Detroit Lions Weblog

Mike Martz O-Coordinator? Lions Tab Beightol and Brown for Vacant Coaching Positions

Reportedly, the Lions and Mike Martz are discussing the possibility that he become the team’s offensive coordinator. Martz, an offensive guru, was the mercurial Rams Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator for “The Greatest Show on Turf” teams. I don’t question Martz’s abilities, but last season he was plagued with health issues and I wonder if he could mold players like Kevin Jones, Roy and Mike Williams to fit his system. I also believe that a Martz hiring would be the end of Joey Harrington in Detroit. Martz’s passing schemes leave the QB vulnerable to pressure since there are so many receivers in passing routes. Anybody who has seen even 5 minutes of the Lions in the last few years knows that Harrington wilts under pressure. Speaking of which, how exactly would the Lion’s offensive line become capable enough to run such an agressive offensive scheme? Factor in possibly losing Jeff Backus to free agency, I am unsure that Martz’s system would have the necessary players currently in place to be effective. I am also very concerned on how Kevin Jones would fit into a Martz offense. Not known for his blocking or pass-catching skills, Jones would also be likely to see the number of carries he gets remain criminally low. I think that the selection of Martz would be attention- grabbing, but not necessarily prudent.

The Lions recently added former Packer’s Offensive Line Coach Larry Beightol and former Texan’s Wide Receiver’s Coach Kippy Brown. This after announcing the hiring of Defensive Coordinator Donnie Henderson and the decision to retain the services of Special Teams Coordinator Chuck Priefer, Quality Control/Assistant Special Teams Coach Stan Kwan, Linebackers Coach Phil Snow and assistants Don Clemons and Adam Gase. Priefer, is a proven special teams coach even if the special teams underperformed last season.

Bengal’s Receiver’s Coach/Locker Room Pugilist Hue Jackson to become New Lion’s Offensive Coordinator?

It has been reported that Rod Marinelli is considering Bengal’s Receiver’s Coach Hue Jackson for the Lion’s Offensive Coordinator position. Jackson, who has some coordinating experience with the Redskins, has done an excellent job in Cincy coaching the team’s young receiving corps. Unfortunately, Jackson and WR Chad Johnson allegedly were engaged in some sort of halftime scrum in the Bengal’s playoff game against the “Stillers”.

Although many would probably like to see Jackson wring the necks of some of the members of the Lion’s young receiving corps, it remains to be seen what sort of offensive system Jackson would implement and how he would view entering the season with Joey Harrington on the roster. It would seem obvious that Marinelli is likely tapping Jackson to utilize a system similar to Bob Bratkowski’s in Cincy (hopefully?).

I also wonder if the Lion’s young receiving corps has kept up on former receiver’s coach Fred Graves regimen of catching bricks? It was so effective towards their success last season one would only hope that they defiantly stick to Graves’s plans.

Lions Hire D-Coordinator Donnie Henderson, lose out on Coaches Barry and Mularkey

The Lions have hired former Jets Defensive Coordinator Donnie Henderson for the same position on their coaching staff. Henderson, who has worked with Marinelli before in Tampa, had been a head coaching candidate until the Jets imploded this season. Henderson is also an adherent to the Dungy-style Tampa Cover-2 Defensive scheme. I am quite curious who will potentially unfold as the Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach. These are going to be very important hires for Marinelli.

Marinelli’s son-in-law, Joe Barry, is the Tampa Linebackers coach. It is believed that the Lions were denied access to Barry, whom Marinelli would have liked to have been hired for the Defensive Coordinator’s job. Also, the Miami Dolphins were able to hire Mike Mularkey as their Offensive Coordinator prior to the Lions having an opportunity to do so.

Things are moving fast, Dick Jauron becomes a Head Coach in Buffalo. Greg (former Lions QB Coach/Coordinator) Olson is the new Rams Offensive Coordinator. I do know one thing, if Jauron is able to achieve more success than Marinelli, the pissing and moaning many fans have expressed over the years for the Lions not hiring Gary Moeller will seem minute compared to the vitriol that would likely be expressed over Matt Millen’s failure to make the right coaching hire this time. At this point, I am very optimistic that Marinelli can be a difference-maker and successful Head Coach.

Mamma Mia, It’s Marinelli!

The Lion’s have finalized their head coaching search. They have selected Rod Marinelli. Marinelli, who has never been a head coach or defensive coordinator, appears to have been selected for his ability to teach young players, his high reputation league-wide as a position coach, and his reputation as someone who places a very high value on discipline, work ethic, and attitude. Many will question Matt Millen’s hiring of Marinelli. It seems very similar to the hiring of Marty Mornihnweg due to Marinelli’s lack of experience. Also, Marinelli’s name arose relatively late in the game as a potential candidate so many will fear that the Lion’s have settled for Marinelli over their other choices.

With Russ Grimm and Marinelli you have two coaches who are at relatively the same point in their careers. I have no problem with the Lions selecting Marinelli over Grimm. Jim Haslett, who was the groom left jilted at the altar, never really excited observers due to the poor performances of the teams he coached in New Orleans. It is hard to get excited by a retread coach.

The most curious aspect of Marinelli’s hiring for me is that the Lion’s defense have a few players who don’t really fit into the Tampa Cover-2 zone defensive scheme. The Tampa Cover-2 is also used by the Bucs, Colts, Bears and will be used by the Vikings, after naming Mike Tomlin their defensive coordinator. The Cover-2 zone defense features smaller, quicker, more athletic LB’s and DE’s and emphasizes pressuring the QB and not allowing deep passes to hurt your defense. Teams are often successful throwing underneath against the zone coverage, which the fast LB’s are usually able to neutralize.

The decision to hire a defensive coach after placing such a high emphasis on selecting offensive players in recent drafts is also puzzling. I wonder how much personnel turnover will need to occur to adjust to the new scheme and if the defense will become a draft priority in upcoming drafts. I am also concerned that along with the recnt Tomlin hiring, that Marinelli and Tomlin will be attempting to draw their staff from the same relatively small philosophical pool. I wonder if Marinelli will remain a stubborn devotee to the Cover-2 system, like Mooch did with the West Coast offense , or will he be willing to adapt to the personnel that the Lion’s currently possess.

Here are the 5 players the Cover-2 will have the most impact upon:
1) Kenoy Kennedy-will he become a LB ala Cato June with the Colts.
2) Shaun Rogers-he will probably need to lose weight to fit the scheme.
3) Will James Hall and Cory Redding become DT’s instead of DE’s, they are not typical of DE’s in this defense.
4) Shaun Cody-should fit the scheme well.
5) Boss Bailey-can he become a Derrick Brooks-like playmaker in this scheme?

My hope of hopes is that Marinelli can distinguish himself among the indistinguishable failed history of Lions coaches (Monte Clarkenweg, Darryl Rogersweg, Wayne Fontesweg(pronounced Font-tehz-weg), Bobby Rossinweg, and finally, Steve Mariucciweg) that stretches back (optimistically) over the last 25 seasons. Marinelli will have to make a lot of sweeping changes in order to avoid the baggage of past organizational failures from tainting his future plans. At this point, I remain cautiously optimistic that he will be able to do so.

2005 Detroit Lions Blog PostSeason Awards and “Lion Tamers”

Here are my player awards for the Detroit Lions 2005 season:

Bobby Layne Memorial Team MVP Award: Jason Hanson
Doak Walker Memorial Offensive MVP Award: Marcus Pollard
Joe Schmidt Defensive MVP Award: Earl Holmes
Yale Lary Special Teams MVP Award: Nick Harris
Al “Bubba” Baker Rookie of the Year: Shaun Cody

Chris Spielman Max-Effort Award: R.W. McQuarters
Robert Porcher Class & Leadership Award: Corey Schlesinger
James Stewart Most UnderAppreciated Player Award: Joey Harrington
Doug English Reliable Professional Award: “Big Daddy” Dan Wilkinson
Jeff Chadwick Most Surprising Performer: Scottie Vines
Mike Utley Most Inspiring Player: Jeff Backus
“Night Train” Lane Big Hitter Award: Kenoy Kennedy

Barry Sanders MV Back Award: Shawn Bryson
Charlie Sanders MV Receiver Award: Marcus Pollard
Lou Creekmur MV O-Linemen Award: Kyle Kosier
Les Bingaman MV D-Linemen Award: Shaun Rogers
Lem Barney MV D-Back Award: Dre Bly
Wayne Walker MV LB Award: Earl Holmes
Michael Cofer Pass Rusher of the Year: Kalimba Edwards

The Rick Mirer Mr. Insignificant Award: Mike Williams
Pat Swilling Most Disappointing Free Agent Acquisition Award: Rick DeMulling
Marty Mornihnweg Award for deftly Clutching Defeat from the Unclenched Jaws of Victory Award: Tie 1) Jeff Garcia game-losing INT vs. Bears 2) Shaun Rogers mind-numbing 15 yard penalty vs, the Packers.
Nick Eddy M.A.S.H. Award: Kevin Jones
Jeff Komlo Overwhelming Adversity Award: Joey Harrington
Andre Ware Annual 1st round Bust Award: Charles “GanjaMan” Rogers

The 2005 “Lion Tamers”
QB Michael Vick
QB Carson Palmer
QB Brad Johnson
FB William Henderson
RB Samkon Gado
RB Michael Bennett
RB Jerome Bettis
TE Alge Crumpler
WR Chad Johnson
WR Koren Robinson
WR Larry Fitzgerald
WR Joey Galloway

The Packer’s and Falcon’s O-Line

RS Antwaan Randle-El
RS Joshua Cribbs

DE Alex Brown
DE Lance Johnstone
DE/LB Terrell Suggs
DT Tommie Harris
DT Ian Scott
DT Grady Jackson
LB Lance Briggs
LB Brian Urlacher
LB Dan Morgan
CB Charles Tillman
CB D’Angelo Hall
DB Delthea O’Neal
S Mike Brown
S Darren Sharper
S Roy Williams

K Ryan Longwell
P Brad Maynard

Lion’s Head Coaching Search Down to 2 Candidates

According to Tom “Killer” Kowalski, the Lions are very close to making a decision on their search for a Head Coach. It is reportedly a dead heat between Jim Haslett and Rod Marinelli, with Haslett likely having the edge due to his previous head coaching experience in New Orleans and Marinelli’s experience being limited to that of a position coach, albeit one of the finest in the league. I think it would be a minor coup if the Lions could somehow acquire the services of BOTH candidates. Haslett could be H.C. and Marinelli a first time Defensive Coordinator. I really don’t like the Haslett hiring, but in a field of unremarkable candidates that is dimishing rapidly, he may be the most prudent choice. Unfortunately, this doesn’t improve the long range outlook for the success of this organization. If nothing else, Marinelli would make a nice interim Head Coach after Haslett is fired, right?

The Lions also lost out on the two team derby to procure the services of CFL QB Casey Printers. Printers will likely set the league afire while the Lions turn to signing one of the two available Huard brothers and continue to languish. If you can’t tell, I’m in a dark mood about the state of the Lion’s and their rapidly concluding Head Coaching search.

Rod Marinelli 2nd interview

The Lions will be bringing in Buc’s Defensive Line Coach Rod Marinelli for a second interview for their vacant head coaching position. Marinelli is reportedly under strong consideration for the same position in Oakland. The Lions will have to wait patiently for the Steelers to either lose this weekend or for the end of the Super Bowl, if Russ Grimm is Matt Millen’s frontrunner. It is quite possible that Grimm and the Lions have a preliminary deal in place like the one that is rumored to have been agreed upon by the Texans and Broncos Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak.

If the Lions somehow lose out on Grimm or if Matt Millen and the Ford’s grow impatient, it will be very interesting to see what other contenders will emerge since it seems increasingly more clear that Dick Jauron will not return and that Jim Haslett may be the leading candidate for the job in Buffalo. Can the Lions afford to wait until Feb. 6 to hire a head coach and assemble it’s staff?

Norv Turner is the Niners new Offensive Coordinator. This places any rumors regarding him coming along with Grimm to Detroit to bed. Mike Mularkey, who was a coordinator in Pittsburgh along with Grimm, may be who Grimm would potentially turn to next.

Wasn’t the Steelers-Colts game great? The officiating throughout the playoff weekend was awful, but the game still managed to be filled with intrigue and excitement. Two surprising things to emerge from that game were 1) Peyton Manning’s critical comments of his teammates 2) Joey Porter’s comments about the officiating.

Manning, far from a favorite of mine due to the glut of hype and hoopla that surrounds his performance, has annually failed to win big games and has consistently managed to underperform in nearly all of them. Nothing would provide me with greater happiness than if both of the Manning’s could continue this family tradition. Actually, their family would make an excellent setting for a modern Faulknerian novel of the “New South”

I think that Manning’s post-game comments in regards to the team’s difficulties at pass protection were a major cop-out and a little classless. Obviously, the team had major difficulties dealing with Pittsburgh’s pressure. That being said, his criticism has to be regarded as not only pointed at his teammates, but also at his coaching staff who suffered through a similar onslaught against the Chargers and had several weeks to devise the game plan in which they played with against the Steelers. Manning, whose gigantic salary cripples the team’s salary cap, ought to be careful who he is pointing his fingers toward.

Joey Porter made post-game comments questioning the integrity of the league’s officiating and by proxy the front office. These type of bold comments and conspiracy theories have been routinely levied against the NBA, but this is the first time I have been aware of an NFL player giving voice to similar notions.

With the multi-million dollar marketing, merchandising and general spectacle which surrounds the modern day NFL, you can’t help but wonder if there wasn’t a mysterious phone call made from the commisioner to the replay official’s booth to overturn the Polamulu interception That being said, Porter’s statements will not be taken as possessing much validity since he has been continually outspoken in recent years. The Machine that surrounds professional sports will continually come into question as it continues to grow. You hate to consider it, but you have to wonder if the line will continue to blur between professional sports and entertainment, like it has in nearly every other venue of the televised world.

Kirk Ferentz, Norvell Turner, and Me

The Iowa Hawkeyes Head Coach Kirk Ferentz, has formally removed his name from all speculative NFL Head Coaching possibilites. Ferentz, a member of the Belichick tree of coaches, is a name that has been often mentioned as potential head coach in recent years. Tom “Killer” Kowalski has mentioned that he doesn’t believe that Matt Millen would have seriously considered interviewing a collegiate coach.

Also heard mentioned on my local sports talk, WQTX 92.1, that Norv Turner would potentially be part of the group of assistants that Russ Grimm brings with him should he be hired. Turner, who has quite a bit of Head Coaching experience (with little success), would be an excellent choice as Offensive Coordinator/Assistant Head Coach should Grimm be hired (Grimm will be unexperienced). I think that a Turner-called Lion’s offense may be able to extract some benefits from untapped resources like Charles Rogers, Kevin Jones, and dare I say it, Joey Harrington. Turner’s offense is built around a strong running game and play-action passes. Turner would be bring the hoped for vertical component that Lion’s fans have longed for in recent seasons. However, some changes would definitely need to be made to the Lions O-Line for an offense designed by Turner to be successful. The O-Line would have to become proficient in allowing their Qb’s to have some time to drop back and throw as opposed to the quicker timing passes in the West Coast offense.

AFC Playoff Predictions

New England 28 Denver 21
The Pats will run just effectively enough that they will keep the Bronco’s offense off of the field. The Pats will spread out the Bronco defense and attack every defensive back not named Champ Bailey. Some factors that could turn the game in the Bronco’s favor: 1) Their fast athletic LB’s are able to pressure Brady and are also able to assist the young Bronco’s DB’s in pass coverage. 2) Tatum Bell is able to break big plays against the stout Pats run defense.

Indy 31 Steelers 17
The Colts offense is too much for the Steelers to handle. Their only hopes are that they are to generate the pressure on Manning that the Chargers were able to several weeks ago. The Steeler’s secondary is severely outmanned and can’t allow the game to become a shoot-out. If the Steelers can garner an early lead, they will pound the quick, undersized Colts defense with the “Bus”. If Bettis gains 85+ yds and has two TD’s, the Colts will lose.

NFC Playoff Predictions

Seahawks 31 Redskins 13
The Seahawks will win their first playoff game since 1984 leaving the Bengals (1990) and Lions (1991) as the team’s with longest droughts of playoff victories. The Redskins only hope is to limit the damage from league MVP Shaun Alexander and for them to be able to play turnover-free football. I believe that the charmed existence for Mark Brunell ends in Seattle.

Panthers 17 Bears 9
This game promises to be the most physically brutal of all of the matchups. The Bears will win in a squeaker if Jake Delhomme commits some costly turnovers or if they are able to neutralize Steve Smith. I have no confidence that Rex Grossman will be prepared to lead the Bears to victory. It is the Panther’s game to lose.

CFL QB’s, The “Nicktator”, Donnie Mexico

Apparently, CFL QB Casey Printers has narrowed down the NFL teams which he is willing to consider playing for. Printers would like to play for either the Lions or the Chiefs. I don’t deny that Printers might posess some untapped talent, but since when (Warren Moon?) does a CFL QB dictate whom he is willing to try out for? Short of Warren Moon, Joe Theisman, and Jeff Garcia, name one CFL QB who has left any sort of lasting impression in the NFL? Dieter Brock? Henry Burris? Ricky Ray? Vince Ferragamo? I realize that the general lack of quality NFL QB’s creates a situation where no stone can be left unturned when scouting for the position (ala Kurt Warner). The Printers situation will be an interesting to sort “oot”, eh.(couldn’t resist)

Lynn Henning wonders in his Detroit News article today (01/10/06) whether the team’s state would be much different if it had hired the “Nicktator”, Nick Saban, instead of Steve “Honest I Was Better Than Marty” Mariucci. Saban had ties to coaching in the midwest with his coaching for the Browns and Michigan State. It is quite clear, besides becoming a coach du jour, that Saban can coach circles around “Mooch”, even if his players aren’t among his biggest fans.

Donnie Mexico (Marcus Vick), younger brother of Ron Mexico (Michael Vick), sure is setting himself up for an auspicious NFL debut, huh. If Matt Millen even considers selecting Vick the younger after what the team has gone through with Charles Rogers, I will vomit. Pro Football Talk seems to believe that Michael Vick will persuade the team’s owner Arthur Blank to give his brother a shot. Unquestionably, Marcus Vick is a fine talent. What he decides to do with his chance for millions is clearly up to him. That being said, I am dumbfounded that someone (short of T.O.) would so willingly flush millions right down the commode.

Here is a tally of potential Lions Coaches:

Interviewed:
1) Russ Grimm Steelers
2) Dick Jauron
3) Jim Haslett Saints
4) Maurice Carthon Browns
5) Gary Kubiak Broncos

Will be Interviewed:
1) Tim Lewis Giants
2) Mike Singletary Niners
3) Rod Marinelli Bucs

Linked to the Lions but?:
1) Al Saunders Chiefs
2) Kirk Ferentz Iowa
3) Cam Cameron Chargers

Oh Lord, Please Avoid:
1) Mike Martz
2) Any Coach besides Kubiak who is a proponent of the “West Coast Offense”. Been there, Done That!
3) Matt Millen

Winter of Discontent:Lion’s 2005 Postmortem

27. Detroit Offense / 20. Detroit Defense

Yardage
Yards 4319/ 5158
YPG 269.9(27)/ 322.4(20)

Scoring
PTS 254/ 345
PPG 15.9(28)/ 21.6(21)

Passing
YPG 178.0(26)/ 194.9(13)
TD 15(26)/ 19(14)
Sack 31(10)/ 31(24)
INT 18(24)/ 19(7)

QB Comparison
———-ATT/CMP—YDS–%—YPA–TD/INT–RTG
Harrington-330/188-2021-57.0-6.12-12/12–72.0
Garcia—–173/102–937-59.0–5.42-3/6—-65.1

Receiving Totals
———–REC–YARDS–AVG–LNG–TD
Pollard—46—–516—–11.2—86—3
R. Williams-45–687—–15.3—51–8
Vines——40—417—–10.4—40—0
Bryson—-37—284——7.7—-63—0

Rushing
YPG 91.9(26)/ 127.5(24)
TD 10(22)/ 15(20)

Rushing Totals
——-CAR–YDS–AVG–LNG–TD
Jones-186—664–3.6—40—-5
Pinner-106–349–3.3—19—-3
Bryson-64–306–4.8—-77—-1
Turnovers
——Takeaways—-Giveaways—-
—INT–FUM–TTL—INT–FUM–TTL–+/-
—19—12—–31—-18—12—-30–+1

Team Efficiency
OFFENSE
—Oplays–RushAVG–PassAvg–OAvg–
—955—–3.64———5.17——4.52

DEFENSE
—-Dplays–RushAvg–PassAvg–DAvg–
—1006——4.18——6.02——-5.13

Red Zone
OFFENSE
—-OPoss–TD–FG–Scor%–TD%
—-36——-18–12–.833—-.500

DEFENSE
—-DPoss–TD–FG–Scor%–TD%
—53——-27—17–.830—-.509

Time Of Posession
Det 29:13 Opp 30:47

First Downs
DET 258 Opp 308

Third Downs
DET 87/224 (38.8) Opp 82/208(39.4)

Fourth Downs
DET 7/17(41.2) Opp 6/11(54.5)

Penalties
DET 115/838

Grading the 2005 Team
Offense: D- Defense C-
Special Teams: C Coaching: F-
Front Office: F

OFFENSE:D-

QB’s: C-
Garcia and Harrington each get better grades than they probably deserve. Harrington was saddled with an ill-fitting offensive sceme, poor line play, the lack of a run game and no support from the coaching staff. Garcia gets a better grade due to his toughness and desire to play even if his former talents have quite obviously grown dormant. Dan Orlovsky remains an unkown commodity. Nothing warms the cockles of Lion’s fans hearts than an unblemished QB.

Weaknesses: Offensive Scheme, Poor Personnel, QB Carousel
2006: The Lions could be facing the acquisition of 2 new Qb’s. I believe that Joey will restructure his contract and return to the Lions to compete for a starting job. Who ever assumes the H.C. job must find a way to mold this offense and break it’s bad habits.

RB’s: D
I don’t know if there was a more under-utilized talent in the entire NFL than Kevin Jones this season. Even with nagging injuries, poor blocking and a terrible offensive philosophy neutered the very promising Jones. Artose Pinner did a valiant job as a sub. I believe that Pinner is ill-suited to the future of the Lions. He is not fast enough or adept enough to become the 3rd down back and is not a strong enough runner to become a short yardage back. Shawn Bryson did an excellent job, even if Steve Mariucci’s gushing man-crush for Bryson was a constant cause for nausea.

Weakness: Lack of Consistency, Ill-defined roles
2006: It is paramount that the Lions establish a consistent ground game. The new H.C. must determine the roles of each back on the roster and not suffer from the same brain-lock as the previous 2 H.C.’s. Will Matthews will hopefully emerge as a potential replacement for Corey Schlesinger. If not the Lions will need to find a young FB.

WR’s: F
Bad Habits, Lack of Discipline and a combo of too much hype and an inordinate amount of mollycoddling destroyed this much-maligned unit. Charles Rogers’ midseason suspension didn’t help matters, either. A new head coach, after tearing up the 2005 playbook and brooming out the dead weight, must find a way to appeal to these player’s sensibilities and help them salvage their young careers. Roy Williams is gifted but suffers from an obvious lack of focus. Mike Williams could have used another year of college football. The Lions must determine if he is a TE or WR and find a way to utilize his abilties. Scottie Vines deserves a lot of credit for being a pleasant surprise. Kevin Johnson looked promising until he was injured. Charles Rogers has earned the right to be considered a monumental bust on par with R. Jay Soward, Ryan Leaf, Maurice Clarett, et al.

Weakness:Poor hands, Lack of discipline and consistency, Lack of accountability
2006:Fred Graves was supposed to be a stern taskmaster. This group is plagued with idiocy. A new H.C. will have exhibit some serious tough love. First off, release Rogers. Then treat these guys as if they are on the roster bubble, like they should be. Find a consistent possession receiver who has sure hands and will convert third and long yardage.

TE’s: C-
Marcus Pollard made some nice plays. Still, he had some crucial dropped passes and didn’t deliver upon the component the Lions thought they would have with his addition. Again, the offensive scheme sorely underutilized his abilities. Casey FitzSimmons appears promising but did absolutely nothing to distinguish himself from your run-of-the-mill practice squad flotsam that nearly every roster possesses. If he can’t become a better run blocker or diversify his abilities (become an H-back or Long Snapper) he will be selling life insurance by this time next year.

weakness: inconsistency, lack of big plays, poor run blocking
2006: The Lions need a run-blocking TE with good hands. They also need to groom an eventual replacement for Marcus Pollard. I would like for a new H.C. to find a way to better utilize this position in the offense.

OLINE: D

The Line Group improved as the season progressed. Coach Pat Morris was fired along with Mariucci. At that point, new coach Pat Kugler dumbed down the scheme and the group was better. Routinely, the pocket collapsed on pass plays, blitzes went unblocked, and the line didn’t get much drive off of the ball in the ground game. Rick DeMulling was a free agent bust. Kelley Butler has a long ways to go but is promising. Jeff Backus improved as the season progressed. The team never possessed good enough guard on either side. Damien Woody is very vocal, but his performance has never matched his paycheck.

Weakness:Need I Elaborate?
2006: If the Lions lose Backus to free agency, they will be likely replacing 2 starters on the O-line. This group needs continuity and a coach who will find a way to build upon their end of season improvement. Damien Woody must come to camp in shape and ready to play. It should an off-season priority to find another competent starting guard.

DEFENSE: C-

DLINE: C+

The best personnel group the Lion’s have. If the Lions had been better at stopping the run and were able to generate a more consistent pass rush they would have scored a lot higher. “Big Baby”, “Big Daddy”, Marcus Bell and Shaun Cody were all consistent. The lack of consistency from the DE’s really hurt the team. At times, James Hall and Kalimba Edwards look very promising. Corey Redding is very consistent and dependable. He is not much of a playmaker, though. Jared DeVries and Marcus Bell provide nice depth. Shaun Cody should become a bigger factor next season.

Weakness: Maddening penalties and mental lapses, Lack of Pass Rush,
2006: “Big Daddy” Wilkinson’s advanced age should become a roster concern. He has performed well as a Lion but how much longer will he be able to do so? Shaun Cody needs to be more involved and hopefully help the team to generate more of an inside pass rush. Kalimba Edwards, a free agent, is the most dynamic member of this group. If he leaves, they must find a way to apply consistent pressure to opposing QB’s, a daunting task.

LB’s: C
Dogged by injuries, this group performed well at times. That being said, opponents were able to exploit their deficiencies. They were not consistent enough to stop the run effectively. MLB Earl Holmes may have been the team’s MVP prior to his injury. He is aging, but was on pace to have an exceptional year. WLB “Dirty” Davis was largely a non-factor. He is not very tough against the run and is not a play-maker. SLB Boss Bailey, has a lot of promise but has not provided the dreamt of playmaking ability that the Lions had once expected. Injuries have become a major factor in Bailey’s once promising career. LB Teddy Lehman needs an established role. The Lions need to determine if he is a future starter or more of a utility backer.

Weakness:Stopping the run, often burned in pass coverage, lack of play-making, game-breaking production.
2006:If A.J. Hawk is available still when the Lions draft, select him. Determine the roles of each backer. If they don’t sign Earl Holmes, find a competent MLB who is more versatile than the run-stuffing Holmes. Find a way to tap Bailey’s incredible potential.

DB’s: D
Dre Bly is a play-maker who takes a lot of chances and often pays for them. The other Lion’s CB’s provide depth but none of them are suitable to being starters. R.W. McQuarters was very valuable as a complete package. He is ill-suited to being a starting CB, though. Stanley Wilson, Jr. is an unproven commodity who hopefully will find a larger role next season. Fernando Bryant has been a bust, largely due to injury. Andre Goodman gets burned much too easily. Keith Smith didn’t make the hoped for strides of improvement in his second season. This unit still allows too many big plays. SS Kenoy Kennedy is a punishing tackler but didn’t provide the consistent run support the Lions are paying him for. FS Terrence Holt didn’t have alot of range and often let receivers get behind him, a cardinal sin. FS Jon McGraw, was ineffective when he was inserted in Holt’s stead. Hopefully, the Lions don’t lose a very high draft pick over Mcgraw’s contribution.

Weakness:Big plays, lack of playmaking production,
2006: A replacement for FS and CB are probably in the works. I still like Terrence Holt as a player, the Lions need to groom him as a SS. A solid complementary CB to Bly would improve the Lions tremendously. McQuarters, who was a valuable role player, is a free agent. I believe that the Lions should re-sign him. A ball-hawking Free Safety could make a huge difference, too. Demand that Bly focus his attention on making plays and the performance of the defense, as opposed to popping off in the media and underming the offense with his opinions.

Special Teams:C

The Coverage Units allowed a lot of big plays. Nick Harris did an excellent job helping the Lions in the field position battle. Jason Hanson performed well after recovering from early injury. The Lions may need a kickoff specialist to lighten Hanson’s load as he advances in age. The Returns team’s did make some big plays, mostly when McQuarters was receiving kicks. Eddie Drummond is a free agent and may have lost a lot of money with his mediocre output.

2006:If Drummond leaves, find a return specialist.

Coaching: F-
This season appeared doomed from the onset. The ass-kicking the Lion’s received from the Rams in the pre-season exposed the Lions lack of preparation, mental toughness and physical toughness. I don’t the team fully recovered from not meeting preseason expectations and was sorely lacking in discipline. Mariucci’s stubborn nature and unwillingness to adapt will define his tenure as coach. Dick Jauron provided better preparation and did a noble job, probably does not deserve to become the new head coach.

2006: Use an offensive scheme which suits the abilities of the Lion’s young skill players. Broom out the garbage personnel-wise. Restore the order to the cancerous Lion’s locker room. 2005 was probably the most dysfunctional and openly contentious Lion’s locker room ever. Establish the standard’s for what is acceptable and accountable performance from the team’s personnel, top to bottom. For God’s sake, don’t be nice to these players!

Front Office: F

Failed draft picks (Mike Williams), lack of contribution from lower draft picks (Bill Swancutt, Johnathan Goddard, Stanley Wilson, Jr.), and poor free agent acquisitions (Rick DeMulling, Fernando Bryant, Dave Loverne, Bill Schroeder) are all emblematic of Millen’s checkered tenure. He must trust his football instincts and find a coach who will develop a team to match it’s team president’s personality. His failure to stand front and center to the team’s failings has been a huge disappointment. Seems to be improving, but his record speaks for itself.

2006 Lion’s Needs to Improve:
1) Establish a Ground game
2) Stop the opponent’s ground attack consistently.
3) Focus, preparation, discipline
4) Develop an offensive philosophy that suits the team’s perosnnel
5) Playmaking Defensive talent. Capable players on roster lack game changers!

Personnel Needs:
FB/backup FB (Will Sledge be back?Is Will Matthews going to develop?)
starting OG/OT?(Backus stays or goes?)
Consistent, Dependable Possession receiver (TE? Kevin Johnson if can recover from injury? Is Mike Williams a TE or WR?)
Return Specialist (If they don’t re-sign Drummond or McQuarters, who will field kicks?)
TE (the team needs a blocking TE and to develop an eventual replacement for Pollard)
Pass Rushing DE (The teams needs to back opposing QB’s uncomfortable more consistently. Will Kalimba return and put together a complete season?)
LB (Will Earl Holmes return? Desperately need a playmaker here)
CB (Who will start opposite Dre Bly?)
FS (They need a ballhawker who will not let receivers get behind him)