Unless Riley Reiff miraculously falls to us at #23, I don't see an OL worth a Round One pick, and I read somewhere (can't remember where) that Schwartz likes to pick them in later rounds and develop--which last year's lockout screwed up with everyone's rookies. Plus, we've had a lot of visits by DBs lately. Maybe Mayhew's right: the defense doesn't need an "overhaul." (Just a tuneup?) Following that train of thought, not that I'm particularly fond of it, here's my very short list for the Lions' first round pick:

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB

Stephon Gilmore, CB

Zach Brown, LB - I view this one as most probable due to the others taken earlier.

Have at it, you football-crazy sociopaths. And stay out of the Drunk Tank. Man, that was a wild scene.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/tebow-sanchez-vow-to-work-together-to-throw-footba,27711/

Getting Drew Stanton back because of this mess would be the SWEETEST irony, eh?

75 words on the wall, 75 stupid words. Take them down and pass them around, 74 words on the wall. 74 words on the wall, 74 stupid words. Take them down and pass them around, 73 words on the wall. 73 words on the wall, 73 stupid words. Take them down and pass them around, 72 words on the wall.

Read Profiler's great post on Avril's production beating the top 5 cap-number DEs in the League. Joshsun had a good point in reply that nearly half of his QB pressures, sacks, FFs and such came against teams like MIN & CHI. But will retaining Cliff put even more cap pressure on 2013, when 6 other DEF players are free agents?

The wide 9 defense puts heavy pressure on the LBs to clean up, so 'MIKE is the man' for that. Tulloch is team leader in tackles and the Lions defense ranked 23rd in total yards & rushing, 22nd in pass defense for the regular season.

Another puzzle piece is whether Schwartz will keep KVB or as BR suggests, let him go to save $5M in cap room for 2012-13. (57% of readers said, "Yes," do it!) So....let's assume just to alleviate post-combine, pre-signing boredom that KVB says to Jim, "Let me have one more year," and the Front Office caves in to the request. Assume other finesse moves regarding the cap just don't pan out after CJ is signed. What would we do: retain Avril or Tulloch, if it came to that?

To be charitable, generous, compassionate and kind, I freely exempt anyone from voting who can come up with a brilliant plan to achieve EVERYTHING we want to happen in the off season! Make a claim, save a click! Or do the poll if you wish.

After preseason ended, I picked the Lions to finish at 11-5. We're almost there! The games I missed were Cowboys (picked DET to lose, I'm ashamed to admit), Falcons, and the second Bears game. Not too shabby! But I'm not Fantasy League material, sorry. Just had a good season guessing. 75 words 75 words 75 words 75 words 75 words 75 words 75 words 75 words 75 words done.

PLAYOFFS BABY !!!

OK, Saturday the depleted Lions' secondary faces Vincent Jackson (6'5", 230 lbs, 8 TDs), Antonio Gates (6/4", 260, 6 TDs), and Malcolm Floyd (6'5", 225, 21 yards per catch, 3 TDs). Who WE got in matchups? Well, Delmas our secondary "quarterback" is out, Harris not practicing (concussion), Houston not at full speed, Berry trying to come back. I'm concerned because I watched the Bolts/Ravens game and it was PHILIP RIVERS all night.

Is it time to give Ricardo Silva a shot? Or will he and Spivey get in each other's way ballhawking rather than coordinating coverage? I know he's been practice fodder most of the year; I know he's a rookie. But Wendling stinks outside of Special Teams IMO, Silva's two inches taller and had 2 pre-season INTs for whatever chump change that's worth. We need speed and height as well as someone who can tackle (and Wendling can do that, at least). Anyone got any insight to make me feel better? I'm keeping the Tums near my snack tray, guys. This is NOT going to be a blowout and we need to keep it from being a SHOOTOUT for them.

Crank up the volume on 'em, people! False Start City like the Bears' first contest. Win another game ball!

Watch this first:  http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-around-the-league/09000d5d82312296/Sharpe-49ers-will-tame-the-Lions?module=HP11_hot_topics

Will the Niners "Gore" our back seven just enough to keep Smith from throwing INTs?  Can their switched-around OL handle our rush and control possession to take the amped-up Ford Field crowd out of the game?  Sharpe gives a little love to both teams and is a class act, but I'm just wondering what POD'ers would say in reply.  I know it will be a close, hard-fought game but obviously I disagree with him.  Some other pregame threads are getting clogged, so if you want to use this one, then have at it !

Yada Yada, I know what's on the nay-sayers tongues already: it's too early in preseason, more injuries are on the way, Any Given Sunday, Stafford's health, blah blah blah.  SO WHAT?  ESPN came out with its power rankings, so if I'm early, so are they.  And note the headline, you speed-readers:  "IF....."  So I've covered my behind as much as I can, now let's have some fun.  I'm counting on them for Ten W's--no guarantees--and here are my guesses based not entirely on the aforementioned rankings.  Victories over the following:  Chiefs; Vikes both games; Bears first game (Monday night at Ford!); 'Boys, 'Niners, Broncos, Panthers, Raiders & Chargers.  Turkey day will be a doozy but I still think the Stinky Cheese take it by a FG. 

I'm still prepared to be happily surprised, though.  Reactions?  Revulsions?  Recriminations?  Or just witty replies?

OK, we know Killer is crazy most of the time, but let's run with his topic anyway.  Here's the link:  http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2011/08/detroit_lions_derrick_williams.html     Any grain of truth in that?  If not, sound off.  If you just want to use it as a Gedankenexperiment (that's thinking experiment for you non-Germans), then who's your picks?  Just for fun--and since I can't visit camp I only have gut feelings here--I'd select these 6 WRs, counting special teamers in the bunch:  CJ (duh!), Burleson, Stovall, Logan, Titus Young (too much sideline in camp to make a sound decision here), and Nate Hughes over Rashied Davis due to age.  I think the running backs are fairly set, so won't waste words on them--you POD sages can take over now.  What do you think?

Just got through reading Suhfan1's thread which I highly recommend ("The Raiola, Peterman and Backus Times Are Over").  Let's get proactive here.  Where's a free-agent center with more muscle than Dom?  Who can push Peterman into the backup role he needs?  Who do you like in the draft? 

This season, most of our QBs, our hopes, and the refs' penalty flags are shredded.  Our D-line can't do it all, bless them.  Before we invoke the Great Mayhew, let's build up some front-office pressure by blogging our fat little hearts out.  COME ON, PRIDE...LET'S GIVE OURSELVES A BUTT-KICKIN' O-LINE OF THE FUTURE !

I've been following the Boiman signing news, and Thomas Howard also (but he can't get past the Rams?).  Guys like these aren't the answer, are they?  Aren't we all sick of bottom feeding and 'coaching up,' which only goes so far if you don't have game-changing talent?

Give me a great big stinking PANIC BUTTON to hit--you know, like the "Easy" button on the commercials--because I'm starting to think it is time.  What kind of quality player would you give up to get a decent LB?  You saw in the Browns game how offenses will attack us this year:  no huddle, short throws, misdirection plays.  They neutralized our rush most of the time and Suh collected his first head-twisting penalty.  The future is staring us in the face.  Our backside D is starting to look as bare as a baby's butt.  Yeah, we're improved, and I'm glad--but there's not much time left to cut deals.

I'm not pushing any favorites, here, just asking y'all to weigh in with your wisdom.  Help me, Obi-Wan POD'ers; you're my only hope.