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Last Updated: Tuesday, 09-07-10 5:30 pm PDT

Monday Notes: Kitna, Others Likely Won't Dress for Preseason Finale - (08/25)

• First, a couple of reminders: If you're in the official Pride of Detroit Fantasy Football League, don't forget that your draft is at 8 p.m. ET tomorrow.  If you're in the overflow league, your draft is at the same time on Wednesday.
• Although it would be nice to see the Lions go undefeated this preseason, the coaches are more worried about keeping everyone healthy.  With only one game left in the preseason it would be devastating for any player to suffer an injury, and that especially can be said about the starters.  Jon Kitna isn't expected to even be in uniform as he already has had a couple mishaps that involved him being kicked.  How he managed to get kicked on two separate occasions is beyond me, but it shows that accidents can happen, so I don't want Kitna anywhere but the bench on Thursday.
• Assuming Kitna won't play at all against Buffalo, we should expect to see Dan Orlovsky for most of the first half.  The Lions need to be careful with him as well considering their depth at QB is already thin, so the hope is that Drew Henson will play quite a bit.  Just how long Orlovsky and Henson will play depends on how much of the offense Henson can learn in the coming days.  He only knows six plays right now, so he'll have to study up.  My hope is that Henson plays most of the game as Orlovsky really shouldn't be in there more than he has to.  An injury to him could really screw the Lions if Kitna were to go down during the first part of the regular season.
• Kitna won't be the only starter that doesn't dress for Thursday's game.  I wouldn't expect players like Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson to be in uniform at all, and then there are many other starters that will probably see little to no playing time.
• All of this talk of not playing the starters is because allowing injuries to potentially happen at this point in the preseason is simply irresponsible.  Injuries do happen, and to take that risk in the final preseason game is just dumb. 
• The Giants know firsthand how bad it feels to watch a star player get injured in the preseason as Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora is out for the season due to a torn lateral meniscus.  I bet Michael Strahan's phone is exploding right now with calls about him coming out of retirement.  Lord knows the Giants need him now more than ever.
• Detroit's first opponent of the regular season, the Atlanta Falcons, have named rookie Matt Ryan their starting quarterback.
• A select group of Lions fans got to watch part of the Browns game on the sideline.

Lions Beat Browns - (08/24)

The Lions defeated the Browns 26-6 in the Great Lakes Classic to remain undefeated in the preseason.  However, Cleveland was without seven key players for the contest.  The Lions were missing three.  Regardless of who the teams were missing, the Lions took care of business, in dominating fashion. While the Lions will be more committed to running the ball [...]

Lions Add Insult to Injured Browns in 26-6 Victory - (08/23)

It should come as no surprise that the Lions defeated the Browns on Saturday as Cleveland was missing many of its top players.  What may be surprising to some is just how one-sided this Lions victory was as Detroit dominated Cleveland en route to a 26-6 win. To open the game, the Lions came out running a 2-minute drill.  Yes, the game had just started, but preseason games are used as a way to prepare for various scenarios that will come about in the regular season, so that is why Detroit elected to start the game in their 2-minute offense. Jon Kitna played very well out of the shotgun as he was able to hit many different targets to move the ball down the field.  The best target for picking up yards was Roy Williams.  Roy started the game with an 11-yard catch and then really propelled the drive forward by making an amazing catch that got the Lions 29 yards.  Kitna was forced to scramble away from a pass rush and threw the ball in Williams' direction.  Williams came back to the ball as it was underthrown and somehow managed to make the catch. The Lions' promising drive would stall eventually, but Dave Rayner nailed a 30-yard field goal to put Detroit on top 3-0 early on.  Cleveland probably would have killed for a drive that good as nothing came easy for the Browns during this game.  That was evident from the get-go as Brady Quinn really struggled, partly because of the Lions' great pass rush.  The Browns' opening drive went nowhere and they gave the ball back to the Lions.  Detroit again moved the ball pretty easily, but their drive again stalled.  Rayner came back in and kicked a 38-yard field goal, so at least the Lions got another 3 points on the board. Following back-to-back-to-back three and outs by both teams, the Lions' running game finally produced an exciting play.  Kevin Smith got the handoff and tried to run up the middle.  The key word there is "tried."  Smith had nowhere to go so he bounced off the pile and started to cut back to the left side.  There he was met by a Browns defender, but that defender was no match for Smith, who just ran right by him.  With lots of open field in front of him, Smith started running north-south and then quickly cut back to the left again.  He then started charging down the field straight ahead and picked up a key block from quarterback Dan Orlovsky.  Orlovsky opened up just enough room for Smith with the block and by getting in the way of Cleveland defenders to allow Smith to do a stutter step before diving into the end zone for a touchdown.  Smith showed his great speed, moves, and field vision on this play.  Again it was a play that could have gone nowhere, but Smith created his own room to work with and then got an assist from Orlovsky to get into the end zone.  All in all the play went for a gain of 35 yards and put Detroit ahead 13-0. The Browns were able to answer back from the Smith TD run by putting some points on the board.  It wasn't what they were hoping for as they only got a 39-yard Phil Dawson field goal, but it was better than nothing.  Then again, the Browns did manage to go from 1st and goal on the 8 to 4th and goal on the 21 thanks to a few mistakes, so maybe it wasn't better than nothing. Either way, Cleveland did get 3 points and actually got within a touchdown after Orlovsky threw an interception on the proceeding drive.  Orlovsky was under pressure and had to get rid of the ball, and unfortunately for him his attempted pass to Shaun McDonald was overthrown and got picked off.  The Browns moved into field goal range and Dawson again kicked the ball through the uprights (this time from 53 yards out) for 3 points.  That made the score 13-6. Before the first half came to a close, Dan Orlovsky was able to manufacture another scoring drive.  This scoring drive only produced another Dave Rayner field goal, but the Lions were very close to finding the end zone instead.  Orlovsky threw a pass down the sideline and John Standeford almost made a jaw-dropping catch.  Standeford was able to haul in the ball with only a single hand and would have put the Lions on the 1-yard line.  Unfortunately for Standeford and the Lions, he only got one foot down, meaning the amazing catch didn't count.  What did count, though, was Rayner's 47-yard field goal, putting the Lions on top 16-6 heading into halftime. In Brady Quinn's final drive of the game, he came out of the locker room and got the ball moving.  At first Cleveland had little trouble picking up yards as the Lions' defensive backups came into the game as a group for the first time.  Quinn was hitting his receivers and Jason Wright picked up 15 yards on a solid run.  As good as the Browns were playing, just as we had seen before, their offense came out of sync and their drive came to a screeching halt.  Cleveland was faced with a 4th and 2 and decided to go for it, and Quinn threw a pass over the head of his intended receiver, giving the ball back to the Lions. Detroit came out after the defensive stop with a combination of Brian Calhoun and John Standeford.  Calhoun finally had some success running the ball, and Standeford continued his outstanding play this preseason by catching 3 passes on this drive that totaled 41 yards.  The solid play of Calhoun and Standeford didn't get Detroit into the end zone, but once again, Dave Rayner nailed a field goal, this time from 26 yards out. After an abysmal Browns drive where Cleveland actually had 2nd and 31 at one point, the Lions put away the game when they got the ball back.  Calhoun again showed how great he sometimes can be as he broke a tackle and took off for a gain of 40 yards.  I don't want to be too negative as that was a great play, but Calhoun did get caught from behind by a Cleveland defender.  I figured he would easily take the ball to the house, but he put the Lions inside the Browns' 10-yard line instead, so it still was a great play. Two plays after Calhoun's big run Dan Orlovsky found Brandon Middleton in traffic for a 7-yard touchdown.  Middleton seemed to sneak by defenders and by the time they got to him he already was in the end zone.  The Middleton TD gave the Lions a 26-6 advantage, and that is what the game's final score would read.  Cleveland did put together a great drive toward the end of the game, but they just couldn't get into the end zone.  The Lions' defense rose to the occasion and stopped the Browns on 4th down, allowing Dan Orlovsky to hand the ball off to Artose Pinner and throw a short pass to Casey FitzSimmons to run out the clock. With the impressive victory the Lions improved their preseason record to 3-0.  It is only the preseason and that record will mean nothing come September, but it's still nice to see the Lions win because who knows how often it'll happen during the regular season.  Detroit has a chance to finish the preseason undefeated on Thursday when they head to Buffalo to battle the Bills.  That game will likely feature very few starters as the Lions don't want to risk an injury at this point.  It is more about giving the guys on the bubble a shot at earning a spot on the roster. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET, and as I have already said, don't expect any live updates.  I will be moving to Ann Arbor that day, so I probably will be too busy getting everything in order.  Regardless, look for a recap of the game to be up by Friday morning as we start to prepare for the final round of cuts on Saturday.

Sunday Notes: Browns Game Observations - (08/23)

• Before getting to my observations from yesterday's game, I first want to mention that there is a good chance Drew Henson will be signed to the Lions' practice squad when the final round of cuts are made next Saturday.  Henson will not be on the 53-man roster, but the Lions are likely going to keep Henson around just in case an injury happens to Dan Orlovsky while Drew Stanton is out with his own injury.  After all, the Lions are planning on carrying only two healthy QBs for the first five weeks of the season, so it's a good idea to have another QB ready just in case he needs to be added to the active roster.
• The running game didn't look great, but it wasn't horrible, either.  The Lions seemed to struggle against Cleveland's 3-4 defense at times, but there were many positives to take out of this game.  The biggest positive was Kevin Smith's 35-yard touchdown run that included a block from Dan Orlovsky right before Smith scored.  Smith cut to the left side after having no room to the right and simply ran by defenders.  When he got inside the 5-yard line Orlovsky blocked one Browns defender and then got in the way of another, allowing Smith to fall into the endzone.
• It is clear at this point that Kevin Smith will be this team's starting running back.  He has looked better than any other Lions running back so far this preseason and is clearly the most talented RB on the roster.  Smith doesn't just run forward and go down.  Instead, he makes plays out of nothing.  We saw that quite a few times against Cleveland.  Smith would run outside after having no room to run in the middle and would gain yards when he should have been tackled for a loss.
• As far as the other running backs go, other than Smith I would say it is unclear who else will make the team at this point.  Tatum Bell still hasn't shown anything that sets himself apart from the other running backs, meaning his spot on the roster is very much in jeopardy.  Brian Calhoun had his best preseason game yesterday.  He broke a tackle and went down the field for a 40-yard run that put the Lions in position to score a touchdown.  The only bad thing about the play is that he was run down by a couple Browns defenders (I thought he was faster than that). Aveion Cason only got 1 carry, so there's not much I can say about him.  Artose Pinner didn't look as good as he has in the past, but it's not like he did anything that erases his performance the last two weeks.  I still believe Pinner deserves a spot on the roster, but I suppose we'll get a better idea if that'll happen after Thursday's preseason finale.
• Jon Kitna looked much younger than he actually is against Cleveland.  On three or so separate occasions Kitna scrambled away from a Cleveland pass rush that should have resulted in a few sacks.  Instead, it resulted in 0 as Kitna managed to escape the blitz every single time.  That is something all Lions fans have to love to see as Kitna not getting sacked is always a good thing.  I wish the offensive line was doing a better job of protecting him, but if he can continue to avoid pressure by using his feet then the Lions should be able to live with the poor blocking.
• Roy Williams had his best game of the preseason as he caught 3 passes for 61 yards.  His best catch came when Kitna avoided a sack and threw the ball downfield to Williams.  Roy had to come back for the ball and made an outstanding catch that resulted in a gain of 29 yards.
• Dave Rayner filled in for the injured Jason Hanson very well, making all 4 of his attempted field goals.  Rayner's accuracy looked better yesterday compared to last week and his leg continued to look powerful.  I hope Hanson is able to return soon, but if something does happen where the Lions need a replacement going into the regular season, Rayner would be more than qualified.  The only thing is that as soon as Rayner becomes a free agent he'll probably find another job quickly after being released as he has played well in Detroit.
• Perhaps the best thing to come out of the preseason is the play of the Lions' defensive line.  In all three games this preseason the Lions have done an amazing job of putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  The pass rush has forced bad throws, which in turn is helping out the Lions secondary.  That was especially evident when Brady Quinn was in the game yesterday as he rarely had enough time to make the throws he wanted.
• I mentioned that the Lions secondary was getting help from the pass rush, but they have been playing much, much better in the preseason compared to 2007.  Leigh Bodden and Dwight Smith played well on Saturday, and although Brian Kelly didn't play, he looked great against Cincinnati.  Gerald Alexander, who is in his second season in the NFL, had a tremendous game against Cleveland as well.  He was all over the field making play after play.
• That last sentence also sums up Ernie Sims' play against the Browns.  Sims was in the game longer than I expected and made the most of his time on the field.  On one drive it seemed like he was in on every single play.  And on the other drives he was usually near the play all the time as well.
• Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers played well against his former team.  The fans actually booed him a couple of times after he made a play, which isn't a big surprise.  Rogers seemed to feed off of the crowd at times, though, especially after he put a big hit on Kevin Smith.
• Running back Aveion Cason and fullback/tight end Sean McHugh both suffered ankle injuries.  Defensive end Cliff Avril also hurt his back.  The severity of all three players' injuries is unknown at this time, but nothing sounds serious.
• As already mentioned, cornerback Brian Kelly didn't dress against Cleveland.  Rod Marinelli didn't elaborate on why he wasn't in uniform.  However, I got the impression that Kelly didn't play just so he could get a break.  After all, he has been in this league for quite some time.

Lions vs. Browns - Tape Delay Game Thread - (08/23)

If you didn't get a chance to watch the Lions live, meaning you were in the black out zone, you can talk about today's game in the comments section of this post.  If you don't want to know the score, avoid going to the game thread posted earlier today as that has live updates in the comments section.

Programming Note - (08/23)

It appears WWJTV won't be showing the Lions-Browns game until 8 p.m. ET (coverage begins at 7).  Although the game starts at 4 p.m., there is a delay on when it is being shown.  I don't know if that is because the game is blacked out or if WWJTV didn't want to interrupt CBS' golf coverage, but either way, the game won't be on until tonight. UPDATE: The game is being broadcast live on the NFL Network in some places, so if you don't want to wait until tonight you may be able to watch it right now.

Preseason Game #3 - Lions vs. Browns - Game Thread - (08/23)

Note: This game thread is for people that want live updates or are able to watch the game live.  If you don't want to know what is happening then wait to talk about the game until tonight.  I'll put up a separate game thread for those watching the game tape-delayed.

DETROIT LIONS (2-0)	GAME #3	CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-2)
	VS.

Date:	August 23, 2008	Location:	Detroit, MI
Time:	4:00 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Ford Field
TV:	WWJTV (CBS Detroit)	Favorite:	Lions by 3.0
Radio:	97.1 FM The Ticket	Over/Under:	40.5
Weather:	Domed Stadium	Injury Report:	Not Available
SBN Coverage:	Dawgs By Nature	My Prediction:	None (It's preseason)
Final Score:	Detroit Lions - 26 :: Cleveland Browns - 6

Saturday Notes: Four Players Ruled Out for Today's Game - (08/23)

• Drew Stanton, Jason Hanson, Dan Campbell, and Cory Redding will not play against the Browns this afternoon.  There's no point to risk bringing Hanson back too soon, so that move makes perfect sense.  Campbell hasn't even practiced yet I believe, so obviously he's not going to play.  And as far as Redding's status goes, he's still nursing a ribs injury.
• Expect Lions starters to play more than they have in the first two preseason games against Cleveland today.  20-25 plays is the estimate for "key players."
• Tom Kowalski analyzed the Lions' roster situation.  On Tuesday the roster will be trimmed down to 75 players, but that probably won't make predicting the 53-man roster any easier.  Tuesday's round of cuts will just get rid of players that we knew had no shot of making the team, so not much clarity will be provided.
• Jordon Dizon will not be a starter when the regular season begins.  He surprisingly hasn't been moved to strong side linebacker yet and apparently will stay in the middle as Paris Lenon's backup.
• Drew Stanton kept his teammates in the dark when he ran the naked bootleg that scored a TD against Cincinnati last Sunday.  Other than Artose Pinner, every other player on the field for the Lions thought it was actually going to be a handoff.  Stanton did that to really sell the play, and judging by how well he faked the handoff I'd say that decision was a good one.
• Speaking of Stanton, he reportedly will be on the active roster going into the regular season, meaning Drew Henson's Lions career will be a short one.  We won't get a look at Henson today barring an injury to Dan Orlovsky, and on Thursday he probably will just be in the game to hand the ball off.
• Lions tight end Michael Gaines is actually a good singer.
• Former Lions and current Browns defensive tackle Shaun Rogers basically said that today's game is no different than any other even though he has a chance to play against the team that really gave up on him.
• J.T. O'Sullivan, who was Jon Kitna's backup last season, is going to be the 49ers' starting quarterback this season.  I guess following Mike Martz to San Francisco was a smart move.

Lions Sign Quarterback Drew Henson - (08/22)

Former Michigan quarterback Drew Henson has been signed by the Lions to replace Drew Stanton as the team's third quarterback.  Henson will only be on the team until the 30th unless Stanton gets moved to the PUP list.  If that happens, there would still be a roster spot available for Henson, assuming that the Lions want three QBs on the active roster. Henson was an outstanding baseball and football player at Brighton High School before attending the University of Michigan.  He was actually Tom Brady's backup at Michigan in 1998 and 1999 before becoming the starter in 2000.  Had he returned for his senior season at Michigan there is a very good chance he would have been a Heisman Trophy candidate, but instead he opted to sign a baseball contract with the Yankees. That decision proved to be a bad one as he just absolutely stunk, leading him to actually give up baseball in 2004.  With his baseball career finished, Henson played for the Cowboys for a couple seasons before heading to NFL Europe for a year.  He then returned to the NFL, was released by the Cowboys, and went on to have a couple stints with the Vikings, who let him go nearly a year ago. To make room for Henson on the Lions roster, wide receiver Eric Fowler was released.  This is the second time this summer that Fowler has only been on the team for a few days as he was signed and then quickly released back in July.

Drew Stanton Out for a Month or More - (08/22)

Lions quarterback Drew Stanton will be out until the end of September with a sprained ligament in his right thumb.  Stanton hurt his thumb when he jammed it into a teammate's shoulder pad, and initially it wasn't expected to be a very serious injury.  Unfortunately for Stanton and the Lions, that's not the case as Stanton will be gone for at least a month.

"There's no fracture and no surgery is indicated,'' said Lions athletic trainer Dean Kleinschmidt. "The treatment is to immobilize it so he's in a cast for four weeks. He'll be re-evaluated in two weeks, take the cast off and re-evaluate him and in all likelihood put (the cast) back on. In four weeks it comes off, a couple days of strengthening and he should be throwing quickly after the cast comes off.'' According to that timetable, Stanton should be back in uniform by Detroit's fourth game on Oct. 5 against the Chicago Bears.

This isn't a blow to the Lions in the sense that they lost a starter or anything like that, but it hurts because Stanton's development now comes to a screeching halt.  Stanton had improved greatly since camp opened back in July, and in both preseason games he looked good.  The month of development he loses will hurt the Lions (and Stanton) in the long run this season, but if something happens to Jon Kitna then it'll hurt even more in the short term.  I'm not exactly all that confident in having Dan Orlovsky back up Kitna, and beyond that, there is no depth at QB. It'll be interesting to see how the Lions handle the quarterback situation going into the regular season.  Will they sign a third QB and put Stanton on the PUP list?  If that's the case he would be out for the first 6 weeks of the season.  Considering his projected return isn't until October 5, what's one more week?  That way the Lions could keep three healthy quarterbacks on the roster just in case Kitna gets hurt and things with Orlovsky don't work out.

Friday Notes: No Word of a Blackout Yet - (08/21)

• The Lions headed indoors on Thursday and practiced in helmets and shorts.
• So far I haven't heard anything about Saturday's preseason game against the Browns being blacked out, but we'll have to wait and see if anything comes out today.  If it was going to be blacked out I imagine we would know by now, so hopefully that means we'll get to watch the Lions live at 4:00 p.m. ET.
• Speaking of that game, I will be doing live updates once again in the comments section of the game thread.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to do live updates for the final game of the preseason on Thursday as I'll be busy moving to Ann Arbor that day, so check back next week for an update on the status of that game thread.
• Kevin Smith is positioning himself to start at running back.
• Daniel Bullocks and Shaun McDonald are expected to play tomorrow against Cleveland, whereas Dan Campbell will not.  Jason Hanson is a game-time decision.
• Game On believes Calvin Johnson will be a player to watch this season.
• Artose Pinner is making a case for a spot on the 53-man roster.
• Lions offensive guard Edwin Mulitalo helped the Detroit Martin Luther King Jr. High School band go to China to play at the Olympics.
• Tickets are still available for the Lions' kickoff luncheon on August 27.
• I was a guest on Dynasty Rogues Radio earlier this week to talk about the Lions.  You can listen to the interview here.

Matt Millen on Gene Upshaw - (08/21)

Via a Lions' press release:

"When you think about it, I can't think of anybody who's ever had as big of an impact both on and off the field in the National Football League as Gene Upshaw did. "He's had a big impact on the game and he's had a big impact on a lot of players - they (young players) don't even know. There are a lot of guys who have no idea all of the stuff, all the sacrifices, all the foundational work, all this stuff has been done that he's been behind. "We called him 'The Governor' when he was a player. That's what he was. He was one of those guys who conducted himself that way and saw himself that way and everybody else saw him that way. It was no surprise that he did what he did. He was a gifted guy, at the right time and right place and above all else, Gene Upshaw loved our game. It didn't matter about winning; it mattered about getting the thing right. "To me, that piece can't be replaced. The passion that the guy had for the game that he played for a long time, that's irreplaceable. That's going to be missed. "Just look at the body of work that he had from when he played and he's in the Hall of Fame. You look at the body of work since he's played and its Hall of Fame material too. You're going to get a fight from me for anybody who wants to dog the guy because I think the guy did a fantastic job."

Drew Stanton Hurts Thumb - (08/21)

Lions quarterback Drew Stanton suffered a scare at practice today as he banged his right thumb on a helmet.  The injury isn't believed to be serious, but man, Stanton just can't seem to catch a break.  Here are the details of the injury:

Detroit Lions quarterback Drew Stanton hit his right thumb on a helmet during Thursday's practice and had his thumb wrapped in ice after the workout. Stanton said X-rays had already been taken and it wasn't believed to be broken. Stanton was to undergo more tests and the team is expected to update his condition in a few hours. "I don't think it's anything major. I'm just trying to keep the swelling down,'' Stanton said. When asked if he's expecting to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, he said, "I'm planning on it.''

After missing all of last season with an injury, Stanton has come out this summer on a mission to get better.  So far that mission has been quite successful as he has looked good in the first two preseason games.  Hopefully this injury won't set him back and won't prevent him from playing against Cleveland.

Gene Upshaw Passes Away - (08/21)

Gene Upshaw, a Hall of Famer and the NFLPA's Executive Director, passed away last night from pancreatic cancer.  He was only diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last Sunday after going to the emergency room to find out why he hadn't been feeling well for about a week.  Upshaw was 63 years old.

His outstanding 15-season playing career was entirely with the Oakland Raiders and included two Super Bowl wins and seven Pro Bowl appearances. Upshaw's biography was posted on the front page of the Hall of Fame Web site Thursday along with his enshrinement speech from 1987. In 1983, he became executive director of the players' association and guided it through the 1987 strike that led to replacement football. By 1989, the players had a limited form of freedom, called Plan B, and in 1993, free agency and a salary cap were instituted. Since then, the players have prospered so much that NFL owners recently opted out of the latest labor contract, which was negotiated two years ago by Upshaw and then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

At this time, "there is nothing in place" in regards to a successor being named.

Thursday Notes: Tatum Bell Is Not Fond of Mike Martz - (08/20)

• The Lions practiced in shells on the outdoor field yesterday.
• Tatum Bell really hates Mike Martz and loves the Lions' new commitment to running the ball.  He better start having more success when running the ball or he won't get a chance to be part of that commitment come the regular season.
• Five of the Lions' seven sacks this preseason have been by rookie defensive linemen.
• Fullback Jerome Felton is impressing players and coaches on the field, and off it he is very, very intelligent.
• According to Rod Marinelli, Jason Hanson has been limited to stretching in practice.  Marinelli went on to say that he is "getting a little work," and that his target return is this week.  I certainly hope that's the case.
• Rod Marinelli isn't sharing his starting linebacker plans with anyone just yet.
• As long as the Lions win, Roy Williams has no problem with Calvin Johnson catching more passes than him.
• I wholeheartedly agree with Philip Zaroo from MLive; I'll gladly drink to Kyle Orton being the Bears' starting quarterback.
• Brian Kelly and Rod Marinelli get along quite well.
• Game On, a blog on the USA Today's website, thinks the Lions are one of five teams that were under .500 last year that will "take a leap forward in 2008."
• Along with Derek Anderson, these five Cleveland Browns are not expected to play against the Lions on Saturday:

  Running back Jamal Lewis (hamstring), receiver Braylon Edwards (foot), kick returner Josh Cribbs (ankle), safety Brodney Pool (concussion) and linebacker Willie McGinest (groin) also didn't practice.

  If Anderson doesn't play that means we'll get to see a lot of Brady Quinn.  That means I'll have to get ready to boo until I can't boo anymore because I hate Brady Quinn.  My hate for him stems from his days at Notre Dame, and I'll just leave it at that.
• The Pride of Detroit overflow fantasy football league still has two spots open, so if you want to be in it leave a comment and I'll send you details of how to sign up. UPDATE: The league is now full.

Lions Preaseason Update - (08/20)

Well Lions fans, after two games of the preseason, after two preseason victories, it’s time to take a look at where the Lions stand with the regular season quickly approaching.  The Lions defeated the Giants and Bengals in their first two encounters.  While preseason victories are meaningless, we witnessed several good things on both the [...]

Wednesday Notes: No Shortage of Kool-Aid for Lions Fans - (08/19)

• The Lions returned to practice on Tuesday in pads on the outdoor field.  This week's practice routine is similar to one the Lions will follow during the regular season.
• According to Rod Marinelli, wide receiver Devale Ellis will miss "one to two practices" due to a hamstring injury.  Ellis is now on the bubble when it comes to making the team after at one time seeming like a lock to not be cut.  Brandon Middleton is challenging him for the 5th spot at wide receiver, and there's a good chance the Lions may only take 4 receivers anyways, meaning Ellis could be gone by the end of the month.
• Even though he was removed from the PUP list over a week ago, tight end Dan Campbell still has not practiced.
• Drew Stanton has gotten much better since training camp opened.  He is improving his passing abilities and is learning to use his running abilities only when necessary.
• The Browns are limping into this Saturday's preseason game at Ford Field.  Derek Anderson suffered a mild concussion on Monday against the Giants, Josh Cribbs has a high ankle sprain, Braylon Edwards will be out as he is still not healthy enough to play after being cleated by a teammate during practice, and former Lion Shaun Rogers missed Monday's game due to soreness in various places.
• Every year this is usually the time when the Kool-Aid is flowing in Lions country.  There is always a great amount of optimism during the summer as all Lions fans are hopeful that this will finally be the year where things are turned around.  Sadly, that year hasn't come yet, but many believe 2008 will bring the Lions a turnaround that at least gets them a record of 8-8. Message boards and even this site are filled with optimism from some, but I don't think anyone is as drunk on Kool-Aid as Mike O'Hara.  He not only believes the Lions will win 9 games, but he also thinks they could win more.

  When the 2008 schedule was released, I wrote the Lions could win nine games. It wasn't a prediction, just a somewhat humorous way of showing how a 9-7 season was possible. From what I've seen so far, I was wrong. The Lions will win nine games, maybe more. They're super fast on defense, they will build a running game, protect the quarterback and have talent at wide receiver. I say 9-7 is the standard. Whether that earns a playoff spot remains to be seen, but this team will not fall apart, unless shredded by injuries.

  After a couple preseason games I can say that the team looks like they're improving, but a preseason game can only tell me so much.  Hell, a regular season game can only tell me so much.  Remember, after 8 games last year the Lions were 6-2 and nearly every single Lions fan was drinking the Kool-Aid.  I am included in that category as even I began uttering the "p" word (playoffs).  We all bought into the Lions and in the end were only setting ourselves up for disappointment.  This year if they start 6-2 again, I will wait until the end of the season to pick up the glass of Honolulu Blue-flavored Kool-Aid.  And at the very least, if they win 9 games, I'll be too shocked to be able to drink anything anyways.

Poll

Will the Lions win 9 games this season?

• Absolutely! Playoffs here we come!
• No way. When's the last time we even were .500?

  203 votes | Results

Lions Place Jon Bradley on IR, Release Taye Biddle - (08/19)

The Lions put fullback Jon Bradley on the injured reserve today.  Bradley missed the last preseason game due to a shoulder injury, but it was never thought to be anything serious.  Obviously that's not the case as Bradley is now out for the season. In another move made today, wide receiver Taye Biddle was released by the Lions, opening up a second spot on the roster.  The first open spot went to free agent tight end Clark Harris.  The second went to wide receiver Eric Fowler, who was on the Lions for a few days back in July. With Bradley out for the season, Jerome Felton will make the 53-man roster for sure.  I would imagine Sean McHugh makes the roster as well.  Back when Teddy Lehman got shelved for the year I said that injuries would make decisions for me on my roster predictions, and that is exactly what has happened at the fullback position.

Fantasy Football News (Overflow League Details Included!) - (08/18)

Before I get on the topic of the official Pride of Detroit Fantasy Football League, I first want to mention that an overflow league has been set up.  It already has 7 members in it, meaning there are 5 spots remaining.  To sign up for the league, leave a comment on this post to let me know that you want to join it.  I will then e-mail you the details of what you need to do to officially get in the league.  Once the league is filled with 12 members I will put up a post allowing everyone to discuss a draft date/time and things like that. Moving on to the official Pride of Detroit FFL, I have gone through and updated the scoring rules and also have made a few other changes.  Basically, I took the responses of the members of the league into consideration and then messed around with the scoring rules.  Thankfully Fleaflicker gives you total customization of the rules, meaning I was able to implement many different things. I'll get into all of the scoring changes in just a bit, but first, here are some of the other most noticeable changes:

• The three divisions are now named after Lions Hall of Famers Charlie Sanders, Bobby Layne, and Doak Walker.
• We will have decimal point scoring.  Although I was originally leaning in the direction of not using this feature, I decided at the last minute to include decimals.  It should make things much more interesting as every single yard will count.
• The playoff schedule has been changed so the championship game will be played in week 16.  That means the playoffs begin in week 14, allowing us to still include 6 teams (I originally thought this wasn't possible, but thankfully, it is).  That is great news as not only do 6 teams get to make the playoffs, but the league championship can be decided before the final week of the NFL season.
• During the regular season ties will not be broken.  I would be shocked if any game ever end in a tie since we're using decimal point scoring, but if it does then it will remain a tie.  In the playoffs there are obviously tiebreakers ready to go in case they are needed, but in the regular season you'll have to have the feeling of kissing your sister.
• The trade deadline has been set for week 10.
• I added a second running back to the starting roster and also increased the size of the bench by one player.  That means that each team will have 16 players, giving you room on the roster for at least one backup at each position if you want, and then one more spot on top of that as well.
• The most important change outside of scoring rules is that the draft now is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET on August 26 (a week from today).  That will allow us to get through one more week of the preseason to see if any injuries happen, which hopefully will prevent any devastating blows to a team before the regular season even begins.

The scoring changes/performance bonuses can be found after the jump or below if you're already on the story page.

• 1 extra point when total Passing Completions is greater than or equal to 25
• 2 extra points when total Passing Yards is greater than or equal to 500
• 1 extra point when total Passing Yards is between 300 and 499 (inclusive)
• 2 extra points for every Passing TD of 80 or more yards
• 1 extra point for every Passing TD between 50 and 79 yards (inclusive)
• 2 extra points when total Rushing Yards is greater than or equal to 250
• 1 extra point when total Rushing Yards is between 150 and 249 (inclusive)
• 2 extra points for every Rushing TD of 80 or more yards
• 1 extra point for every Rushing TD between 50 and 79 yards (inclusive)
• 1 extra point when total Catches is greater than or equal to 10
• 2 extra points when total Receiving Yards is greater than or equal to 250
• 1 extra point when total Receiving Yards is between 150 and 249 (inclusive)
• 2 extra points for every Receiving TD of 80 or more yards
• 1 extra point for every Receiving TD between 50 and 79 yards (inclusive)
• 2 extra points for every FG of 50 or more yards
• 1 extra point for every FG between 40 and 49 yards (inclusive)
• -1 point for every FG Missed
• -2 points for every XP Missed
• 1 point for every XP Blocked (for team defenses only)
• 2 points for every FG Blocked (for team defenses only)
• 2 points for every Punt Blocked (for team defenses only)
• Change: 1 point for every 25 Passing Yards (previously was 1 point for every 20 yards)
• Change: -2 points for every Fumble Lost (previously deducted points for fumbles that weren't lost; I got rid of that)
• Change: 1 point for every Sack (previously sacks were worth 2 points)
• Change: 2 points for every Safety (previously safeties were worth 4 points)
• I also added performance bonuses that vary depending on how many points a defense allows.  Here's how that scale works: 10 points for a shutout, 7 points for 1-6 PA (points allowed), 4 points for 7-13 PA, 1 point for 14-20 PA, 0 points for 21-27 PA, -1 points for 28-34 PA, and -4 points for 35 or more PA.

That should cover the changes I made.  These same changes will be applied to the overflow league as well to keep the two leagues consistent.  I will have different division names, though, and we will obviously have a different draft date as well. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

Monday Notes: Bengals Game Observations - (08/18)

• Before getting into last night's game, it should be noted that training camp is officially over.  The Lions are off today and will start having only one practice a day when they return to Allen Park.
• Calvin Johnson is a beast.  He towered over Leon Hall to make a catch to start the game and then got into the endzone by outrunning the Bengals' secondary later on.  I'm starting to realize why Roy Williams picked Johnson for his fantasy team.
• Through two preseason games, Jon Kitna's quarterback rating is a perfect 158.3.  He has only thrown one incompletion so far this preseason (it was against the Giants) and has 2 touchdowns to go along with 182 yards.  The best pair of stats is that he has 0 interceptions and hasn't been sacked yet, either.
• Drew Stanton definitely played better than Dan Orlovsky.  Stanton made a great TD pass and then executed a perfect naked bootleg that also resulted in a TD.  Orlovsky didn't play awful, but he certainly could have done better.  Many of his passes were thrown right into coverage, and he just couldn't catch a break when he tried to run a bootleg.  All three times (that I remember) Orlovsky ran a bootleg there was a defender immediately in his face.  He did a nice job of throwing the ball away, at least, as he didn't get a single intentional grounding penalty.
• Punter Nick Harris has always been an asset for the Lions, and last night he showed us why he is so important.  One of his punts actually rolled out of bounds at the 1-yard line, leaving the Bengals with little room to work with.  Although the punt was outstanding, the defense did let Cincinnati go 99 yards down the field to score a touchdown.  Earlier in the game, Harris had a punt downed at the 2-yard line by Mike Furrey, but Cincy got to start on their own 20 due to Furrey getting a penalty for being the first player to touch the ball after stepping out of bounds.
• Rookies Kevin Smith and Jerome Felton started last night.  Smith is already looking like the Lions' best running back, and Felton stepped in for an injured Jon Bradley, who didn't play at all against the Bengals.  I guess that means I'll have to revise my next roster prediction as it appears Felton will make the team as the second FB.
• Tatum Bell has really been disappointing so far this preseason.  He hasn't looked all that impressive, and honestly, Artose Pinner has outperformed him.  I would be surprised if Bell ended up getting cut, but then again, when others are playing better than you, your roster spot shouldn't be locked up.
• The running game as a whole still isn't coming off as something that will be a strength this season, but it was much better against the Bengals.  Rather than getting stuffed for only a short gain like they did against the Giants, the Lions did move the ball on the ground at some points in last night's game.  Kevin Smith and Artose Pinner played well, and as I said, Tatum Bell still didn't look all that good.  Brian Calhoun didn't do horrible, but he did put the ball on the ground, although Dan Orlovsky did recover the fumble.
• Rookie Gosder Cherilus played both right and left tackle against the Bengals.
• Wide receiver Ron Bellamy got a concussion during the game.
• Although it was assumed that Devale Ellis would be the Lions' 5th wide receiver if they take that many on the 53-man roster, he is getting challenged by Brandon Middleton.  Middleton had a 50-yard TD reception against Cincinnati and tried returning a kickoff.  The very fact that he was back there means that he could take Ellis' spot on the roster as he has versatility.  I don't think it will happen, but a lot could change in the next couple of weeks.
• Speaking of wide receivers, John Standeford really played well.  He is a big long shot to make the team, but he is making his case on the field.
• Chad Johnson strained his left shoulder when Brian Kelly ripped the ball out of his hands for an interception.  Johnson left the game and went into the locker room to get x-rays and an MRI (both turned out to be negative).

Stanton Scores 2 TDs As Lions Beat Bengals 27-10 - (08/18)

Although the Lions did win their first preseason game of 2008, there was a lot of room for improvement.  There were a few players that played great in game number one, but it was evident many others needed to shake the rust off.  I can say confidentially after watching the Lions play the Bengals last night that the rust is gone as Detroit looked great from top to bottom.  There were the usual occurrences that made you shake your head, but all in all, the Lions looked very impressive in their 27-10 victory over Cincinnati.  It is only the preseason, so take it for what it's worth, but the Lions did play awfully well. For the second consecutive game, the Lions elected to receive after winning the opening coin toss.  Rod Marinelli obviously wanted his starting offense to get as much time on the field as possible, and that was a good decision as things looked good from the get-go.  In fact, on the very first play of the game, Jon Kitna hooked up with Calvin Johnson for a gain of 40 yards, setting the tone for this contest.  Kitna simply lobbed the ball downfield and all Johnson had to do was jump up and take it out of the air.  Former Michigan Wolverine Leon Hall had no chance at making a play as he simply was not big enough to come anywhere close to the ball. An offensive interference penalty on Roy Williams would stall this drive, but not before Kevin Smith had his best run of the preseason.  The Lions' offensive line opened up a few large holes for Smith to run through, and he did just that for a gain of 16 yards.  His next run wasn't as nice as he lost a yard, bringing up fourth down and forcing the Lions to punt the ball away. Thankfully for Detroit, the defense would quickly get the ball back for the offense.  Cornerback Brian Kelly really looked impressive on Cincinnati's first drive of the game as he made two big plays that really turned the tables on the Bengals.  First, he swatted a pass away from Chad Johnson to cause an incompletion.  And then one-upped himself on the very next play by ripping the ball out of Ocho Cinco's arms to get an interception.  Johnson appeared to have made the catch, but Kelly wasn't having any of that. After the interception, the Lions wasted little time before getting into the endzone.  Jon Kitna found Calvin Johnson out-running defenders across the middle of the field, making for an easy touchdown pass from 27 yards out.  Johnson had nobody in his face when the pass came in and he simply ran into the endzone untouched, putting the Lions on top 7-0. Looking for some redemption, Carson Palmer did manufacture a pretty decent drive the second time the Bengals' offense went out onto the field.  Unfortunately for Palmer, though, that work went unnoticed on the scoreboard as Dewayne White blocked a 46-yard Shayne Graham field goal attempt.  The Lions have had a knack for blocking field goals the last few years, and it's good to see that continue in 2008. Following a pair of three and outs, the Lions got the ball back and Dan Orlovsky did a nice job at quarterback.  He got the Lions into field goal range, but just as we saw with the Bengals, his work produced no results thanks to a failed field goal attempt.  Dave Rayner just barely missed his first field goal attempt as a Lion wide left (it was from 47 yards out), keeping the lead at only 7 points. With neither offense able to do anything on the two drives following the field goal miss, the Bengals did finally get the ball moving.  To basically close out the first half, Cincy first picked up yardage on the ground before moving to an air attack.  The end result was a shredded Lions defense and 7 points for the Bengals via a 12-yard TD pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Glenn Holt.  The Lions could have prevented the halftime score from being 7-7 on a 3rd and 8 during this scoring drive, but Fitzpatrick scrambled away from a pretty bad pass rush and gained 21 yards.  That helped set up the eventual TD. The Lions' defense did its job as it opened the second half by forcing a three and out, and Detroit was able to retake the lead on the proceeding possession.  After a Brian Calhoun fumble nearly ended the Lions' drive, Dave Rayner hit a 48-yard field goal, putting the Lions back on top by a score of 10-7. Cincinnati followed the field goal with hopes of taking the lead for the first time in this game, but the Lions' defense was having none of that.  After 6 minutes and 79 yards, the Bengals found themselves at the 1-yard line with 4th and goal and decided to go for it.  That is when safety Greg Blue lived up to his hitting ability and tackled DeDe Dorsey for no gain, giving the ball back to the Lions. Detroit didn't do anything on their next possession.  After all, they did start it from the 1-yard line.  Either way, Nick Harris managed to boom a punt well into Bengals territory, but he actually outkicked his coverage.  That allowed Cincinnati to get a big return and gave them a shot at hitting a field goal when their offense once again went three and out.  Shayne Graham connected on a kick from 50 yards away to tie the game at 10-10.  10-10 is what the scoreboard read heading into the fourth quarter, but Dave Rayner changed that around 4 minutes in.  Artose Pinner entered into the game and played well again, and he put the Lions in position to kick a 23-yard field goal.  Rayner easily made it and put the Lions back on top by a score of 13-10. After yet another three and out, Drew Stanton came into the game for the first time and quickly got Detroit into the endzone.  The Lions would have been nowhere near the endzone if Stanton hadn't scrambled for a first down on 3rd and 8, but he did just that.  Stanton avoided pressure and ran out to the right side.  It appeared he would not be able to get to the first down marker, but Stanton dove forward past the chains to keep the drive alive.  On the very next play, he found Brandon Middleton wide open for a 50-yard TD pass, increasing the lead to 10 points.  Stanton's throw was perfect and all Middleton had to do was haul the pass in. Kenneth Moore did a nice job of returning a Cincinnati punt and gave the Lions awesome field position shortly after the Stanton to Middleton TD.  This allowed Detroit to give the ball to Artose Pinner before letting Stanton do his thing on 3rd and 1.  Stanton dropped back and faked a handoff that even had the cameraman fooled.  Evidently, it fooled the Cincinnati defense as well.  Stanton kept the ball on the naked bootleg and only had to make one defender miss as he ran into the endzone for the touchdown.  He showed great athleticism on the run as he blew by the only defender in his way and basically sealed the Bengals' fate. The bootleg is a play we have seen the Lions run quite a bit this preseason, and it works best with Stanton because of his scrambling ability.  Kitna has done a nice job passing when running the bootleg and Dan Orlovsky has had no luck at all.  He actually tried to run the bootleg three or so times in this game and had a Bengal in his face right after the fake every single time.  Stanton's fake kept that from happening, though, and gave the Lions a 27-10 lead.  That is what the final score would read as the Lions left Paul Brown Stadium with a 2-0 preseason record. Detroit's third game of the preseason comes on Saturday when the Cleveland Browns come to town.  Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET, although I don't believe the game will be on TV at that time.  It is looking like this game is headed for another blackout, meaning we would have to wait until Saturday night to watch the Lions and Browns meet in their annual preseason game.  Regardless of when the game does start on TV, Pride of Detroit will have live updates from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.

Preseason Game #2 - Lions at Bengals - Game Thread - (08/17)

DETROIT LIONS (1-0)	GAME #2	CINCINNATI BENGALS (1-0)
	AT

Date:	August 17, 2008	Location:	Cincinnati, Ohio
Time:	7:30 p.m. ET	Stadium:	Paul Brown Stadium
TV:	WWJTV (CBS Detroit)	Favorite:	Bengals by 3.5
Radio:	97.1 FM The Ticket	Over/Under:	36.0
Weather:	Click Here	Injury Report:	Not Available
SBN Coverage:	Cincy Jungle	My Prediction:	None (It's preseason)
Final Score:	Detroit Lions - 27 :: Cincinnati Bengals - 10

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