Detroit Lions Weblog

Week 4: Lions Vs. Bears Preview

This week’s Lions/Bears game has a lot of long term ramifications for both teams as the current season unfolds.   The Bears, benching their starting QB for a veteran backup in Brian Griese, need to establish the consistency that helped them to make the playoffs each of the last two seasons.  The Lions are celebrating the faded memories of their last league championship today, by bringing back the surviving members of their fabled 1957 team.  This game also marks Matt Millen’s 100th as team president, and they are coming off an embarrassing (that’s your word not mine!) loss to the Eagles where they allowed 8 TD’s to a once dormant Eagles offense.

To say that this a huge intra-divisional game for both teams is an understatement.    As the Lions continue to attempt to prove that they are not the “Same Ol’ Lions” each game, especially those at home, carry more weight.  The Bears have enjoyed being the class of the NFC North during recent seasons, but the jackrabbit start of the Packers has placed more pressure upon the Bears to perform well in each game than they have been accustomed to in recent years.

Offensively, it’s the same old tired refrain for the Lions.   The Bears have a tough rushing defense, but the Lions need to at least give lip service to their ground attack to keep the Bears safeties, linebackers, and defensive ends honest when the Lions attempt to pass.  Kevin Jones should get more involved in the Lions offense each passing week, and considering the lackluster performance of Tatum Bell, and continuing injury problems of T.J. Duckett, Jones involvement can’t return to the fore a moment too soon.

 The Bears have a ton of injuries on defense (Nathan Vasher, Charles Tillman, Lance Briggs, Tommie Harris, Dusty Dvoracek, and Mike Brown) and are coming off of a poor performance against the Cowboys last week.

Considering the Bears banged up defense, the Lions may have one of their best opportunities, while playing at home, to actually beat the Bears.  Even if Calvin Johnson’s playing time is reduced, the Lions have got to love their chances if they get to face CB’s Ricky Manning, Jr. and Trumaine McBride as starters.   When the Lions utilize their multi-receiver sets, they should really enjoy a serious advantage, as long as they are able to keep Jon Kitna upright.

Defensively, the Lions have a ton of work to do.   Bears veteran QB Brian Griese will not induce awe in observers, but the Bears desperately need some stability in their offense.   I expect the Bears to follow a similar blueprint as the Eagles in last week’s game.   The Bears will attempt to establish the run with Cedric Benson, in hopes of opening their play action passing game.   I also expect Benson and Adrian Peterson to be on the receiving end of a lot of swing and screen passes, until the Lions prove that they can tackle well enough for opposing teams to stop utilizing such a basic aspect of their playbook.  Griese who is more of a “west coast”-style of QB, will occasionally be called upon to take some deep shots to Bernard Berrian, Mark Bradley, and Rashied Davis.   The Lions secondary must do a major turnaround coming off of last week’s horrific performance.

In the end, the Lions offense will overcome a banged up Bears defense.   The Bears can ill afford to fall behind with Griese at QB, since they will feature a more methodical, vanilla-type of offense with him at the helm.  Lions 27 Bears 20

Lions TE Situation, Eagles Game Redux

The announcement that the Lions had placed Dan Campbell on the injured reserve list happened rather quietly this weekend.   Campbell’s loss is significant, the Lions are now left without a dependable blocking tight end, on a roster without a genuine FB, on a team that struggles immensely to run with the ball even with Campbell’s presence.

The Lions did sign veteran TE Courtney Anderson, but he is a journeyman, and is unproven.  The complete inability to run with the ball will likely be one of the major factors between a moderately successful or poor season for the team.   Obviously, a blocking tight end is a small part of the team’s overall ability to run with the ball, but the Lions difficulties in that aspect of their offense can’t be undervalued.

The Raiders recently released underachieving CB Duane Starks to accomodate a roster spot for QB JaMarcus Russell.  If Starks survives as a free agent until the Lions upcoming bye week, don’t be surprised if he is brought in for a tryout.   The Lions secondary is going to continue to be picked apart throughout the season, judging by their porous play against the Eagles.   The Lions will attempt to remedy this situation soon.

After watching the Lions/Eagles game, I am increasingly concerned.    The Lions front four was incredibly ineffective, especially with the Eagles successful utilization of some max-protection pass blocking schemes.  Eagles QB Donavan McNabb had way too much time to throw, and the Lions LB’s and DB’s apparently game-planned so heavily for RB Brian Westbrook, that they were also repeatedly burnt deep on play action passes.  

The Lions secondary and LB’s have had trouble keeping plays in front of them and making sound tackles.   Now that teams see that they also can be exploited deep with play-action, or max-protect blocking to buy time for their QB’s, a lot more Lions games could have Arena League-type scoring levels.   Great news for fantasy football fans, horrible news for Lions fans (i.e. Typical Fantasy Football Player comment: ”I am going to take a flyer on Rashied Davis against the Lions this weekend”)

That’s why this weekend’s game, featuring new Bears starting QB Brian Griese, is so important.   The west coast style of Griese will allow the Bears to utilze slants, screens, and the like to take advantage of the Lions poor tackling.   After a while, the Bears will take their deep shots to players like WR’s Bernard Berrian and Mark Bradley, who have had excellent games against the Lions in the past, too.

Reflecting Upon Millen’s 100th Game as GM

As the Lions approach the 100th game of Matt Millen’s 26-73 tenure, his career record is the least imposing element of his checkered performance.   The scariest thing, in my eyes, is that there is a very good chance that he will given the proverbial keys to Mr. Ford’s very expensive, ineffective car for another 100 games after Sunday’s upcoming significant game.

Millen has had his eyes blackened a few times hasn’t he?   Marty Mornihnweg has been involved in two overwhelming victories against his former employers since he has been coaching in Philly.   Joey Harrington, easily one of the least effective NFL QB’s to have ever started so many games in a spotty career, trounced the Lions last season in the team’s annual high-profile game, the Thanksgiving Day game.

The litany of botched draft picks and failed free agent signees continues to grow.   The fact the team did little to address their glaring needs in their linebackers, secondary, and quarterback personnel groups this off-season continues to the damn this organization, if Sunday’s 56-21 loss can serve as any sort of indicator.

The Lions are off to a respectable 2-1 start, but are reeling.   If they hope to approach even a .500 season record, Lions Head Coach Rod Marinelli has also got to improve.   I like Marinelli and do believe he is a significant upgrade over Millen’s two previous choices for head coaches. 

This week’s Bears game in front of the Ford Field faithful, better take an added significance for this organization.   After last week’s shellacking, and Matt Millen’s unequivocably terrible tenure as Team President, this game is loaded with a tantamount importance for the future of this franchise.  

A Perfect Storm of Futility Mars Lions Loss

I was rewarded with the good fortune of being scheduled to work yesterday, so I was spared the indignity of watching the Lions abysmal five touchdown loss to the Eagles.  Don’t you worry, I will eventually watch the game on DVD, in spite of how ridiculously bad the Lions defense was, and how futile the team’s performance was, taken as a whole.

The most grating aspect of Sunday’s loss, is that the Lions horrific performance completely erodes the growing enthusiasm that many Lions fans had entering the game.   The Lions just didn’t lose a close game, they were annihilated.   Most NFL teams struggle to score five TD’s in a game, but losing by 35 points is nearly unfathomable.

The Lions are a cruel seductress.   In Detroit sports radio vernacular, any sort of burgeoning enthusiasm for the Lions future success is eating “Lions Corn Bread”.  Entering Sunday’s game, I indulged in what I thought might be a sort of “Corn Bread”, or manna if you will, creating an unwarranted optimism about how the Lions may eventually perform in Sunday’s game. I in fact, had allowed myself to be stricken with a case of “St. Vitus’s Dance”, as a result of ingesting some cheap variety of ergot-infected rye “Corn Bread”.

The worst thing about how poorly the Lions defense tackled Sunday, and how miserably it’s secondary played while making Eagles WR Kevin Curtis look like Randy Moss, was my faith in coaches Rod Marinelli and Joe Barry has been impacted significantly.  I am beginning to wonder if the Tampa Cover-2 zone defense will serve as the same type of noose that Marinelli’s predecessors, “Mooch” and Mornihnweg, eventually hung themselves with (i.e. their stubborn philosophical commitment to the West Coast Offense).

The Lions complete lack of any sort of rushing game is another serious cause for concern.   You can’t win NFL games without giving the passing resemblance to your opponents that you are able to run with the ball.    Teams will continue to disregard play-action, and will be able to utilize more nickel and dime defensive schemes to thwart their passing attack, if the Lions are unable to successfully run with the ball. 

The Lions are rewarded next week by playing a reeling intra-divisional rival, the Chicago Bears.   Judging by Sunday’s performance, the Lions secondary will be just what the doctor ordered for Bears QB Rex Grossman.

The Jon Kitna Love Fest Continues….

Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel in his recent column entitled True Believer,  has recently joined Dan Orlovsky, Tom “Killer” Kowalski (Kitna Proves Toughness On, Off Field) and the throngs of Lions fans who haved championed Kitna’s recent performances. One thing is certain, the 35-year old Kitna is one tough cookie.

If the Lions continue to enjoy success, it will be largely due to Kitna’s leadership and toughness.  His Sunday comeback was a remarkable, standard bearing-type of performance, that should resonate throughout the entire organization, providing his teammates with a touchstone in which they may be enlisted to continue to showcase their newfound commitment.

Lost in all of this, near anonymously in fact, is Rod Marinelli.   Through two games, we are beginning to see that Lions players are actually buying into his program, and the team may eventually be able to emerge from it’s long term morass.  

As always, you have to temper expectations when it comes to this organization, but even the faint outline of potential success, can awaken the spirits of long suffering Lions fans.   Meanwhile, churches in the Detroit area may become SRO, and Lions fans may direct praises, rather than the usual curses towards their deities, if Kitna’s crusade in honolulu blue continues to march onward.

Week 3:Lions Vs. Philadelphia Preview

Thus far, the Lions have played just well enough to begin their season 2-0, often in spite of themselves.  That being said, the Lions are in an enviable position.   They are facing a battered Philadelphia Eagles team, playing with a short week of preparation after two poor performances to start their season.  

The Eagles play in easily one of the more insurgently hostile game environments, where it’s notorious fans will seize upon every opportunity to corruscate their home team if they struggle.    The face of the Eagles franchise, embattled veteran Donovan McNabb, is coming into Sunday’s game embroiled in an off-the-field, media imbroglio, which erupted after some comments he recently made on HBO’s Real Sports.  This has not been auspicious beginning to the season for the Philadelphia Eagles, to be sure (We won’t even touch Andy Reid’s sons personal problems).

With all of that accounted for, as a Lions fan, I am very concerned.   The Eagles, resembling caged animals backed into a corner, will likely circle their wagons and re-group, rather than continue to fracture.   Head Coach Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb and co.  have waged to many sucessful battles for this team to just drift away quietly.

Offensively, the Lions need to be able to run the ball.   The Lions offensive line has done a pretty good job protecting QB Jon Kitna, but more importantly, Kitna’s growth in understanding and successful execution of Mike Martz’s offense has expanded dramatically.   The amount of time for him to process opposing defense’s has sped up considerably, a situation that was magnified when J.T. O’Sullivan was thrust into last week’s game after Kitna suffered a suspected concussion.  

If Kitna is going to remain healthy, and upright, the Lions need to be able to consistently run against a Philly defense that has been vulnerable to allowing opposing ground attacks to thrive.   The Eagles have young defensive tackles in Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, who have underachieved, and near-completely overhauled their linebacking corps this off-season.   With Philly D. Coord. Jim Johnson’s propensity towards non-stop blitzing, the Lions may be able to offset that onslaught by establishing a more consistent ground game. 

Other than WLB Takeo Spikes, SS Brian Dawkins, and CB Lito Sheppard, the Eagles are relatively inexperienced in their back seven.   With the likelihood that Sheppard will miss Sunday’s game, Mike Martz should be able to create scenarios where Kitna and the Lions receivers will continue their success, as long as Kitna can overcome the blitz, and the team reduces it’s costly turnovers.  The matchup to watch, in my eyes, is WR Shaun McDonald against CB William James.    The Lions should exploit James early and often with McDonald, when given the chance.

If the Eagles blitz is succesful, the Lions will be in trouble because their offensive playbook will become more limited as they utilize fewer receivers in an attempt to protect Kitna.

Defensively, the Lions need to continue to be advantageous.   They have been far from an impervious wall so far, but have often made the necessary stands and generated enough turnovers to survive the team’s first two games.  

That being said, the Eagles are going to try and exploit the Lions secondary by attacking the middle of their zone with TE’s L.J. Smith or Matt Schobel.   They are also likely to give the Lions a little of their own medicine, by forcing them to tackle significantly better than they have in the first two games.   Brian Westbrook, who is dinged up, could still have a backbreaking-type of game if the Lions linebackers and secondary exhibit the same type of poor tackling that they have shown the first two weeks.   If the Lions successfully keep Westbrook and the Eagles mediocre receiver corps in front of them, making sound, quick tackles, the Eagles may be in big trouble.  

McNabb hasn’t played well, and he will be looking to rectify that against the upstart Lions.   If the Lions front four can pressure the injury-prone, less mobile McNabb, they may be able to goad McNabb into costly errors.  The Eagles will take their shots down the field, even if they are proponents of the West Coast offense.   In those cases, the Lions have to get to McNabb so that their secondary isn’t exposed.

As much as I want to favor the Lions this week, this is a road game.   The  Eagles are among the more succesful franchises in the league for a reason–they are resilient.    McNabb and Reid have had their backs against the wall before, and have overcome it.     The Lions will be game, and will show continued improvement, but unfortunately will not be rewarded with a victory.   Eagles 27 Lions 24

Lions Tackling and Ground Game Must Improve

The Lions are off to a surprising 2-0 start.   As unfathomable as it seems, they can go 7-7 down the stretch and have an excellent opportunity to make the playoffs.   I am not putting the proverbial cart before the horse here, I realize that the Lions have two victories against less than stellar competition.

If the Lions can improve in two important areas, tackling by their linebackers and defensive backs, and improve their abillity to successfully and consistently run with the ball, they can straddle that fine line between being a lesser 6-10 or a playoff 10-6 team, and enjoy one of their finer seasons in recent years.

The Lions LB’s and DB’s have not tackled well, thus far.    The team has been hurt by a steady stream of screen passes, swing passes, and slants where opposing offenses have been able to chalk up numerous yards after the catch.    The Tampa-2 zone defense is designed so that teams have to throw in front of the safeties, and it’s success is dependent upon quick, sound tackling. 

The Lions are a mixed-bag in their back seven.   They have experienced players like LB Paris Lenon, CB Fernando Bryant, and S Kenoy Kennedy playing alongside youngsters like LB Ernie Sims, CB Stanley Wilson, Jr., and S Gerald Alexander.  If this unit can keep plays in front of them, they will not suffer from the extended drives, or allow the big plays, that eventually kill a defense.

Sunday’s game was an aberration.   The Lions knew that they would struggle mightily to run against the Vikings stout rushing defense and pretty much abandoned it from the get go.   That being said, their ground game needs to make a miraculous recovery before they head to play Philly this weekend.  Their well-documented struggles with consistently running the ball have hurt them a great deal in recent seasons. 

The return of Kevin Jones may eventually help.    Still, the Lions are creating a number of mismatches within the tackle box by spreading opposing defenses out with their multi-receiver formations, and for the most part, have been unable to take advantage.

As much as the Lions have improved in protecting Jon Kitna from pressure and sacks through two games, they will not be as successful down the line if teams decide to completely disregard their rushing attack, and come after Kitna full speed ahead.  

The Lions still struggle inside of the red zone and short-yardage situations and have often resorted to some ridiculous playcalling in order to offset their inability to run with the ball consistently.  

If the promising tandem of Tatum Bell, T.J. Duckett and Kevin Jones are combined with a better push from the Lions offensive line, along with a stronger utilization of the ground game by O.C. Mike Martz, I can envision better times ahead for this team.  Otherwise, the commonly heard refrain of “Same Old Lions”, will eventually re-emerge.

Kitna’s Unflinching Leadership Leads to Lions Victory

Sunday’s Lions/Vikings game was a grueling detente between two of the NFL’s many mediocre teams.   On one hand, it was difficult to stomach Sunday’s exhibition due to the continuous stream of penalties, turnovers, and botched plays that eventually lead to this game being filled with more sub-plots than a 70’s Robert Altman movie.  In some ways, while Todd Jones was simultaneously saving his 300th game for the Tigers, it was apropos that this game was a real “Rollercoaster” ride.

The chief reason why this game has likely rekindled some hope among Lions fans, in spite of the team’s poor performance, was the inspired, willful leadership of QB Jon Kitna, giving them a win against an intra-divisional opponent, something the Lions failed to do in all of ‘06, who had beaten them 14 out of the last 15 times they have played.

Kitna provided the team with an inspiring, if ill-advised, performance after missing most of the game with a suspected concussion.   Kitna, already respected for his surviving 63 sacks and numerous near-beheadings last season, was absolutely fearless in leading the Lions to their victory.    During the Lions overtime period, he scrambled twice, and took two of the more brutal blows meted out by the Vikings during the entire game.  I certainly question his sanity in exposing himself to these big-time hits, but as a fan, I respect the hell out of him for setting such a high standard for his teammates.

Kitna’s injury exposed the 900 pound elephant in the room, that the Lions are in dire need of a true backup QB.   O’Sullivan’s play highlighted how desperate the Lions will be if Kitna does get hurt and eventually misses significant playing time.  

This situation is a clear indictment of first, the team’s decision to trade Josh McCown, second, their front office neglecting the obvious need to find a game ready replacement, with valuable NFL game experience. The Lions are 2-0, and if they play 7-7 football down the stretch, they will likely make the playoffs.   In order to do so, they will have to try to find an upgrade from Dan Orlovsky and J.T. O’Sullivan.  Byron Leftwich, admittedly no all-pro, does possess a winning  record as a starting QB and is currently unemployed, as a starting point. 

Aside from the eerily uncanny resemblance between Kitna and Head Coach Rod Marinelli, Kitna is exactly the type of player the Lions have needed, and the type of player that Marinelli desires.   His willingness to throw himself on a grenade for the organization has been clearly established.  

Kitna has set a benchmark for the rest of the team, and a stark contrast from his recent predecessors.   The Lions, admittedly have not played particularly well, but have a realistic chance to enjoy a turn around this season.  Entering this season, I would have wagered against that.

Week 2:Lions Vs. Vikings

After how badly I missed predicting last week’s game outcome, I am even less certain about what will take place in this game.   The Lions, playing before a rabid, and hopefully, sold-out crowd, should have an excellent opportunity to finally secure a victory from the Vikings, after the many near misses and meltdowns which have so ominously checkered their rivalry during it’s recent history.

The Lions offense was very prolific against a good Raiders defense on the road last week.   This week the Lions face another good-to-very good defense in the Vikings.   The Vikings, with DT’s Kevin and Pat Williams stuffing the middle, will provide the Lions with a serious challenge in their ability to run the ball.  Without RB’s Kevin Jones and T.J. Duckett, and the Lions natural inclination towards throwing the ball, the Vikings staunch rushing defense may factor little in the game’s eventual outcome, though.  

The most intriguing matchup will be Viking’s DE’s Ray Edwards, Darrion Scott, Kenichi Udeze, and Brian Robison against Jeff Backus and George Foster.   If Backus and Foster can slow an already inexperienced and unproductive group of defensive ends, then Vikings Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier may have to resort to calling for a myriad of blitzes in hopes of pressuring Kitna and forcing the Lions into costly turnovers. If the Vikings can consistently pressure Kitna from the edge, then Mike Martz will be handcuffed in his playcalling, because the Lions will be unable to utilize as many receivers in their passing attack by providing additional blockers in an attempt to slow the Vikings pass rush.

The Lions will run a lot of three- and four-wide receiver sets, hoping to exploit the Vikings nickel and dime defensive backs, or creating match-up issues where WLB Chad Greenway or Safeties Darren Sharper and Dwight Smith will be charged with the unenviable task of facing Calvin Johnson, Shaun McDonald, or Mike Furrey, all operating from the slot receiver position,  which generates match-ups they are unlikely to win very often.  

The Vikings will likely rotate a safety to double-team Roy Williams, forcing the Lions to throw to their other receivers.   In some ways, this is playing into Mike Martz’s hands.   Martz is one of the league’s best offensive coordinators at finding, and exploiting, his opponent’s weaknesses. 

I also believe that if the Vikes are forced to utilize blitzes to pressure Kitna, they will be in for a long day.  If the Vikings blitz, they will have to abandon their Tampa-2 zone defense, and rely upon on a lot of man-to-man coverage, a no-win situation for them in my eyes.

Defensively, the Lions will need their defensive line to play equal to, or better, than it did against Oakland.  The Vikings will run the ball often, hoping to take the game from out of QB Tavaris Jackson’s hands.   The Vikings would also like to take the Lions offense out of rhythm by stringing together a few plodding, ball control-type of drives which will keep the Lions offense off of the field for large stretches of time.  

If Shaun Rogers can blow up the middle of the Vikings O-line, and their linebackers and secondary exhibit some quality tackling, they may be able to slow RB Adrian Peterson, and avoid moving S Kenoy Kennedy into the “tackle box”, and effectively force the game into Jackson’s hands.  If the Lions have to load up the “box” to stop the run, they will be removed from their Tampa-2 scheme, and become increasingly vulnerable to some deep passes. 

This is a game where the Lions LB’s and secondary will have to exhibit a lot of discipline, and tackle consistently.   The Vikings run a West Coast offense, which if the Lions tackle well, should be unproductive against the Tampa-2 because the zone defense wants to keep plays in front of it’s safeties.   The West Coast, with all of it’s dinking and dunking, plays right into that strategy. 

If the Lions defensive backs can resist the urge to take chances by jumping routes, and adhere to their responsibilities, the unremarkable Vikings receiving corps will be kept in check.  If DeWayne White and Kalimba Edwards can provide some pressure on Jackson, against a much better O-Line than the Raiders have, the Lions secondary may be gifted with some hurried, poorly thrown balls which they can intercept.

The Lions will have to weather a few storms in Sunday’s game.   In the end though, I believe that they will exhibit a urge to overcome adversity, similar to the one they exhibited in last week’s road victory.  Without Culpepper-to-Moss to affect the game’s final outcome, the Lions will finally overcome their long string of losses against the Vikes.  

Lions 24 Vikes 17

Journeymen RB Cason, Death, and Taxes

A cliched, often utilized euphemism needs to be revamped a bit.   The only certainties in life are now death, taxes and the likelihood that the Lions will pluck journeymen RB Aveion Cason from whatever barren NFL wasteland he resides in, when they are in dire need of a running back, and he’s not on another NFL roster. 

Cason has an intimacy with Mike Martz’s offense that necessitates that he be the Lions 54th man, especially when you consider that T.J. Duckett will likely be unavailable Sunday with a high ankle sprain, and Kevin Jones may be unable to contribute, too.   Unfortunately, WR Brandon Middleton was released in order to accomodate Cason.

Cason’s presence is less than inspiring in my book.   Cason is a shifty, third down type of back who runs even less effectively between the tackles than Tatum Bell.   I fully expect that Jon Bradley or Sean McHugh may have to be used in some short-yardage and goal-line situations as ballcarriers, in lieu of Duckett’s absence.

The other likelihood for Duckett-less Lions is that they will throw, and throw often, against a staunch Vikes rushing defense.   The current Lions will induce a latent nostalgia for a prolific offense of Lions past, that featured Scott Mitchell at the helm, chucking balls to players like Herman Moore, Brett Perriman, and Johnnie Morton, while another eccentric playcaller, Darrell “Mouse” Davis, masterminded one of the more pass happy, and briefly productive, offenses in NFL history.