Thoughts?

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/02/09/raiders-release-stanford-routt/

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Colin Cowherd via Twitter:

"Lions N.Suh in car wreck in Portland, Or.. Hit a tree. He's OK. Not impaired."

--

Sounds like everything's fine. But scary nonetheless. The last thing he/the Lions need right now are more questions surrounding his character. Hopefully Cowherd is correct, and he wasn't under the influence. Bad weather maybe? Regardless, it looks like he was getting away from it all during his 2-game suspension and just happened to get into a mess.

Per Adam Aheffter:

@AdamSchefter: Ronnie brown to lions for 2013 7th and jerome harrison.

What do you think POD? Is this an upgrade over Harrison? I believe so. Not worried one bit about the 7th round pick in 2013. Did the Eagles get Mayhewed?

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Hello POD. Our Lions are 3-0. Pretty exciting. They've looked great at times, and sluggish at others.

Although we have the talent on this team to be great, my main concern this season is our slow starts. Against Tampa, KC and Minnesota, the Lions offense has taken a while to get rolling.

In Tampa, Detroit's offense stalled and had to settle for two field goals before getting hot in the 2nd quarter.

At home vs. KC, again we settled for a field goal before catching fire late in the second quarter and ultimately for 21 points in the 4th quarter alone.

In Minnesota, we all know it took midway through the 3rd quarter to get rolling.

Granted our opponents are better than their records suggest, I still can't seem to figure out why it takes this team a little while to get moving. We saw in preseason our offense step up right at the start of the game. Yet this season has been the opposite. Even our defense seems to need halftime adjustments before settling in, particularly when trying to stop the run game. Good teams battle through adversity, and the Lions have ultimately coming home with a win even after starting every game slow. My concern is that when we start playing better teams (Dallas is a great example this upcoming week), the Lions won't be able to afford to play only 2 or 3 quarters. That's when losses happen.

So I wanted to reach out to my fellow POD members to help me solve this mystery. What are your thoughts on why our team seems to stall at the start of every game this season?

Here's the link

Just another one of ESPN's silly statistics, but I'll take it. Looks like other fans around the country have taken notice of the great job done by Schwartz and the rest of the coaching staff. It's been quite the experience to see all the love the Lions have gotten so far this year. I can't seem to remember the last time the media talked about Detroit as a football contender.

Anyway, pretty cool. just thought I'd share.

Link

Good news for Stafford and Co.

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Per the Detroit Lions' twitter feed:

DetroitLionsNFL #Lions confirm the release of FB Jerome Felton.

What does this say about our run game? Does this mean the Lions are comfortable with someone else taking the short yardage carries? Does this mean the rumors about Chester Taylor are true? Or maybe we're planning on bringing an extra TE into formations to help protect Stafford. I'm not sure. Just trying to spark some conversation. But I liked Felton and thought he was pretty solid. Upset to see him go.

I was listening to the Ticket and an interesting topic was brought up. I figured I'd poll POD to get everyone's opinion. I realize everyone here is a hardcore Lions fan, but if you're a Detroit sports fan in general then this is a very interesting topic.

The Detroit Tigers are in a pennant race and starting a 3-game series against the Indians who are only 1.5 games back of the division lead.

The Lions are playing their second preseason game, however, the starters will only get about 1 half of football in before getting pulled.

So I ask:

Via 97.1 The Ticket. No link, but just heard it on the radio. This is devastating for a rookie. Not to overreact, but a lot of people don't come back from injuries like this, let alone players.

damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn damn

Killer also confirmed the reports.

It seems like everyone is falling to the injury bug this offseason, more than usual. Which raises a bigger question: is the fact that players had to train without professional help this offseason related to all these injuries? And with the new CBA, and a cutback on practice time, will this type of thing continue in future offseasons? Either way it sucks. Let's hope Leshoure's injury is minimal and he's back out there in a few weeks. If not, that's Fairley, Young and now Leshoure who will miss significant on-field development as rookies.

Offial statement from the Detroit Lions:

http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/Detroit-Lions-Statement-on-DT-Nick-Fairley/66d32030-f7dc-4969-8c8c-2d5038525f44

I don't know what to think of this. It looks like minor surgery, but a lot of missed time. At least doctors could pinpoint a problem and fix it, as opposed to being baffled. No word yet on exactly how long he'll be out. The depth at our D-line shouldn't be a problem, but I still want to see what Fairley is capable of, regardless if we need him or not.

So it's been widely reported that Stephen Tulloch just tweeted he was mulling over some free agent decisions. So I, along with other POD members, say let's all tweet him some Lions love. A few of us have already got the ball rolling:

Natrone420 Nate DeRusha
@stephentulloch Here’s to hoping the D-cision you have to make involves Honolulu Blue and Silver

@stephentulloch would love to see you in the D. Lions on the upswing. Gotta love that defensive line. Make a MLB's job much easier.

So I urge all POD members with Twitter accounts to tweet Tulloch to let him know how much we need him here. Show him the love and let him know he will be loved in Detroit.

I know most Lions fans have moved on from good-ole Roy, but I still get a smile on my face when I think of what we got in return for trading him to Dallas. And while we still reap the benefits that came from that trade, the Cowboys are now looking elsewhere. Mayhew wins again. Restore the roar.

http://espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/story/_/id/6803231/source-marion-barber-dallas-cowboys-released

This team is vastly improved from last year, we just haven't gotten over the hump yet. Our secondary still obviously needs work. But the team is much more competitive this year. I don't think there are many of us who thought we would hang around that Packers game as long as we did.

So we started the season 0-4. We all expected that. In fact, there were a number of us who said we'd be 0-6 going into the Bye week before we picked up our first win. So why all the disappointment? For a coach to bring a team back from 0-16 in two years is impossible. And look at who we've played to begin the season. A 3-1 Bears team (who we actually beat), an Eagles team led by a "playing like he's 24 again" Vick, a disruptive Vikings D and an explosive Packers O. I realize there aren't many players left from the winless days, but we haven't exactly been given an easy road by the NFL scheduling committee either.

Our first must-win of the season is next week against the Rams at home. This will be a true test for Schwartz and gang (just like last year). Our improved D-line should be able to disrupt a rookie QB with a good arm but little experience. And the reason this is such a big game is because the Rams actually look fairly decent this year. Unlike last year, when they were winless before beating us, this Rams team deserves some respect. For Detroit to go in and get our first W of the season would be very pleasing. Some analysts/bloggers even believe the Rams have a chance to win the NFC West. This is a true test to see where our team is. Some believe the trust test would've been against big-name teams like the Vikes or Packers. I, for one, think it's too soon to use games like those as a measuring point. It's not normal for teams to turn around so quickly. We're not all the Miami Dolphins.

I guess what I'm trying to say in a long-winded way while sitting at my desk on a chilly Monday morning in Dallas is simply this: I can see improvement. And if you think about it, isn't that all you can really ask for?

What is the one thing everyone here at POD will be looking for?

Personally, I'm most interested in the match-ups between the o- and d-lines. I'm curious to see how Suh, Vanden Bosch and company perform. Especially Vanden Bosch. If Suh can be his Hanesworth, then we should see big things from KVB this year. I'm also looking to see if our o-line can hold up against these guys in camp. I like to think we've improved our d-line to at least the top 10-15 in the league. Seeing how our o-line holds up in camp will be a good indicator of how they'll handle the opposition in the regular season.

We're getting closer and closer. Can't wait to find out our 53. Go Lions!

Looks like he may be released on June 2. I think picking him up would solidify our Safety position for years to come, pairing him with Delmas. What are everyone else's thoughts on this?

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http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/10891/have-at-it-okung-for-economic-reasons

It doesn't seem as far fetched as you'd think after looking at all the factors and weighing-in the current economic conditions of the city. We've already upgraded our D-line through free agency, a much cheaper way than by building through the draft (especially with the #2 overall pick).

I'd still like to see the Lions trade down regardless, not necessarily for economic reason, but also for personnel purposes.

Just thought it was an interesting article from a sports business standpoint that sometimes us fans seem to overlook.

I still haven't made up my mind on who'd I'd like to see Detroit draft with their first round pick. However, after watching this video, McCoy is definitely a beast. I'll give him that. Either way. I think the Lions are in a can't-lose position this year as far as the draft goes. No matter what St. Louis decides to do, it seems like there are more guaranteed difference makers this year than in past drafts.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/10070/video-gerald-mccoy-working-toward-combine

Not because he thinks Detroit should trade Calvin Johnson. That can be argued both ways, with each side having valid points. This post isn't to discuss that topic, but more to talk about how possibly Detroit's most well-known sports writer is a complete moron. Check out his latest article on the team (link below), where he tells us how he thinks Detroit should trade CJ, yet doesn't provide any support for his reasoning. No potentially interested teams. No contract information. Nothing to support his argument. There are commentors on this site that make more valid points than he does, yet we're stuck reading his moronic columns day in and day out.

http://www.freep.com/article/20091216/COL08/912160313/1049/rss14

Even the blogs are starting to take notice, including this must read article from The Big Lead (sorry guys, not trying to spam the site. Just trying to support my opinion). They mention that their writers did more research than Sharp, who makes millions from the Detroit Free Press.

http://thebiglead.com/?p=31804

I guess I'm just venting and that's the real reason for this post. Having to go through each season watching a struggling team, it'd be nice to have access to, at the very least, average journalism. But this falls way short of that. I guess that's one of the reasons I spend so much time on POD. You guys are doing a great job. Keep it up and thanks for letting me blow off some steam. Peace.

Watching the Bengals game Sunday, I noticed two distinct facts about the Lions.

1) DeAndre Levy is the answer at LB. He seemed to be in on every play during the entire game. I originally was skeptical on this guy, but now I'm convinced that we could trade Ernie Sims for possibly some draft picks/players to fill more holes without missing a beat on defense. I realize Sims' trade value isn't at its highest right now with the injuries and all, but Mayhew has been known to pull some doozies. Plus, Levy will only get better as he gains experience.

2) And this probably isn't news to anyone, but it was made even more clear against Cincinnati, we NEED to draft O-line and Defensive Secondary. I honestly don't believe our Defensive line needs to be addressed as early in the draft as I've seen some commenters on this site suggest. I think our priorities are keeping Stafford off his back and giving opposing QBs less time to throw the ball. A few Secondary additions will give our D-line more time to get to the QB. I think the guys in place right now are capable of doing just that. They may not be the best in the league, but they can get the job done. Our Secondary on the other hand is horrendous, and is among the worst in the league. Filling these holes will make the D-line that much better. Plus, we've held up pretty good against the run this year. We just need to get the QB more often, and I believe upgrading our Secondary will help us do that. Of course, point #2 here is completely moot if we have a chance to snag Suh LOL.

As always, please share your thoughts and opinions. I like to hear what other fellow Lions fans have to say. Happy Tuesday!

If you guys are as crazy a fan as I am, you've already searched the internet 1,000 times over looking for any and all articles about yesterday's win over Cleveland. Of all I've found, this one is probably the best. Not because of the way it was written, but because of the way it's set up. The quotes used and the storytelling will give you chills (the good kind). I normally don't like Peter King, but I think the opening topic from his Monday Morning Quarterback article is the best I've seen so far. Check out the link below. A lot of good quotes.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/11/22/Week11/index.html

Looks like Cribbs is going to play Sunday. With all our injuries on defense, specifically the secondary, I wouldn't be surprised to see him put up a career day. Brady Quinn may look like Peyton Manning this week. I know one guy doesn't make or break a team, but it would've been nice to play one of the NFL's worst teams without their best player. We saw what Stephen Jackson did to us. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cribbs have similar success through the air.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4674264

Yesterday's game against the Vikings proved to me that Stafford has what it takes to not only be a starting QB in the NFL, but a damn good one. Enlighten me if you will, but I can't remember the last time a quarterback played so well with his offensive line virtually non-existent. On that same note, I can't remember the last time and offensive line played that bad. But Stafford hung in there, made some good throws and played tough. He was on the ground 70% of the game. I think if the Lions put some talent on that o-line, and maybe get Stafford one more WR that won't drop six passes a game, he could be something special. That throw he made to Bryant Johnson in the endzone should've been a TD. Stafford was running to his left full speed, threw across his body and hit Johnson right where that ball needed to be. It was his best throw so far this season in my opinion, right up there with the one against Washington on 3rd and long to seal the game.

Even with all our losses, Mathew Stafford proves to me each game that he has what it takes. I'm excited to see what he can do with one more year of drafting/free agent moves, and one more year of him gathering a better understanding of the NFL game.

I wanted to pose this question to my fellow Lions fans for two reasons. 1) Curiosity and 2) to get a better understanding of the NFL's franchise tag.

Lions fans have seen "star" players leave the team in the past in search of greener pastures and a chance to revive their careers. Is this something that you see Calvin Johnson doing when his contract expires? I, for one, think Detroit should do everything in their power to keep him around as long as possible -- which leads me to my second question: Does anyone know the rules/requirements of the NFL's Franchise Tag. I had a conversation with a friend about CJ leaving the team when his contract is up, and he told me not to worry because the Lions would Franchise him. For whatever reason, I was under the impression that the Franchise tag could only be used once on a player in their final contract year to extend his playing time and give the team another chance to extend a deal to keep that player around. I'm now starting to realize that I don't think I have any clue as to what the Franchise Tag means. I'm sure there are plenty of you out there with more knowledge than me. So if you wouldn't mind filling me in, and maybe others who would like to know as well, that'd be great. Thanks guys.

I found Pride of Detroit through a friend who told me it was a great site to find anything you're looking for on the Detroit Lions. The latest news, updates, injuries, inside info, etc. And while all of that is true (and props to those who make this site happen), there is one thing that bugs me -- this site is too biased.

There's a not so fine line between optimism and bias. Optimism comes from those who are confident in what they support. Bias comes from those who are prejudice in favor of what they support. I can't even count how many posts/comments on this site this past week pretty much chalked this game up as a win. It's one thing to be optimistic that the Lions can beat the lowly Rams. It's another thing to think they can win simply because we're fans of the team. I think the comments and posts on this site would be a lot more informational and productive if we all took a step back and looked at the reality of the picture before publishing our thoughts. I think the excitement of rebuilding a team this season has all gone to our heads a bit. As exciting as it is that we have a new coach, some good rookies and veteran leadership on the team, we need to be realistic and realize that this team is just not that good right now. We show signs of life here and there, but there's a long way to go before we start stringing together three-win streaks within a season. And it won't happen this year, and probably not next year either. And for a few of you who believe this team is playoff bound next year, or even the year after that, you need to open your eyes. Not everyone can be the Miami Dolphins. That just doesn't happen very often. This team has a long way to go before producing anything that looks like a winning season. And while I'm optimistic that we have the pieces in place to start that transition, I'm not expecting a whole lot anytime soon. It's not being a bad fan and it's not turning my back on my team. It's simply realism. We don't have all the pieces yet.

I'm sure this post will upset a few. And to those people, I'm sorry. This isn't meant to crucify anybody. It's simply an attempt to instill some sort of reality check withing the community. I'm a huge Lions fan, have been since I was young enough to know what football was. I just think we ALL need to take a harder look at this team to understand the full effect of what's happening this season, and what's in store in the seasons to come. We've got a long way to go, but for the first time in year, I'm optimistic that the system being put in place now is headed in the right direction. Let's gear up for Seattle and see if we can't put together 4 quarters of NFL-quality football.

Go Lions!

I'm not a big fan of the term "moral victory." However, I do believe that there are some positives to take a way from the Bears game. The biggest of those, in my opinion, is the fact that our offense seems to be clicking. Too often in the past, the Lions have had problems on both sides of the ball. But so far this season, it appears that only Defense and Special Teams have noticeably suffered. Now, that's not to say that our Offense has been perfect. But most teams that average just over 20 points per game, like our Lions currently do, win football games. And even with a 1-3 record, I think it's safe to say that our Offense hasn't held a majority of fault in our losses. For the first time in I can't even remember how many seasons, I can watch a Lions game and have confidence in our Offense on 3rd and long, or throwing on 1st down. We keep Defenses guessing, and that's saying a lot from what we've all previously known about Detroit. I think anyone who can't see a vast improvement in this team from last season or even years ago, isn't looking hard enough. This team is headed in the right direction. They'll have their bumps in the road (we've witnessed many already), but for once, we can finally see that someone in the Lions' organization knows what they've been doing wrong, and thus far, has taken the necessary steps to start fixing it.

My confidence is up despite the three losses. How 'bout everyone else?

Go Lions!

I hate Peter King. Always have. But this article is a good one, and gives a pretty cool inside look on the Detroit Lions. One thing that stood out in the column is how Schwartz took Stafford, Delmas and Pettigrew to an auto plant in Detroit so his rookies could understand the fan base they're playing for. Pretty cool stuff. Anyway, here's the iink:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/09/29/mail/index.html?eref=sihpT1

GO LIONS!

Just want to hear everyone's thoughts on this: The Bills just released their starting LT, Langston Walker:

http://www.buffalonews.com/258/story/788706.html

Any chance the Lions take a look? Surely he's better than Sack-us or whatever other punny name you can come up with for him. IMO, he'd be a huge upgrade over anyone we have at the left tackle position on the team. O-Line is something most of us wish the Lions addressed more this offseason, and with only a few days left until kickoff of the regular season, I think this is an upgrade we need. I know he hasn't worked with the team all year, and there's no way he could come in right off the bat to start, but down the road he may be worth it.

What do my fellow Lions think?

So it looks as if the Lions are staring Daunte tomorrow night for their first preseason game.

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/nfcnorth/0-13-92/It-s-Culpepper-for-the-Lions.html

As pumped as I am to see how the QBs react to game time situation, I would've liked to see Stafford under center first. Throw him into the mix to start the game and see how he handles the crowd and intensity, even if it is just preseason. I think it would be a good experience and give him an idea of what NFL games are like. Thoughts? I already what some of you will say, as this debate has been raging on since draft day. Just curious what my fellow Lions fans think.

This is my first ever FanPost so if I get this wrong, don't shoot me. So before I anger the entire Lions fan base, let me start by saying I in no way believe something as horrific as 0-16 twice is even possible. Just with Detroit's  upgrades on Defense, specifically the Linebacker core, we should be able to muster out a few wins this season. But looking at the schedule this year, it's arguably possible that the Lions will be 0-6 going into the BYE week.

So I pose to you this question:

How much talk is there going to be in the media about another possible 0-16 season for the Lions, if they're 0-6 at the break? We already know the big story with the Lions at the start of this season is going to be "Can rookie coach Schwartz dig the Lions out of an 0-16 hole with his revamped Defense and No. 1 QB draft pick?" But is the media going to jump on the possibility of another winless season for the Lions if they're 0-6 at the BYE week? I know statistically it's almost impossible. I just hope news outlets don't turn this possible story into a media frenzy like, say, Brett Favre's Viking mess. I, for one, will quickly get sick of hearing any jabbering about 0-16 twice. Just want to get the thoughts of my fellow Lions fans on what your takes are on the matter.

Is this something you see the media covering like crazy? Or will there be bigger team stories this season to overshadow the lowly Lions?