Detroit Lions Weblog

Week 3 Preview: Lions Visit San Francisco, Is it the Beginning of the End?

If there ever is going t o be a true circle-the-wagons moment during Rod Marinelli’s tenure, this road trip will be it.  The Lions are 1-9 in the last ten games he has coached.   At this pace, Marinelli’s coaching tenure will take on Mornihnweg-esque proportions of futility, as the Lions season grinds achingly towards the finish line.

One of the Lions captains, and among it’s chief underachievers, is the ever-deluded Cory Redding.   Redding recently commented upon the team’s ineffective, unproductive pass rush, which to use Matt Millen’s new favorite word, is the “foundation” of the Tampa Two defense.

“We are rushing our butts off.  If you really look at it…we should have five or six sacks from the D-Line right now.(They have two by DeWayne White…hmm I wonder who opponents will devote most of their attention towards blocking?)  But right now is not the case.  Somebody will break contain, a guy that was supposed to go outside goes inside.  The quarterback breaks the whole defense down.”

Or the Lions pass rush sucks, to paraphrase Mr. Redding.  There are no “almost sacks” or “should-have-been-sacks” scored in football, they are actually called QB hurries, but they aren’t sacks.  The success of the Lions defense is entirely predicated upon the defensive line being able to successfully pressure opposing QB’s, and gain sacks.

The harsh reality is the Lions have the worst defense in the NFL.   They have allowed teams to gain an unfathomable average of 9.17 yards on 1st down.  They are allowing 460.5 yards per game (240 passing/220.5 rushing) and there doesn’t appear to be a quick remedy in sight.

Which brings us to Mike Martz, J.T. O’Sullivan and company, who are lying in wait, as it were. Martz, the crazed megalomaniac that he is, was not given a very celebrated exit from the Lions organization, as it was seemingly, by consensus, determined that Martz was solely responsible for every single thing that has ever impeded the organization for 50 years now.

I believe that Martz, along with his eager lieutenant O’Sullivan, may have a little extra motivation to face the reeling Lions defense, and absolutely light them up.  The Niners are attempting to establish their legitmacy as a NFC West contender, so they absolutely can’t afford to lose to the Lions, especially at home.

I expect that the Lions will also provide an additionally spirited effort, because, at least internally, they have to realize that their entire season rides on winning this game.  If the Lions lose, and lose badly, there will no bottom to this season.  We could actually see the worst Lions season in their team history.

I am not going to get too hung up on X’s and O’s, I don’t believe that there will be a need for it.  The Lions need to show for once, that they can dig their heels in, and be the tougher team.   Unfortunately, given the past two games disappointing endings, I don’t expect a hell of a lot, in that regard.

Niners 37 Lions 21 (Bring on Stanton, Cowher and whatever ready-made panaceas are conceivably available to this doomed franchise!)