Official Blog | Thursday | November 20th, 2008

Nov
18

Six Away from History

By Jeff

The Lions running game looked to be in full attack mode Sunday. Too bad the Panthers looked to be even better. For the fifth time in six games the Lions took the field looking for their first win and have nothing to show but a single-digit loss margin. This team is now at 0-10, a mere six games away from the NFL’s version of the “Hall of Shame”.

For those optimists, I will mention that if not for a blown call at the goal line, the Lions would have had it tied up in the fourth quarter. I would also mention that, even through his injured legs, Culpepper is the best QB the Lions have placed on the field this season. He knows how to run an NFL offense, the biggest criticism placed on Orlovsky and Stanton. His two-year deal is still questionable as a whole, but it provides security that the Lions will hopefully put the embarrassing loss to the Jags behind them.

For those reading the morning paper today there was a Web site mentioned that begged for the Lions to fill the NFL void in Los Angeles. In our city’s history this is not the first time a city has either threatened to leave and it likely won’t be the last. In fact, this isn’t even a threat, this is a local suggestion to another city. Unlike Fire Millen or Scott Mitchell + an expletive, this demonstrates a humiliation well beyond the job loss numbers we read about or the other difficult economic trends. 0-16’s biggest victim is not a single coach or GM, it’s the city that pays its hard-earned dollars to go to games, but cable packages and wear Lions apparel.

Most likely first win games in order:

1) 12/7 vs. Minnesota; 2) 11/23 vs. Tampa Bay; 3) 11/27 vs. Tennessee (they will put up a better fight than most think)

Not going to happen:

1) 12/28 @ Green Bay; 2) 12/21 vs. New Orleans; 3) 12/14 @ Indianapolis

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Nov
11

The Detroit Lions’ Rendezvous with Destiny

By Jeff

It was appropriate that this was the game that marked the 75th anniversary of the Detroit Lions franchise.  As temperatures grow increasingly colder, Detroit’s football fans are well aware of the sharp contrast between the Lions of old and the current squad of has-beens and wannabees.

With the best Lions of all time taking the field to be recognized, it was painfully apparent that this is no longer one of the league’s elite teams.  When Eddie Murray is one of your five best players of all-time, you are not elite.

We know about the 50-plus years without an NFL title and the single Super Bowl-era playoff win.  In 2008, misery may have company as 0-16 continues to creep closer, especially with the Titans, Colts, Panthers and Bucsstill on the radar.  The Detroit Lions’ rendezvous with destiny is no longer a championship.  It’s a winless season.

Naturally, in the NFL, it is much easier to have an 0-for season.  With less games to play and the lack of possibility to have a hot shooting hand or hurler on the mound, 0-16 is much easier than 0-82 or 0-162.

Since this team is still essentially a Millen team, this is the second time during this era when the Lions have been in jeopardy of the “perfect season.”

2001 (the final year of the Lions in Pontiac) saw Detroit spring out to a 0-12 record before beating Minnesota in a nail-biter. That season also happened to end on a win, which kept the Lions from the worst record and the second pick (no. 1 went to expansion Houston). Detroit’s prize for that awful season?  Joey Harrington.

Just as the Lions found themselves searching for a QB then, the same has come true in 2008-09. Daunte Culpepper and Drew Stanton became options number 3 and 4 trotted out on the field this season, and the result has been continuously disappointing.

The plain fact is neither one of these guys is Bobby Layne — and they never will be.  And if Detroit Lions fans no longer know the difference, they were reminded of it during Sunday’s All-Time team ceremony.  If the Lions are ever going to “restore the roar” and the glory of the 1950s, they’re going to have to change the entire culture of the team.  Only then will their destiny change.  For now, their only rendezvous is with disaster.

 

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Oct
27

Redskins 25, Lions 17

By Jeff

If a tree falls in a forest does it make a sound? If a game is not shown to its only fans, should it even count? For the first time since the Lions lacked any black piping on their uniforms, the Lions played to a less-than-empty home building. For the umpteenth time though, they came out flat and found themselves with a similar result. With nine games left in their 2008 schedule, they are in a battle with the Bengals for both the no. 1 draft pick and an effort to avoid NFL immortality. 

 

Dan Orlovsky was a mediocre quarterback at an up-and-coming UConn program and his NFL experience has mostly been with a baseball cap on during Detroit Lions football games. He was not a USC or Florida quarterback who brought a winning attitude into the Lions locker room. A local paper today decided to quote the current starting back about the ticket situation in Detroit, and in no mincing of words, basically explained that this was not his city and he doesn’t care whether the fans show up or not. The funny thing about his comment was the Lions have not showed up in months at Ford Field, and those fans do contribute in some way to Orlovsky’s salary. His comments alienated his skewed views even more from a fan base groaning for a Spartan to take over the top spot.

 

With difficult games coming up against Chicago and Jacksonville, there is a daunting feeling that the Thanksgiving game against the Titans could be a real scary sight. Sure, there have been some closer results over the past few weeks that have been promising, but the same issues continue to plague this team. Calvin Johnson continues to be underutilized, the running game remains a total mystery, and the team seems to disappear when the game means something. Apparently, Orlovsky and the team are beginning to realize the fans disappear when the losing continues.

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Oct
24

Blackout? Who Cares?

By Jeff

Hidden amongst the lead-up to this weekend’s UM-MSU clash in Ann Arbor and the constant shock of the Rays in the World Series, came more news about the current state of the Detroit Lions.

For the first time since the Lions made the move back to Detroit from Pontiac, a “professional” football game will be played in this town and only the attendees will see the game locally. With their time extensions and the fan patience levels run out, the team was unable to sell their final 6,000 seats for this weekend’s game vs. Washington.

Back in the Silverdome days it was not unusual to have a game not shown to its own support base. The Pontiac Silverdome was so massive that fans basically counted on others to fill the seats for them. Since traffic in and out of Pontiac was horrendous, the comfort of a sofa was much more of the norm. Even with Barry Sanders in uniform, the experience in the cavernous dome was not the same level of enjoyment.

Reason No. 2,381 that the Lions organization is in trouble: the biggest news this week about the Lions involved potential misconduct between a former employee (Matt Millen) and a former rival (Brett Favre). That’s what things have come to in this town when the local papers start bringing up your connections to the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and its similarities to the ‘62 Mets and ‘03 Tigers.

How appropriate when in the year following the first ever visit to 18-0 (pre Super Bowl), a different team in the league could fall to 0-16. In fact, it was not long ago when the Lions flirted with that record. I’m actually stunned that Ford Field has not yet been changed to 0-16 Field - a place where this team seems to be heading.

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Oct
21

Barry Sanders Highlight Film

By Steve

He was the greatest running back of all time.  Agility, acceleration, poise, stamina, grace — he had it all.  His name is Barry Sanders.

Sanders ended his brilliant NFL career with the Detroit Lions just shy of the league’s all-time rushing record.  He stepped down at a time when he could have shattered the mark — and he ended his career in its prime.

This well crafted film is a reminder of just how special Sanders was as an athlete.

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Oct
15

Lions Trade WR Williams to Cowboys

By Jeff

In 30 cities, Tuesday’s trade deadline came and passed without much news other than the occasional waived player. In the two long-time Thanksgiving host cities, Tuesday meant that Week Six was already history. In a trade that signaled a new era in this town Detroit sent WR Roy Williams to Dallas for three picks in 2009, including two on day one.

In the same essence of all that is good and bad with the Detroit Lions, Williams demonstrated that a change of scenery may be a good thing. As one fan said following hearing this trade, “I’m going to miss his celebrations after catching a 5-yard out, down 35 in the fourth.” Hopefully in joining his namesake counterpart in Dallas, he will stop with the outlandish statements and celebrations and stick to what he’s paid for - football. On one hand, he is on T.O.’s team and it is Mr. Owens who dictates the soundbites in Dallas.

Other Notes:

And since his mouth made more of an impact during his time in Detroit than his actual play, Jon Kitna was placed on Injured Reserve and will miss the rest of the 2008 season. Pretty funny since most fans will likely miss that same length of time and not notice his absence for one second.

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Oct
13

Vikings 12, Lions 10

By Jeff

At what point did you realize that the Lions were bound to have 0-5 next to their title in the standings? Was it before the game when you knew Roy Williams would be mentioned more in trade rumors than in catches made? Was it early on when Dan Orlovsky ran scared for a safety or the moment you realized Leigh Bodden had the team’s first pick? Was it at the end when Ryan Longwell sealed Detroit’s fate underneath the same dome where Tigers fans have had their hearts broken repeatedly? No matter when that moment finally came, it should come as no surprise that in an extremely down year in the NFC North, the Lions find themselves winless and out of it.

The team has made its rounds throughout the NFC North already this season and there is nothing positive to show from it. This team finally gave what looked like an effort on defense and it was totally squandered with lackluster plays down the stretch. Sure, the argument was made that the refs took this one away at the end, but the blame needs to be put squarely in the camp of the Lions from special teams to the coaching staff.

The result has been shameful on offense and it is almost mandatory that the Lions make a deal before Tuesday’s trade deadline. It has become clear that the product on the field is not adequate for the NFL level. In fact, I wouldn’t even have this team take on the Wolverines this season. The schedule provides no relief coming up including a suddenly difficult game next week in Houston. Put Matt Schaub and Steve Slaton on your fantasy teams immediately!

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Oct
07

Bears 34, Lions 7

By Jeff

Pathetic. Disturbing. Lackluster. It’s more than 24 hours after and it still has the sting of disbelief that we’ve sunk this low. This team had the opportunity to pull within one half game of first place in the pathetic NFC North and instead they are officially the worst of the worst. Did we really understand that Matt Millen’s impact will be left for months and years to come? After the latest attempt at professional football, the Lions have only proven that some of them need to leave town immediately.

 

Which is a bigger relief for Lions fans: The team that plays in week six in 2009 will be drastically different or The Lions do not play against the NFC East? Placing things into perspective, the Lions were blown out at home by the Bears and the Packers. With those two teams hovering at the sub .500 mark, that would make these losses of incredible significance. We are watching a team with no imagination on offense and a Tampa Two which is only Buccaneer-like by title.

 

How Jim Colletto is allowed to make play calls, I have no clue. At Purdue he led the Boilermakers to a stunning 21 wins over 6 seasons (or 3.5 wins/season) where the team was practically begging for new leadership after his departure. In each of his seasons in Baltimore coaching the O-line, he actually saw a steady decline in team production. By the end, the Ravens offense was considered the laughing stock of the league. Meet Jim Colletto’s background and you can clearly see why 14 rushes for 58 yards is the norm and not the exception. You’ll be able to understand that this team has scored more than half of its points when down by more than 2 possessions. This team is really bad and his role only makes this team worse. 12 to go in the road for 0-16.

Jim Colletto Coaches in Training Camp

Jim Colletto Coaches in Training Camp

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Oct
02

On Tap: A Must Win

By Jeff

This weekend brings the Bears to Ford Field along with the fleeting hopes of Lions fans. With the entire division crumbling down around them, the only optimism remaining is in regards to both division leaders sitting at .500, 1 1/2 games ahead of Detroit. With Millen no longer the thorn in the side of ticket holders, Lions fans will now hope that the preseason champs can finally get win no. 1 in week no. 5.

0-16 is a reasonable possibility for this team, as are the NFL playoffs. We’re mere weeks away from seeing Jon Kitna turn into a cheerleader and Roy Williams turning into trade bait. I believe the most likely scenario will be that the Lions win a few games they shouldn’t, or just enough to knock them out of the top draft pick position. Of course, these are the Lions and the unexpected and losing are two traits that have never died with this team.

The Bears come into this week with some momentum following a stunning 24-20 win over the Eagles on Sunday night. The Eagles outplayed Chicago for most of that second half and were the length of a football from taking the lead late in the fourth quarter. Kyle Orton is not a scary quarterback, and neither are the rest of the Bears. Urlacher is getting older and Lovie Smith’s seat is getting warmer. I guarantee that this will be the closest game of the year for the Lions solely based on the match-up. While I think the Lions will attempt to play in honor of their embattled coach, it will be hard to see even the Lions coming out with such a must win.

Lions and Bears set to hook up Sunday at Ford Field

Lions and Bears set to hook up Sunday at Ford Field

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Sep
24

Finally!

By Jeff

If there’s an economic crisis going on, you wouldn’t know it from the mood in town today. After one losing season after another and countless poor administrative moves, Matt Millen has been relieved of his duties from the Detroit Lions. For now, the “Fire Millen” signs can be put away or reworded to say “Fire Ford”, “Fire Lewand”, “Fire Marinelli” or perhaps “Fire Everybody”. As former teammate Mark Schlereth said earlier, “he (Millen) made some of the worst personnel moves I have ever seen in my time (20+ years) in the NFL.”

31-84 will forever shape the stained legacy of Millen in Detroit. He was brought with high praise to a team that was stuck in mediocrity-ville. With hopes he would take his 3 Super Bowl knowledge and shape that into winning football, he did completely the opposite. He once sniffed a seven game winning season. He also nearly saw his team go 0-16. His poor coaching choices will forever be brought up as a major question along with his knack for finding the most injury-prone receiver in the first round. Everything he did failed miserably, somehow earning an incredible extension a few years back.

With this move clearly the first of many until Fall 2009, it will be curious to see which domino falls next. The team has rid itself of its most obvious problem and now must decide what trash needs to go next.

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