Dan_Miller's Blog

There has been a great deal of discussion about the Lions Town Hall Meeting this week, so I thought I would lend some thoughts since I was there.

I served as the moderator and my job was to pass along the questions that the fans had written down and follow up where necessary.

First I think it was a great idea for the organization to do this.  I probably spoke to 30 or 40 fans over the course of the two evenings and their thoughts seemed to be the same.  They were glad they had the opportunity to be heard.  Now in speaking to people after the programs I will say this.  I don't think anybody left feeling worse about things.  People are undoubtedly still skeptical about things but at least they got a feel for the three men that are dictating the direction of the franchise. 

If you went in looking for specifics about who the team was going to draft, who they were going to target in free agencey or which players were going to be retained or cut, you left disappointed.  These guys were not going to give that up.  Nobody would.

I think what you got was a feel for the model the team wants to use.  You've heard it before.  They want to be like the Steelers or Patriots.  Teams that have a system and bring players in to play that system.  To develop back-ups that are ready to step in when you lose a player to injury or on the open market.  That way you don't have to back up the truck when a Redding or a Backus comes up if you don't want to because you have somebody ready to take their place.  The Steelers have let players walk for years but because they have been smart about stacking their roster, they have rarely taken a dip in the standings.  It's solid thinking and is markedly different from what's gone on here over the years when there was a new direction every year or two that meant changing the roster to fit the new scheme.

The team wants to get bigger and stronger, especially up front on defense.  Martin Mayhew has said this and Jim Schwartz echoed it during the meetings.  The Tampa two days of being small and fast are gone.  Big and fast is ok but big will be part of the equation.

Schwartz has said that they need a quarterback.  What he hasn't said is whether or not that guy is on the roster.  Time will tell.

The team realizes it has not done a good job of connecting with its ticket holders and hopes to do a better job of that.

Schwartz said that obviously utilizing Calvin Johnson is a must but the way to do that is to build the running game around Kevin Smith and force teams to bring another man down into the box.  Then Calvin will see more one on one match-ups and (my opinion here) nobody in this league can cover him one on one.

The Lions have targeted 52 free agents that they are going to look at when the market opens.  There are big names and lesser known names on the list.  They weren't clear about whether or not they would dive in for big bucks but did say they would do it if the market was right.  It's going to come down to cost effeciency and getting guys that fit what they want to do.  They are way under the cap so money shouldn't be an issue.

They will release several players off their current roster probably as soon as the Pro Bowl is over.   There wll obviously be significant turnover on the roster but they weren't clear (nor could they possibly be) on a percentage.

Schwartz likes his coordinators. (duh)  He talked about the experience they bring in doing things many different ways and that both have the ability to adapt their schemes to the talent on hand.  (me again...Thankfully the days of slamming the tampa two down down everybodys throat is over)

The uniforms will change.  To what degree (ie color or logo) or when (this year or next) I don't know.

These guys know they have to significantly improve what they are doing in the draft.  The lack of success there has killed this franchise.  Martin Mayhew talked about being better prepared going in.  He talked about knowing the players and their backgrounds better and of course being right with  talent evaluations.  There will be several voices in making the call but the final nod will come from Mayhew.

Mayhew also said that they are interviewing candidates to come in and help out with personnel department.  That could happen within the next week or two so that person should be in place before the draft.

Those are some of the highlights.  Although they didn't give a timeline for turning things around they talked about making a series of good decisions every day and that in the end that will get them where they want to go.

I don't expect people to read this and say "holy smoke, these guys are great, I'm in".  These guys are saying the standard things that people in their positions say.  The key will be executing what they want to do.  They said it themselves, talking is easy, making it happen is the real test.

Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz took a big step towards filling out his staff today by naming Gunther Cunningham his defensive coordinator.  I like the move.  With 27 years of pro football coaching experience behind him, he has seen it all.  That's a good thing.  He won't be overwhelmed by the job that some might consider too big to handle.  When he has had players, he's produced, when he has had a roster full of holes, he's struggled. 

Cunningham is aggressive.  He believes in doing whatever it takes to get to the quarterback.  The Lions need that type of attitude.  What we have seen over the past 3 seasons was a defense that seemed to allow the opposition to dictate the pace of play.  Good defenses make the offense react, not the other way around.  That said, he needs an upgrade in talent to be successful here.  Nobody can win with the players they currently have.  They can be better but will fall shy of good  with this cast.  Nobody will argue that point.  Nobody can argue that point.

I've heard some say that Cunningham is too old.  Well, last I checked, Dick LeBeau and Jim Johnson are pretty good and neither one of them could be described as a young gun.

Look, I love one thing that Jim Schwartz said in his opening presser.  I'm paraphrasing here but, there is no magic pill to turn this thing around.  There is no one draft pick or one assistant coach that will change where this team is.  What they have to do is make a series of good decisions on coaches and players.  Do that, and then you look up and find that things are turning around.  They won't hit for a perfect average but if they can raise their performance above the Mendoza line and  beyond, there is hope for the future.  

I think they laced a solid base hit to center by hiring Gunther Cunningham.       

Former NFL executive Charley Casserly was talking recently about having  the number one overall pick.  He said some years it's great because there is a clear cut guy.  Some years it's more difficult because nobody stands out from the pack, although you are still staring at a room full of potential Pro Bowlers and Hall of Famers. 

The Lions are in the latter situation.  They have every chance in the world of getting a great player and one that could man a position for the next 10-12 years, but there is nobody with that WOW factor that knocks your socks off.  The hope when you are in their situation is that a franchise quarterback would be sitting there but right now that doesn't appear to be the case.

I went into the bowl season looking to be knocked off my chair by Mathew Stafford or Sam Bradford.  I wasn't.  Now that's not to say that one of these guys still may not be the pick or that neither one of them will ever lead a team to a Super Bowl.  They might.  It's just hard to go "all in" right now because the damage that can be done to your team and your cap if  you swing and miss is huge.  (nice mix of my poker and baseball metaphors)

That said, and I know this will devolve into a discussion about whether or not they should draft a quarterback, keep a few things in mind.  Of the 8 teams that went into this weekend with a chance to win the Super Bowl, 6 had quarterbacks that were chosen in the first round.  A seventh had the guy who used to stock grocery store shelves and went on to stock his trophy case with two MVP Awards and is also a former Super Bowl MVP.

Just a long way to go to make a point.  I understand the fans who don't want the team to take a quarterback number one.  I'm not advocating that they do that.  I am saying though that it is very difficult to win in this league if you don't have a guy in that spot making plays.  The Lions haven't had that for years and sooner or later when this thing turns around, it will be in part because they finally figured position out. 

The decision they have to make is whether Stafford or Bradford is in fact that guy.  Martin Mayhew is paid plenty of money to make that decision.  Like every GM in the NFL, if he's wrong, that salary may not be there for long.  That's not a statement about Mayhew either.  That's a statement about being in that position in this league.  We have all sorts of fun picking for these guys, then we don't think twice about picking them apart when they get it wrong.

Here's hoping his first pick as a GM is remembered as one of his best. 

I had to feel for Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand today as they sat and addressed the media in Allen Park.  Here were two men living out a dream, both having been named to the jobs they have worked years   to attain.  A great time in their lives and certainly accomplishments to be celebrated but it didn't go that way.  Instead they were grilled about their culpability in the teams demise over the past 8 years.  It wasn't pretty but it was fair.

Lewand and Mayhew knew exactly what to expect when they took the podium today.  They understand that they are seen as extensions of the Millen regime.  They understood that nothing that they were going to say was going to simmer the boiling waters of their fans discontent.  They said what they could, answered the questions to the best of their abilities but the truth is, not much was accomplished today.  They did the press confrence they had to do and then retreated to their offices to do the only thing they can and that's work.  Work to make this team better.  Work to improve the way this organization operates and work to put the kind of structure in place that can bring about future success.

They couldn't say anything to make fans understand why the team didn't go on a full scale search before settling on them.  The only thing they can do is ask to be judged on their efforts and results.  They did that.  They understand that they will have no honeymoon, no equity and no room for error in the fans eyes.  Now, they will not be perfect.  Nobody is.  Not in the NFL.  There's too much guesswork and luck involved.  They have to hit for a high average.  Perhaps higher than most considering the current standing of the team and the current state of its relationship with the fans.

I won't waste your time telling you what I think of these guys.  It doesn't matter and most people are so angry right now in the aftermath of this past season that they aren't listening to anything anyway. 

What I will say is this.  You have two choices.  Turn and walk or give these guys a chance.  Period.  Don't respond by telling me you're turning in your tickets and going "Lions free".  I understand that, I hear it all the time and it's your choice.  Look, I cover this team and I call their games.  I'm not going to kill these two before they start but they are on the clock.  Heck, in the NFL everybody is on the clock.  They deserve that scrutiny and at the same time, the room to operate.  They took the jobs that were offered to them and I respect  that.  Did you expect them to say "naah, thanks Mr. Ford but you should hire somebody else".  That said, now they have to do the work.  The only thing and I mean the only thing that life really presents us with is an opportunity.  When you are lucky enough to get an opportunity that you have fought for, it's up to you to make the most of it.   

Mayhew and Lewand are working right now to do that.  It's foolish to wish them anything but the very best.  Life's too short to root for your team to lose.  Oh yeah.. I think I already covered that.  

Have a great New Year.  

Let me get this out of the way.  I'm a big Rod Marinelli fan.  I'm a better person since getting to know him.  His approach to life, leadership, responsibility and his desire to see others succeed is outstanding.  He attacks the day, attacks problems and never lets anybody bring him down.  He accepts responsibility for failures without passing the buck either in front of the mike or through whispers to media people like many others in his position do.  I just think he's a stand-up guy. 

That said.  He failed.  He didn't win enough games.  He came into a horrible situation and wasn't able to show tangible improvement.  You may look at the roster and see that it is now void of bad actors, locker room politicians and full of great character guys that work hard but that's not enough.  You have to win.  Rod didn't.  Rod is gone.  That is the way it works and he knows it.  

I think Rod made some bad choices for his staff.  He needs to live with those and he will.  He did comment today that he perhaps underestimated how difficult it is to put a staff together, citing his first year and trying to assemble one.   Fact is and get your blow torches ready, I think Rod Marinelli has the makings of a good head coach.  I think he needed to surround himself with better people.  Head Coaches are about leadership.  He has that in spades.  However, they are also about delegating to your staff and when you hand assignments to people that aren't qualififed to handle them, you suffer, your team suffers, your record suffers but you also have to accept that in the end its your fault.  Rod won't hide from any of that, if he even agreed with me on this he would say that he is culpable for brining those men in and their performance.  If they failed, he failed. 

The biggest problem though is this roster.  There is simply not enough talent to compete in the NFL.  Too many years of bad drafting have left them in a position where they are undoubtedly at the bottom of the league and I don't even think it's close.  The problem is fixable.  In the words of GM Martin Mayhew they need to make better choices.  He's right and it's now on his plate to do something about it.   

Look, nobody gets out of this thing without some blame.  Rod was far from perfect but he was also in my mind far from the biggest problem.  I'm in no way saying that Rod should still be here.  0-16 is a ticket out in any sport.  I simply submit to you though, that  a good man is walking out the door and regardless of who walks in, things aren't guaranteed to improve.  This goes deeper than the head coach, Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand know that.  Now it's their job to do something about it.  They have what any human being wants and that' a chance.  Simple.  A chance to show what they can do.  We're all hoping that they can do the kind of job that will make us proud of the Lions for years to come.

Thumbs up for Rod Marinelli naming Dan Orlovsky the Lions starting quarterback this week against New Orleans.  

I know this team believes or at least did at the outset of his time here that Duante Culpepper can be their starter next season.  I know they believed that he would make them competitive this year.  I know he is hurt right now.  What I don't know is whether or not he has anything left.  I haven't seen anything even remotely approaching proof that he does.     

I also don't know what Dan Orlovsky will be in this league or if he even belongs as a starter.  I do believe this.  He is the best quarterback on the roster right now and I thought he played well against the Colts.  Considering the fact that he has now started 5 games and seems to be improving each time out, I'm intrigued by what he could be.  I think he has a chance to be a productive player and that needs to be considered moving forward.  Dan will be a free agent at the end of the year.  I have no idea who will be calling shots but  I think that Martin Mayhew or his replacement would be making a big mistake to let him go.    

The Lions could go out and draft a quarterback number one overall, they could make a trade for a qb or they could sign one as a free agent.  Regardless of what they do, I've seen enough of Dan Orlovsky to believe that he should be back here and competing for a starting spot next season.

I also believe that he is their best shot at making sure that this season ends with at least one victory.   

So I was getting my hair cut the other day and had some time to kill.  Sitting in the waiting area, I grabbed the Sporting News.  I opened it up to the offseason baseball  section and got a look at the big free agents and their potential destinations.   Obviously, there was no mention of the Tigers when it came to K-Rod or Teixiera.  Not even a mention for the guys on the next level down.  I wasn't shocked by that.  I guess what threw me was the section where they discussed the top 5 A.L. teams for next year.  The Tigers were nowhere to be found.  That got me thinking.

Now, clearly this wasn't real newsworthy.  The team was lousy last year and doesn't appear poised to make any major changes this year.  However, isn't it somewhat amazing when you consider the fall from grace this team has endured.  World Series in 06, thought to be a contender before falling apart in 07, a favorite in 08 with a roster that appeared loaded only to once again spit the bit and finish well off the pace.

I don't know, it just seems that the team has fallen so fast that the reality of it is a bit shocking.  We now know that the experts failed to note their significant pitching problems last year and that in the end they were far too significant to overcome.  It really goes to show the precarious perch that contenders rest on and how quickly they can slip and fall. 

Without spending significant money it appears that this team won't contend anytime soon.  They have no catcher, no shortstop, an offensive liablility at third, a DH that may be done and no starting pitchers that they can count on.  Verlander is coming off a lousy year and has to prove that he can be a number one guy.  Bonderman has been nothing more than a guy with potential and now he has an injury to overcome.  Galarraga still has to prove he has staying power.  Willis is Steve Blass until he proves otherwise.  Nate Robertson is a number five with a horrible contract outdone only by the deal Willis got.  I won't even get into the bullpen.

I'm a huge Dave Dombrowski fan.  I think he has made some very, very bad moves.  The contracts given to Willis and Robertson are crippling this team as is the extension they gave to Sheffield.  Look you can like a guy and point out that he has made mistakes.  Show me somebody that hasn't.  Dombrowski has.  Now he has to prove that he can turn things around with budget restrictions hanging around his neck.  It won't be easy but I'll roll the dice with him making the calls.  

I know this though, unless they have the stars seriously align behind that pitching staff, this is going to be another long season.  2006 and the excitement going into last season seem like a long long time ago.  

Gotcha!!!!  I'm guessing you were looking for your pitchforks and torches when you read the headline here.  Look I am not saying that Rod Marinelli deserves any slack for the teams abysmal showing this year.  He doesn't.  He is the head coach and he signed up for a business in which you are judged by wins and losses.  Right now we all know where that measure of his performance stands.

What I am saying is enough already with the weekly reviews of his press get togethers.  I for one think it's admirable that he stands up there, takes the blame and refuses to throw any of his players or coaches under a bus.  That is leadership.  Leaders don't publicly pass the buck to somebody else so as to clear themselves.  I think coaches that do that are garbage. 

Look, this team is bad, there is nothing he can say to change that.  Who gives a hoot what he says on Monday?  The ONLY thing that matters is what his team does on Sunday.  I've had this argument with some of my media brothers.  Some agree, some don't.  I just think it's ridiculous that we have gotten to the point where we review his performance every Monday and submit that as substance around which we can build programming or content.

If you want Rod fired because of the teams failures.  I won't argue.  Frankly I don't think he would either.  He doesn't want to go, he'd rather stay and try and turn this around but he understands what the measuring stick is for men in his position.

Ask yourself this.  If your child ever is put in a position of leadership and has to speak to the public.  Would you want him/her to say "we are failing because I haven't done my job?"  Or would you rather he/she says "hey you know I'm doing my job but employee A, B and C are slackers so blame them."

I think Rod's results have been bad.  I think his willingness to keep himself in the crosshairs and not hide from the teams shortcomings has been an example of what a stand-up person does in times of crisis.

I know we all want the team to win, short of that...What do you want him to say that's going to make anybody feel better?   

I love the trade for Allen Iverson.  That's it.  I think it was a great move on a number of fronts.

-I have always admired his game.  I think he gives you everything he has every night.  I think he is somebody that is willing to mold his game to the players around him.  I know he is known to some as a ball hog but fact is, he has been surrounded by less than top notch talent for most of his career.  In Detroit he'll have the best supporting cast he has ever played with.

-I think he will bring an element of toughness that has been missing since Ben left.  I think he will bring a measure of desire this team needs.  Look, these guys have enjoyed success for a number of years.  They do not appear to be as hungry as they were back in 04 and 05.  You've seen it, at times it manifests itself in these guys looking "too cool for school."  No more of that.  A-I needs a title for his resume and I think he will drive these guys relentlessly.  I think it's a great infusion.

-I don't think this was a championship team with Chauncey.  I think his game was slipping and more than that it was just more of the same old same old.  With Iverson, it's all new and I think the team needed to change the mix for the previously mentioned reasons.

-There is NO RISK.  With my premise being that this team wasn't going to win a title, what's the risk?  Iverson's deal is up at the end of the year and you can move on.  Chauncey had 2 years left after this.  

Joe Dumars hit a home run here.  I think his team is better in the short term and for the long term he has more flexibility than he has ever enjoyed as the Pistons top dog.

Guys, I am in the tank for A-I.  I have always loved him as a player.  He may not be 24 anymore but he still makes things happen and I can't wait to see him do it here in Detroit.

I just finished watching the Pistons opener.  I have to say, I like this team.  I love the young guys like Stuckey and Afflalo and Johnson.

The only problem is this team appears to be in the same spot it's been for a few years now, good but not great.  There is no crime there, however, in this town it's really championship or bust.  I think this team is lacking some of the key components that would allow them to beat the Celtics or Cavaliers and look out because the Magic, Raptors and Sixers are all coming.

I think the Pistons will be a fun team to watch and win more than their share of games.  I also think that we are watching the end of the line for this group as Joe Dumars moves some of his pieces sooner rather than later with an eye on more than just the Eastern Confrence finals. 

Your thoughts?  Blog away!

I'm about 3/4's of the way through Jeff Pearlmans new book "Boys Will Be Boys".  It's an account of the rise and fall of the Dallas Cowboys during the Jerry Jones era.  Now to say they fell would probably be a bit of an overstatement but nevertheless they never have gotten back to the level they played at during the mid 90's.

It is a GREAT read.  The excess that these guys enjoyed was amazing.  The world was their candy dish and nearly all of them had a sweet tooth.  You'll find some of it amazing that it actually happened (Charles Haley) but you will keep turning the page.

Further, there are some parallels to the situation the Lions are in.  When Jones took over the organization was down.  Jimmy Johnson, through his keen eye for personnel was able to bring it back up throught the draft and free agencey.  Now, the Lions don't have a Herschel Walker to trade and stockpile picks but they do have picks.  The game hasn't changed and the game plan shouldn't either.

I will repeat what I have said.  The Lions aren't dead, they're dormant.  Go ahead and tell me they have been for 50 years but the past only dictates your future if you allow it to.

This teams road back to being respectable begins and ends with the GM that runs this ship next year.  He will choose the coach and the players.  He will build his scouting staff both pro and college.  He will be the centerpiece of the organization.  The coach may be out front but the GM is the man that brings in the guys that play between the lines.  For too long, those players here have been less than championship caliber.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  The key step for this team will be hiring the right man to run the football side of the organization.

In the meantime, they have to continue the good fight for the next 12 games.  You have no choice.  The hope has to be that some of the younger players learn and show that they can be part of a brighter future.  If they don't or if they can't, I think they'll be former Lions before too long.  It has to be that way.  

Back to the book, give it a look and let me know what you think.  I'm giving it 2 thumbs up.  

Let's go:

-Matt Millen had a run of 7 years plus three games in Detroit recording a record of 31-84.  That is easily the worst record in the NFL during that time.  To say that he deserved to be fired is stating the ovbvious.  The real question is what went wrong.  The answer...Many things but first and foremost this team is in dire need of talent.  Why?  Because their drafts have not been good.  They have been bad.  In the NFL you cannot continuosly blow the draft and expect to win.  You need to draft and develop guys.  If you don't, you end up trying to catch up in free agency and that's a license to fail.  I'm not going to go back over all the drafts, that's been done.  The fact is though that they are in this spot because their talent has consistently been inferior to the teams that they are lining up against.  Talk about drills and fundamentals all you want.  Talent wins.  Now granted, you need talented guys that are hungry and not hungry in the way Shaun Rogers was.

-The Lions have reorganized their front office with Tom Lewand running the business and league side and Martin Mayhew as the GM.  I think Lewand could well still be in place when the dust settles next offseason.  He understands the business side of the sport as well as anybody.  I think it will be tough on Mayhew to survive because he is so connected to the previous regime that didn't do a good enough job evaluating talent.  I have known Martin for a long time.  He is a very smart and talented football man but the team will have a tough time convincing fans that you can get this done without a significant change in that department.  So.... 

-I believe that the team will go out and hire a new GM.  Somebody with a proven track record of evaluating talent successfully.  They have to.  Maybe Mayhew can convince the team that he is the right guy or maybe he can stay on as assistant GM.  Fact is right now we don't know.   The goal of the excercise though is to be sure that you have the right guy in the chair for the 09 draft.  This is the most important decision that Mr. Ford will make.  I think it's more important than hiring a coach or retaining the one you have.  It STARTS with talent.  The best coach in the world cannot win without it.

-I think Rod Marinelli has an uphill battle to be here next year.  He has 13 games to get this team moving in the right direction but  it won't be easy based on what I have previously discussed.  The next head coach will be chosen by the next GM.  He may feel like Rod is the guy or he may not but he will make that call.  Matt Millen did with Gary Moeller.  The fan base needs to be energized.  That will be tough for Rod to do but I know it won't be for lack of effort.  He will not let his players or coaches quit.  However their best may not be good enough to make a dent on the scoreboard from week to week.

-If they are saddled with another loss or two here in the next few weeks, they have to evalute their young talent.  Guys like Stanton, Dizon, Cherilus, Fluellen, Cohen, Alama Francis, Avril  and Ramirez have to play.  Stanton playing is a must.  You need to know what you are in the market for during the offseason. In particular at the qb position because it's the most important one in sports IMO. Overall, that's a tricky thing though, because this staff needs to win now to have a future more than it needs to find out what the future of the team is.

This isn't hopeless.  Bad teams get better with the right moves.  The Lions can get better over the next few years with the right moves.  The first move is making sure the right men are in place to lead the way.  Until those decisions are made though I'll go into each week believing that they can win if they play the right way (thanks Larry Brown).  Is that a bit of a contradiction?  Yes. I'm like that with all my teams.  I guess that's what you call being a fan. 

I also know that the future is as bright as bright as they make it.  Nobody limits what you can do in this league except the limits you bring upon yourself with the decisions that you make.

See you at Ford Field a week from Sunday.  This team has 13 games left and there is still plenty to do.

Rod Marinelli says players and teams are what they put on tape.  Right now and until we see something different what we are watching is a bad football team.  There are no quick fixes, there is no wishing it away, there is no explaining it away.  Right now this is simply a bad team.  I hate to say it because I know the coaches work hard and the players do as well,   but the end result is all that matters.  I'll say it again.  In sports you either win or you lose.  Period.  End of discussion.

The Lions defense is bad.  It has been bad and we have all been waiting for it to improve but right now it's not showing any signs of that.  In fact, you can make the case that it is headed in the opposite direction.  Over their past 5 losses dating back to the San Diego game a year ago consider these numbers.  The opposition has opened games by scoring on 19 of their 21 possesions.  The Chargers scored on their first 7  possesions, the Packers scored on their first 3, moving ahead to 08, the Falcons scored on their first 3, the Packers and Niners each scored on three of their first four.  Needless to say each of those games saw the Lions fall behind by big numbers right off the bat.  In those games they have given up an average of 39.6 points per game.  Now I realize that some of those points came courtesy of the offense throwing picks for scores but you get the point.  You have two options.  The defense doesn't work or you don't have the talent you need to make it work.  Chicago runs it and made the Super Bowl and Indy won a Super Bowl with the same system.  All the head coach can do is continue to drill his players on the system.  In the end though, drills and fundamentals are trumped by talent and they don't look like they have enough to make this work.

We'll talk offense later in the week.  We have time to chew on this for a while with the bye coming up.  Your thoughts are welcome.

No order here just free flowing thoughts.

-I don't want to hear anybody talking about the Lions comeback.  Was it fun?  Yes.  Was it exciting?  Yes?  Did it lead to a victory?  No.  In this league you win or you lose and anything else is window dressing for losers.

-This team has lost 9 of its last 10 games.  In those 9 losses Jon Kitna has thrown 18 interceptions.  Now, NOT ALL of them were his fault.  However, the fact is he has not shown an ability to make plays in crunch time.  Just the opposite, he appears to have problems when things get tight.  Simply put, if you don't have a dominant defense then you need a quarterback making plays in the 4th quarter.  Jon hasn't done that.  Can he?  The answer so far is no and that's a problem.

-Should the team make a change?  Well, fact is there are many things at play here.  If this coaching staff were assured of coming back next year, I think it would be more likely.  However, they are coaching to win and to keep their jobs.  The future may not matter to them.  If this season slips away, it would be in the best interest of the organization to play their younger guys to see what they have.  Right now, the season is still viable and Jon Kitna is still the guy.  We'll examine this as the season moves forward.

-They have got to keep Roy Williams involved.  6 catches in 2 games isn't enough.  They have two very, very good receivers and need to use them both.  

-Joe Barry does deserve some heat.  His unit has been flat bad for the better part of 18 games now.   I think Joe is a good coach and wouldn't be surprised if he were a head coach one day.  Matter of fact I think he will be.  That said, he needs to get this thing moving in the right direction UNLESS there just isn't enough talent to do so.  I'm still working my way through that one.  I'm leaning towards talent being more of an issue than Joe.

More to come.  Heck we have 14 weeks to go. 

I have no idea how long this will be because there isn't much to say after the Lions opening day debacle.

First, I never saw it coming.  I thought this team was better than that.  I thought they were competitive and ready to win somewhere between 7 and 9 games with a belief that it would be towards the higher end.

Now, I do think that they are better than the "horrific" (Rod's description of their tackling) display we saw on Sunday.  You know what though?  Who gives a &^%$ what I think?  Too often this team has sold themselves on what people think and not what they actually do.  So this is pretty simple.  Let's see what they are.  Let's see how they respond.  Let's see if they have the professional pride to bounce back and play like they want to earn their checks.  Maybe they will.  Maybe they won't.  Maybe they can't.

I don't know the answers.  Then again.  It doesn't matter if I know the answers because I don't have a thing to do with how they play.  I'm not giving up.  I believe that there is still hope.  But hope won't bring success, effort and prodcution will.  Rod always says his team has to worry about what they do and not what the opponent does.  That's a sound philosophy for winning.  Now we'll see if they can execute it and find some success.

In this league you either win or you lose.  Words don't change what you do or what you are.  So I won't waste any more here.

See you Sunday.