By Dean Holden 

Detroit Lions-Minnesota Vikings: A Test of Embattled Psyches 

How is it possible for two 0-2 teams from the same division to be so very different, yet have the same basic goal when playing one another?

Before this week, I would have said it wasn’t possible. But here we are, and we may never see a pair of 0-2 teams as different as the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions.

Both teams are winless, but neither has lost by more than a possession. Minnesota’s season point differential is -9; Detroit’s is -8.

Both teams went for it on fourth-and-short last week, but neither did terribly well with it.

Detroit is missing its starting quarterback. Minnesota is starting to wish it was, too.

And then there’s Jahvid Best, who last Sunday taught everybody why the Lions traded up to get Minnesota’s pick in the first round to select him.

The matchup is chock full of links, similarities, and other intrigues.

So then why does it seem like the Lions are coming into the Metrodome with heads held high and a strong feeling of positive momentum, while the Vikings are about one more interception from a full-on scrambling panic?

Well, expectations are involved. Minnesota was one Favreian throw away from a Super Bowl last year, and since they return basically the same team this year, expectations were once again extremely high.

The missing link was, of course, Brett Favre, who turned in career bests in a number of categories last year after most assumed he would stay retired.

And despite his ever-advancing age and a gimpy ankle, Favre returned yet again this year. The result so far has been one touchdown, four interceptions, a fumble lost in his own end zone, and a QB rating of 56.1.

That puts his passer rating lower than Trent Edwards, Jason Campbell, Jake Delhomme, and (in case you were wondering) Shaun Hill.

Perhaps more concerning for the Favre and the Vikings is that the Lions are averaging more sacks per game (five) than Favre has taken so far this season (four).

And the most interesting thing about the Lions’ sack numbers is how even they are. While the team as a whole has 10, no individual player has more than two, and only one (Louis Delmas) belongs to a blitzing player. In other words, the Lions are going to bring four rushers, and pressure will be coming from everywhere.

It’s difficult to scheme for that, especially when your quarterback is a grandfather with a bad leg and zero mobility. Don’t think the threat of injury isn’t a mental issue, even for an iron man like Favre.

Speaking of mental issues, the Lions have their fair share of demons haunting them this week as well.

After a second straight failed comeback attempt under their backup quarterback, the Lions are going to be hard-pressed to keep fighting, especially in a road game against a team they haven’t beaten since 2007, at a field where they haven’t won since 1997, and against a quarterback who they haven’t beaten at home since…ever.

Considering we’re talking about the Lions here, it will be exceptionally easy for them to say, “Here we go again,” throw their hands up, and quit. A weak showing against a vulnerable Vikings squad will likely indicate just that.

Of course, the Lions won’t be the only team with psychological issues this Sunday. Where the Lions are fighting for pride, respect, and legitimacy, the Vikings are fighting to regain pride, respect, and a shot back into the playoffs.

Up to this point, the Vikings don’t have that much to worry about.

They haven’t allowed more than 14 points in a game (even against the high-powered Saints), and their losses have been to a pair of 2-0 teams.

The Vikings offense has sputtered, but they’ve been without two of their most dynamic receivers, and Favre is out-of-sync from missing training camp. Those excuses have held solid for the first two weeks, and there’s no reason why not.

They won’t this time. The Vikings offense comes up against a Lions defense that has allowed at least as many points in each of its games as the Vikings have scored all season (19).

See, it isn’t so much that the Vikings are in a full-blown panic right now. But if you think the Lions aren’t a must-win game for them, you’re fooling yourself.

It isn’t just the looming threat of going 0-3 and sliding into last in the division. It’s the fact that an already uneasy fanbase could be faced with losing a long-standing psychological edge over even the “lowly” Detroit Lions on the way to 0-3.

The Vikings losing two straight home games, the second against a team that hasn’t beaten them at home in 13 years, going 0-3 when they only lost four games all season last year, and all this into a bye week?

That’s too much to take for a Super Bowl hopeful. This is a must win for the Vikings, primarily because they believe it’s a should win. And Super Bowl teams win their “should win” games.

And that’s precisely why it also means so much to the Lions. The Lions have been a “should beat” team around the league for years, and it’s exactly that image they’re fighting this year to eliminate.

Beating the Vikings at home would snap a series of mounting losing streaks (21 games on the road, 12 games at the Metrodome, 7 games in the regular season, 17 games vs. Brett Favre in road games) and send just the right message to the rest of the NFL: “We are no longer your doormat.”

But they have to believe in themselves, first. The Lions have played two games thus far this season, and both have had moments of shining glory, and moments where everybody seems to just be shuffling around the football field. If they’re going to win this thing, they have to play 60 minutes, and that starts with them knowing they’re good enough to win.

If they figure it out by Sunday, maybe they’ll get the rest of us believing it, too.

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9/3/11: The Lions won their last 4 last season to close 6-10, but had a points differential of a team that should have finished 8-8. They added Nick Fairley, Stephen Tulloch, and Justin Durant to their front 7 and they get Matt Stafford back from injury. The questions were, can Stafford stay healthy and is Stafford even that good? Stafford has yet to prove himself as a franchise quarterback after 2 injury plagued seasons after going #1 in 2009. However, he looked amazing this preseason and the Lions as a whole did as well. I’m sneaking them into that 6th playoff spot in the NFC at 10-6.

In 2008, the Lions won no games. If they had forfeited every game, their record would have been the same. However, that seems like a long way away now. Bottoming out was what this team needed after a long stretch of terrible play. Bottoming out allowed them to start fresh with new personnel in the front office (and no more Matt Millen) and at head coach. It also gave them the first pick and allowed them to select their savior, quarterback Matt Stafford out of Georgia.

The Lions won their final 4 games last season to finish 6-10. Their point differential of minus 7 suggests that with better luck (leave it to the Lions to have terrible luck), they really should have been a 7 or 8 win team in 2010. In fact, 7 of their 10 losses came by 8 points or fewer. And this was all without “savior” Matt Stafford, with the exception of 3 games (only finished 1 though).

Stafford is healthy now, but seems to have the toughness of, as one of his teammates put it, a “china doll.” It seems like every time he hits the turf his shoulder separates. Even if Stafford can play a 16 game season, he’s still largely an unknown commodity. He sucked as a rookie, throwing 20 picks to 13 touchdowns, completing just 53.3% of his passes and averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. However, even Peyton Manning sucked as a rookie.

In limited action in 2010, Stafford completed 59.4% of his passes for an average of 5.6 yards per attempt and 6 touchdowns to 1 interception, but that was in very limited action. The point is, there are a lot of unknowns with Stafford. Can he stay healthy? If he even good? However, there’s a lot of upside here and if they can win 6 games with bad luck without him, imagine what they can do if he’s a legitimate franchise quarterback.

You can also add in the fact that the Lions drafted well to the list of reasons why they are sleepers this year. However, those draft picks need to stay healthy. They’ve already lost one of their top 3 draft picks, Mikel Leshoure, for the season. Meanwhile, first round pick Nick Fairley, who was supposed to add to what looks like one of the best front 7s in the league, could be in doubt for the start of the season with a foot injury. Receiver Titus Young is the only one of their top rookies who will definitely be ready for week 1.

Young will man the slot for the Lions, at least to start the season. If marginal veteran Nate Burleson struggles or Young particularly impresses, Young could move into the starting lineup opposite “Megatron” Calvin Johnson. Calvin Johnson is the type of receiver you create in Madden when you want to cheat. You know, when you set all his attributes to 99 and you make him 7 foot tall and 400 pounds, that’s essentially Calvin Johnson.

He doesn’t quite get ranked on the same level as Andre Johnson because he never has had the consistent quarterback Andre has. However, discounting 2009 when he was hurt, he has 155 catches for 2451 yards and 24 touchdowns in his last 2 seasons even though his quarterbacks were Daunte Culpepper, Dan Orlovsky, Jon Kitna, Drew Stanton, Shaun Hill, and 3 games of Matt Stafford (2 of which he didn’t even finish). Stafford is by far the best quarterback of that bunch. He has by far the best arm and is thus best suited to make full use of Megatron’s amazing deep threat abilities. I’m really, really excited to see what Stafford and Johnson can do if both stay healthy. Stafford must be thrilled to have Calvin at his disposal.

At tight end, former 20^th overall pick Brandon Pettigrew is an overrated player, at least as a pass catcher. He’s a good run blocker, however. He did catch 71 passes on 103 targets last year, but he also committed 10 penalties and dropped 12 passes. Stafford won’t look his way as much this season as Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton did last year because Stafford has a stronger arm and will be looking downfield more often.

In two tight end sets, Tony Scheffler comes in. Scheffler was once a talented starting tight end in Denver before Josh McDaniels came in and decided that pass catching tight ends were stupid and shipped him to Detroit for some spare change. Scheffler caught 45 passes last season, but that number should also drop this season. Hill/Stanton threw to tight ends 174 times in 2010. That won’t be the case in 2011 if Stafford can stay healthy.

Speaking of keeping Stafford healthy, a lot of that will fall on the offensive line. Stafford needs to be kept upright. He’s too fragile to take a lot of hits, or at least he’s proved to be that way so far in his career. Left tackle Jeff Backus bounced back from 18 combined sacks allowed in from 2008-2009, rewarding his coach’s blind faith by only allowing 4 sacks in 2010. He is, however, 34 in September and currently hurt. He’s also a free agent, but the Lions passed on drafting his replacement in 2010 because they liked 2010 4^th round pick Jason Fox, as well as Corey Hilliard.

Left guard Rob Sims is a decent pass protector, but like center Dominic Raiola and right guard Stephen Peterman, he is not very good as a run blocker. There’s a reason why this team struggled to run the ball last year. These guys weren’t opening holes. At right tackle, Gosder Cherilus has never lived up to his billing as the 17^th overall pick in 2008 (over Jeff Otah). However, he’s a decent starter, provided he stays healthy.

Running behind this poor run blocking offensive line will be lead back Jahvid Best. Best averaged a mere 3.2 yards per carry in 2010, not entirely his fault. You can blame a lot of that on the line and the rest can be blamed on turf toe sapping the rookie 1^st round pick’s explosiveness. Best is reportedly dropping jaws in training camp once again so he should be poised for a big season.

He’s not a true every down back so the Lions drafted Mikel Leshoure in the 2^nd round. Unfortunately, and rather ironically considering Best was the one with injury problems, Leshoure tore his Achilles in camp and is out for the season. The Lions signed Mike Bell and Jerome Harrison to compete for the #2 back job behind Best, a battle Harrison should definitely win.

Bell has a career average of 3.7 yards per carry, while Harrison rushed for 561 yards and 5 touchdowns in the final 3 games of the 2010 season, lost his starting job to Peyton Hillis the next season and then was traded to Philadelphia where he averaged 6.0 yards per carry as LeSean McCoy’s backup, including 99 yards on 21 carries as the starter week 17. Why this guy is not a starter in this league, I don’t know and I also don’t know why he was available in free agency for so long, but credit the Lions for picking him up. He’s definitely better than Bell, who should be battling with veteran Maurice Morris for the #3 back role.

 

Defensively, one of the things that has so many people so excited about Detroit as a sleeper is their front 7. They had 44 sacks last season and figure to improve upon that total even more this season. Ndamukong Suh had 10 sacks as a defensive tackle as a rookie last year. That’s unheard of. If Sam Bradford wasn’t looking like a franchise quarterback and savior in St. Louis, there would be calls in St. Louis for people to be fired for passing on Suh for Bradford. We shouldn’t expect anything less of Suh this season.

Nick Fairley is supposed to start next to him. Fairley could miss a few games, but he’ll be back sooner rather than later. He’s a rookie and will be hurt by the lockout, but he’s an extremely talented player who had 12.5 sacks for Auburn last season and only dropped because of bullshit “durability issues” (he sounds like he can’t breathe when he talks so maybe that’s why those “issues” exist).

Next to Suh, he should dominate. You won’t be able to stop both of them. They will wreak havoc. Don’t forget, the Lions also have solid players in Corey Williams and Sammie Lee Hill on their depth chart at defensive tackle. They might have the most defensive tackle depth in the league. Gone are the days when this team was starting a 36 year old Grady Jackson at defensive tackle.

At defensive end, the Lions use a rotating trio of Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril, and Lawrence Jackson. Vanden Bosch is the veteran of the group. Vanden Bosch turns 33 in November, but he’s a leader on the field and a favorite of Head Coach Jim Schwartz, under whom Vanden Bosch had his best success when Schwartz was the defensive coordinator in Tennessee. He only had 4 sacks last season, but makes up for it by being strong against the run.

Avril is undersized and gets washed against the run, but you take the good with the bad with him. He put up 8.5 sacks and a whopping 43 quarterback pressures last season despite only playing 651 snaps. Lawrence Jackson is currently listed as a 2^nd stringer, but that was the case last season and he still found opportunities to get on the field. The former 1^st rounder was given up on way too soon by Seattle, who sent him to Detroit last offseason. He put up 6 sacks on 337 snaps.

Between their 4 talented defensive tackles and their 3 talented defensive ends, they have 7 talented defensive linemen that they can mix and match and use to really punish opposing quarterbacks. The defensive line was a strength of this team last year and will be a bigger strength next season. However, linebacker, once a strength of this team, was a weakness last season. This season it figures to be a strength once more.

The reason behind their new found strength at the position is two underrated free agent signings, Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant. Tulloch was 2^nd in the league in tackles last season, yet the Lions were able to get him for a mere 3.35 million over 1 year. He must have taken some kind of discount to play for Jim Schwartz, his former defensive coordinator in Tennessee, because they got him at a bargain. He’ll immediately make a noticeable difference in their linebacking corps and he’s familiar with Schwartz’ system, a plus coming out of a lockout shortened offseason.

Justin Durant, meanwhile, comes over from Jacksonville. He’s a talented player when healthy, but he’s never played more than 14 games in a season missing 14 games in his 4 years as a pro. If, and when, he gets hurt, rookie linebacker Doug Hogue, a 5^th rounder out of Syracuse, could step into the lineup. Durant and Tulloch combine with DeAndre Levy to form a very formidable linebacking group. Levy, an incumbent starter from 2010, was the lone bright spot at the position for the Lions in 2010 and figures to have another strong season in 2011. There are simply no holes in their front 7. They have more defensive line depth than any team in the league, depth the coaching staff knows how to use effectively.

The Lions are hoping their pass rush and their overall strength up front can mask their deficiencies in the secondary. Despite 44 sacks, they still ranked 26^th against the pass thanks to terrible coverage. Chris Houston could be an adequate #2 cornerback in the league, but he had to be their #1 last year because Alphonso Smith and Nathan Vasher split time as the #2 cornerbacks. Neither of them were very good.

The Lions signed Eric Wright in free agency to be their new #2 cornerback. Wright, however, had the 2^nd worst quarterback rating against of any eligible cornerback in the league last year, only behind Dallas’ Michael Jenkins. Wright surrendered a 66.5% completion percentage and 6 touchdowns to 1 interception. He is still just 26 and he’s been better in the past so maybe a change of scenery and a better pass rush in front of him is all he needs to become a legitimate starter again. Even if that happens, the Lions won’t have a legitimate #1 cornerback, so they should struggle in pass coverage once again.

Louis Delmas, a 2009 2^nd round pick, is the most talented of their defensive backs. He’s not great against the pass, but he’s not terrible either and his strength is against the run. Meanwhile, at strong safety, CC “Cant Cover” Brown is no longer the starter, very good news. However, that’s where the good news ends. 2010 3^rd round pick Amari Spievey will start at the position this year. He struggled mightily as a rookie. He could bounce back in his 2^nd season, but I have doubts about his ability to do so.

The Lions are many people’s top sleeper for 2011. I think it’s best to temper expectations right now for them. They did play well enough to be an 8-8 team in 2010 and they are getting quarterback Matt Stafford back from injury, but people act like the only question mark with Stafford is his health. It’s not. Plenty of #1 overall quarterbacks have busted before. We’re skeptical about guys like Cam Newton and Sam Bradford after they get drafted, but we seem to be giving Stafford a free pass even though he’s yet to prove himself one way or another.

I’m not going to predict the playoffs for the Lions, though I’ll admit I could easily be wrong. If Stafford can play 16 games and be a legitimate franchise quarterback for them, they could easily win 11 games and make the playoffs as a wild card and be a tough first round out. They have enough non-quarterback talent to do that. However, I’m going conservative with my prediction for them this season.

Quarterback: B-

Running backs: B-

Offensive line: C+

Receiving corps: B

Run defense: B

Pass rush: A

Pass coverage: C-

Coaching: B-

Projection: 10-6 2^nd in NFC North

 

 

 

 

Offensive Tackle

Jim Schwartz has been a huge Jeff Backus supporter for years, but he has to face facts. Even if he thinks Backus is good for some reason, he’s a 34 year old free agent who needs a long term replacement, even if he is resigned. Oh, and he’s not good, allowing 7 sacks and 39 pressures, while committing 11 penalties last season. If retained, he could move to right tackle, where Gosder Cherilus allowed 9 sacks and 27 pressures, with 5 penalties committed, while struggling as a run blocker. At least one new offensive tackle is needed.

Cornerback

If the Lions are serious about winning the Super Bowl, they need better cornerbacks than Eric Wright and Chris Houston. They have a great pass rush, but can you imagine if they actually had talented cornerbacks to match up one on one with receivers.

Safety

Cornerback isn’t their only problem area in the secondary. In fact, only Louis Delmas is an above average starter. Amari Spievey was pretty bad at free safety last year and needs to be replaced.

Center

Dominic Raiola is a 33 year old declining player at center. He used to be a solid starter, but last year he was pretty bad.

Middle Linebacker

Stephen Tulloch was a great one year resigning, but he’ll have to be resigned. If he’s not, DeAndre Levy will probably move back into the middle, his natural position, after a disappointing season on the outside, but they would need a new outside linebacker in that situation.

Defensive End

Cliff Avril is a free agent. The Lions seem hesitant to give him a long term deal and would prefer to use the franchise tag on him. However, Avril has suggested he may hold out if he’s tagged. Meanwhile, Kyle Vanden Bosch is 33 years old. They could use a long term successor for him.

Running Back

The Lions have used early picks on running backs in the last few years with little to no success. Kevin Smith was drafted in the 3^rd in 2008, Jahvid Best in the 1^st in 2010, and Mikel Leshoure in the 2^nd last year. However, they still seem to always end up having to use Maurice Morris down the stretch. Best and Smith can’t stay healthy, while Leshoure will be coming off an Achilles tear. They could use another running back in the mix.

 

 

Free Agency Priorities

Cornerback

Can you imagine how good this pass defense would be if they had even a decent secondary. They’re adding Nick Fairley to a pass rush that already had 44 sacks last year and is still pretty young. The Lions are probably on the short list for Nnamdi Asomugha and if they miss out on him, they’ll try to sign other cornerback options through free agency. 

Safety

Basically the same thing as cornerback. They ranked 26th against the pass last year with 44 sacks, so their defensive backs weren’t doing their jobs. They didn’t draft a single defensive back and they need a new safety opposite Louis Delmas. 

Outside Linebacker 

Outside of DeAndre Levy, they don’t have any starters at linebacker. Even if rookie Doug Hogue can step up big time as a rookie, they’ll need another starter at the position.

 

Draft Needs 

Cornerback

Detroit’s 26^th ranked pass defense was better this year than most years, but, let’s be honest, when your defensive line gets 44 sacks and you still are one of the worst pass defenses in the league, the defensive backs aren’t doing their jobs.

Offensive Tackle

Jeff Backus was the weak link on an offensive line that surprisingly only allowed 27 sacks this season. Backus is not a capable left tackle in this league, especially in a division where he faces Jared Allen, Clay Matthews, and Julius Peppers on a weekly basis. The offensive line is not fully at fault for all of Stafford’s injuries, but when your 73 million dollar former #1 pick quarterback has a glass shoulder and your team hasn’t made the playoffs in over a decade, you need someone better than Jeff Backus blocking Peppers, Matthews, and Allen. Even Backus supporters can’t argue this, he turns 34 in September. Unless they think Jason Fox is the future, they should focus on this need early.

Drafted Johnny Culbreath (#209) 

Safety

CC Brown started at safety for a few games this year. Yikes! Amari Spievey, a former corner, played there as well for a bit, but he struggled as well. They need a better safety opposite Louis Delmas.

Outside Linebacker

Remember when linebacker was the strength of this defense just a year ago? Now they have nothing at one outside linebacker spot and at the other they have a soon to be 33 year old Julian Peterson.

Drafted Doug Hogue (#157) 

Defensive End

Kyle Vanden Bosch turns 33 next season so while the former Titan had a rebirth this season once reunited with former defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, they might want to look at young blood behind him.

Running Back

Jahvid Best and Kevin Smith both can’t stay healthy. Anytime a 31 year old Maurice Morris has to become the lead back down the stretch for two straight years, you know you need help at the position.

Drafted Mikel Leshoure (#57) 

 

QB Drew Stanton

RB Kevin Smith

FB Jerome Felton

WR Brian Clark

OT Corey Hilliard

C Dylan Gandy

DE Cliff Avril

DE Turk McBride

DE Jared DeVries

DE Copeland Bryan

DT Andre Fluellen

OLB Julian Peterson

OLB Landon Johnson

OLB Ashlee Palmer

OLB Bobby Carpenter

OLB Zach Follett (exclusive rights)- tendered

OLB Caleb Campbell (exclusive rights)

MLB Vinny Ciurciu

CB Chris Houston

CB Tye Hill

CB Brandon McDonald

CB Eric King

S CC Brown 

Offseason moves:

Cut Julian Peterson

Tendered Zach Follett

Signed Erik Coleman

Cut Eric King

Draft 

 

By Dean Holden 

After watching four games of Detroit Lions football, a very important fact has dawned on me.

The Lions, after so many years of losing, are allergic to leads.

Seriously, think about it. They seem to avoid taking the lead in any football game, and when they do have them, they have a violent reaction that gets it away from them in the most efficient way possible.

The Lions lead by a touchdown, the Vikings will be forced to punt…two plays later, the score is 7-7.

The Lions lead the Bears by 11, it’s almost halftime…90 seconds later, that lead is one point, and their starting quarterback is out indefinitely.

The Lions dominate the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, moving the ball at will and winning the turnover battle. After holding the Packers’ offense scoreless the entire second half, they drive into Green Bay territory with a two-point deficit, punt, and never get the ball back.

See, if it’s not a lethal allergy to leads, how do you explain the Lions being 0-4 after playing at or above the level of their competition each game?

Believe it or not, there’s a good reason for every game, why the Lions should have won, and why they didn’t. And no, it’s not really an allergy.

Let’s take it game-by-game.

Week 1 at Chicago Bears

Why the Lions Should Have Won

Everybody expects me to go sour grapes on Calvin Johnson’s non-TD, and while it’s true that the Lions could have won on that play, that’s not where the Lions played their best football that day.

Detroit’s defense was dominant all day, especially in the second half. Of Chicago’s seven drives in the second half, five started closer than Chicago’s 35-yard line. Two started in Lions’ territory. One started a yard away from a touchdown.

Only the last one, which started at the Chicago 44-yard line, resulted in any points. Had the Lions gotten anything going offensively in the second half, the game would have been much different.

Why the Lions Lost

No, I’m not blaming the refs. We’re past that.

I’m blaming the offense for the first 28 minutes of the second half. Granted, I know it’s hard to rally after your leader and supposed franchise savior gets sidelined after playing 1/32 of a season, but all they needed was one.

With the way the defense was playing—and on basically zero rest between shifts, I might add—one scoring drive would have been enough to put the game away. Sure, they almost got it in the closing seconds, but what about the two whole quarters prior to that?

Week 2 vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Why the Lions Should Have Won

For all the talk about Michael Vick’s kilowatt-hour consumption, it’s easy to overlook how the Eagles were nearly beaten by the Lions, and that Vick was sacked six times in that game, coughing up a fumble on one.

In large part, the defense played well, if you subtract the major mistakes and the big plays.

Which, of course, is a ridiculous assessment, like saying the Detroit Tigers would have won if you subtract all Tiger errors and opponents’ home runs. But the point is that the Lions didn’t lack the talent to stop the Eagles, they lacked the consistency.

Oh, it’s probably also worth noting that the Lions had the leading passer (Shaun Hill), receiver (Jahvid Best), and all-around offensive player (Best) in the game, and that they out-gained the Eagles in the game.

Why the Lions Lost

It wasn’t so much that the Eagles just drove the ball at will. It’s that they would gain a yard, lose four, then gain 30. Too many mistakes destroyed what could have been a solid defensive performance.

But more importantly, the offense stood dormant for most of the game, especially in the second half when the defense was making stops. The Lions failed to take advantage of numerous opportunities to come back in the game.

That is, of course, until they dug an 18-point deficit, then the offense woke up with five minutes to go and scored two touchdowns. Then, after recovering an onside kick, and with just under two minutes to go and a timeout, the Lions needed about 25 yards to be in range for a game-tying field goal.

Somebody forgot to tell Scott Linehan and/or Shaun Hill, because that game situation was apparently interpreted as “time to throw up some easily knocked-away passes down the sidelines and just see what happens.” Despite Best’s stellar performance on passes to the middle of the field to that point, the entire area inside the hash marks was ignored, and the result was four incomplete passes.

In other words, the defense was weak early, they stepped it up late. The offense was weak in the middle, but strong early and VERY late. The play-calling on the potential game-winning/tying drive? Abysmal.

Week 3 at Minnesota Vikings

Why the Lions Should Have Won

Brett Favre was made to look like a 40-year-old grandfather in this game. Which is impressive, since Favre is actually not a…wait a second…

Anyway, Favre’s final stat line of 23/34 for 201 yards looks fine, but doesn’t tell the story of how poorly Favre played in the game. The zip is gone from his passes, he looks unsure in the pocket, and he’s obviously out of sync with his offense.

If only there were a multiple-week period of time before the season starts for teammates to work on things like offensive sets and timing and chemistry and what color are our jerseys again? They could even make it like camp. Ooh, they could call it that, too!

Despite playing without their starting quarterback, two top running backs, No. 2 wide receiver, and one of their tight ends for several plays, the Lions offense was able to move down the field, once again, mounting a late comeback bid.

In the fourth quarter, the Lions had as many drives in the red zone as they needed touchdowns to tie the game.

Why the Lions Lost

Problem is, both of those late drives ended in end zone interceptions.

Disappointing, since the Lions had previously been uncharacteristically good in the red zone this year.

Bottom line, though. Two passes caught in the end zone by Vikings players. If they’re caught by Lions players, the game is tied. And the Vikings were unable to get any offense going in the fourth quarter.

The Lions jumped out to an early lead and then earned a defensive stop, but held onto that momentum with exactly the same ability that Stefan Logan held onto the ensuing punt. And it went pretty much downhill from there.

Also, it tends to be easier to win against the Vikings when Adrian Peterson doesn’t set a personal best in something.

Against the Lions, it’s usually fumbles. This time, he completed his longest professional run from scrimmage with a 80-yard dash to the end zone, capping off a 160-yard day.

Week 4 at Green Bay Packers

Why the Lions Should Have Won

Why not? I taped that game, I’ve watched it a couple of times, and I’ve come to a revelation.

Over that 60-minute period, the Detroit Lions were a better team than the Green Bay Packers.

Why? Let me count the ways.

Exactly 170 more yards from scrimmage. Better turnover ratio. A quarterback with more yards on one scramble than any Packer running back had the whole game. More first downs. Better third down efficiency. A 15-minute advantage in time of possession. And a 40-year-old kicker who’s still got it.

This was the first game this season in which the Lions mostly dominated both sides of the ball in the second half, but then got worse in the closing minutes, instead of better. The Lions needed one more drive to win, but never got it.

Why the Lions Lost

Penalties, penalties, and some more penalties.

Last year, the Packers tripped over themselves several times, notching 13 penalties for 130 yards. The offense still put up 26 points, but the defense held Detroit to zero.

This year, the Lions committed 13 penalties for 102 yards, and the offense put up 26 points. Problem is, the defense allowed 28.

Partly because of penalties, the Lions were forced to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns. That’s a big deal in a game where the margin of victory is two points, especially when one of those drives starts on the Packer 18-yard line.

More than anything, though, the Lions once again failed to realize that “close” isn’t close enough. After swinging the momentum completely in their favor, they stalled on the go-ahead drive in Packer territory, punted with over 6 minutes on the clock, and never bothered getting the ball back.

Give credit to Mike McCarthy for calling a masterful game-ending drive, with a perfect blend of pass and run that kept the clock running on nearly every down.

But also take some away from the Lions, who found a way to avoid that lead once again, as has been their trend so far this year.

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By Dean Holden 

Though the consensus throughout the NFL is that bad teams like the Detroit Lions need to rebuild through the draft, free agency has been an integral part in building the 2010 Lions’ roster.

Never was this more apparent than when the Lions struck first in the 2010 free-agent market by signing Kyle Vanden Bosch and Nate Burleson before some GMs had even woken up.

Jim Schwartz showed up on Vanden Bosch’s doorstep at about 12:05 am of the first day of signing, and had him convinced to come to Detroit by sunrise. 

Of course, after that initial rush, the Lions went into a bit of a shell, making shrewd, subtle moves that flew under the radar.

Nobody knows how the Lions’ body of offseason work will turn out this year. But after training camp and a few preseason games, we can make some educated guesses, and maybe even slap some grades on after a month’s worth of work in pads.

Kyle Vanden Bosch

Acquired: Free Agent 

Vanden Bosch has performed well in the preseason, bringing exactly the high motor the Lions expected from him. But as nice as his stats may be, his greatest contribution has been as a leader. His work ethic has already rubbed off on a handful of his defensive teammates, and Lions running backs are finishing their runs harder for fear of being chased down from behind by No. 93.

Lions safety Louis Delmas on Vanden Bosch, according to a piece on DetroitLions.com: “Vanden Bosch—he has no sense at all. All he wants to do is scream and tackle people.”

Finally. How long have Lions fans waited for a defensive enforcer like that?

Grade: A+

Nate Burleson

Acquired: Free Agent

Ironically, the team famous for picking wide receivers in the first round over the last decade has found itself in dire need of wide receivers.

Guess that happens when all your draft picks bust, are traded, or both.

So the Lions needed to give some support to receiving stud Calvin Johnson (the only one of those first-rounders to stick). That support was Nate Burleson.

Burleson insists he’s more than a possession receiver, that he is still a deep threat. The Lions will need him to be, since they already have a stable of tight ends poised to play the possession game.

But so far, I haven’t seen it. Burleson has proven to be a highly capable receiver, no doubt. But a deep threat? Maybe he’s saving it for the regular season.

Still, even if Burleson does end up pigeon-holed as a “possession” guy, he’s a far cry better than any non-81-wearing receiver the Lions had last year.

Grade: B

Corey Williams

Acquired: Trade with Cleveland Browns, Lions give 2010 fifth-round pick, get Browns’ 2010 seventh-round pick

At the time of the trade, I thought bringing Corey Williams in was a fantastic idea. And believe me, I still do. But expectations have waned a bit on Williams based on his preseason performance.

After some speculation that Williams could be the Lions’ biggest impact defensive lineman on a line featuring Ndamukong Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, and Cliff Avril, it’s now very possible that Sammie Hill, who had a phenomenal preseason and training camp, could displace him in the starter’s role by season’s end.

Of course, given that the Lions’ defensive scheme involves rotating fresh linemen in at all times, there isn’t likely to be much difference in playing time between the second starter and the first guy off the bench, so that’s not a huge deal.

Still, considering that Suh has pulled all double teams his way, Williams’ inability to fight over one-on-one matchups thus far has to be considered disappointing. Williams hasn’t necessarily looked bad thus far, he’s just been a bit invisible.

Not what you want from a guy who likes to attack and get into the backfield. Especially when that’s what his scheme calls for.

Grade: C-

Chris Houston

Acquired: Trade with Atlanta Falcons, Lions give 2010 sixth-round pick,  teams swap 2010 fifth-round picks

I’m going to warn you right now, this is the first of several entries in which I am going to use the words “ball skills,” in conjunction with a negative modifier like “exhibits no,” “lacks,” or “has never heard of.”

With that being said, Chris Houston seems to have the top-end speed necessary to run with even the quickest of receivers. And yet, I get the feeling we’re going to see him get beat deep a lot this year.

Why? Two reasons. One, he makes too many mental mistakes playing man coverage, and two (I might have foreshadowed this), he lacks ball skills.

He might be step-for-step with his receiver 40 yards downfield, but if the quarterback launches the pass anyway, Houston needs to be able to knock it down. As it stands now, the receiver is more likely to make the catch over Houston’s shoulder as he flails around.

It’s true that these are coachable errors, that his main attributes of speed and agility make him valuable and a potential elite corner. But if Houston’s weaknesses are coachable, why has nobody coached them away yet?

You have to wonder if Houston, who is entering his fourth professional year, will find his comfort zone soon. NFL teams don’t wait 10 years to see if a player is going to reach his potential.

Grade: D+

Jonathan Wade

Acquired: Free Agent

Jonathan Wade was picked up to fill a spot on special teams. In fact, the press release about his signing listed him as a cornerback/special teams specialist.

And why not? The only reason he was still on the St. Louis Rams’ roster is because of his special teams. There was nothing wrong with that. The Lions’ special teams needed help, frankly. But Wade wasn’t content with that. He wanted to let everyone know he could play defense, too, and he was going to let everybody know.

We smiled politely and said, “Sure, kid, whatever you say.”

Fast forward to today. After training camp and preseason, Wade has looked like the best cornerback on the Lions’ roster (for whatever that’s worth), and is likely to start the season across from Chris Houston, albeit as the No. 2 cornerback.

The problem with Wade is that he hasn’t been healthy for most of the preseason, so it has been difficult to gauge his performance in an actual game situation.

When the season starts, we will learn a great deal about Wade’s viability as a long-term solution at cornerback. He shows promise, but it could go either way.

Regardless, Wade has already exceeded the expectations set for his when he was signed in March, which makes him a quality signing.

Grade: B+

Shaun Hill

Acquired: Trade with San Francisco 49ers, Lions give 2011 seventh-round pick

And just like that, the Lions’ backup quarterback is more talented than most of the Lions’ starters over the last decade.

Shaun Hill started eight games for the 49ers last year, and with some success. In the preseason, he has looked more than competent as a game manager, exactly as the Lions want him to be as a quality backup quarterback.

Best of all, he creates no quarterback controversy. That’s more due to Stafford’s progression than a lack of talent on Hill’s part, but still…had the Lions pulled someone like Matt Leinart in to back Stafford up, there might be a murmur of doubt here and there.

Hill brings exactly the stability the Lions’ depth chart needed at the quarterback position, and he brings it cheap. San Francisco was obviously selling him out of the bargain bin, because there’s no way the Lions could have hoped to pull a quarterback with Hill’s abilities out of the seventh round this year.

Especially since that pick is for next year’s draft.

Grade: A+

Rob Sims

Acquired: Trade with Seattle Seahawks, Lions give DE Robert Henderson and 2010 fifth-round pick, get Seahawks’ 2010 seventh-round pick

The Lions could have brought in any warm body from anywhere in the NFL, stuck him on the field for 16 games, and probably been better off than the situation they had at left guard in 2009.

Last year’s left guard position was a revolving door, in more ways than one. Not only were starters being changed every week, but defenders treated those starters very much like a revolving door on the way to the quarterback.

Enter Rob Sims, the man intended to take that revolving door and turn it into a steel door with keypad entry.

So far, he has succeeded in solidifying his entire side of the line. He has actually succeeded in making his neighbor on the line, Jeff Backus, better and more consistent. There seems to be more trust and coherence between Backus and Sims than there was between Backus and any guard he’s played with in the last several years.

Of course, Sims has yet to face up to any really dangerous defensive line as a Lion. Facing the Minnesota Vikings’ Williams Wall should be a good test early on.

But for now, he seems like one of the better moves of the offseason.

Grade: A

Tony Scheffler

Acquired: Three-team trade, Lions give LB Ernie Sims to Philadelphia Eagles, Eagles give 2010 fifth-round pick to Denver Broncos, Broncos give Scheffler and 2010 seventh-round pick to Detroit

This really seemed like a good idea at the time. Sims had not really fit in the Lions’ new defense, and had mostly failed to live up to his potential in the Lions’ previous defense. He still had talent, it was just time for him to move on.

Scheffler, meanwhile, was a young, still-promising tight end, coming into an offense that might use tight ends just as often as wide receivers.

The issue here is not Scheffler, because it seems like he will be exactly what the Lions expect him to be, though it does not appear he will surpass Brandon Pettigrew on the depth chart. The issue is that the tight end position is now the deepest on the team, if not in all of football, and linebacker is…not.

Zack Follett, for as much of a fan favorite as he is, has struggled at the weak side, especially when called upon in coverage, and the best the Lions have to replace him is Landon Johnson. 

The Lions’ tight ends will be a strength this year, and linebackers will not. Even if Sims wasn’t the best fit for the Lions, he would have been less of an exploitable weakness. Hopefully Scheffler is worth it.

Grade: C

C.C. Brown

Acquired: Free Agent

Brown was all but handed a starting job when he signed with the Lions, because hey, who else was going to play it?

Well, that was then.  Since then, third-round draft pick Amari Spievey has made the shift to safety, and Randy Phillips came in and made all other non-Delmas safeties obsolete.

Brown made the roster, but he has found himself on the wrong end of a battle with a couple of young rookies, and is now likely looking at the bottom of the depth chart as his next likely destination, rather than a starting job.

He may start the season as a first-stringer, because he hasn’t really done anything wrong this preseason, but he will likely be displaced by season’s end.

Regardless, Brown hasn’t been a bad signing, the Lions just made better ones later. Brown should still provide quality depth and a starting-caliber player, should the need arise.

Grade: B-

Dre’ Bly

Acquired: Free Agent

I think we all expected this one to turn out a bit differently.

The return of the Detroit Lions’ last Pro Bowl cornerback was a big story when it happened (especially considering the conditions surrounding his departure), and while it was obvious he had lost a step from his Pro Bowl days, most expected him to compete for a starting job, or at least be the top bench player.

But after a silent preseason, in which an interception off a tipped pass was the only time we heard his name, the Lions determined he was expendable, and he finds himself once again looking for work.

Credit to the Lions for not feeling handcuffed to a player who doesn’t perform, regardless of who it is.

But maybe they should try not dishing out two-year contracts to guys who only stick around for two months.

Grade: D-

Randy Phillips

Acquired: Undrafted Free Agent (Miami)

I wasn’t going to mention Phillips, but with the way he has performed, how could I not?

In a few months, Phillips has gone from missing the combine and failing physicals with an injury to signing and playing to within a stone’s throw of  a starting job.

Not bad for a guy on nobody’s draft board.

Of course, the best part is that he is one of the Lions’ best products from the draft, and they didn’t even have to use a draft pick. Finding value where it appears there is none is what good teams do, which is why it comes as such a surprise that the Lions have been doing just that recently.

Grade: A+

Lawrence Jackson

Acquired: Trade with Seattle Seahawks, Lions give 2011 sixth-round pick

Jackson has not shown very much in what little he has played in the preseason, but he was a first-round pick in 2008, and the Lions got him for a sixth-round pick, so it isn’t as though he has terribly high expectations awaiting him in Detroit.

Jackson is a depth pickup, meant to soften the blow of losing Jared DeVries for another season. If he performs at even an average level (which his first-round draft status would seem to indicate), then he’s a good pick.

Vanden Bosch and Avril are still the starters, so acquiring Jackson is a low-risk, moderate-reward move. The Lions were not likely to find a better player in the sixth round of next year’s draft, anyway.

Grade: C+

Alphonso Smith

Acquired: Trade with Denver Broncos, Lions give TE Dan Gronkowski

You can’t say much about Smith, because he hasn’t yet played with the Lions in a game situation. He was just brought in from the Broncos on cut day.

But here’s what we do know about this move. Gronkowski was the second-to-last pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, and might have made the roster if not for the exceptional depth the Lions have at tight end

Smith, on the other hand, was the fifth selection on the second round in the same draft, and the Seahawks traded away their 2010 first-round pick to move up to get him. It took all of one season for the Broncos to give up on what was effectively a first-round pick for them, and now he gets a chance to succeed in Detroit.

So if you want to analyze the move by its direct value, think of it this way. The Lions traded the 255th pick of the 2009 draft to the Broncos for the 37th pick of the 2009 draft.

Sounds good to me.

Grade: A-

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OT Mike Adams (Ohio State)

CB Conray Black (Utah)

DE Andre Branch (Clemson)

G Brandon Brooks (Miami-OH)

DE Braylon Broughton (TCU)

RB Bryce Brown (Kansas State)

OLB Zach Brown (North Carolina)

DE Kaelin Burnett (Nevada)

RB Derrick Coleman (UCLA)

DE Vinny Curry (Marshall)

WR David Douglas (Arizona)

CB Isaiah Frey (Nevada)

OT David Gonzales (Washington State)

RB LaMichael James (Oregon)

WR A.J. Jenkins (Illinois)

OLB Josh Kaddu (Oregon)

OT Dennis Kelly (Purdue)

CB Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama)

OLB Travis Lewis (Oklahoma)

WR Rishard Matthews (Nevada)

DE Whitney Mercilus (Illinois)

RB Lamar Miller (Miami)

OT Kevin Murphy (Harvard)

CB Josh Norman (Coastal Carolina)

G J.C. Oram (Weber State)

G Kelechi Osemele (Iowa State)

G Amini Silatolu (Midwestern State)

CB Keith Tandy (West Virginia)

WR Devon Wylie (Fresno State)

 

By Dean Holden 

Ndamukong Suh 

This is the pick that, more than any other, will determine the future of the Lions’ defense, much the same as the Matthew Stafford pick will determine the future of the offense. Suh is expected to be a star, and if he turns out to be only average down the road, it will set the Lions back severely.

Luckily, early signs are overwhelmingly positive. Though Suh’s greatest statistical contribution to the Lions’ defense thus far has been the fine resulting from this hit on Jake Delhomme, he has done exactly what the Lions needed him to do: draw consistent double-teams from opposing offensive lines.

Even on the that play, he had to fight over two blocks before chasing down Delhomme.

In other words, you’ll know if Suh is doing his job if the rest of the line has impressive stats.

So is Suh doing his job? Well, the Lions racked up 11 sacks in the preseason, and none were attributed to Suh. In fact, Suh only notched three total tackles in the preseason. So the answer is, quite possibly, yes.

That’s fine for his rookie season, but to become a truly dominant defensive tackle, he will eventually need to become more than a match for two blockers and fight over his fair share of double teams.

There’s no reason he can’t, and in fact, all signs point to him doing so in the future. But he’s not there yet. Patience.

Grade: A-

Jahvid Best

Jahvid Best has needed relatively few preseason carries to show that he is probably the best running back to hit Detroit since… oops, almost let it slip.

Okay, in a very long time.

Best started the preseason a bit shaky, but seems to have improved a bit in each game and now appears to be the Lions’ second-most dangerous weapon after Calvin Johnson.

Best and last year’s starter, Kevin Smith, got the same number of carries in the preseason, 15 each. Most of Best’s came early in the game against a fresh first-string defense, and he finished the preseason with a team-leading 129 yards, for a ridiculous average of 8.6 yards per carry.

I know what you’re thinking, and I’ve got it covered. If you take out Best’s 51-yard run against Cleveland (which, admittedly, would throw his average out of whack since he only pulled 15 total carries), his average is just under 5.6 yards per carry.

Still impressive, considering that almost all of his carries came against first-string defenses, and he’s an equally dangerous receiving back.

Best’s presence as a big-play threat from the backfield will give the Lions much more freedom in game planning, and make it much more difficult for opposing defenses to key on the pass, which has been Detroit primary (and its only competent) method of attack for years.

The only concern with Best is his health. A severe concussion on a young running back is dangerous, and will continue to be throughout his career. That threat will keep the “plus” off the end of this grade.

Grade: A

Amari Spievey

If not for the pick of DeAndre Levy in 2009, I would swear that the Lions management’s Achilles’ Heel on the draft board is the third round.

Last year? Derrick Williams, who has been by far the greatest disappointment of that draft class thus far.

And now we have Amari Spievey. The biggest play he’s had in the preseason has been getting burned for a long touchdown, getting savagely chewed out by Gunther Cunningham, and subsequently being moved to safety.

And it now appears that it may have been the most important play of his career. While he struggled at cornerback, Spievey has flourished since the move to safety.

Of course, this makes sense, considering he was a physical cornerback with strong tackling skills in a zone defense at Iowa.

Still, the Lions didn’t draft a safety, they drafted a cornerback. And now, instead of having a promising young cornerback on the roster, they’re short one.

Credit to the Lions brass for making the switch, which seems to have retained Spievey’s value, just not at the position where they desperately needed it.

Grade: C-

Jason Fox

Well, at least the Lions drafted somebody to play an offensive line position. They took Lydon Murtha in the seventh round last year, but he was cut, and subsequently signed off waivers by the Miami Dolphins.

So, for all you guys who preached Michael Oher last year, and Russell Okung this year, this is what you got. Jason Fox, OT, Miami.

Honestly, it’s a good pick. One of those high-round picks on the offensive line would mean that the Lions are looking to put incumbent left tackle Jeff Backus out to pasture a bit before he’s ready. Backus has a couple of good years left in the tank, and more importantly, a couple of very expensive years left on his contract.

So they waited and grabbed a fourth-round project.

And Fox is exactly that: a project. Much like the Lions’ 2009 fourth-round pick, Sammie Hill, Fox is a guy with the physical tools to succeed, but he needs good coaching, experience, and time.

Since he won’t be pushing for a starting job anytime soon (especially with Backus the Iron Man never missing a game), Fox’s biggest hurdle was going to be making the active roster as a reserve.

Fox’s performance was strong enough to warrant a spot over veteran Jon Jansen, and while youth over experience has been a theme for the Lions this offseason, Jansen was expected to compete for a starting spot at the onset of training camp.

Is this a sign that Fox is closer to ready than we thought? Probably not, but due to his draft position and the Lions’ offensive line situation, he doesn’t have to be. He can develop however he needs to, and nobody will pressure him to step in before he’s ready.

This is definitely a pick that will take longer to judge than just this year, but for now, I give high marks to Fox for making the squad, and the Lions for picking him in the perfect position for both him and the organization.

Grade: B

Willie Young

I shrugged off the selection of Willie Young in the yawn-worthy section of the draft. It had been about four hours since the last time the Lions drafted, and there wasn’t a whole lot to get excited about. Including Young himself.

So I thought.

But throughout the preseason, Young made his presence felt every single time he stepped on the field. He has been an electrifying presence for the defense, despite his exceptionally small stature (for his position).

Young is a pure speed rusher on the edge, and unless he puts on about 30 pounds or shifts to linebacker, that’s all he’ll ever be. Versatility is not Young’s calling card.

But even though he only does one thing, he does it well. Young finished the preseason with 13 tackles and two sacks. Both sacks came late in the game, both turned into fumbles, and both ended up sealing the game for the Lions.

And a team can never have too many guys who specialize in consistently getting to the quarterback.

Although Young made a couple decent plays on rushing downs in the preseason, his future in the NFL is likely going to be as a third down pass rush specialist. But if he succeeds at that, he will be an extremely valuable pick, considering he was an early seventh-rounder.

It remains to be seen whether Young will have the same success against elite lineman as he did against backups not used to dealing with his speed, but the Lions seem to think he at least will have an easier time of it than Jason Hunter.

Grade: B+

Tim Toone

It’s tempting to knock the only guy out of the Lions’ 2010 draft that didn’t make the active roster.

But the guy is Mr. Irrelevant, what do you want from him?

Toone suffered in the preseason from a couple of dropped passes, having to field punts in Denver (not an enviable task), and some unfair comparisons to Wes Welker because of his size, style (over the middle), and – let’s face it – skin tone.

But for the last pick in the draft, Toone has value. He was shifty on some of his punt returns, and he could be a valuable slot receiver in the future, he’s just not there right now.

Luckily, Toone cleared waivers to hit the Lions practice squad, so he could make a return in the next season or two.

Of course, he could just as easily not make any noise. They call him “Mr. Irrelevant” for a reason. It isn’t as though the Lions are fielding an All-Pro stable of receivers and Toone couldn’t make it in. He missed the cut in favor of Derrick Williams and Dennis Northcutt (though Northcutt is sans employment now, too).

But give him time. Toone has a long way to go, so he’s at least still a maybe.

Grade: D

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