Nick Fairley? Sorry, I'm not on board.

First of all, any writer that makes a stupid fairly/Fairley pun should be shot in the face.  Secondly, I am glad the Lions didn't make a huge mistake and take Da'Quan Bowers.  He was available and the Lions could have tricked over themselves and taken him.  So that was a plus.

At pick #13 the Lions were staring CB Prince Amukamara right in the face.  OT Anthony Castanzo was staring them right in the face. OT and CB were the Lions two biggest needs.

Now, here is where I'm going to give Martin Mayhew some props, but it hurts to do.  I'm thinking that what happened last night is that the Lions had absolutely no clue that Nick Fairley might be available.  They probably had Patrick Peterson, Marcell Dareus, Von Miller, and Nick Fairley--in that order--at the top of their board.  So they stayed true to their scouting and followed their draft board.  This is a solid strategy.  A strategy that successful teams follow.  It's nice to think that the Lions are doing what the good teams in the NFL do.  It's weird and unsettling and makes me feel kind of funny.

Picking Fairley does not improve the entire squad as much as a pick of Amukamara would have, but it very likely gives the Lions a defensive front that can be argued to be amongst the best in the entire NFL.

Now this does help the back seven of the defense.  If you only have to cover for a second or two, you have a lot better chance of covering, even if you can't cover.  But early last season, we learned that you can game plan for a great defensive front by screening and using short drops. Nothing has changed there.

I'll hold my tongue until I see what they do for the rest of the weekend.  They are still in GREAT need of drafting at least one CB and two OLBs, plus they have need for a third wide receiver, offensive linemen and a second running back.

Players I'll be happy if the Lions find a way to get.

CB Aaron Williams, Texas
CB Ras I Dowling, Virginia
CB Brandon Harris, Miami
CB Shareece Wright, USC

DE/OLB Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh

LB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
LB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
LB Quan Sturdivant, North Carolian
LB Dontae Moch, Nevada
LB Mason Foster, Washington

WR Greg Little, North Carolina
WR Randall Cobb, Kentucky
WR Titus Young, Boise State
WR Edmund Gates, Abilene Christian

RB Mikel Leshoure, Illinois

OT Ben Ijalana, Villanova

The Lions Super Bowl is here again!

It's NFL Draft day again.

The NFL Lockout has been lifted--as if anybody knows what that really means.

Free agency can begin today, but probably won't.  A ton of trades could happen today, but probably won't. 

The NFL has appealed the decision which lifted the lockout and it would be bad form to start working like it's business as usual while they're asking the courts to reinstate the lock out.  So don't expect any teams to run out and sign players or make trades involving players.

But do look for the Lions to make a trade up if they can get their hands on Amukamara or Petersen...which they probably won't be able to.  Don't look for them to take Jimmy Smith...the Ford's avoid potential problem players like Superman avoids kryptonite.

In that same vein, don't be surprised to see them trade up and then take a player they shouldn't--like Da'Quan Bowers.  Bowers might get into the league and blow up, but if he does he would be defying all the odds.

Look for them to take a LB in the second round tomorrow too, unless they don't take a DB tonight.

Good luck Lions...please pick somebody that is good AND fills a need.  I know Aldon Smith could be a great pass rusher...but that's upgrading a position that you are more set at than LB and DB.  Upgrading the DE won't help nearly as much as filling the DB or LB vacancies would.  Just saying.

Possible Trade Partners?

So this is the current draft order leading up to the Leos pick this Thursday.

1. Carolina
2. Denver
3. Buffalo
4. Cincinnati
5. Arizona
6. Cleveland
7. San Francisco
8. Tennessee
9. Dallas
10. Washington
11. Houston
12. Minnesota
13. Detroit

Now the going theory is always to trade down if possible.  Why?  Because the draft is a complete crap shoot and the more bullets you have the better chance you've got of hitting on some real players. I am almost always on the "trade down" bandwagon.

At least I was until this year.  This year, the Lions have a definite defined need.  Heck, they have two no arguing about it needs--CB and OLB.  Last year was the first year in the last four that the Lions did not finish dead last in pass defense, but the two corners that played the most down the stretch, Alphonso Smith and Chris Houston, cannot necessarily be counted on for next year.  Houston is a free agent and Smith flaked out the last few games.  The Lions need at least one new corner. 

As for OLB, last year the Lions started the season with Zach Follett and Julian Petersen.  Petersen is not coming back and Follett may never play again due to a brutal spinal injury.  Now, unless they get some kind of sweet heart deal to move back (which is not going to happen) they are currently in no man's land in regards to addressing their current needs.  There simply isn't an OLB in this draft worthy of the the 13th overall pick.  There are two CB's worthy, but who'll most likely be gone.  Patrick Petersen, CB, LSU and Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska are the two gold standard corners in this draft and both will likely be gone by the time the Lions are on the clock.

Now, I've seen a lot of mocks with the Lions getting lucky enough to have Amukamara fall to them, but I've seen just as many that have Houston, Dallas, or Minnesota snagging them up--and Minnesota is famous for stealing players the Lions desperately need. 

So they cannot count on getting lucky.  They could sit and wait and hope that the Prince is there...but it's very risky and if he's not the Lions will be stuck with taking an OT (which might be a pretty good consolation prize) or reaching for CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado, who has all the talent in the world but a rap sheet not unlike your average gang-banger.

There are other corners and linebackers that can be had in the second through fourth rounds, but the if you need starters, and the Lions do, you'd have to pick multiple CBs and LBs just to make sure you hit on one.  Might not be a bad idea to do that anyway, but the Lions only have six picks.

So here's what I think is going to happen.  The Lions have a history of making deals with Dallas, who is in need of offensive line help and hold the #9 pick.  Jim Schwartz has a very good relationship with the Tennessee Titans who hold the #8 pick.  I foresee Patrick Petersen getting picked up either by Arizona or San Francisco.  If 'Zona picks Petersen, most likely Frisco will pick the Prince...but if Petersen gets by the Cardinals that'll leave Prince on the board.  The Lions will need to jump ahead of Minnesota and Houston to get their hands on Amukamara, which is why I see the Lions giving the #13, a third rounder this year, and a second next year to move up from #13 to #8 and fill arguably the most pressing need on the team.

Da'Quan Bowers? A guy with a career ending injury pre-NFL Draft--That's Lions Logic for ya...

Da'Quan Bowers celebrating his expected millions.

The latest fad in NFL Mock drafting is to hand Clemson DE Da'Quan Bowers to the Lions at the #13 pick.  I am not surprised at this development, nor would I be surprised if Commisioner Goodell made that announcement on  Thursday night.

Why?  Because it would be a great pick for the Leo's?  Of course not.  I think that this is simply very forward thinking on the part of the Lions.  Why not draft a player who has already endured a career ending knee injury instead of developing a player who will sustain one some time down the road?

Bowers missing a tackle.

Apparently Bowers has already undergone major knee surgery and it has been deemed very likely that he will suffer from arthritis in said bending joint for the rest of his life.  History has shown that this kind of chronic pain dramatically shortens the careers of athletes--all athletes.

Other reports state that Bowers will need to undergo more surgeries in order to be able to play at any time in the future.  One of these surgeries is known as "Microfracture" surgery, which is not exactly "experimental" but it's pretty close.  Microfracture surgery has been hit and miss for NFL players so far.  The Lions own Gosder Cherilus underwent the same procedure before last season and didn't he just play lights out last year?

Bowers coming up short again.

Now maybe, just maybe, the Lions believe that because they have a history with said procedures, they think they know how to work with them and would feel comfortable having Bowers take up one of the team tubs for the next ten years...I don't know, but it is a MAJOR red flag.

But it's not even the only red flag surrounding the former Clemson Tiger.

Bowers is the definition of a "one year wonder." This is not a term of endearment.  It simply means that in his first two years of playing college ball you were surprised to find out that he was actually on the field at all--because he didn't exactly do much to make you take notice of him.

But when the bright lights came on and he knew he became draft eligible...he lit it up.

Bowers showing how to execute a proper facemask.

Now there are a lot of reasons a guy can be considered a one year wonder...Barry Sanders was one because he played behind Thurman Thomas at Oklahoma State.  Bowers played behind...let me get back to you on that one.

Is it necessarily a bad thing that when it really counted, Bowers came shining through?  No, not necessarily, but it does make me wonder about how he'll play once he's signed his name to a multi-million dollar contract...does he go right back to being a complacent nobody?  It's very possible.

 Now, this is kind of likely, because the Lions do have a history of going out on a limb and drafting players with prior injuries.

Shaun Rogers came in with a bad knee...but he ended up playing quite a bit his first season.  And he dominated.

Bowers missing a tackle, again.  I'm noticing a trend.

But Rogers was a Millen pick...and Millen liked to put gold stars next to anybody's name that might never play again.  He loved those guys.

Hopefully Mayhew is smarter than that.  His picks of Stafford and Suh are very encouraging.  But he did pick Jahvid Best last year, "King of the Youtube Concussion."  So who knows which way he'll go.

Furthermore, probably the most important point in not taking Bowers is...DE is not a dire need right now.  Chris Houston will most likely be a free agent when the lockout ends--and he was just kind of good.  But he was the best corner back we had on our roster.

The Lions NEED a cornerback or two.  The Lions do not have a starting caliber outside linebacker on the roster at all right now.

And, oh yeah, there's a reason that Matthew Stafford has ended each of his two seasons on the IR...the offensive line hasn't been able to sufficiently protect him.  Maybe the Lions would like Bowers to eventually replace Kyle VandenBosch in two years...but, guys, you have to play this year too.

Hey guys, it's draft season again and ...blah, blah, blah.

I have never in my life been so UNenthusiastic about the draft...ok, there may have been a year or two when I was more interested in bottles and filling up my diaper...but that was college and everybody goes through that.

No, I don't know, something about the lockout and knowing that the two players that would most help solidify the Lions will be long gone by the time the team picks 13th has just drained me of all energy this year.  Usually, I would spend every free moment at work pouring over sportingnews, Great Blue North Report, mlive, cnnsi, and espn to see how all the players rank or how fast they ran a 40...how much their statistics changed from sophomore to junior years...there would be tons of arguments about who would have the most impact on the lowliest defense in the history of the NFL...but this season...nothing.  Maybe because there has been no free agency...no excitement...nothing.

So, just because I haven't posted since the end of the season...which seems so long ago...let me give you a few observations about this year's draft that could come back and haunt me for years to come.

The Lions need Patrick Peterson or Prince Amukamara...but they won't get either.

Every QB they're talking about going in the first or second round this year will be a bust.  Cam Newton is just not an NFL signal caller.

Nate Solder will be the best of the OT in this draft.  He's biggest, strongest, and most fundamentally sound.

Da'Quan Bowers is Andre Wadsworth with an extra apostrophe.

Von Miller could be the next Dwight Freeney.

The Lions need two outside linebackers something fierce.  I wouldn't be surprised to see them reach for one in two of the first three rounds.

Colorado CB Jimmy Smith is going to be a star in the league...because he'll have so many people to prove wrong.

The Lions do need an offensive tackle and a center...probably two offensive tackles.  No offensive line is perfect, especially when your quarterback is made of glass.

The Ford's will continue to do nothing about the Detroit Pride until the fervor for cheerleaders dies down and then they'll be pompous enough to say "see nobody really wanted them" because they're jerks who don't give a crap about the average fan.

My two cents on the U of M Coaching Search

Now, granted, I'm a spartans' fan much more than I have ever been a wolverine fan. I grew up in Michigan and, in my zeal for underdogs (ie the Detroit Lions), I chose to follow the green and white more than I ever have followed the maize and blue.

But when I did my stint in the US Navy, all of that changed...not completely upside down, mind you, but significantly. When you are away from home in the service of your country or for whatever other reasons, you look for things that remind you of home...and the University of Michigan gets a lot more nationally televised games than MSU. So when Michigan was on, I rooted for Michigan. Michigan/Michigan State....still root for the spartans...but anyway...

That tells you my U of M pedigree, which is less than substantial. So with that held in mind, let me tell you what I think the children of the block "M" should do with their coaching vacancy.

Now, Jim Harbaugh, Captain Comeback as he was known during his days in Indianapolis...that's pre-Manning if any of you can remember that, is a 98% guarantee to go to the NFL. (Most likely Miami, I heard they're trying to give him $7-8 million a year and his very own blimp.)

Now the alumni want a "Michigan Man," which loosely translated means someone who has a history with the program prior to Rich Rodriguez. The belief is that a "Michigan Man" is a person of high integrity who believes in playing Bo Schembechler three yards and a cloud of dust football.

Now, I'll give you three names of guys who completely embody the spirit of a "Michigan Man" but never played or coached a down in the Big House for Michigan.

Pat Hill, Head Coach Fresno State - Had anybody ever even heard of Fresno State before Pat Hill went there? In his 14 seasons at the small California college, he has managed 11 bowl games and only one below .500 season (5-6). He has coached in the NFL with Cleveland and Baltimore. He has recruited his very small area and put together a top notch program. Pat Hill is the kind of coach any University should want.

Mike Singletary - Sure his tenure with the 49ers didn't exactly go as expected, but Singletary is a legend. He commands a level of respect that few others can. He'll build a dominating defense, which is what the program has been sorely lacking since Lloyd Carr left. He comes with an unfathomable amount of "street cred" in a locker room.

His experience as both an assistant coach for the Ravens, coaching Ray Lewis, and his stints as a coordinator and eventually head coach of the 49ers further give him the experience to take over a program like Michigan. This will help him in recruiting and building a program designed to build "Men."

Chris Spielman- OK, now I know this will never happen, but can you think of anyone who'll understand the deep rooted rivalry of Michigan/Ohio State as well as this former Lions and Buckeye?

Spielman was a coach on the field. He has been covering college football for many years. Talking to coaches every week, breaking down footage and diagnosing plays. Aside from Singletary and Ray Lewis, I've never seen another player play every down with more intensity. This is the kind of person you want leading your team.

Wait! Come back! We're just starting to look good...

OK, so the Lions finish out the season on a 4-0 stretch...not bad, but obviously way too late. 6-10 is pretty impressive, especially when you consider the team was 4-45 over the last 49 prior to the streak.

Granted, the 4-0 streak dropped the boys in Honolulu Blue down from the #2 overall pick to #13, which may hurt the quality of player they are able to draft, but, in all likelihood, they wouldn't be able to pay another top 5 pick's salary. You can't tie up a third of your salary cap in three or four players on a 53 man roster.

That is, provided there is a salary cap next year. Who knows what will shake out between the players and the owners this summer.

To Prince Miller, 6th string CB

Kid, when you get beat for a long, potentially game changing, touchdown pass and you're lucky enough that the receiver drops the ball...don't talk and strut around and tell everybody how good you are. It's pathetic. You were lucky.

The Streak?

OK, so the Lions were able to break the 26 game road losing streak, in fact winning twice in a row on the road. They also ended their horrid streak against divisional foes, when they managed to beat both Green Bay and Minnesota.

Now let's end some significant streaks. How about winning in Washington, that hasn't been done since 1937. How about a victory at San Francisco, hasn't been done since 1975. How about a win at the horrid house of Lambeau...hasn't been done since 1991. What about a victory at Minnesota, assuming they have a stadium next year, that hasn't been done since 1997.

How about just winning a road game against a divisional opponent, that hasn't been done in three years.

Morninweg?

There's another curse I'd really like to see lifted in this offseason. No full time Detroit Lions head coach has every gotten a second opportunity to lead a team after failing with our Leo's. Detroit is the last station on the track for anybody who takes up a Honolulu Blue whistle.

Hopefully, this year that changes. Marty wasn't all that great of a coach for the Lions, but he always managed to put points up on the board. Even with Joey Blue Skies taking snaps for him.

Now, Marty has resurrected the career of Micheal Vick and has the Eagles offense humming for the second season in a row.

And now, people are once again talking about the hot young coaching prospect with a name nobody can spell. Good luck, Marty.

Get some cheerleaders!

Seriously, the Pride is offering to do it all themselves...why won't the Lions break down and affiliate themselves with a real cheer leading squad. Mr. Ford, please join the rest of the league!

You've given up this strange and unusual love of constant losing, please give up your aversion to beautiful women cheering on your sidelines.

Don't expect me to get all excited...

"Wins and losses are all that matter. We know we have a good team, but if you're not winning, you really don't, I guess." -- Cliff Avril.

I can't agree with Mr. Avril more. And now, for the last few weeks anyway, the Lions have been winning. It feels really weird to write that.

I never root against the Lions, but I certainly never bet on them either.

Still, what good does this late season flourish really buy the Lions besides a much lower draft pick? If the season were to end today, they would pick 9th next April--far outside of the Patrick Petersen sweepstakes.

In 1989, Barry Sanders' rookie season, the Detroit Lions finished 7-9, but managed to win six of their final seven games showing the world that they were a dangerous team...

This led them to the glorious 1990 season...1990? Yeah, they went 6-10 that year. Momentum doesn't usually carry over to the next season. Of course, 1991 was the golden year in Lions football in my lifetime. Can we hope for a rebirth in 2012? I'm not holding my breath--not because I don't believe it, but because 2012 is a long way away and I can't hold my breath that long.

The Lions need to get rid of Dominic Raiola, not because he's good for at least one completely ignorant fan incident every year or two, but because he's too damn small to play the position and he gets pushed into the backfield way too often.

A month ago I was calling for a house cleaning at Ford Field...this winning streak hasn't exactly changed my mind yet. It's more of a stay of execution.

Meanwhile, the 49ers are going to call up Bill Parcells...

If the Lions can't get Patrick Peterson, Prince Nakamura is a pretty damn good corner too. Watch the Nebraska bowl game and check him out...but watch LSU too...just in case Peterson falls.

By the way, the Lions have won three in a row...Green Bay without Aaron Rodgers, Tampa Bay (legitimate win, I think) and Miami at home where they're 1-7 this season...It's not all that impressive when you break it down.

The Lions should throw six screens to Jahvid Best a game. Getting him in space is the only way to use him. He can't seem to break tackles. He needs the ball on swing passes and passing routes. He also needs to learn some skills from Maurice Morris and be a 100 times more decisive when running the ball. One cut and go...probably easier said than done, but true none the less.

Minnesota managed to beat the playoff bound Eagles last week...this week will not be a slam dunk like many people seem to think.

This article has taken me two weeks to plod through thanks to the holidays and...I don't really regret it at all. Hope everybody has had great holidays and have a happy new year! Hopefully we'll never see the Devil again and the Lions will get cheerleaders!

I think I hit my head, did you say the Lions won?

I don't want to be completely negative...but that was really, really ugly. Now granted, there are no "winning ugly asterisks" next to that notch the Leo's put in the "W" column last Sunday, but we have to call a spade a spade.

The Packers played most of the game without Aaron Rodgers, or as I call him Snidely Whiplash...and I think that he may have in point of fact gotten whiplash on that hit from Landon Johnson. Now, granted, the Lions didn't face the Snidely one because they themselves knocked him from the contest, which is a big plus.

The defensive front continues to be the only real strength of the Lions, not counting Calvin Johnson...although with the revolving door at quarterback and the sheer stupid reluctance to throwing the ball to him when he's quintuple covered, Johnson is not having nearly as good of a year as he could be. And he's still second in the NFL in touchdown receptions.

The other revelation that came out of the bloodbath that was the Lions first division win in almost three years was this facade of a running game. Sure the Lions rushed for 190 total yards...but how did they do it? They only got 30 yards from Jahvid Best--who for some damn reason is not getting any more screen passes called for him. They got 30 yards from a punt returner. They got 40 yards on QB scrambles...that's something you can really count on going forward. And when everything was on the line on third down...they couldn't get but an inch...unless all they needed was an inch, in that case they could get nothing.

I think the NFL is all about "can you get those three yards?" And I still don't think the Lions can.

Stephen Peterman got a big contract extention a year or two ago...why? This guy's name gets called almost as much as CJ or whoever is being beaten senseless playing quarterback. If you're hearing an offensive lineman's name during the course of a game...it's never good. He's got to go.

Much like the Lions had a single minded, tunnel vision focus on completely overhauling the defensive line last off season, they need to set that laser sight on the offensive line this offseason. Each player on the offensive line has had decent to even good games this season --except Peterson--but none are excellent, none are consistently consistent.

Perhaps Jeff Backus has had his best season of his career...but he still allowed both Stafford and Hill to be trampled and injured by his assigned defender. I still hold that Backus would make a grade A, perhaps even probowl caliber, right tackle.

Cherlilus has been maddeningly inconsistent.

Raiola doesn't make any sense--an undersized center on a line that cannot get two yards in short yardage situations. A center who doesn't understand what constitutes an "illegal snap". OK, I'll admit, I still don't understand that rule...but it's Raiola's job to understand it. He may be a great leader in the locker room, but he's the leader of a mediocre to downright awful offensive line...and who's the first to go when making changes of a "department"? Yep, the leader. He's got to go too.

I haven't heard Rob Sims name but once or twice all season. I think he's probably doing a bang up job.

In conclusion...keep Sims at LG, move Backus to RT and get a new C, RG, and LT.

Seems like a lot, I know. But last year, the Lions were saying that they needed two DT's and a DE....They pulled off those moves pretty well.

3rd and 3 or less

This was a really bad week for the the "3rd and 3 or less, run, run, run!" theory I promote. The Lions were 3 of 4 passing and 0 of 2 rushing on the down that offenses are designed to try and get to. But the overall year standings still bear out. On the season the Lions are 11 of 20 rushing (55%) and 18 of 35 passing (51.4%).

Blocked Punts?

Someday, I hope, I pray, I long to say that the Lions will at least try to block a punt by sending eight men full out upon the punter...but alas, once again, they didn't do it against the Packers.

Fade stop?

Again, the Lions have one of the greatest weapons in the game, an obscenely athletic 6'5 receiver who can run a 4.3. Do they throw the ball up in the endzone where he can out jump the cornerbacks who average a half foot shorter than Calvin? Nope, again, not this week.

Wouldn't it be great if the Lions had cheerleaders?

The Lions managed to host a Vikings game this week in Ford Field, for the first time ever, a professional cheer squad roamed the sidelines of a NFL regular season game. I shed a tear that it had to be from a rival NFC central squad.

Come on Ford's! Get on the ball! There's a team ready and waiting, the Detroit Pride! Why don't you just let them go down on the sidelines?

Tales of the inept

The Carolina Panthers (1-12) lost again and continued on their crash course towards the number one pick in the NFL draft...the first draft in history that will include a rookie wage scale.

The Cincinnati Bengals (2-11) jumped up into the number two spot by getting steam rolled 23-7 by the Steelers.

The Buffalo Bills (3-10) beat the Cleveland Browns and continue to play very well. I suspect them to jump the Lions and perhaps get out of the tip five picks.

The Detroit Lions (3-10), now that they see who they might be able to draft at the top of the board this coming April (Patrick Peterson) have decided to start winning.

The Denver Broncos (3-10) fired their head coach before getting destroyed by a really bad Arizona team.

Bring on the Doom!

Somehow, unexplainably, the 2-10 Lions have managed to once again sell out in time to lift the local media blackout.

How this continues to happen is completely beyond my comprehension.

The Lions had to put starting corner back Alphonso Smith and starting defensive end Kyle VandenBosch on the injured reserved list this week...both are now gone for the year.

The defensive backfield will once again turn from almost passable to miserable. The defensive line will lose it's emotional leader.

And this week Green Bay and Snidely Whiplash himself come to town. The Lions cannot handle Aaron Rodgers. I fully expect another quarterback with a perfect QB rating against the Lions.

At least we'll be able to see it...

3rd and 3 or less

The Lions went 1 for 3 running and 3 of 4 passing, which blows up my theory, but put in the context of the entire season does little to change my mind. 3rd and 3 or less means run, run, run!

On the season the Lions are 11 of 18 rushing (61%) and 15 of 31 passing (48%).

Blocked punts?

Nope.

Fade stop?

Another week where the Lions refused to utilize Calvin Johnson in the unstoppable play.
So sad.

Wouldn't it be great if the Lions had cheerleaders?

It's so sad that I have to keep writing that line. The Detroit Pride are offering to take the vital role in the Lions organization, but continue to be shunned by the ivory tower and the ancient Ford. So very sad.

Tales of the inept.

The Carolina Panthers (1-11) were blasted by a very mediocre Seattle SeaHawks team.

The Detroit Lions (2-10) are getting comfortable back in their old stomping grounds--second worst overall in the league.

The Buffalo Bills (2-10) gave up their habit of playing well and losing lately, instead they played lousy and were trounced by the Vikings.

The Cincinnati Bengals (2-10) lost a heart breaker to the Saints.