit my man-crush on Suh right now. It was about this time last year when my Stafford crush started, so I'm just going to go public with my infatuation this time around.

I've really enjoyed writing this column and I hope you've enjoyed reading it. Actually, this one ended up being much longer than I set out to write. It's just finding the free time that seems to shrink by the day. If and when Congress ever changes the length of day to 32 hours... I'm gold again. I'll try to post from time to time and stay a part of the POD community, but please forgive me if I disappear for days or weeks at a time. It's most certainly not because I don't want to or because my interest in the Lions is waning. Sometimes life just gets in the way.

Take care,

Drew

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 13

DrewsLions — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:18:39 -0000

More photos » by Tony Tribble - AP

16 days ago: Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz yells to his team during the first half of their NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Tribble)

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Okay, so four games have gone by since my last post. Doesn't seem like that long, but it has been. I apologize for my lack of presence on the site lately, but when you take a two week vacation, you then have two weeks worth of work stacked up that you have to dig out of when you return. That sometimes makes vacations not worth taking. What a ridiculous world we live in. Absolutely zero work/life balance out there. Everyone is just work, work, work. Does no one care about their families anymore? Sorry, just venting a little. As you can tell, my initiation back into work the week after my vacation was less than pleasant. And forgive me for complaining, because I know that I am supremely blessed to even have a job in this unforgiving economy, let alone a good job. It's just that with all the happenings of this year that have shaped my life's current perspective, I wish to spend a little more time with my family and a little less time with the triviality of my company's finances... especially around the holidays. Whew... okay, I feel better. Let's say we talk a little football, eh?

Because I'm playing a little catch-up, this week's edition of MMM might be a little longer than usual. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail for any one of the past games, but more or less just sum up where we are as a team at this point in the season and talk about where we need to go from here. I'll finish it up with some specific thoughts about the Bengals game.

With only four weeks left, there are few surprises anymore. The Lions are what they are... a struggling team with lots of holes and a few bright spots to pin future hopes upon. They will most likely lose the remainder of their schedule and be back into familiar territory... competing with the bottom of the NFL's barrel for draft position. I see that the draft has once again become the popular topic of conversation here at POD. You'll have to forgive me for not joining in that one quite yet. For me, at least the regular season and bowl games need to be over before joining the cacophony of useless fun that is mock drafting. I'll say this much though, I believe that the Lions are very much in the running for the number two or three overall pick in the draft. That just might be enough to net us Suh. But back to the season at hand...

Through Week 13, the offense can pretty much be characterized as inconsistent and mostly ineffective. At times, they can take your breath away and at others, they make you scratch your head, wondering if we'll see another first down the entire game. To get in a little more detail, I'll break it down by area:

Quarterback: Well, Matt Stafford single-handedly created one of the most memorable games in Lions history and showed why he was drafted first overall against Cleveland. But that was against Cleveland. He has subsequently stunk it up two games running and showed that he still has a long way to go to become a great quarterback in this league. He has no doubt played hurt the last two weeks and I'm sure that's affected him somewhat, but his decision making has to get better if the Lions are to become contenders. I choose to look at it this way... he's a typical rookie. He's going to make good plays and he's going to make some really bone-headed plays. That's what you get with young players. We've seen it with them all... Pettigrew, Delmas, Levy... all of them. Stafford, as talented as he is, in not immune to the huge learning curve that all rookies who start in this league have to go through. Couple that with a poor offensive line, suspect receivers aside from Calvin and a struggling running game... well, you get the mish-mash performances we've seen from Stafford. Bottom Line: Matt will be fine. He's getting some great experience and if he's really "the one", we will see many of these mistakes start to go away over the course of the 2010 season.
Backs and Receivers: I think we've all learned an inconvenient truth about the Lions' receiving corps... it is once again an area of need heading into the off-season. With as much money as we've thrown at this position in the past, this is a true exercise in frustration. Without Calvin Johnson, the offense just dissolves. The reality is that Calvin gets hurt a little too much for comfort and we must have some reliable talent behind him. That means we have to yet again focus on this position in the draft and free agency. The good news is that, before the season ending injury, Pettigrew really started to blossom. That is one position that appears to be solidified (unless this injury lingers into the 2010 season). I also disagree with all of the fans clamoring for the Lions to use a draft pick on a running back. Kevin Smith has not been great this year, but as shown by his efforts in yesterday's game, he is a hard runner and when given adequate blocking, is shifty enough to be a more than serviceable back in this league. Both Brown and Morris are valuable back-ups and add to the offensive versatility. Bottom Line: One of the more important acquisitions for the coming off-season is a complementary wideout opposite Calvin. They must find this player next year, both for the development of Calvin and Matt and for the progress of the offense as a whole. With better blocking, the running backs in our stable should be more than sufficient.

Offensive Line: The most disappointing and biggest problem on our offensive line right now is Gosder Cherilus. We all know that the Lions need a big-time upgrade at left guard... that's a given. In my mind, at some point between the second and fourth round, the Lions must take an offensive lineman. The problem is that Cherilus' poor play throws a massive wrench in the gears of the Lions' long term strategy here. Do the Lions take a guard or will they have to take a tackle to replace Cherilus? Can they move Cherilus to left guard and draft a good young right tackle? If so, how will his play translate to guard and will he simply be the next useless player in the revolving door at that position? See... he creates a pickle for the front office. We were supposed to be able to forget about the right tackle position for the next twelve years, yet here we are once again... questioning the ability of a Millen-drafted first round pick. Forget about even attempting to replace Backus or Raiola. We NEED them. How's that for a cold prickly? Bottom Line: The coaching staff needs to determine if Cherilus still has enough potential to waste time with him at right tackle. He is so inconsistent - will it end at some point... who knows? At the very least, the Lions' need to draft a guard. But is that enough? In my opinion, they need another tackle. I'd try Cherilus at left guard and draft a new right tackle that has the ability to move to left in a few years to replace Backus. Anyway you slice it, the line has not played well consistently and something has to be done. Finding a working combination of players will be the biggest off-season challenge for the front office offensively.

As weak as this defense is roster-wise, I think they've played surprisingly well at times. There just isn't enough talent to fend off opposing offenses if our own offense can't score a lot of points. This gives me hope that with sufficient talent, Schwartz and Cunningham can put together a defense worth fearing. I'll break the defense down by area as well:

Defensive Line: One word... ineffective. Much more so against the pass than the rush, but we cannot expect to get pressure against any team in the league with any combination of four players on our current roster. There's simply not enough talent. I wish there was an elite pass rusher at the top of the draft this year. I know we are all salivating over Suh and there is no doubt he would be a valuable addition to the Lions, but an elite pass rusher is probably the biggest need on the entire roster. It would fix so many problems. The defensive line and secondary have a cause and effect relationship. The defensive line pressure, or lack thereof, causes the quarterback to either be rushed or to have time. That effects the play of the secondary and how much time they are asked to cover. Our line gives the quarterback all day, which causes the virtually talent-less secondary to have to cover much longer than they are capable. Bottom Line: This year can be scrapped for our defensive line. No one capable of coming close to double-digit sacks is on this roster. Unless they can find that guy in the later rounds of the draft, I'm not sure where the upgrade is going to come from next year. Maybe free agency... ala, Aaron Kampman or someone like that? Either way, this has me very nervous.
Linebackers: I think most of us agreed before the season that this was going to easily be the strength of the entire team and we were right. Really, we have five good linebackers on this team. Foote and Peterson are solid, not spectacular players that have been one of the big reasons why the defense has played well at times. Regardless of ranking last in a lot of defensive passing categories, there is no denying that this group has played better this year than last. We've had many more stops on third downs, tackling has been good at times and play against the run has definitely improved. Now, this is all relative to what the Lions were a year ago, but progress is progress. The key decision heading into the off-season will be what to do with Ernie Sims. It should be a no-brainer to try to resign both Foote and Peterson in my opinion. I think it would be a step backwards not to try. For once, there is an area of our team that we shouldn't have to worry about going into next year. Bottom Line: Although Peterson and Levy started slow, both have joined Foote as quality additions to our defense. I believe that we should hold on to all five linebackers next year (Peterson, Foote, Sims, Levy and Dizon) and allow the front office to focus elsewhere. Even though they can't be considered the best corps in the league, they are a vast improvement over what we've had in the recent past. Paris Lenon anyone?
Defensive Secondary: Ugh... where to start? Well, Delmas was a home run hit in the second round for Mayhew. Anyone want to argue that? Didn't think so. Beyond that? Nothing. Not sure if there is anyone even worth keeping for next year besides Ko Simpson. James? Maybe as a nickel. Buchanon? Played well sporadically, but we know that he is nowhere close to a great player. Henry? Even the interception yesterday doesn't help mask the fact that he's pretty much washed up. We know by this point in the season what our secondary is... the worst in the league. It's going to be hard to find a good starting corner in the upcoming draft, too. That is disheartening. Hopefully, Mayhew can work his magic and find a late round gem. This is a passing league and if we can't cover or get pressure, we can't compete. The front office has its work cut out trying to piece together a foundation that will be able to dramatically increase production in the secondary next year. Bottom Line: Aside from Delmas and Simpson, they will basically have to start over in the secondary. Our foundation should have been on guys like Keith Smith, A.J. Davis, Gerald Alexander, Daniel Bullocks and Stanley Wilson. What a shame. It's just too much to do in a year. The more I look at it, the more it looks like it might take two more drafts to put this secondary together.

Quick note on Special Teams: I don't believe I've ever written anything negative about Jason Hanson, but I'm about to. His kickoffs are getting shorter and shorter each game. With poor special teams play to begin with, the opponent's returner fielding the ball between the 10 and 20 is not acceptable. For the first time, I believe his age is showing and affecting his kicking power and subsequently, his distance. As for Nick Harris... I believe he's having one of his most inconsistent seasons. For every two good punts, it seems like he's having a horrible one. That's not good. We might have to replace both of these iconic players soon if these trends continue. How do you guys feel about this?

Thoughts About the Bengals Game:

As usual, I'll start with Stafford's performance. In a nutshell, it was another sketchy outing by the rookie. The big TD pass to Johnson was a thing of beauty, but that's where the love affair ends. He seemed okay at the start of the game, but during one of the many hits he took, he re-aggravated that shoulder and it seemed to affect him the remainder of the game. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but it might be time to sit him for a game and let that shoulder recuperate. I want him to have as many opportunities as possible to get valuable experience, but if that experience is hampered by injury, then it's time to sit him down.
Kevin Smith had a fantastic game yesterday. Yeah, maybe the numbers don't say "fantastic", but in my opinion, it was his best performance of the year. He ran hard and with purpose. He showed his ability to be shifty, nimble and powerful at the same time. He made quicker decisions and made a few cuts that gave me goosebumps. He needed that game, because he's a good back and has taken a lot of heat for the ineffective play of the line.
Speaking of offensive line... Gosder had another horrible game yesterday. I forgot to DVR it, so I can't watch it back to see how bad it really was, but I spent a fair amount of time cursing his play yesterday. I thought that the interior, with Gandy and Ramirez, held up fairly well... especially against the run. The blitzing is where the Lions fell apart and part of that was on Stafford to get the ball out quicker. All-in-all, not the worst day for the Lions' O-line... which still isn't saying much.
Defensively, it was a decent performance. The Bengals by no means blew out Detroit. We stopped them on several key third downs, forced turnovers and pretty much kept them in check for most of the game. The offense was the real problem yesterday. I think Cunningham and Schwartz have really made the best of this unit. I think the scheme is sound, but the talent is what is missing. Like I've said before, I believe wholeheartedly that once the talent is in place, Schwartz will give Detroit an outstanding defense.

So, there's four games left in the season. Any winnable? Maybe the Bears game at home. Does it matter? Not really. We will have another 10+ loss season written down in the annuls of Lions history and another top 5 draft pick on the way to further destroy our salary cap. For me, this season is and continues to be about the progression of the young talent. More and more, it looks like - realistically - that we will be waiting until 2011 to really be able to compete in this league. There are simply too many holes to repair in the upcoming off-season. That's a discouraging thought, but the front office does appear to have a plan in place and another two drafts like 2009 and we will be an up-and-coming powerhouse in this league. Unfortunately when you are building a team, the last thing to come is the wins.

Go Lions!

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 9

DrewsLions — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:25:53 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

about 1 month 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.

Monday Morning Telescope: Week 8

DrewsLions — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:34:14 -0000

I had hoped to wake up this morning in a less foul mood, but nope... still seething. My anger and frustration is at a number of levels for a number of reasons. Sure, a lot of it comes from the fact that the Lions actually lost this pitiful game, but that's not the sole reason I am angry. There is no typo. I purposefully changed the title of my post from the Monday Morning Microscope to the Monday Morning Telescope. You see, in order to use the phrase "put something under a microscope", you have to be able to examine something closely. And in order to examine something closely, the first step is to actually be able to SEE WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT! Ahem... sorry. As you can see, I am fuming over not being able to watch the game yesterday. No, I couldn't even get the grainy, pathetic internet stream to work on my computer. I was left listening to the radio and following the POD play-by-play. Not that I don't enjoy some aspects of those elements, but it is hardly the environment for me to be able to really "get into the game". Since I can't give my opinion on the game because I haven't seen it, this is going to turn into a mini-rant... so please indulge me for a moment if you have one to spare.

Most of you have been on POD long enough to know where my allegiance lies and how deep that loyalty goes. Week-in and week-out, I spend countless hours blogging and combing the internet and television looking for information on the Lions. Football and the Lions in particular have become a genuine hobby and true love and passion of mine. Each year, the attachment gets a little stronger. But here's the real kicker. If I were to sum up all the time I spend talking, reading, thinking and writing about the Lions and then compare it to the actual game time... there would be a monumental imbalance. Think about it... the Lions usually only play 16 meaningful (and that's being generous) games a year, with each game lasting about 3 hours. That's 48 hours total. That's it. It's the equivalent of two measly days in an entire calendar year that we spend watching the Lions play. Hell, I spend at least 20 hours alone watching the draft. And I can probably say with a straight face that I spend more time than that in a single month talking, reading, thinking and writing about the Lions.

As of now, the Lions have played 21 hours of football and we have had to miss 6 of it already. That's over a quarter of the season that we've not been allowed to see. And for the idiot that's going to come in here and leave the comment "just go to the game and you'll get to see ‘em all"... I live 2 hours from Ford Field and have two small children. It's just not possible for me to get season tickets. I usually can only make one or two games a year in person. But see... I spend my money. I took my brother and son to the Vikings game and dropped about $400 on the weekend. Along with a jersey for my son, an authentic jersey for myself and miscellaneous other Lions paraphernalia... it adds up. I invest time and money and then get shafted when one of the only 16 gamedays do in fact come around. The emotional and monetary investment is not worth the very short amount of time I actually spend watching Lion's games. It's a dismal and confusing conundrum.

I'm not going to spend any more time complaining about the idiotic blackout policy. It won't do any good. They are not changing it, so we are stuck. Goodell and his staff will never understand the passionate fan and the investment, both emotional and monetary, that we sacrifice. We all know the league has enough money to subsidize the few stadiums that don't sell out. It's greed, pure and simple. It's disenchanting and segregating the fanbase of teams struggling to get better. But enough of this, because the problem is really the product we see (or don't see) on the field.

From what I could hear, the outing from the Lions yesterday was pathetic at best. What progress that had been made has been all but stripped away. They've regressed in every facet of the game. I knew they weren't going to be a good team this year and these games have confirmed that. But it now looks like we are going to have to endure another poor year next year as it seems that the talent base is still very, very rotten. How disheartening. I know that sounds very pessimistic, but I am just being realistic. They could still start progressing and get a few more wins this year, but I think that the progress is going to be slow and we may not be able to realistically hope for a winning club in 2010. We just lost to the worst of the worst... at home. The other three teams in our division are vastly better than the Lions. We have so many holes... it is beyond obvious now. Yesterday stripped much of the short-term optimism from me. I still believe that Schwartz is a winner and will eventually build the Lions into one as well. But the full magnitude of the Millen roster-wreaking havoc is now clearly and undeniably evident.

For me, I've come to a crossroads in my fandom. I cannot continue to spend as much time on the Lions as I have when I ultimately cannot even watch the game. It's a fruitless venture that is more unbalanced than Mr. Ford's mind. There are simply too many things in this world that are far more important and give a much better return. I have to know when to scale things back and for me, now is that time. Let's be clear about something, though... I am NOT publicly renouncing my fandom or becoming a fair-weather fan or even saying that I am going to stop writing for POD. I'm just scaling back my investment a little... selling a few shares, so to speak. I am going to take that extra time and put it into some of my more beloved stocks, like my kids and family. The return on that is immeasurable. I cannot allow my emotions and mood to be linked to something that can never live up to the hype and expectations I place on it. I need to find the balance between just watching and enjoying a football game, rooting for my favorite team and then walking away somewhat unaffected by the outcome. It's going to be hard to find that balance, but I have to try.

So with slightly less emphasis... Go Lions!!

Identity Crisis?

DrewsLions — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:02:00 -0000

More photos » by Tony Ding - AP

2 months ago: FILE -- This is an Oct. 11, 2009, file photo showing Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz talking into his headset microphone as he walks the sidelines in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, in Detroit. Schwartz might be tempted to rest banged-up quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson for Detroit's next game at Green Bay because both players would get an additonal week to get healthy with an upcoming bye. (AP Photo/Tony Ding, File)

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The bye week is always a time for reflection. It seems the Lions always have an early bye week, but nonetheless, it offers up an opportunity for the first part of the season to simmer a bit and allow us to digest what has happened. The Lions went 1-5 over their first six games. Pretty much what I expected and I think I can say that most here had that same set of expectations. It was a tough schedule for any team, but the fact that the Lions came into the season lacking an identity, made it all the tougher. We saw some steady progress through the first few weeks, but the Packer's game left a big gash under an already black eye and the bye week has given the wound two weeks to fester. Knowing what we know now about the 2009 Detroit Lions, can we say that they have an identity yet - aside from perennial loser?

The answer is complicated, but I think that I would say that yes, the Lions do in fact have a positive identity. Telling you what I think that is exactly, is the real trick. There are a couple of indicators that tell me that the Lions have progressed in the minds of the media and the fans and that they are more than the faceless, winless scrubs from 2008. First, the Lions are expected to soundly beat the Rams on Sunday. Hear that... they are expected to beat a team. Yes, they are the lowly Rams, but didn't we have a worse record last year? Shouldn't it be the Rams that are expected to beat us? Shouldn't it be the Rams that would be embarrassed to lose to us instead of vice-versa? That tells me the perception is that we had a better off-season and made more significant strides thus far. Second, we seem to be absent from a lot of the "really bad" team talk in the national media. Thankfully, the barrage of hate seems to be focused on teams like the Rams, Buccaneers, Raiders and Browns, to name a few. I did see that Peter King had us in his Tuesday edition of MMQ, which focused on what cellar dweller of the league had the best chance to improve, so we haven't escaped that wrath completely. Bad news... we were on the list of cellar dwellers. Good news... he picked us as one of teams most likely to improve.

You are probably saying, "Yeah, so what? That doesn't explain what their identity is." You're right, it doesn't. That just says they still suck, but just not as bad as last year. A team that is improved but still not a winner usually has no identity other than being a loser of various levels. Yet I feel that something about the perception of the Lions has changed. It's not necessarily that we have improved dramatically on either offense or defense, because they both still have countless problems, but it's more of a media image makeover thing. The team as a whole has been consumed by the personality of one individual. And no, it's not Matthew Stafford.

Jim Schwartz has officially stamped this team with his personality and tenacity. The team feels different, because the guy who is the face of the team after games and practices IS different. Since I started following the Lions many moons ago, I have never had the feeling that our coach would do anything to win. Sure, they all want to win... badly. But they have not continuously tried anything and everything to win. Schwartz is doing that. He is changing up anything that is not working. I get the sense that he will not stop until the Lions are winners. I have never had that feeling with a Lions coach before. Over the course of last year Marinelli made some changes, but far too few and they came far too late. Schwartz is changing it up at a frenetic pace, trying desperately to find a winning combination. Usually, coaches don't get desperate until they are on their way out. Schwartz is breaking that mold and expects there to be a sense of urgency to win right now.

I can't speak for everyone else, but for me, this is a breath of fresh air. I know that we still have severe talent deficiencies, but to stand pat and not at least try to change things up is conceding defeat. That is exactly what Marinelli did last year. Each game, he stood at that podium and took the blame off the players and put it on himself. Commendable? I suppose so. Besides, he did deserve a lot of the blame. But the players ended up with no public accountability and therefore, played with little to no urgency. Even the threat of an historic winless season wasn't enough to will the players to rise above just one stinking team. And Marinelli just accepted it. Can you see Jim Schwartz ever just accepting it? Hell no, I can't. And he won't. Even if the Lions go 1-15 this year, you will see a different group of players lining up on the field each week until it is the right group... a winning group. Schwartz is a hard-nosed, stoic presence that just exudes persistence. The talent will file in over the coming years and with it the wins. But in the meantime, Schwartz will not be content to simply concede defeat. I think we can count on that.

I know it's only been six games, but have you ever seen a Lions coach so determined to do anything to win?

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 6

DrewsLions — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:04:16 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

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

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

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

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

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

Thoughts About the Game:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 5

DrewsLions — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:27:04 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson stands on the sidelines with his leg wrapped during the third quarter of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Detroit, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Johnson was injured in the first quarter and did not return to the game. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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So let's try and put the Steelers game in perspective, shall we? Yes, they are the reigning Super Bowl champs. Yes, we were expected to lose and we did. But that is not the end of the story. This was supposed to be a complete drubbing, but it wasn't. We actually gave this team a scare at the end. Of course, it was more like your 5 year old son walking up to you in broad daylight and going "Boo!", but it was a scare nonetheless. If you really want to be frank, we played the Steelers much better than the Chargers did, with or without their 4^th quarter run. We did this while missing many of our best players. Our number one quarterback, wide receiver, right tackle and defensive end - all of which are pretty darn good - sat helplessly watching from the sidelines Sunday. And we still kept the game close. For the fifth week in a row, I see positive signs from this team.

Sure, there is still a lot to be upset about. After all, take away some of the stupid mistakes and we could have stolen one from the champs. That win would've put the new-look Lions back on the map. Now, those around the league that don't watch the games will simply chalk it up to another loss by the lovable loser Lions. But we know better. This is a far cry from the nonsense we all saw on the field last season. These are most definitely not the same Lions from last year. These Lions have some fight. These Lions have some self-confidence. And yes, these Lions still have a long way to go, but not as far as they once did.

I think we are going to play a lot of the "would've, could've, should've" game this season. That's just the kind of year it's gonna be. They are a better team, just not quite good enough for the tougher teams. But the determination and overall better product should keep the fans interested even when the win-loss record is heavily weighted to the right. I think we all have to admit that they've been pretty fun to watch this year. Frustrating, but fun. Isn't that all that we were really asking for? To have a competitive team that keeps things close so we don't have to turn our televisions off at halftime? If you wanted more than that, I think you were asking too much of one off-season. To take an 0-16 team and really go toe-to-toe with four teams that have a combined record of 15-3... that's pretty darn good. Yeah, I know... they are not wins. And these were winnable games. But that in and of itself should speak volumes to us all. This is a substantially better football team even if the record itself doesn't directly reflect that. And in turn we as fans, in the span of five short weeks, have raised our expectations of this team to that of competing with Super Bowl caliber teams.... and they have delivered. Win... no. Compete... absolutely.

Thoughts About the Game:

Okay, I'll start with Daunte, because it is the biggest storyline of the game and there seems to be a real difference of opinion on this site as to how well he played. For my take, you have to understand how I went into the game viewing Culpepper's first start of the season. I knew that this would be a tough game for any quarterback, especially one who hasn't played a full regular season game yet - so I gave him that. But I also wasn't giving him the same leash-length that I gave Stafford in his first start because the guy is an 11 year veteran. So with that as the backdrop, I thought he played okay. He still hasn't gotten rid of his career long case of fumblitis and the one interception was one of the worst decisions that I've seen a quarterback make in a long time. It wasn't based on a bad read, it was just plain stupidity. And I didn't see him get hit on the throw enough to alter where the pass was headed. Okay, so the mistakes aside, I thought he did move the chains well at times. He took a few chances downfield - and without a lot of success - but mostly stayed with the underneath stuff that the defense was gladly giving him. This adds to his already infamous perception as a dink-and-dunker, which doesn't help his bid for a starting gig in 2010. He did show good mobility and a command in the huddle. I think the bigger problem wasn't necessarily Culpepper, but the constant pressure in his face. I think what I've learned about Daunte is that he has a very small window of time where he actually looks at his downfield receivers. As soon as he feels any amount of pressure, he immediately brings his eyes either to his checkdowns or the ground. This is where he either dumps it off or takes off running. He simply doesn't feel comfortable in a cluttered pocket. Daunte thrives in the deep game only when he has substantial time in the pocket or in working play-action scenarios (i.e. the running game is effective so the defense bites on the play-action). The Steelers played it perfectly. They kept him contained in the pocket for the most part and also had constant pressure in his face. Oh... and just for the record... I think Stafford would have struggled yesterday, too.

The defense was a bit of a hodge-podge bunch yesterday. Overall, I thought they played well enough to win against what can be a pretty dynamic offense. For the most part, Roethlisberger wasn't allowed to buy a ton of time and we even got to him a few times. But there were also sequences where the past rush was noticeably absent, therefore Ben picked us apart. Those drives typically resulted in scores. There were some definite game-killers though. Some were the fault of the Lions, some were not. The phantom roughing the passer call on Academy Award nominated actor, Ben Roethlisberger, was simply horrible and resulted in a score. Then there was the huge secondary gaffe that allowed Mike Wallace to somehow come open down the middle of the field for a touchdown on a ball that seemed to float in the air forever. Maybe that was our penance for him dropping the sure TD catch earlier. Either way, I thought it was a decent outing defensively considering the injury situation and the opponent.

I wish that this coming weekend was our bye week. With all of the injuries on this team, we sure could use an extra week to heal and regroup. I know that it will be nice to have a week off and then play the winless Rams at home, but if we don't get some key players back, the Green Bay game will be brutal.

Very nice to see Derrick Williams have a solid game yesterday. One game doesn't make a season, but I was beginning to think that this might be the one glaring faux pas with the Lions' '09 draft class. As it looks right now... and I know that five weeks is far too short a time to make any bold predictions... this might be one of the best draft classes of all time for Detroit. With the exception of Lydon Murtha, who, by the way, sounds like he's getting better and better in practice, all of the '09 draft picks are contributing in games. What a phenomenal departure from the collective Millen drafts. This is how you build a talent base. This is how you create depth. This is the beginning stages of championship football.

I know this isn't related to the Lions game and I posted a comment on it yesterday, but thought I would mention this again because I think it's mind-blowing. Derek Anderson completed just 2 of 17 passes for 23 yards in the Browns win over the Bills yesterday. 2 of 17!!! That's a completion percentage of 11%! How exactly does he get to the 17^th pass? Given his situation, meaning he is not viewed as "the answer" in Cleveland, how do you not bench the guy? I understand the Browns actually won the game, but how can you let the guy continue to humiliate himself? The Browns should hire Jim Colletto simply so that he can tell them that they really DO have a quarterback that can embarrass himself! And people wanted to trade for this guy last year? It's the classic Scott Mitchell effect. You never try to sign or trade for a guy after one good season. You need a body of work over several seasons to digest whether or not the player is worth a long term deal or trade. Case in point, Matt Cassel. I bet Pioli is sweating bullets in Kansas City. And to think, if we would have hired Pioli, we no doubt would have chased Cassel and had him instead of Delmas. We would not have Stafford, but probably have Aaron Curry. I like Curry, but Cassel and no Delmas? Oy! This also really speaks volumes about Brady Quinn and Mangini's obvious hatred of the kid. Mangini... pfft. The most overrated coach in football. Maybe if he took the wad of Big League Chew out of his mouth, the players and coaches could understand the plays he is calling and maybe his quarterback could complete a pass. Okay, my rant is finished... thanks for listening.

Sorry for the shorter post today guys, but it was a bit of a time crunch just to type up this much. Here's to quick healing and a hopefully historic trip to Lambeau Field next week.

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 4

DrewsLions — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:56:26 -0000

More photos » by M. Spencer Green - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, foreground, walks the sidelines with a taped knee during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009. Chicago won 48-24. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

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So back to reality, eh? The Lions started by giving us one of their best offensive halves of football yesterday, but then followed it up with one of the worst second half collapses we've seen in some time. Frustratingly, the Jekyll and Hyde charade shows us that the only true consistency with the Lions is that they are predictably inconsistent. Something happens to this team mentally during the half and Schwartz better get a bead on it quick. It's his job to manage the overall productivity of this team and his smarts better come up with a way to light a fire after halftime.

That said, we again saw progress in various areas of this team. The offense looked... dare I say... stellar, in the first half. You just felt like they had the confidence to score on every possession. Because of this, teams can no longer take the Lions for granted and we should be competitive in every game this season. Isn't that what we were looking for this year? We all wanted this team to be competitive game in and game out and that's what we are getting. Stafford looked rock-solid for the second straight week. Although he is still missing a receiver now and then, I thought there was an overall accuracy improvement and he is showing with his big-time third down conversions, that he might just be a Mr. Clutch. He shows no signs of melting when the heat and pressure are turned up. Defensively, it was actually a very decent game despite the final score. The only real gaffes were the long running plays that broke containment to the outside. Those issues definitely need to be corrected and I believe that they will. Not to make excuses, but this defense was without a few players today and still held their own - including holding Jay Cutler in check (outside the Red Zone).

I won't dwell on the obvious for very long, but this game was lost by the special teams and the offensive line, hands down. Absolutely pitiful performances by both units. The calls for Stan Kwan's head are probably valid, although it's always tough to replace coaches mid-year and rarely does that change make a monumental difference. However, I believe it is a change that needs to be made for one reason... to make a statement to both the team and the fans. That statement would be, "we won't accept failure and everyone is accountable for the product on the field". This team cannot handle failure like it did under Marinelli. I'm not big on calling for people's jobs, because this is a real person's livelihood here. This is a person's family having to relocate. This is someone's income getting shut off and causing huge stresses within that family. That is serious and cannot be taken lightly. However, this is football and it is absolutely cutthroat. If he's not getting the job done, a replacement is in order. As for the offensive line... they just got beat up by a better unit. The Bears' defensive line had their way with us all day long and ol' Rod must have been smiling up a storm watching the game tape of yesterday's performance. That's still a good defense there in Chicago and it simply reiterates that while our offensive line has played much better this year, there are talent deficiencies that must be addressed in the coming years. But we already knew that... didn't we?

Thoughts About the Game:

Where are Sims and Peterson? I don't want to start yet another personnel controversy, but these two have been far too quiet. I know Sims left the game injured again, but I honestly never heard his name called once the entire first half. I haven't watched the game a second time, but did he not play much during the first half? And where are all these sacks from Peterson? Is he even being called to rush the passer? Either it's a scheme thing or both of these guys have been severely underachieved this season. The only thing I've noticed from Peterson is that the coverage on his side of the field is pretty solid. But he is not making any game-changing plays. Isn't that what we brought him here for? All of a sudden, I don't feel so warm and fuzzy about this unit like I did in preseason. I'd love to know if anyone else is feeling the same on this.

The flipside of that coin is Larry Foote. This guy has made a massive difference on the defense. From bringing leadership to the team to making himself available to the community, Foote has been everything we'd hoped for and then some. I really hope he signs a long-term deal with Detroit before the season ends. I don't want him to be a question mark going into the off-season. He easily has three or four solid years left in him and I hope they are all with Detroit.

So I think the drill is to relish in the wins and quickly move past the losses, right? If that's the case... we play Pittsburgh next week. Ummm... did anyone else watch the game last night? Yeah... uh oh. Not that I think they are unbeatable by any stretch, but they certainly looked the part of defending Super Bowl champs again. I don't think Mendenhall will have the same kind of day against the Lions, but Roethlisberger is really who concerns me. He is the most dangerous quarterback in the league when it comes to buying time. If he can buy time from teams that get constant pressure on him, what happens to teams that can't get constant pressure? It's simply a really bad matchup for Detroit. And we'll just pretend for a few days that Harrison and Woodley won't be a complete nightmare for this team to block. Linehan better have a gameplan that calls for quick slants and a lot of short, three-step drops for Stafford.

Speaking of Linehan... I think he regressed in his playcalling yesterday. He came out aggressive, but as soon as we got behind, I felt him begin to protect his quarterback too much. He scaled back, started to dink and dunk and just plain got conservative. What gives? Matthew Stafford does not need to be protected. I would rather him go down slinging it than to dial him back to keep him from throwing picks. Yeah, the defense was really getting to him, so I understand the need to run the football. But two things there... first, the running game was not working... the passing game was, so you stick with it. Second, you have to reverse the field position game. You have to try to move the ball in chunks, if for no other reason than to put the Bears back into their own territory when you punt. We couldn't get that done and it fell apart.

Anybody else watch the Saints-Jets game yesterday? So all this hoopla about how much better Mark Sanchez is versus Matt Stafford can be put to bed, right? Sanchez looked downright terrible yesterday. His stats were 14-27 for 138 yds and 3 INTs with a lost fumble and no TDs. Much worse than what Stafford did against the Saints. Although the big difference here is that Stafford had that performance in his rookie debut, not his fourth game. How many of you think that Matt would have that same performance against the Saints if we played them next week? Me neither. Enough said.

My final thoughts are about the overall team progress this year. Let's not get too down about this loss. We all now realize there are still some glaring talent deficiencies on this team. That was always going to be the case for this season. But we have been in every one of these games this year. That is something to be excited about. I actually had my chest puffed out a little bit going into halftime. I felt a little swagger like, "no one is going to simply push us around anymore". Although we badly blew that game in the second half, I still feel a little of that swagger this morning. I watched the highlights on NFL Network last night and they were off Stafford lighting it up in the first half. We are a real franchise again and if any team takes us lightly or tries to look past us, we WILL beat them. End of story.

Keep your chin up, Lions fans. The wins will come... and so will more losses. We can get discouraged when we no longer see any progress. As of now, that hasn't happened.

The Monday Morning Microscope: Week 3

DrewsLions — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:36:00 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

2 months ago: Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford celebrates with fans after defeating the Washington Redskins 19-14 in an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009. The Lions ended their 19-game losing streak with the victory. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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I just can't wipe that smile off my face. One measly little regular season win should never feel this good, but I can't help it... it just does. As I've read through this morning's local and national articles about the Lions' win, there is one underlying theme: this win felt just as good for the players as it did for the fans. Now that the losing streak is over, I think for the first time we can see what a massive stranglehold it had on the players. Maybe not so much the guys brought in this year, but definitely for the few remaining holdovers. And even going back to last year, I now firmly believe that losing has much more of a psychological effect on a game's outcome than I ever credited it for. The outpouring of emotion from guys like Backus and Raiola was very telling. This indeed was the proverbial monkey on their backs and was weighing them down more than I ever suspected. Now that the tremendous burden is lifted, we will see if the opposite is true - which I believe it can be - can a team be lifted to wins with a simple winner's approach and attitude?

But let's be real here. The next three games... at Chicago, home against Pittsburgh, then at Green Bay... are going to be very tough to win. I think if we can steal one of those, that would be a true blessing. That's the logical side of my brain talking, which is always trying to stay even-keeled and realistic. This side of my brain appreciates the win, but sees that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. But the other side of my brain, the off-the-meds, uneven, lack-of-reasoning fan side of me, says, "Yeah, but what if...." Hmmm... yeah, what if? I was sure to pay special attention to both the Bears and Steelers games yesterday (love my FREE NFL Sunday Ticket) and I spent the afternoon flipping back and forth between the two. Still punch-drunk and on cloud nine from the win, the fan side of my brain took over. I started to see how both of these teams looked beatable. Chicago fought back from behind, but struggled at times against a vulnerable Seattle defense. Pittsburgh looked quite average against a Cincy team with a new found sense of purpose. Heh... we could have beaten either of those teams today, I thought. If we play tough against both teams, we could legitimately be 3-2 heading into Green Bay. Hmmm....

See... this is what winning does for you. Too bad for me the logical side usually wins every day aside from Sundays. This morning, I am back to my senses. Still relishing the beautiful win, but fully realizing what lies ahead for our Lions. There are going to be more losses. There are going to be more horrendous rookie interceptions thrown by Stafford. Our defensive secondary will have streaks where they simply get torched. That's reality, I guess. But there is also a renewed sense of hope in the win. Yesterday showed that there will be more wins, too. Stafford has continually progressed and will have good games that actually help us win. The defense is much better than last year and has shown that it can be very tough at times. There is light at the end of the tunnel and it is getting brighter each week... the true sign of progress.

Thoughts About the Game:

I love what Jim Schwartz brings to the city and to the organization. I love that his first comments after the game were basically, "why is everyone so surprised... didn't we expect to win?" I love that the first thing on his mind when he got the team together in the locker room was the fans. I love that we have a coach that is a true asset before, during and after a game. From me personally, I just want to say "Congratulations on the win, Coach". I'm sure this is the first of many and the start of something wonderful.

We got to see our first real glimpse of the Lions' future through the solid play of the talented young core of this team. Every rookie that saw significant playing time, played very well. Stafford, Pettigrew, Delmas, Levy, Hill... all of them made contributions to the win. Other young guys like Cohen, Ramirez, Cherilus and especially Smith and C. Johnson, are the reasons that there is so much to be excited about in the years to come. If there was any doubt that Kevin Smith was the real deal... that debate can be put to bed. He was phenomenal against a solid run defense and would have ended the game over 150 yds if he would not have gotten hurt, no question. It may not all come together every game, but when it does, it is a beautiful thing.

I am still quite pissed about having to watch the Lions' win on a grainy, lagged internet stream. I know that the NFL is pretty dead-set in its ways with the blackout policy, but hopefully the national attention it is getting from situations like this is putting a few dents in the armor. We can do nothing but hope, because I fear this wasn't even close to the last time we'll have to watch a game this way.

Kudos to Scott Linehan who called a great game this Sunday. Unlike the first two games where there were many instances of questionable playcalling, I thought this game was nearly perfect. The only play I can remember that left me scratching my head was the Lions' last offensive play of the game. With as well as Stafford played, I thought they should have let him try to convert and let the victory kneeling begin, but that is being nitpicky. Hope you have another one up your sleeve for Chicago....

I didn't realize this, but Phillip Buchanon was benched, not injured (per Tom Kowalski). He was even active for the game, but didn't play a snap. Not sure what this says about our already suspect secondary, but in my mind, this is the unit that scares me the most. I wrote about this earlier this summer and now my fears are confirmed about this being our weakest link. At times, Campbell was simply lighting up our secondary. It is a big concern that throws some clouds on an otherwise sunny defensive performance. We'll have to watch what happens with Buchanon over the coming days. If it is strictly a performance issue with him, I wouldn't be surprised to see him cut by the end of the week.

Okay, so I would be remiss if I didn't talk about Stafford's performance yesterday. I need to be careful, because I don't want to either overstate or understate the significance of it. I don't want to understate it because it was truly his coming out party as an NFL quarterback. Not that he made all the throws, but he was confident, showed real leadership ability and was a huge part of the Lions winning that game. The big third down conversions again and again showed that he belongs at this level. He needed to have this game to prove his worth almost as much as the Lions as a team needed a win. I really think he won over the fans and the locker room with his swagger and ability yesterday. Then again, I don't want to overstate the significance, because it is only one of three games that he has played well. He is going to have more bad outings, more bad interceptions and probably lose a game or two for this team with his mistakes. But if you sprinkle a good performance and a win here and there and show consistent progress, they become forgivable rookie offenses. We just need to see the flashes of greatness from time to time, just to remind everyone why we made the investment. Yesterday was a big flash and everyone can collectively exhale (short-term). If there is any doubt that Stafford is significantly progressing, just look at his QB rating over the last three games .... NO: 27.4, MIN: 56.5, WAS: 87.8

Congrats to everyone here at POD on the win yesterday. What a great group of fans we have! I know the last couple of weeks we have all been a bit chippy, but this win should cure a lot of that. Kick back and enjoy this one for a few days... then it's time to get ready to kick the stuffing out of the "teddy" Bears!