Detroit Lions Weblog

“China Doll” Returns, Fincher Cut, More on Kitna’s Bootlegging/QB Situation, “Hawaii-2.0″

The Lions cut veteran LB Alfred Fincher and signed the briefly ex-Lion, Teddy “China Doll” Lehman to help bolster their linebacking corps. Lehman, who was highly regarded upon his selection in the draft, still possesses some upside, but has been severely limited by a litany of injuries, and, at least earlier in his career, a lack of the upper body strength necessary to function as a middle linebacker in the NFL.

It is believed that Lehman will provide depth at the strongside linebacker position, but with the Lions linebacking situation being far from settled, beyond Ernie Sims being their starting weakside linebacker, who the hell knows!

A major concern, in my eyes, with more plays designed to roll Jon Kitna out of the pocket is that he may be subject to even more knock-out blow hits with the increased vulnerability that comes from moving out into open space. Given Kitna’s age, and the relative lack of QB experience behind Kitna on the Lions depth chart, one has to wonder how prudent this added wrinkle really is for the Lions offense.

The addition of another veteran QB would help assuage my concerns, slightly. I don’t regard Daunte Culpepper or Byron Leftwich as franchise saviors, but they have been put through the rigorous NFL meat grinder and have, at least temporarily, experienced some meager success. Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton, as much as I am pulling for them to develop into NFL-caliber QB’s, are too green to be relied upon, in my opinion.

Apparently, Ikaika Alama-Francis has become Kalimba “The Ghost” Edwards, version 2.0, and strayed from his “Hawaii Five-0″ moniker right into Rod Marinelli’s doghouse and will now be referred to as “Hawaii-2.0″ until his on-field performance improves.
Alama-Francis possesses the same tantalizing level of athleticism and promise as Edwards once did, but “2.0″ is an even rawer version, of a very raw player in Edwards. I am glad to read that Marinelli is attacking this situation head on, he may stand a better chance of reversing “2.0″ ’s career path, than he ever stood with the enigmatic Edwards.

Kitna Bootlegging, Jared DeVries, etc.

Tom “Killer” Kowalski is the best source available for Lions news, especially regarding the seminal stages of the ‘08 season. Interestingly, he mentions that the Lions are going to attempt to roll Jon Kitna out of the pocket more frequently in a number of designed boot plays, in order to buy him some crucial time to make more plays down field.

The Lions feel that Kitna has a knack for making plays while rolling out, in spite of his propensity towards turning the ball over. It does make some sense for the Lions to attempt to stretch the field vertically with a couple of lanky gazelles like Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson creating mismatch nightmares inside of opposing secondaries. Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald seem likely to prove capable as safety valves for Kitna when he is unable to fire the ball deep into the opposing secondary, too.

Kowalski also mentions that Jared DeVries, a quality, versatile veteran is atop the depth chart at one of the two defensive end spots. DeVries, who had 6.5 sacks last year, has given the Lions some of the consistency and productivity that they were missing from the enigmatic Kalimba Edwards and any number of other unproductive players that they have lined up at the position during recent seasons.

Unfortunately, DeVries has a tenuous grip on a starting position because the Lions have attempted to address their unproductive pass rush with the recent selections of Ikaika Alama-Francis and Cliff Avril, who, if they can prove remotely capable, will press DeVries for playing time during the season.

The Lions signed veteran LB Leon Joe, which is likely a sign that they can ill afford to wait for Takeo Spikes to decide if he would like to join the team, given how green linebackers like Anthony Cannon, Buster Davis, and company are. The Lions have brought in Gilbert Gardner and Alfred Fincher to compete to make the roster, along with Joe, and provide experienced depth in a weak personnel group.

The Lions have a number of injured veterans who have been unable to participate in training camp drills. Ernie Sims, Edwin Mulitalo, Shaun McDonald, and Dan Campbell–all expected to make the final roster entering the season, are all nursing assorted injuries.

Easily one of the more disappointing performers for the Lions last season, Cory Redding must earn his large paycheck and recapture the performance level that made him a surprise success after shifting inside from defensive end to defensive tackle two seasons ago.

Redding is a team leader who, along with Chuck Darby and Shaun Cody, will be expected to perform more consistently than they did last season on the inside.  The Lions have a ton of questions on defense, but the successful Tampa-2 is completely predicated on the performance of the defensive line and it’s ability to generate a consistent pass rush.  Redding is a pivotal member of that group, who must perform at a higher level.

Jordan Dizon, Takeo Spikes, Leigh Bodden, Caleb Campbell, Camp Ensues

The Lions have entered training camp without signing 2nd round draft pick Jordan Dizon(oops, he’s signed now!), a player whose success in the cover-2 is crucial to any aspirations the Lions have for their ‘08 season.

Dizon, given his DUI prior to the draft, is truly damaging the supposed “character” appellation that the Lions applied to him upon his early selection in the draft. Would Chris Spielman hold out, with such a large challenge ahead of him?

The Lions would really like to sign Takeo Spikes but, apparently, he has decided to keep visiting other teams in order to avoid submerging himself within another disastrous situation akin to the one he left behind in Cincinnati, earlier in his career. Spikes would go along ways towards buying the Lions some crucial developmental time for some of their younger linebackers, that’s for certain.

Leigh Bodden was given a four year contract extension by the Lions yesterday. Is it me, or are my Pat Swilling, Scott Mitchell, and Bill Schroeder- (Oh, there have been so many more!) new Lion “disaster sensors” failing me in regards to Bodden? Shouldn’t Bodden actually have to perform in order to garner an extension and raise? I am a cynical Lions fan to the end, I guess.

I was sick of hearing about Caleb Campbell upon his 7th round selection in April, and the hubbub surrounding his change in playing status really confounds me. In one regard, Campbell is U.S. government property, right or wrong, so I don’t believe that he has got a legitimate beef by being called to service.

That being said, what is the Army thinking? If they had waited, they still would have gleaned a lot of positive publicity from Campbell’s pre-season performance, and given that he wouldn’t have likely made the team, still would have him back for active duty in a couple of months.

Now, they have a bit of public relations disaster on their hands. Has their ever been a 7th round draft pick in the NFL who has generated this level of discussion before? Did I forget to mention that Campbell was ONLY a seventh round draft pick, by the way?

I am glad that training camp has begun. It reduces my consternation, somewhat, but I am more hopeful entering the season knowing that the Lions will likely not being facing Brett Favre in either a Packers, or more improbably, a Vikings jersey.

Training Camp Begins Wednesday, Rampant Personnel Speculation is Likely Just That

The Lions enter training camp this week with a lot to prove. Understatements aside, few, if any, Lions fans actually buy into the “Do You Believe In Now” fusillades that have been ringing out in an attempt to stimulate excitement for the upcoming ‘08 Lions season.

We have been conditioned, during Matt Millen’s abysmal 31-81 tenure, that for any hopeful upturn that this organization may take, there is just as likely to be several steps to be taken backward in the process. Entering the ‘08 season, the Lions would like us to believe that they are on the precipice of some new horizon. Show Me!!!

Training camp is the first stage of the process. Lions fans desperately need something positive to cling to. A healthy, productive Calvin Johnson would be nice. The emergence of multiple young players, and rookies, would also stimulate optimism (see Ernie Sims, Ikaika Alama-Francis, Daniel Bullocks, Gerald Alexander, et al).

There has been a lot of speculation about the supposed interest the Lions may have players like Takeo Spikes, LaMont Jordan, Daunte Culpepper, and Chris Simms. If Tom Kowalski is to be trusted, none of these players, except for potentially Spikes, is likely to be a Lion anytime soon.

The Lions have exercised due diligence in their inquiries about Jordan and Spikes. Spikes, injury-history aside, would likely be a productive player and a quality locker room influence. According to Kowalski, the Lions are going to approach any interest in Jordan or the QB’s with a more cautious wait-and-see approach.

The Lions are willing to give Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton every opportunity to fail, before looking at acquiring either Simms or Culpepper, among others. I feel that this organizational negligence on a grand scale.

Entering the season with only Jon Kitna possessing legitimate game experience is bordering on suicidal, given his age and the recent performance of the Lions offensive line.  Last season, when Jon Kitna was briefly out of the lineup, we were given a glimpse of just how bad this team can be.  I don’t believe that this situation has been rectified in one off-season.

Culpepper, who is his own agent, would be a popular choice, in my view.  I believe that Culpepper’s best days are likely behind him, but given that he would have so many weapons at his disposal, I believe that he could actually be a surprising success story, if thrust into duty. He still is unable to read defenses, and is limited as player, though.

At any rate, the Lions season will soon be upon us.  Much the like the flagging Michigan economy, Lions fans are grasping for whatever meager signs of hope are fungible and tangible. As far as diversions go, the Lions still rank quite high.

Lions Fans, Do You Believe Now?, Takeo Spikes Visits?

The Lions have made a number of steps this off-season to perform some damage control, and hopefully, from their perspective at least, attempt to make amends with the sea of disgruntled, ambivalent Lions fans.

The Lions recently released their flashy “Do You Believe in Now” ad campaign, along with the announcement that they would be offering half season ticket packages, after previously raising ticket prices earlier in the off-season.

Given the state of the Michigan economy, and the generally poor performance of the franchise during recent seasons, it should come as no surprise that demand for Lions ticket would hit a new low. The novelty of the admittedly beautiful Ford Field is quickly wearing off. In order for Lions fans to remain loyal, the value of the on-field product has become an increasingly significant issue.

The Lions announced yesterday that they would be opening some of their training camp practices to the public.   Traditionally they have held practices that were open to the public, but upon moving to their new Allen Park training facility, they cut off the public from being able to watch practice.

Whether this decision rekindles fan interest remains to be seen.  It should prevent many of the super-hardcore fans interest from diminishing, but I am uncertain that anyone who is on the fence about acquiring season tickets will be persuaded by watching an open training camp practice.

The Lions are apparently still a suitor for the services of Chris Simms, but little detail has emerged whether the Bucs will actually be able to trade Simms, be forced to release him, or exactly what they would expect in return from any potential trade partners.

It has also been recently reported that veteran LB Takeo Spikes has visited with the Lions.   Spikes, a former All-Pro, is likely a couple of seasons past his prime and has suffered from a wide range of injuries during his career.  It remains to be seen what Spikes may have to offer, but his veteran leadership and experience in the Cover-2 could eventually prove beneficial.

Kevin Jones Signs With the Bears, Et Tu?

I have to preface this entry with an opening admission–I am an unabashed fan of Kevin Jones. I believe that Jones, much like James Stewart before him, was admirably workmanlike in the manner in which he approached his job under less than desirable circumstances. Not only did he approach his job with little complaint, but he approached it with an obvious commitment, in spite of the brief half-life of a player at his position, and yielded maximum effort, while working for the worst managed organization in all of professional sports.

Jones did unfortunately suffer a few injuries in his short time with the organization, and had shown a remarkable ability to bounce back from them in the past, in my opinion.  Apparently, this wasn’t good enough for the Lions, though.   The same Lions who subjected Jones to three or four offensive coordinators, within several flavor-of-the-month offensive schemes, meanwhile, providing a horrible offensive line to block in front of him during his brief tenure with the organization.

With various rumors indicating that the Lions desperately needed to free up the salary cap money which they had previously committed to Jones by releasing him, (due to the unfortunately, very reasonable possibility they had compounded the innumerable grievous errors committed during Matt Millen’s 31-81 regime of incompetence with even more) in order for them to be able to allocate money towards filling out their many personnel needs this off-season, one is left to wonder how does this continue to happen, and why is it allowed?

Most painfully, the Lions will face Jones twice each season for the foreseeable future.   Jones is now a hated rival, as a member of the Chicago Bears.   I have little trouble envisioning Jones rushing for the 1300-1400 yards in ‘08, with 10 touchdowns.   Much like Artose Pinner or Joey Harrington before him, Jones will likely have a field day facing off against his ex-team.   I have no reason not to expect 450 yards rushing and 5-6 touchdowns in his two games facing the Lions.  It’s only karma biting this organization in the hind parts, yet again!

As a Lions fan, I continue to consider the real possibility that the invisible line drawn in the sand, one which I will not cross, a line that formed in regards to the continued failings of this organization, is rapidly approaching.  When Kevin Jones lights up the Lions cover-2 defense this season, I will face a legitimate question:  Do I root for Jones, and the continued demise of the Lions, or do I recoil in anger as the turncoat Jones helps push the Lions towards another top ten draft pick in ‘09.

So What the Hell is a “Zone Blocking” Rushing Scheme Anyhow?

The Lions have implemented a vast number of NFL “Flavor of the Month” (West Coast Offense, anyone?) offenses during recent seasons, as they have continued to languish mightily in spite of any offensive innovation that they may try.

Upon the departure of Mike Martz, many Lions offensive linemen expressed a desire to feature an offense that is simplified, with more “bread and butter” plays that can be relied upon in tough situations, especially when executed properly.

In response to the yearnings of many Lions players, the Lions have promoted Jim Colletto to offensive coordinator and are going to utilize more “zone blocking” schemes in their rushing attack, an aspect of the game which they have promised will be utilized more consistently in ‘08.

“Zone Blocking” depends upon the offensive linemen making correct reads of defensive alignments, and for a great deal of patience by running backs. The offensive linemen determine who they are going to block pre-snap, and aren’t assigned a player to block per se, but block according to the defensive alignment they are presented with.

The running back doesn’t have a defined “hole” to run through, but follows his blockers as they block their “zones” and then makes the appropriate read, makes one cut, and explodes through the “hole”. Often, the back has to wait for an opening to develop, or just as likely in the Lions case, a “hole” often doesn’t develop during a particular play. Just as likely though, the back may break off a big run, if the linemen make all of the correct reads.

One concern that I have about this shift in modus operandi for the Lions offensive line is that they have acquired a number of large, space-occupying offensive linemen during recent seasons, meanwhile the “zone blocking” scheme demands smaller, quicker offensive linemen. Square pegs, anyone?

This rings of another example of the Lions coaches neglecting to select a scheme that suits it’s personnel appropriately, something that has dogged this organization perennially. Jeff Backus, Stephen Peterman, and Dominic Raiola all will likely be fine in this offensive scheme, but I am unsure that mammoth players like Gosder Cherilus(even though that blocking scheme was utilized by Boston College), Jonathan Scott and Manny Ramirez will flourish in this scheme. The Lions will be afforded little transitional time for it’s linemen, that’s for certain.

The fact is, the Lions offensive line has struggled mightily during recent campaigns, and the “zone blocking” scheme places even more responsibility upon the linemen’s shoulders, as well as place an impetus upon their ability to make the right decision play after play. Communication and coordination among the linemen is exceptionally important. It’s debatable whether the current offensive line has earned their expanded responsibility, given their performance during recent seasons.

The other question that obviously remains, do the Lions possess the running backs on their current roster who are capable of success in this scheme, within the NFL milieu. Brian Calhoun and Tatum Bell each have some experience within the scheme, but it remains to be seen whether they, or newly-minted rookie Kevin Smith, for that matter, will flourish behind the less than stellar Lions offensive line

Most importantly, if the Lions are down two TD’s at the end of the 2nd quarter, this whole scheme will be for naught, because the running game will get pitched out of desperation. With every measure of optimism for successful change in this organization, there is also a healthy dollop of skepticism, since as we all know, the “Same ‘Ol Lions” will likely emerge as the season progresses.

Lions Interested in RB LaMont Jordan?

The Lions recently met with Raiders RB LaMont Jordan, who is actively seeking a trade, and is also holding out. Jordan, who had one outstanding season with the Raiders, has been an injury-plagued disappointment who has become expendable for the Raiders since their selection of RB Darren McFadden in the ‘08 draft.

Jordan has exhibited good hands while catching balls out of the backfield and might be the type of patient runner who could thrive in a zone-blocking scheme. Jordan was solid in spot duty for the Jets, in tandem with Curtis Martin, and could flourish in a utility role, rather than being a featured back.

Apparently, recently released former Steelers running back Najeh “Dookie” Davenport also mentioned the Lions as a potential optimum suitor for his services.

Given the field of available backs, I am incredibly puzzled about the Lions failure to more actively pursue RB Kevin Jones, who represents an upgrade over players like Davenport, Jordan, and Cedric Benson, too name a few.

Pro Football Weekly also indicates that there have been various rumors regarding the Lions having some interest in soon to be ex-Bucs QB Chris Simms.

If the rumors are true, and the Lions pursuit of Simms develops further, it would be a very strong indication of what they perceive the futures of backups Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton to be in Detroit.

Looking at it from a different perspective, it is illogical for the Lions to enter the season with their backups having such limited game time experience.  It would be a prudent move to acquire a QB, with some upside, who possesses game experience.  The argument remains, is Simms that guy?

Sleeping With the Enemy?

I realize that the saturation point has been fully reached in the incessant discussion of the eminent return of retired/unretired Packers QB, Brett Favre, but I am going to contribute the mind-numbing din, anyhow. This is pure conjecture, but if somehow, someway, Brett Favre is a free agent in the upcoming weeks, should the Lions consider signing him?

Playing the Packers, at Lambeau Field, during Favre’s tenure as the Packers QB has been an absolute nightmare for the Lions, and by proxy, Lions fans. Favre, flaws aside, is still a winning QB in the NFL. He is definitely better than Jon Kitna. Is he better enough that the Lions could have realistic playoff chances with Favre at the helm? Obviously, that remains to be seen.

I am of the opinion, that Drew Stanton and Dan Orlovsky have limited futures at best. In which case, the Lions have to look for help now, and until they find that ever elusive young, franchise-defining Qb, (an exceedingly rare bird, indeed) they have to proceed with the utmost desperation.

I detest Brett Favre, and the constant narcissistic drama that plays out as the NFL enters each new season. Favre, as great as he has been, has no right to upstage the rest of the league and hold the Packers hostage with his drawn-out antics. That being said, I still would take the Faustian bargain that “Ol’ Scruffy” could make the Lions a realistic playoff contender in the weak-assed NFC North.

The Lions training camp is under two weeks away. I am excited to see if Gosder Cherilus and Jordan Dizon can make immediate contributions. I am curious to see if the ever-flooding roster of ex-Buccaneers can actually contribute, or are they over the hill? I am also anxious to see if the addition of the requested for “bread and butter” running plays, and the utilization of zone-blocking schemes in the running game will actually prove fruitful? Finally, do the Lions have an improved pass rush, something that has been a crucial missing element for several seasons now?