Opp----1st Half-----2nd Half----Totals
Att/YDS
Vikes 15/95/------4/5/------ 19/100/
Colts 9/83/------3/16/-------12/99/
TTL 24/178/-----7/21/-------31/199/
Kevin Jones is starting to finally show signs of potential as a nice addition to the team. Granted, he gained a lot of yards versus very poor defenses but still if one is seeing the glass half-full.... It is a genuine testament to the Lions poor performance of late that they have been unable to utilize his rushing success towards controlling the time clock and managing to execute any sort of efficient offense. Furthermore, his second half drop-off in production is very puzzling. The saga continues.....
Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of sharing and enjoying the company of relatives. Football has always been a major part of the joyful celebration of the holiday for me. I wouldn't describe either game I witnessed today as enjoyable. Furthermore, one would have to question if the parity of NFL teams isn't egregiously damaging the league with the quality of the performances I viewed from the three of the four teams Thursday.
The Lions started the game looking like they might be able to remain competitive for awhile. They were moving the ball at will. They almost looked sharp. Their major failure today was their complete inability to pose any sort of resistance to the high-powered Colts offense. Going into the game, the odds were slim that the game was going to be at all competitive, but I knew that the Lions would be treading in dangerous water if they were to engage themselves in an offensive shoot-out. When the Lions did have opportunity to score they were only able to answer Indianapolis TD's with Field Goals. Jason Hanson's missed field goal seemed to deflate any spark the Lions offense had(and should be a major cause for concern, he has been among a LONG list of Lion disappointments thus far). Mariucci calling two pass plays (incompletions) instead of keeping the ball in the hands of the then, red-hot Kevin Jones, when the Lions were in scoring position was mystifying. Poor time clock managment at the end of the half(yet again, they had 2 timeouts!) was also very costly.
Total Yards Offense
DET 386
INDY 356
Avg gain per off. play
DET 6.2 yds
INDY 5.9 yds
Time of Posession
DET28:48
INDY31:12
Peyton Manning 6TD passes 0 INT
Joey Harrington 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 Fum Lost
The major determining factor in the outcome of the game was the 4 lost fumbles. It seemed to really effect both sides of the ball. The only positives that could even be taken from this game was the Shaun Rogers blocked PAT and the fact that Kevin Jones looked pretty good running the ball(99yds rushing). Otherwise, the season is starting to take on a familiar cast to that of other recent Lions teams and that is a major disappointment. The injury to Eddie Drummond that appears to be for the remainder of the season is a particularly impactful blow to the team. Pulling Joey Harrington, a decision a long time coming, also enacts the process in where we will probably yet again watch another quarterback's carousel, not unfamiliar territory for Lions fans. Harrington's poor performances and the team's inability to capitalize on their opportunities have revealed that they are truly a very poor football team. The Lion offense has only scored three offensive touchdowns in the last 18 quarters of football, the team has lost it's last 5 games and has achieved the dubious distinction of losing three games in twelve days. At least under Mornihnweg, the offense was aggressive and at times productive!
It is time for this organization to circle the wagons. They will have to re-evaluate every roster position. Mariucci has burned his free pass, he has to be held accountable for the regression of this team and the organization's complete inability to develop it's players. I think they will need to completely evaluate the team's chosen offensive and defensive philosophies and determine if they are truly effective in their design. The fact that we as Lions fans are continually observing essentially the same ad hoc season ad infinitum with little tangible improvement should be a cause for alarm for the Fords. How long will they settle for this team being continually found amongst the doormats of the league like Cinncinati, Arizona, and Chicago.
Many Lions are being honored today. Robert Porcher is the Grand Marshall of the Detroit Thanksgiving Day Parade on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Lomas Brown is on the inaugural NFL float in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York with Tony Dorsett, Joe Namath and several others. We can't forget the three Great #20's:Billy Sims, Lem Barney and Barry Sanders, who will be receiving his Hall of Fame ring. All three will be honored by the retirement of the #20. At least until the next high-priced free agent signee demands their old jersey number ala Pat Swilling or Jerry Rice.
It is hard to be very honest with myself while attempting to write this entry. I have always felt that the Lions have an excellent chance for victory on nearly every Thanksgiving Day Game. I still want to feel good about the Lions chances even though I have reached the following realizations A) Placing the Lions current losing streak within a baseball context, they have lost 40 games in a row B) They are horrendous on offense achieving 300 yards total offense only twice this season, unable to establish the run consistently and Joey Harrington has been off the mark of late C)The Lions Defense is beginning to falter due to the inefficient and ineffective offense and the fact that their secondary has been a disappointment. Yet, with this being the team's only opportunity to be broadcast uncontested on the national stage, I believe the Lions will turn in a credible performance.
The Offense will need to be efficient and control the clock. If the Lions enter into a shoot-out with the Colts offense they do not stand a ghost of a chance. They will have to (and should be able to!) get more than 300 yds total offense. I think they will have to gain closer to 400 yards in total offense in order to have a chance for victory. The Colts secondary is currently slowed by injuries and they have been unable to limit most offenses this season. Running the ball may pose more of a challenge. The Colts defense has done the job against the run, although running succesfully against them is not implausible. Most importantly, the Lions can ill afford to continue their recent trend of giving away points by dropping touchdown passes or suffering from ill-timed penalties. Joey Harrington will have to show the same character and composure that Lions fan witnessed in last year's season-ending victory over the Rams. His game management and offensive efficiency will be pivotal in any success for the Lions for the remainder of the season.
On defense, the Lions will have to hope that with the injuries to the Colts two starting guards that "Big Daddy"and "Big Baby" are able to disrupt Edgerrin James and Dominic Rhodes's ability to run the ball. The Lions entire defensive tackle rotation will have to be counted on to pressure Manning, too with their desirable match-ups. This would also limit the highly effective play-action passing game of the Colts offense. As far as dealing with the passing onslaught of the red hot Peyton Manning, you have to hope that the Lions can limit him to 2 or 3 TD passes and keep the big plays at a minimum. The Lions ability to control Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison isn't unreasonable, but how they address other effective weapons like Brandon Stokely and Dallas Clark will have a major influence on the game's outcome. If the Lion's front line can pressure Manning and force a couple of picks, then they may stand a chance. The Ford Field crowd will need to be virulent and unruly. If the Lions can perform well enough to recapture the same airplane hangar full of roaring jets-effect that Lion fans once had in the Silverdome, they could potentially hinder the audible-crazy play calling of Peyton Manning. With the current bad blood between the cities if Detoit and Indianapolis, it should not be difficult for the Ford Field faithful to express their disgust.
In the end, the downward slide will continue Colts 34 Lions 24. Steve's Deep Fried Turkey Consumption, 12 lbs!
By the way, have I mentioned how cool the "throwback" Lions uni's are?
31 Detroit Offense vs./ 31. Indianapolis Defense
Yardage
Yards 2,470/3,749
YPG 247.0(31st)/374.9(31st)
Scoring
Points 183/230
PPG 18.3(21st)/23.0(23rd)
Passing
YPG 164.3(26th)/261.0(31st)
TD 14(11th)/16(22nd)
Sack 24(19th)/26(8th)
INT 7(8th)/12(7th)
Rushing
YPG 82.7(31st)/113.9(15th)
TD 3(30th)/9(20th)
24. Detroit Defense vs./ 2. Indianapolis Offense
Yardage
Yards 3,488/4,190
YPG 348.8(24th)/419.0(2nd)
Scoring
Points 216/339
PPG 21.6(21st)/33.9(1st)
Passing
YPG 223.4(22nd)/290.7(1st)
TD 16(22nd)/35(1st)
Sack 29(4th)/6(2nd)
INT 9(17th)/7(8th)
Rushing
YPG 125.4(23rd)/128.3(9th)
TD 8(18th)/7(16th)
--------Turnovers---
TEAM-------Takeaways---------Giveaways
-----------INT/ FUM/ TTL/-----INT/ FUM/ TTL/---DIFF
DET(5th) 9/ 9/ 18/ 7/ 1/ 8/ +10
INDY(1st) 12/ 12/ 24/ 7/ 5/ 12/ +12
Injuries:
DET:OUT Boss Bailey (LB) QUES Az Hakim (WR) PROB Eddie Drummond (RS),Shaun Rogers (DT), BIG DADDY Wilkinson (DT), Damien Woody (G)
INDY: OUT Tupe Peko (G), Bob Sanders (S) DOUBT Rich DeMulling (G), G. Gardner (LB) PROB Nick Harper (CB), Joseph Jefferson (CB), R Mathis (DE), Mike (AKA the IDIOT kicker!) Vanderjagt
QB Comparison
Player------ATT---CMP---PCT----YPG----TD/INT---Rate
1.Manning 324/ 214/ 66.0/ 296.0/ 35/7/ 122.2
18.Harrington294/ 167/ 56.8/ 177.5/ 14/7/ 80.5
By the way, Peyton Manning has nearly as many TD passes this season as Harrington has had in his entire career! (In 2 and 5/8 seasons "Champagne" Joey has 43 TD passes)
Am I the only person amazed that the Lions were only able to gain 41 total yards in the second half versus Minnesota in 5 drives! It has become apparent that the Lions offense is ineffective and getting worse:
Team/ TTL YARDS OFFENSE
----------DET/OPP./+/-
GAME1 262/342/-80
GAME2 266/386/-120
GAME3 256/402/-146
GAME4 227/279/-52
GAME5 125/434/-309
GAME6 325/325/even
GAME7 284/357/-73
GAME8 322/229/+93
GAME9 190/415/-225
GAME10 213/319/-106
The Lions have only attained 300 yards total offense in two games. One of which they lost. In only one game have they gained more than their opponent (the atrocious Mark Brunell QB'd Skins). As you can see in most games they have been outgained by a sizeable margin. It is very apparent that through time of posession and the differential in yards gained that as the season wears on it may even become more difficult for this team. The defense has played too many downs and logged too much time on the field due to the lack of a running game and the horrible slump that Joey Harrington has been mired (or Mirer-ed?) in.
USA Today had another interesting factoid in regards to playoff contention. Several teams went into last week with a 5-4 record. Throughout NFL history 69 of 143 (48.3%) teams that were 5-4, made it to the playoffs. The tenth game was even more decisive in the potential for a team to enter the playoffs. 5-4 teams that lost and became 5-5, were 29 of 122 (23.8%), relatively unlikely to make the playoffs. However, 5-4 teams that won, becoming 6-4, were 76 of 123 (61.8%). There were no odds posted for 4-6 teams but judging by the likelihood of entering the playoffs at 5-5, the chances of making the playoffs at 4-6 are slim and none. Many teams realize that there season is over around this time of the season once they have hit 6 losses.
The Lions again have their one chance(usually the only chance each season) to be featured on a national stage this seaon, with Thursday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. The Lions also have a chance to achieve the dubious distinction of losing three games within the span of 12 days! The team will be a featured in front of most of it's peers and millions of families nationwide. It is their last chance this season to gain a sizable measure of respectability.
The Lions 33-29-2 in Thanksgiving Games (.532 winning percentage). The annual tradition which began in 1934, was the brainchild of the Lions first owner, G.A. Richards, who had moved the franchise from Portsmouth, Ohio. The 1934 game was against the George Halas lead, Bronko Nagurski-era Bears. The game had high stakes, it was to determine the winner of the Western Division. The game was broadcast nationally on NBC radio and was a huge success, becoming an elemental part of an American tradition that includes turkey, cranberry sauce, indigestion, and gross overconsumption. The Lions lost the inaguaral game, 19-16.
For me, the game still possesses all of the magic it did when I was a kid. I enjoy nothing more than seeing the Lions playing in the "throwback" uniforms (the greatest uniform in all of professional sports, in my opinion!). The Lions usually turn in a competitive performance, even if the game doesn't end in victory. The game will be especially festive when it recognizes it's three great #20's from the franchise's history, two of whom are Hall-of-Famers! Lem Barney, Billy Sims and Barry Sanders all inspire pride among Lions fan and all are deserving of the respect and adoration that they will receive this Thursday. One thing I have always enjoyed about Turkey Day broadcasts is that in order to maintain a thread of continuity, the television broadcast will often feature film clips from past Thanksgiving games. I would gladly sit through an hour documentary about the history of this game and thoughts and reflections of Lions players who participated in it. It is really a shame in the era of national broadcasting, there would be little interest in something like that. Yet, we are going to be inundated with media glitz and an empty half-time performance from America's second favorite "everyman" songrwriter, John Cougar Mellencamp. No other performer in America has better utilized the misfortunes of others (the plight of farmers) towards their achievement of their own personal gain. I am sure that Thursday's performance will be just as earnest and credible as we have grown to expect from this erstwhile flannel-shirted ersatz rocker.
All of that aside, I look forward to Thursday's game no matter how gut-wrenching the outcome. Nothing can match Chicago's Dave Williams 2 kickoff returns for TD's that defeated the Lions in 1980. That was the penultimate in Lion misery.
From Lions.com:
(http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=170724)
Memorable Thanksgiving Games:
(http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?document_id=4585)
Sunday's loss in Minnesota, a game in which they had posessed a commanding lead, rang the death knell for the Lions hopes in 2004. Any team playing for it's playoff life who can't preserve a 12 point lead in the 4th quarter of a football game, must yet again resume it's rightful place among the rest of the leagues have-nots. The same elements that have factored into most of the Lions losses this season (and many in the past) again came into play in this game.
T.O.P.
Team 1st Half/ 2nd Half/ TTL/ +/-
DET 18:04/ 9:32/ 27:36/ -4:48
MINN 11:56/ 20:28/ 32:24/+4:48
DET +6:08 1st, -10:56 2nd
The Lions have now scored 3 offensive Tds in 14 quarters of play. The special teams have scored an equal number
Third Downs
Minn 8/15 or 53%
DET 4/11 or 36%
Passing
Minn 22 cmp/ 32 att/ 1 INT/ 212 YDS/ 6.1YDS/pass
DET 12 cmp/ 19 att/ 1 INT/ 67 YDS/ 3.0 YDS/pass
Penalties
Minn 7/51-7.3 yds/penalty
Det 9/116-12.9 yds/penalty
The Lions don't have the margin of error to continue to play this poorly and hope to win games. There has been a lot of discussion over Mariucci's decision to accept a pass interference penalty that turned a fourth-and-2 yards play to a third-and-12 yards, which Minnesota converted. Mike Tice later revealed that he was going to kick a field goal on fourth-and-2 yards to go. Mariucci didn't think the Vikings would kick a field goal and he had hoped his defense would hold on third and long, which of course they did not. This one call, may have lead to Minnesota's eventual game-winning touchdown, yet it was the poor, uninspired play of the offense and three very stupid penalties that were the team's undoing.
Damien Woody, upon realizing what all Lions players eventually understand (and most fans, too), said that he had "never seen anything like that. So many different ways of losing football games, it's amazing. It's so bad I'm laughing (probably to keep from crying) I don't understand it. I'm trying to laugh it off. It's like we're bipolar, and we forgot to take our medication. The first half is exactly how we wanted to do it. The second half-totally the opposite." In a first half where the team played well enough, to control the ball and was able to spring Kevin Jones for 95 rushing yards, it appeared the Lions had a convincing 10 point lead going into the half. No Lions fan in their right mind could believe
that the Lions were in complete command of the game at the half, though. The scenario for the game's eventual outcome has been played out far too often during the Lion's history not to expect the worse. Even more difficult to swallow, may be the fact the Lions have yet to defeat a team quartebacked by Daunte Culpepper (8-0).
Again, at the center of all the debate in regards to the state of the Detroit Lions is quarterback, "Champagne" Joey Harrington. I am beginning to believe that Tony Siragusa's comments were more prescient than we all wanted to admit when he originally uttered them. Harrington hasn't been able to withstand the questions about his performance or leadership capabilities, he has yet to rise to the occasion like all great QB's eventually do and lead this team with conviction to victory. It maybe a different time and place, but these comments from Yale Lary seemed to best represent the failure of Joey Harrington as much as any.
"When Bobby (Layne) said block,you blocked. When Bobby said drink, you drank." taken from Michael MacCambridge's "America's Game"
Again, I realize these statements were made in a different era, but when have you seen Harrington's presence command the respect and confidence for the rest of the Lion's to overcome the odds and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? The reason I believe Siragusa's comments may have some weight in regards to Harrington I have also taken from Michael MacCambridge's excellent book:
Brian Billick: "I was at Stanford (as Bill Walsh's asst.), and that's a great place to coach and it was an enjoyable place to recruit and you interacted with a great class of people. But one of the difficulties at Stanford, was you had in large part a bunch of kids who when it's fourth-and-goal on the one yard line against Notre Dame, know in the back of their mind, 'You know, if this doesn't work out, I'm going to be okay anyway. I'm going to go make my money. I'm going to have my career. I'm going to have my Stanford degree.' And that's all well and true, and in the bigger perspective that's the way it should be. But at that point, I want them to have a little more at stake. Kids from less-advantaged backgrounds take more of that perspective. 'This is my way out'"
A recurring theme of MacCambridge's book is that many NFL personnel people have found it advantageous to acquire players from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and broken homes. As calculated and implicitly racist these views may be, you can start to see the validity of this view in regards to the career of Harrington. He doesn't appear to have experienced the adversity in his life and lacks the motivation by which someone can become successful as a player in the NFL. He doesn't exhibit the fierceness or resolve to overcome adversity. After the game, Harrington revealed the depths of his denial by stating that he felt he had played a good game (90 yards passing and a game losing interception?) and that he just wished he had that one pass back.
This season is a couple of losses away from being a complete wash. Any tangibly perceptible improvements over last season's performance are now gone. This team must do what it can to salvage respect for the remainder of the season. As it begins it's evaluation process for 2005, it may be facing it's greatest challenge yet in their interminable rebuilding process.
Both Shaun Rogers and Damien Woody have been honored by Pro Football Weekly magazine as members of their all Mid-Season team. Taking it one step further, both editors, Dan and Hub Arkush, said that Rogers might deserve the Defensive MVP award. It has become common knowledge throughout the league that Rogers is one of the most athletic and unblockable Defensive Tackles in the league and seems destined for an invitation to the Pro Bowl.
That being said, Rogers has had an interesting short career with the team. The Lions were fortunate to have him drop into the second round due to a serious ankle injury he suffered while still playing with the University of Texas. At any rate, he had a very promising first season. Then the following season, Matt Millen attempted to trade Rogers because he was overweight and supposedly lacked motivation. Thankfully for the Lions, Millen did not pull the trigger. Yet, Tom "Killer" Kowalski, Detroit Lions insider for MLive.com has reported that the team and Rogers' representatives have broken off contract negotiations recently and the Lions will probably have to place the franchise tag upon him next season. I realize that you can't build your entire organization around a defensive linemen, it leaves me baffled that the Lions front office have not quickly rengotiated the terms of the offer so that both sides can reach an agreement. Rogers is by far and away the team's best player. Definitely a situation to keep upon your radar screen.
Have the wheels come off yet? It appears that Joey Harrington will be on a very short leash against Minnesota this week. To say that this game has a high potential for disaster is an understatement. The Lions, who have been ineffective at best, on both sides of the ball are facing a Vikings team who has an excellent offense and shaky defense. The fact the Vikings are returning home (insert DO-do-DOOO Viking horn sound) coming off three consecutive losses makes this a critical game for them. Mike Tice is under fire due to the fact that this is the third straight year where the the Vikes have had a mid-season collapse after a pretty strong start to the season. Tice also unwisely let Randy Moss play a few snaps on an injured hamstring so that Moss could keep a consecutive games started streak alive. Since then Moss has missed the last couple of games and will not play against the Lions.
The Lions offense has been ineffective at best. Joey Harrington must play well this week against a below average Vikings defense in spite of the lack of a running game to be depended upon and nagging injuries to three of his receivers. This is a major opportunity to re-assert his position within the organization and with the fans. I don't believe his career in Detroit will weather another benching. The Lions gained 81 yards rushing from Kevin Jones last week(he carried the ball exclusively). Expect the Lions to keep feeding Jones/Pinner/Bryson the ball in hopes of keeping the Vikings offense off the field. I think the Lions best chance in this game is to run their version of the Dean Smith "Four Corners" offense by using a lot of time clock and controlling the ball. They will mix in short passes and runs and hopefully chalk up first down after first down. The fact that they have been unable to maintain control of the ball effectively this far into the season doesn't make it likely they will be able to do so against Minnesota. The Vikings are porous on defense but expect them to copy what other teams have done to render the Lions ineffective by moving the safeties up and putting 9-10 players around the line of scrimmage.
The Lions defensive backs have to be excited that they will at least not be reading back of Randy Moss's jersey as he streaks up and down the field for TD's, like they usually do when playing in Minnesota (insert Viking Horn sound).
I'm afraid that the Lions secondary will have plenty of opportunities to read the backs of Marcus Robinson's and Nate Burleson's jerseys throughout the game, unfortunately. Also the Lions will probably have some difficulty stopping the Vikings stable of backs who are equally as capable of running the ball as breaking for big yards receiving out of the back field. Daunte Culpepper is making a strong run for consideration as league MVP, so the Lions must do what they can to keep him contained in the pocket and under pressure. They must also hope that he coughs up the ball a couple of times or throws a couple of interceptions, for that is the only the chance in Hades that they have for being close in this game.
If recent performances stand as an indicator, this game is blow-out city. I will not expect any different until the Lions prove otherwise Big Dave Tinglehoff's Vikes 35 Yukon Dan's Cousin 14
3rd Down Conversions
Season
Lions-32 for 114/28%
Opps.-58 for 135/43%
3rd Down Conversions-Last 5 weeks
vs. GB 1 for 11(9%)/Packers-8 for 14(57%)
vs. NY 6 for 10(60%)/Giants-4 for 12(33%)
vs.Dal 3 for 9(33%)/Cowboys-9 for 15(60%)
vs.Was 5 for 18(28%)/Skins- 3 for 14(21%)
Vs.Jax 2 for 14(14%)/ Jags-12 for 22(55%)
Lions in the "RED ZONE" last 5 wks
vs. GB 0-0-0%/Packers 3-3-100%
vs. NY 4-4-100%/Giants 0-3-0%
Vs. Dal 1-1-100%/Cowboys 2-4-50%
vs.Was 0-0-0%/Skins 0-0-0%
Vs.Jax 0-2-0%/Jags 2-3-66%
3 of the 5 weeks no "red zone" opportunities
Time of Posession
Lions are last in NFL-avg T.O.P.:26:42 or an deficit of 6:52
Their opponents are averaging: 33:34
Det T.O.P/opp T.O.P/+/-T.O.P
vs.GB 20:19/39:41/-19:22
Vs NY 27:44/32:16/-4:32
vs.Dal 21:17/38:43/-17:26
vs.Was 29:29/30:31/-1:02
vs.Jax 21:45/38:15/-16:30
over the 5 gms a deficit of 58:52
Yds RushDet/Yds/Rush/Yds RushOpp./ Yds./Rush Opp./+/-
vs. GB 33/ 2.1/ 157/ 4.0/ -1.9
vs. NY 115/4.0/ 75/ 2.9/ +1.1
vs. Dal 39/2.8/ 127/ 3.1/ -0.3
vs. Was 64/2.7/ 156/ 3.9/ -1.2
vs.Jax 81/ 4.3/ 239/4.8/-1.5
Harrington
currently:
Rate:81.2,PCT:56.4%,TD/INT:13/6
ATT/ CMP/ PCT/ YDS/ RATE/TD/INT
vs.GB 23 / 12/ 52%/101/60.2/1/1
vs.NY 22/ 18/ 82%/230/ 140.5/2/0
vs.Dal 32/ 19/ 59%/255/ 92.6/2/1
vs.Was 52/ 26/ 50%/ 269/63.7/1/1
vs.Jax 33/ 11/ 33%/ 121/ 32.5/ 0/1
Doug Warren from Lionsfan.com is probably the best writer on the state of the Detroit Lions anywhere, here is an excellent MUST read article:
(http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=citadel-2_320487_93&prov=citadel&type=lgns)
or check out http://lions.scout.com/index.html for the Lion's fan site.
31. Lions Offense vs./ 30. Minnesota Defense
Yardage
Yards 2,257/ 3,296
YPG 250.8(31st)/366.2(30th)
Scoring
PTS 164/227
PPG 18.2(24TH)/25.2(27TH)
Passing
YPG 175.1(25th)/244.9(29th)
TD 13(9th)/15(24th)
Sack 21(17th)/20(16th)
INT 6(8th)/ 4(26th)
Rushing
YPG 75.7(32nd)/121.3(22nd)
TDS 3(28)/12(29th)
25.Lions defense vs./ 2.Minnesota Offense
Yardage
Yards 3,169/3,728
YPG 352.1(25th)/414.2(2nd)
Scoring
PTS 194/242
PPG 21.6(19th)/26.9(4TH)
Passing
YPG 224.7(22nd)/295.2(2nd)
TD 14(23rd)/25(2nd)
Sack 26(5th)/24(22nd)
INT 8(20th)/5(6TH)
Rushing
YPG 127.4(26th)/119.0(13th)
TD 7(14th)/4(26th)
Passing
Player ATT/ CMP/ PCT/ YDS/G/ TD/INT/ Rate/
2.Culpepper 321/ 226/ 70.4/ 301.3/ 25/5/ 115.4/
19.Harrington 275/ 155/ 56.4/ 187.1/ 13/6/ 81.2/
Team Takeaways Giveaways
INT/ FUM/ TTL/ INT/ FUM/ TTL/ DIFF/
DET 8/ 9/ 17/ 6/ 1/ 7/ +10
MINN 4/ 6/ 10/ 5/ 6/ 11/ -1
Greg Landry was interviewed on 11/17/04 by Fred Heuman. They talked to Landry about his career and also asked for his opinions on Joey Harrington and the firestorm that is brewing locally about his future within the Lions organization.
Landry compare Harrington to Bernie Kosar, whom he coached with the Cleveland Browns as QB's coach. He said that both quarterbacks were heavily questioned by their local fans and media. He said that they were similar in the fact that they were both classic dropback passers with fairly good arms and both could put a nice touch on the ball. Landry stated he felt the Lions may have "put the cart before the horse" in their selection of Harrington because they didn't have the cadre of skill players to surround him with that might better ensure his success. Heuman asked Landry if he thought Joey Harrrington had "it", or the essential quality as a quarterback that leads teams to victory? Heuman stated he felt it appeared that Ben Roethlisberger for example, may have "it" . Landry said that he thought that sometime when it appears a player doesn't have "it", it may suddenly appear under different circumstances. He feels that strongly that a QB has to be surrounded with talent to fully exhibit their "it"-ness. As examples he mentioned Archie Manning as a capable, highly-touted QB who was pretty good but had a moderately succesful NFL career because the Saints never could surround him with the quality players for him to fully be able to show that he had "it". He also mentioned that when a team suffers from a rash of injuries like the Lions have, that the game-planning and play-calling are effected, hampering the QB's ability to thrive.
Heuman mentioned that throughout the Lions history, that the team often has had two quarterbacks competing against each other for the starting role (i.e. Munson/Landry, Hipple/Danielson, etc) could that be the problem? Heuman thought that Harrington has been handed the job without much threat of losing it, could that be the motivation that is missing? Landry stated that an experienced QB who could vie for playing time might help. He said that in his own particular case, Joe Schmidt didn't want to play a young QB, so having Bill Munson to play helped Landry have the time to develop.
Landry also stated that in each decade the Lions seem to have teams good enough to reach the playoffs. He said that he felt management never made the necessary moves to improve the team to push them to the next level in each of those cases. He and Heuman agreed that losing Jeff Hartings and Mike Compton a few years ago really has set the team back a couple of seasons in their development. It is worth noting that the Lions are very public in the fact that they are giving Mike McMahon more reps with the 1st team offense in lieu of another poor performance by Harrington. This is not a good sign for the relative success of the Lions rebuilding program.
It is also of note to mention that yesterday was the 23 yr anniversary of the game where Mike Utley was paralyzed. Utley remains an inspiration to us all.
I hope I was not the only person who was thoroughly disgusted by the way that Monday Night Football provided so much attention to the spectacle that was the behavior of Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb. I realize that this attention may help boost ailing ratings, and the game was quickly becoming a drudge due to the performance of the overmatched Cowboys. The amount of face time given to Owens TD celebration dances was unecessary. Furthermore, McNabb and Owens thumbing their noses at the media for the attention that was given to their sideline spat in the Eagle's previous weeks loss was childish. They are quite aware that thier antics will get play, but why should the media indulge them?
The NFL is the greatest show of sports and media glitz on earth. They have earned their reign through the quality of the performances on the field and the quality of it's product. I like my ritualized violence as much as the next person but the halftime musical performances, stupid reality-show interludes, and over the top multi-media productions at the beginning of games are all endemic to the hubris that seems to be consuming the sport. The game is forgetting it's roots and what has made it strong. This spectacle works as long as fans are buying the product. Yet increasing ticket prices, a poor economy, and parity-induced poor on-field product may eventually change the fan's attitudes towards all of this. The people like their bread and circuses, but they must be willfully engaged in the event for it to be effective.
Thanksgiving Sunday, the Lions will be featuring a performance from John Cougar Mellencamp at halftime. Why is this necessary, while I am gorging on deep-fried turkey? I would much rather see marching bands, a short game from a couple of Pop Warner teams or some other form of All-American entertainment that doesn't magnify the ever-increasing stupidity and crassness of our withering society. C'mon NFL do the right thing!
I initially had written this entry without seeing the beginning of Monday Night's game. The ensuing firestorm has further supported my point. We live in a society that is looking for cheap "pops", we are totally bereft of substance. I am not offended seeing an unlothed white woman jump into the arms of a black man, it does offend my sensibilities that it was done in such an obvioulsy contrived and calculated manner.
It is now time to begin to reconsider the Lions "rebuilding" project, in terms of it's success or failure as a process. On paper, the Lions have done the right things. They have drafted a franchise quarterback known for his poise and passing accuracy. They have hired a coach with a winning pedigree, a strong reputation for developing young quarterbacks, and who is noted for installing offenses for teams that are efficient and innovative. They have had the luxury of selecting draft picks early in recent drafts and have wisely chosen players with exceptional athletic ability, decent character and have a proven track record of success and for excelling on the field of play. Yet, the culture within the organization seems to yield underwhelming performance, the inability to execute succesful big plays in the clutch, and seems to be trapped within a continuous paradigm of flat, uninspired play.
The Fords have spent a lot of money in their efforts to own and manage a first-class professional sports franchise. Yet, time and time again their efforts seem to blow up in their faces. The time has come within this organization and it's personnel where they shouldn't have any excuses left. They have burned up all of their free passes. I am so tired of hearing about the travails of young players and the resultant roller coaster ride performance-wise that occurs due to their lack of experience. I am sick of hearing reference made to the effects of injuries and the team's inability to overcome them. I am tired of hearing the minutae about the difficulties installing, and the patience required in the implemention of an offensive system that is as complex as the vaunted "West Coast Offense". In theory, this offense is an investment that produces dividends when all of the component elements are in place and operating symbiotically and is nearly unstoppable when executing at high performance levels. Where is that offensive efficiency? Where is the ability to control games by placing players in situations where they are more able to produce effectively?
I believe that Lion fans have every right to be very upset and frustrated about what is currently occurring with their professional football team. They have been witness to several weeks of flat and uninspired performances from a team that had been surprisingly on the periphery of the divisional lead and in possible contention for a playoff bid. In a few short weeks, the Lions have essentially wasted that opportunity and in the meantime generated more questions about their "rebuilding" process than they have probably answered. They have seen an offense that has continually withered under pressure and has provided this output(I have also included the Jaguars stats as a point of comparison):
Jacksonville Total Offense 415 Yds.
a)22 First downs
b)Time Of Poss:41:44
c)Yards Per Offensive Play:4.7
Detroit Total Offense 190 Yds.
a)10 First Downs (4 rushing, 3 Passing, and 3 by penalty)
b)23:44
c)Yards per offensive Play:3.5
d)2 for 14 on 3rd Downs or 14% conversion of Third Downs
e)the team's "franchise" quarterback, Joey Harrington (aka "Champagne Joey") had another dismal outing. He was 11 for 33 for 121 Yds with 1 interception and 32.5 Passer rating.
f)the Lions offense has scored 2 TDS in the last 10 quarters they've played.
Eddie Drummond 257 total yds in returns vs. Jacksonville
This Offense has a total combined deficit in time of posession for the season of 64 minutes and 44 seconds. That is more than the time to complete one game. To say that this offense has been "pluperfect awful" is an understatement. In the game against Jacksonville, a kick return specialist, single-handedly kept the team in a game which they had no business being in. In a game, where they were playing for their playoff livelihood and where a victory could have inconceivably resulted in a three-way deadlock for first place in the division, they turned in their worst outing of the season. While Eddie Drummond attempted to save the day, the rest of the team's performance resulted in dropped balls, inaccurate passes, missed field goals and a whole of excuses. Yes, the wind was blowing quite hard in Jacksonville. The wind made it quite difficult for the team to catch the ball and for the quarterback to deliver the ball accurately. Yet, Jacksonville performed well enough to win under the same conditions. Teams who win consistently, find ways to make plays no matter how untenable the circumstances may appear.
Many QB's have similar games performance-wise to the one Joey Harrington had on Sunday. But excellent quarterbacks find a way to make the 11 passes he completed count toward victory. I recently have come to the realization that Joey Harrington doesn't have the skills, talent and leadership ability necessary to put a team upon his shoulders and carry them to victory through sheer force of will. Even with that in mind, it seemed that it was quite possible that he could execute and manage games well enough that he wouldn't be responsible for many losses. Yet his recent performances have affected my perceptions of him in such a way that I have been reduced to wondering if he will be another member in a long list of Detroit Lion Quarterbacking failures.
Steve Mariucci, has served as an enabler in this whole process. He is very adept at stating empty observations and platitudes bathed in the language of Coaches Non-Speak (or talking without really saying anything). Mooch is eloquent and very positive. He is constantly politically correct in his observations and very careful to always view the glass as half-full. In all of this, the players have no measure of accountability and no concept of what most franchises consider unacceptable yields in their performance. Here is Mooch:
"My primary concern is the passing game." He mentioned that there might need to be changes. "The change is to be better, that's what we have to do. We've got to be better all the way around and figure out what we can do, from a scheme standpoint, what are the routes that we're good at throwing and running? And do those things.'
in regards to Harrington:
"Joey is one part of the passing game, obviously. He's got the ball in his hands. There is more to it than that, as you know. There's protection and route-running and catching and taking advantage of some opportunities."
I am not saying that Mariucci should make a public spectacle of blasting the performance of his team. But he does very little to inspire my confidence in his ability to demand that his players adhere to the standards of performance that will make this team a successful, winning franchise.
The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association is hosting a Turkey luncheon while commemorating several Lions alumnus at Harry's Restaraunt (Located on 2842 Clifford St., Detroit). Tickets are $17 and can be purchased at Harry's, or by contacting (586) 558-9103 or DSBA1@yahoo.com. Featured Lion's Alumni include Eddie Murray (who will probably not be discussing FG's missed in the playoffs which the kept the Lions from playing in the Super Bowl), Larry Lee, Rich Strenger, and Bob and Scott Kowalkowski.
Dexter Bussey was a recent guest on Fred Heuman's 10:00 A.M.-Noon local sports talk show. It was fun to hear Dexter discuss his career and pursuits since he ended his gridiron career. He currently owns an "I.T." company in the Detroit area and also is an employee of the NFL. He is in charge of making sure that all players meet official uniform codes and that no unauthorized logos or equipment are visible or being used. He says the players refer to him as the "Fashion Police" and quite often go out of their way to avoid him on game days. He also recounted an anecdote about his rookie season with the Lions in a game where the Lions defeated the Minnesota Vikings, referring to it as his most memorable game in football. The game was Dec. 14, 1975, and finished with a score of 17-10 at the Silverdome. Bussey said that as a rookie, he was nervous entering the last drive of the game, in which the Lions were going to attempt to run out the clock through handing the ball off. He said that Offensive Linemen Rockne Freitas and Bob Kowalkowski took him aside and explained to him where he should run and how he should execute those runs. Their instruction calmed him down and they were able to win the game. After the game, the team carried Head Coach Rick Forzano off the field on their shoulders in celebration.
He also discussed why he was willing to give up his attempts rushing the ball to Billy Sims after the Lions selected Sims in the draft. Bussey said that he had done the same thing, to Altie Taylor, so it just seemed like a natural progression of things. Bussey was a Lion from 1975-1984 and had 1,203 career rushing attempts that gained 5, 105 yards. He scored 18 TDS and rushed for an average of 4.2 yards per carry.
A recent factoid in USA Today correlated the number of playoff seasons different teams had with the number of Quarterbacks who have started for the team since 1995. (The year Brett Favre, assumed the QB job in Green Bay, a benchmark for the league) The list didn't include the Lions, but I will reproduce USA Today's lists with the Lions added as a point of comparison. Another point of interest is the fact that a lot of the same names appear for different teams and many have done time with the Lions.
Most # QB Starters/ Team (1995-Present)/ Playoff Seasons/
14/ Chicago Bears/ 1
Starters:Henry Burris, Chris "Crystal Chandelier" Chandler, Rex Grossman, Erik Kramer, Craig Krenzel, Dave Krieg, Shane Matthews, Cade McNown (I often heard adjectives!), Jim Miller, Rick Mirer, Moses Moreno, Jonathan Quinn, Steve Stenstrom, Kordell Stewart
13/ Baltimore Ravens/ 3
Starters:Tony Banks, Jeff Blake, Kyle Boller, Stoney Case, Randall Cunningham, Trent Dilfer, Elvis Grbac, Jim Harbaugh, Scott Mitchell, Chris Redman, Vinny Testaverde, Anthony Wright, Eric Zeier
12/ Washington Redskins/ 1
Starters: Tony Banks, Mark Brunell, Gus Frerotte, Jeff George, Trent Green, Tim Hasslebeck, Jeff Hostetler, Brad Johnson, Shane Matthews, Patrick Ramsey, Heath Shuler, Danny Wuerffel
11/ San Diego Chargers/ 1
Starters: Drew Brees, Jim Everett, Doug Flutie, Gale Gilbert, Jim Harbaugh, Stan Humphries, Erik Kramer, Ryan Leaf, Moses Moreno, Sean Salisbury, Craig Whelihan
Compared to:
9/ Detroit Lions/ 3
Starters: Scott Mitchell, Don Majikowski, Frank Reich, Charlie Batch, Gus Frerotte, Stoney Case, Ty Detmer, Mike McMahon, Joey Harrington
Fewest:
1/ Green Bay Packers/ 6
Brett Favre
3/ New England Patriots/ 5
Starters:Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady, Scott Zolak
5/ Indy Colts/ 6
starters:Craig Erickson, Jim Harbaugh, Kelly Holcomb, Paul Justin, Peyton Manning
5/ KC Chiefs/ 3
starters: Steve Bono, Rich Gannon, Elvis Grbac, Trent Green, Warren Moon
5/ Tenn Titans/ 4
starters: Chris Chandler, Will Furrer, Steve McNair, Neil O'Donnell, Billy Volek
I am still reeling from last Sunday's performance by the Lions. Can you imagine the excitement if the team were 6-2 or 5-3 at this point? At any rate, the Lions must prove again on Sunday why they continuously have defined the meaning of mediocrity for all of professional sports. To say this is a must win for the Lions, on the road, facing a young team's #2 QB, is an understatement.
On offense, we are yet again being fed the notion that this is the week that the team will attempt to establish the run. Mariucci stated in press conferences last week that maybe the team would "bring in some double-tight (2 tight ends) or attempt to spread teams out(widening the formation with multiple receivers, spreading the defense acrossed the field), then try to run. Kevin Jones also has indicated that the practice "scripts" have utilized him in some more plays and it appears he might have more opportunities this week after he has openly displayed frustration with the constantly changing personnel packages according to down and distance that have shuffled him on and off the field. The Lions will be well served to develop their running game this season. That being said, they are facing a young defense that features two very good defensive tackles and decent MLB who have not allowed teams to the run the ball all that successfully. Marcus Stroud and John Henderson will pose quite a challenge for C Dom Raiola and Guards Damien Woody, David Loverne/Matt Joyce. The Jags have also allowed very few rushing TD's this year. It will be interesting to see if Jacksonville will utilize a similar game plan to what other teams have against the Lions in recent weeks by bringing up the safeties and bringing pressure to Harrington. The Jaguars are not to great against the pass and due to injuries at Defensive End they are playing a LB and Defensive Tackle out of position their. They have not been very successful in pressuring the passer so Harrington should have time to find receivers. The Lions injury difficulties at wide out, make it unclear whom Harrington will be throwing to, but the emergence of Reggie Swinton as a target is a cause for hope. This is the third game in a row where the Lions have been provided with a winnable game, they must take advantage of what opportunities they have and capitalize. Harrington, will need to rebound from recent poor performances and establish his leadership and performance levels consistently. Harrington must decide whether he will ever be comparable to players of the caliber of a Steve Young or Jeff Garcia or more than likely to players like Gio Carmazzi, Rick Mirer, or Jim Druckenmiller. His time is drawing short.
The Lions Defense, has been serviceable, if not good. Yet, they have been prone to allowing big plays and of late have been less stout versus the run. A lot of that could be due to the fact that their offense is not controlling the ball well, adding more and more playing time for the defense. Also, in recent weeks the poor special teams performance, has in large part placed the Lions offense in negligible field position scenarios that have a direct impact on the defenses ability to perform. With inexperienced but promising David Garrard at the helm, the Jags have a few decent offensive weapons but possess little flash. Jimmy Smith is an excellent veteran receiver, who is entering the end of his career. Reggie Williams and Troy Edwards are young talents with potential, but are unproven, and you are never sure about their performance week-to-week. The Lions secondary, will have to prevent the big play. The Jags have two decent running backs in Fred Taylor and LaBrandon Toefield. The Jags are suffering from a similar inability to run the ball and it's essential that the Lions do not allow the Jaguars to get comfortable in their running game with an inexperienced Quarterback at the helm. I think this is the game factor where the outcome of the game will be decided. The Lions must hold Fred Taylor under 100 yards in order to have an opportunity to win this road game. I have a strange feeling that last week's performance may be indicative of how the remainder of this season will play out. Prove Me Wrong, Lions! Jags 21 Lions 7
31. Lions Offense vs. 20. Jaguars Defense
Yardage
Yards 2,067/ 2,735/
YPG 258.4(31st)/ 341.9(21st)/
Scoring
PTS 147/ 146/
PPG 18.4(22nd)/ 18.3(11th)/
Passing
YPG 183.4(24th)/ 233.1(26th)/
TD 13(8th)/ 11(17th)/
SACK 19(18th)/ 12(30th)
INT 5(8th)/ 3(29th)
Rushing
YPG 75.0(32nd)/ 108.8(12th)
TD 3(27th)/ 4(5th)
18th Jaguars Offense vs. 21st Lions Defense
Yardage
Yards 2,570/ 2,754
YPG 321.3(17th)/ 344.3(22nd)
Scoring
PTS 128/ 171
PPG 16.0(29th)/ 21.4(19th)
Passing
YPG 229.9(12th)/ 2308.(24th)
TD 9(17th)/ 12(20th)
SACK 18 (15th)/ 23(3rd)
INT 7(17th)/ 6(15th)
Rushing
YPG 91.4(26th)/ 113.5(14th)
TD 4(24th)/ 6(15th)
Takeaways /Giveaways
INT/ FUM/ TTL/ INT/ FUM/ TTL/ DIFF +/-
Det. 8/ 9/ 17/ 5/ 1/ 6/ +11/
JAX 3/ 7/ 10/ 7/ 3/ 10/ 0/
QB Comparison
ATT/ CMP/ PCT/ YDS/ YDS/G TD/ INT/ RATE/
Harrington 242/ 149/ 59.5/ 1563/ 195.4/ 13/ 5/ 87.9/
Byron Leftwich is injured and his replacement David Garrard has thrown only two passes all season and played in 4 NFL games in his career.
INJURY REPORT
Det:Out:Boss Bailey Doubtful:Stephen Trejo, Donte CurryQuestionable: Jared DeVries, Az Zahir Hakim, Tai Streets (Babilonia)
Jax Out:Byron Leftwich Doubtful:George Wrightster TE Questionable: Daryl Smith LB
The great, raging beast that is the "American Dream" is expectorating, urping lost hope upon itself. My favorite collegiate football team, the Michigan State Spartans, have had spectacular late game flame-outs in consecutive games. The Detroit Lions have brought new meaning to the standards of poor effort and dazzling ineptitude. Lastly, Rock and Roll is dead. To say my mood is black about these troubled times is an understatement.
The Detroit Lions lost their third game in a row at home Sunday. That in itself, is palatable. The monumental fashion in which they have been losing these games is the cause for great concern. Losing by a combined point total of 85-33 (an astounding deficit of 52 points or average of 2 TD's and a FG per game) doesn't even begin to present the whole picture of the manner in which this team has been dominated in front of it's loyal home crowd. The Lions have an utterly non-existent rushing attack, a QB and Head Coach/Play-Caller who don't exhibit the brass to "sack up" and face the difficult circumstances the lack of a rushing attack presents for them. Mariucci, gives lip service to establishing the running game, yet does little to establish the rhythm of the running attack and seems too preoccupied with personnel packages and schemes to utilize the high round draft picks (McDougle, Raiola, and Backus who have been harvested from collegiate backgrounds that have featured ground game-oriented offenses)and run between the tackles. This is partially attributable to the ineffectiveness of the aforementioned Offensive Linemen, two of whom (Raiola and McDougle), are in contract seasons and should be exhibiting better performances than they have thus far. Kevin Jones also deserves some criticism. He has the tools necessary to potentially be a sucessful back in the NFL. That being said, he must learn to grit his teeth, stick his head down, and get a three yard gain by pumping his legs and driving the pile. It is fundamental football, if he is ever going to gain any measure of success, he will have to learn when the situation calls to "gut it out" and when it time to "kick it out". He is too often looking for yardage on the edge of the defense that honestly isn't there. Many Lion fans didn't like James Stewart as a feature running back. They thought he was injured too often, lacked the game-breaking explosiveness, and paled in comparison to the back the organization featured just prior to his arrival in Detroit (Barry, stupid!). At this point, I would gladly take his tough running style. He was fearless between the tackles and always exhibited great effort. In the current Lions running attack, how many second effort yards do you see being gained?
Acknowledging the Lions have a non-existent ground game, the Lions have been very vanilla in the ways in which they have chose to address their offensive situation. A typical series of downs will be: 1st down)Kevin Jones to the oustide no gain 2nd Down and 10 yds)3 yd slant to Streets/Hakim/Alexander that was not thrown accurately so no yards were gained after the catch. 3rd and 7yds)First, a major shuffling of the personnel package,then either a "Wayne Fontes Draw", Screen to Bryson, or a 5 yd pass after the defense has blitzed causing Harrington to decide to "check down" due to the incoming pressure. Tell me I am wrong about this! Teams are bringing their safeties up and often times are loading 8-9 players into the "tackle box". They are showing blitz and blitzing. David Loverne and Dom Raiola are blocking like turnstiles and Harrington when feeling the onset of pressure is throwing underneath where the heart of the defensive personnel are lying in wait, to quickly snuff out the play for little gain. Loading players around the line of scrimmage makes the already non-existent ground game even more ineffective. Teams are essentially daring Steve Mariucci and his protege, Joey Harrington to throw down-field against man-to-man coverage over the top of the defense and they are refusing to do it. I realize that Harrington is facing pressure, and doesn't have the league's strongest passing arm, but sometimes you have to stand in there and throw the 15-20 yard pass that the defense is giving you. Not to be-labor a point, the increased emphasis on calling a penalty for defensive contact more than 5 yards down field has given the offense a distinct advantage that most teams have had the awareness to adjust their play-calling to. Heck,the Lions got one called for them yesterday when they threw downfield to Reggie Swinton. This philosophically-determined approach to calling plays will be this team's undoing this season. They are going to have to take the onus off of trying to establish the run and will have to work even harder to throw the ball accurately and efficiently, if they are going to be able to feature any offense whatsoever for the remainder of the season.
After the coaching, Joey Harrington, has to answer why he has so consistently played poorly at home. He has appeared flat emotionally and their was a noticeable lack of urgency throughout the day. How could he, or the team for that matter, be so unaffected by the unexpected and emotionally charged retirement of Robert Porcher. Not only that, seem so flat when they are playing a feature game on the Fox network, where it's pre-game broadcast team, actually were broadcasting from Detroit. How could they seem so flat when it was a milestone game for their teammate, Jason Hanson, who tied the team record for most games played, with the team's honorary captain, Wayne Walker. This is utterly inexcusable! Joey Harrington never threw an accurate pass to an open receiver all day. Furthermore, the total lack of time or game management during the Lions 2:00 min drill at the end of the game was an embarassment. Again, there was no palpable sense of urgency, in a situation where they might be able to reclaim victory from the jaws of defeat. Enough Said!
Through all of this, the Redskins played poorly as well. At no point were the Lions ever out of reach of winning but yet they did nothing to improve upon thier chances either. They lost the field position game and time of posession game. They suffered from many costly penalties, though not nearly as many as Washington. Mark Brunell was incapable of connecting with his receivers and other than Clinton Portis the team's best "offensive" player was Tom Tupa, who kept the Lions in bad field position the entire day. One last thing, why did Chuck Priefer keep sending Jody Littleton in to snap if he was injured and had snapped poorly twice in a row? It was very poor coaching to have Littleton snap on the punt that was blocked. You don't think the Redskins had taken notive of that situation? I am thoroughly disgusted as a Lions fan.
The Redskins have exercised some dominance over the Lions in recent history. This a link to another blogger's perception of that dominance. (Redskins Blog:Skins own Lions by Rich Tandler, http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=citadel-2_314436_93&prov=citadel&type=lgns)
He mentions the words Wayne Fontes and brain lock in the same sentence. Who wudda thunk? This is a must victory on so many levels for the Lions organization this week.
Thus far the Lions have not enjoyed the benefit of home field advantage. They have actually played quite poorly in two out of their three home games. Many fans and pundits hold different theories in regards to this deficiency. Ford Field is a Xanadu-like monument to football excess. Yet, it has none of the aura (or stench) of the indoor biker rally-atmosphere that defined the Pontiac Silverdome. The fans who attend, are generally, of a higher class than the more blue collar denizens of the "Dome", too. I think the higher prices, 20,000 less seats, and garish luxury boxes have all altered the demographic of game attendees. All of these factors combined with the poor quality of play, lack of star-quality personnel and poor management over recent years have made Ford Field friendly confines for away teams instead of the hostile hell-hole that was the Silverdome.
It is important this week that the Lions get off to a good start in this game and bring the fans the type of game that might help to generate the atmosphere that often provided the Lions with an advantage while playing in Pontiac. Lion fans are ravenous for a good team and the Lions are teetering on the brink. This is the week that the Lions need to run well and consistently against the top rated defense in the league (2nd in rushing). The Washington front seven is stalwart even without the presence of Pro Bowler LaVar (Don't call me Jordie) Arrington. The Lions obviously are going to have continue with their trend of not turning the ball over. The Lions have not lost a fumble yet this year, to the credit of Tom Rathman and the rest of the Lions staff. Washington is also a very good secondary even with the trade of Champ Bailey. Shawn Springs is finally starting to blossom into the player he was expected to be several years ago and Fred Smoot seems to be more focused this season. Free Safety Sean Taylor has been a valuable addition but with his DUI arrest it is questionable what factor he may have in the game against the Lions. Harrington is going to have to be efficient and continue to complete a high percentage of his passes. The availability of Roy Williams to play will have a major factor upon how the Redskins play the Lions offense. His ability to make big plays forces defenses to have to game plan specifically for him. The Lions offensive execution will have to attain a high watermark if it expects to be effective against this defense.
On defense, Mark Brunell has been terrible this season. The Lions defense can't allow him to get out early and successfully start to make plays. The Redskins offense has been very ineffective and the Lions will have to effectively pressure Brunell to keep him off balance. Brunell still has some scrambling ability so the Lions will have to be careful as he leaves the pocket. They certainly were embarassed last week when Testaverde had to successful runs against them. Shaun Rogers and Dan Wilkinson will have to continue to be immovable forces in the center of the Lions defense so that they force Clinton Portis to have to run laterally. The Lions linebackers will have to be quick to the edge of the defense to prevent Portis from making big plays. The Lions secondary will have a major challenge this week with tough posession receivers like Rod Gardner, Laveranues Coles and James Thrash. A healthy Dre Bly and Fernando Bryant can't afford to give up big plays to the Skins receivers. Even with the Skins' poor performances of late the Lions really have to execute much better than they did last week. Special Teams and Penalties were in particular factors in the Lions undoing last week. I don't like this game one bit, this is the type of game we have come to see the Lions lose through the years. Facing an ailing team, rather than giving an A effort with excellence of execution we often see a C- effort and continually costly blunders. That factored with the Lions coaching staff's continuing conservatism I think the Lions will yet again disappoint it's loyal fans with a 17-14 loss.
32. Detroit Offense vs./ 1st Washington Defense
Yardage
Yards 1745/ 1766
YPG 249.3(32nd)/ 252.3(1st)
Scoring
Points 137/ 123
PPG 19.6(19th)/ 17.6(8th)
Passing
YPG 172.7(26th)/ 165.4(4th)
TD 12(8th)/5(2nd)
Sack 17(18th)/ 17(10th)
INT 4(6th)/8(6th)
Rushing
YPG 76.6(31st)/86.9(2nd)
TD 3(25th)/4(7th)
Washington Offense (27th) vs./ Detroit Defense(24th)
Yardage
Yards 1952/ 2525
YPG 278.9(26th)/360.7(29th)
Scoring
Points 98/154
PPG 14.0(31st)/22.0(20th)
Passing
YPG 165.7(28th)/253.3(29th)
TD 8(19th)/11(20th)
Sack 17(18th)/23(2nd)
INT 8(24th)/8(6th)
Rushing
YPG 113.1(15th)/107.4(11th)
TD 2(29th)/6(18th)
Takeaways Giveaways
Team INT/ FUM/ TTL/ INT/FUM/TTL/ DIFF
1.Det 8/ 9/ 17/ 4/ 1/ 5/ +12
22.Was 8/ 4/ 12/ 8/ 7/ 15/ -3
QB's
player ATT/ CMP/ PCT/ YARDS/ YD/G/ TD/ INT RATE
HARR 190/ 118/ 62.1/ 1294/ 184.9/ 12/ 4/ 94.5
BRUN 212/ 111/ 52.4/ 1130/ 161.4/ 7/ 5/ 69.1
Red Zone Performance weeks 5-8
Team OFF DEF
Td/Poss/ RED%/ TD/Opp Pos/ Red%
DET 6/7/ 86%/ 6/13/ 46%
WAS 4/8/ 50%/ 3/6/ 50%
I have compiled a list of QB's who thrown passes for the Lions over the last 25 years, my most distant memory of a Lions team. I have the players listed in ranking order of the number of passing attempts per season, the first QB listed having the most, etc. Please if you are prone to depression, remember this is only a list and is not intended to conjure up indigestion, bad vibes, migraines and other ailments associated with being a long term Lions fan.
1979 B.B.(before Billy)
Jeff Komlo
Scott Hunter
Joe Reed
1980 A.B.(after Billy)
Gary Danielson
Jeff Komlo
1981
Eric Hipple
Gary Danielson
Jeff Komlo
1982
Danielson
Hipple
1983
Hipple
Danielson
1984
Danielson
Mike Machurek
Hipple
1985
Hipple
Joe Ferguson
1986
Hipple
Ferguson
Chuck Long
1987
Long
Todd Hons (who the hell?)
1988
Rusty Hilger
Long
Hipple
John Witkowski
1989 (Barry Dynasty begins)
Bob Gagliano
Rodney Peete
Hipple
Long
1990
Peete
Gagliano
Andre Ware
1991
Erik Kramer
Peete
1992
Peete
Kramer
Ware
1993
Peete
Kramer
Ware
1994
Scott Mitchell
Dave Krieg
1995
Mitchell
Don Majikowski(who can forget the Majik Man?)
1996
Mitchell
Majikowski
1997
Mitchell
Frank Reich
Matt Blundin
1998 (end of the Barry Dynasty)
Charlie Batch
Reich
Mitchell
1999
Gus Frerotte
Batch
2000
Batch
Stoney Case
2001
Batch
Ty Detmer (What draft pick was given up for 7 INT's?)
Mike McMahon
2002
Joey Harrington
McMahon
2003
Harrington
McMahon
2004
Harrington
The Sporting News assembled a group of NFL experts to determine it's Top 50 NFL quarterbacks of all-time. It was a subjective poll, but it makes a nice read. It will come as little surprise that the Lions only had two members of the team make the list, #16 Bobby Layne and #44 Dutch Clark, neither of whom has played in a Lions uniform since 1958. The issue is worth a look, it also ranks the Top 5 Qb's for each team.
Sporting News Top 25
1.Johnny Unitas/14.Sid Luckman
2.Joe Montana/15.Dan Fouts
3.Otto Graham/16.Bobby Layne
4.John Elway/17.Norm Van Brocklin
5. Sammy Baugh/18.Sonny Jurgensen
6.Dan Marino/19.Jim Kelly
7. Brett Favre/20.Yelbertson A. Tittle
8.Terry Bradshaw/21.Len Dawson
9.Roger Staubach/22.Bob Griese
10. Bart Starr/23.Joe Namath
11. Fran Tarkenton/24.Warren Moon
12. Troy Aikman/25.Peyton Manning
13.Steve Young
I personally feel this list is slanted a little towards modern day QB's. I believe the game management skills and play-calling exhibited by early vintage NFL QB's merits some weight over the modern day QB's inflated passing stats due to the priority placed upon the passing game in modern day football. I have a very hard time accepting that Brett Favre is better than Terry Bradshaw or that
Troy Aikman is ranked higher than so many great players.
Other notables in the top 50:
#48 Tom Brady U of M grad
#50 Bennie Friedman U of M grad/Detroit Wolverines who were purchased by Tim Mara and became the New York Football Giants.
Lions Top 5 (according to Sporting News)
1.Bobby Layne
2.Dutch Clark
3.Scott Mitchell
4.Greg Landry
5.Bill Munson
This list is quite debatable. Where is Milt Plum? How about Eric Hipple or Erik Kramer. I think Mitchell had one or two spectacular seasons but I do not believe he should be on this list. What do you think?
Lions Passing Yards-Career
1.Layne 15,710
2.Mitchell 12,647
3.Landry 12,451
4.Danielson 11,885
5.Hipple 10,711
6.Batch 9,016
7.Plum 8,536
8.Munson 8,461
9.Peete 8,164
10.Morrall 6,280
TD Passes-Career
1. Layne 118
2.Landry 80
3.Mitchell 79
4.Danielson 69
5.Munson 56
6.Hipple 55
Plum 55
8. Morrall 52
9.Batch 49
10. Peete 38
Comp %-Career (min 500 passes)
1. Peete 57.0
2.Mitchell 56.7
3. Danielson 56.5
4.Batch 56.0
5.Kramer 55.2
6. Long 54.8
7.Landry 54.8
8. Munson 54.5
9.Hipple 53.7
10. Harrington 53.3
Passer Rating-Career
1.Mitchell 79.2
2.Batch 76.9
3. Morrall 76.4
4. Kramer 75.5
5.Munson 75.2
6.Danielson 74.7
7.Landry 73.4
8. Peete 72.9
9. Hipple 68.7
10. Long 64.8
Robert Porcher ended his 13 years of playing with the Lions yesterday. He is third in all-time games played in franchise history, with 187. He is also seventh all-time in tackles with 673. Porcher should now assume a role among the likes of Joe Schmidt, Chris Spielman, and Lem Barney among others who should be highly regarded among Lion fans.
He is also the ALL-Time Sacks Leader for the Team
1.Porcher 95.5
2.Bubba Baker 75.5
3.Mike Cofer 63.0
4.William Gay 61.0
5.Tracy Scroggins 60.5
6.Doug English 59.0
7.Ken Sanders 39.0
8.Dave Pureifory 37.0
9.Curtis Green 33.5
10.Keith Ferguson 28.5
He also ranks fourth, seventh and tenth in number of sacks in a season all-time.
1.Bubba Baker 23
2.Bubba Baker 18
3.Bubba Baker 16
4.Porcher 15.0
5.William Gay 13.5
6.Doug English 13.0
7.Porcher 12.5
8. Dave Pureifory 12.0
Mike Cofer 12.0
10.Porcher 11.5
I will have to add that if James Hall and Kalimba Edwards resume their current pace they may join this list.
After recently missing a practice, and the announcement that the front office and Robert Porcher will meet today, it appears that a Lions legend and true first class individual will be bidding adieu. It is a reflection of the depth the team possesses in it's defensive line that they could reduce the playing time of such a strong locker room presence and one of the franchise's finest players. It doesn't appear that the relationship will end as gracefully as both parties would have initially liked either. As a Lion fan, I hope that the Lions do the right thing and make a Porcher a member of their organization, if he would be interested. The Lions would be hard pressed to find a better example of a "company man" than Porcher. He very much deserves to retire as member of the organization as opposed to being released and ending the final games of his career with a different team. I will be very disappointed if the Porcher is released and appears against the Lions in two weeks in a Jaguar uniform.
This was another perfect example of the quintessential disappointing Lions performance. Facing a team with 2 practice squad receivers, 1 aging receiver, an effective young Tight End, no running game to be spoke of, and a lead-footed 41 year old QB, the Lions defense managed only one sack ,gave up several big plays to the two obvious weapons,gave up a scrambling TD to the aforementioned lead-footed QB and allowed the D.O.A. running attack of the Cowboys to be exhumed from it's grave. That doesn't even begin to factor poor special teams play into the equation.
The Lions are a young team and it is expected to experience it's share of ups and downs. That being said, this is one of those games when the Lions are hovering on the periphery of playoff contention they will wish they had back. The Lions have yet again also contributed to the awakening of a sleeping giant. It is obvious that there will be continue to be bumps in the road and we as fans will have to learn to roll with the team's varied performances week to week. Yet it is not unfair to expect more, I realize that Corey Schlesinger was unavailable yet again and that Stephen Trejo was injured early in the game leaving Shawn Bryson as the team's lone fullback, still is it too much to ask that this team attempt to run the ball against a squad who had been recently giving up 5 yards a carry to teams with less than effective running attacks? Also, when a team appears as limited as the Cowboys were personnel wise on offense, why did the Lions not attack Testaverde more after pressuring the QB played such a major factor in winning earlier hard-fought road games against the Giants and Falcons? If Lions front four were unable to garner more than one sack(they actually didn't get one Alex Lewis did), why not having the linebackers pin their ears back and pressure Vinny?
Their are two positives to be taken from this game:1) the Lions have yet again won the turnover battle and it yet again appears to be their M.O., they are an astounding +12. 2)Joey Harrington played a pretty good game considering that Roy Williams was unavailable and their was no running game to be spoken of.
The Lions MUST(!!!!!!) better utilize the young talents of Artose Pinner and Kevin Jones if it is going to continue to play the style of football that it currently exhibits. They do not have the playmakers, with the exception of Roy Williams, necessary to place the game entirely on Harrington's shoulders without the benefit of a more balanced attack. It is time to take stock in the performance of this offensive line, too. If they are unable to provide more of a push upfront, the Lions will have to continue to address their personnel at this position. Otherwise, they might as well bring in Mouse Davis and 5-6 Arena league receivers and go back to the run and shoot.
By the way, make sure you vote. This appears to be one of the more important elections in a very long time!