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Friday May 2-Sunday, May 4: Lions full squad minicamp with veterans and rookies(closed to the public).
Monday, May 19-Wednesday, May 21: NFL Spring Meeting, Buckhead, Ga.
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Late July: Lions open training camp. (Exact date will not be known until the announcement of exhibition schedule.)
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» Lions Redzone Original - A Plea to the Fords and Fans: Clean House! |
A Plea to the Fords and the Fans
by Eric "Felix" Fossett
www.LionsRedzone
Nov. 20, 2008
A plea to both the Fords and the fans: please don’t be satisfied with the termination of Matt Millen. Clean House!
During his 7+ year tenure as GM of the Detroit Lions, the Matt Millen led Detroit Lions have compiled a dismal of 31 – 85 record. No one would dispute the colossal role Millen has played in this record, however very few seem to hold his fellow co-workers and staff accountable for any of the teams failures, at least from the perspective of this fan. We could go on endlessly blaming Millen solely for the many poor draft choices, failed coaches, and questionable free-agent signings, but the reality is, Millen was not alone in constructing this team and making these decisions.
The failure of the Lions is as an organization, not a single individual. The problems with the Detroit Lions start at the ownership level and continue down through the players. Ford is regarded as a very giving and loyal owner, to a fault. Ownership has to hold their employees accountable and demand excellence, not reward ineptitude. At the GM/President level, there has been much speculation regarding many of the draft picks that Millen has made. Most notably, whether they all his picks, Fords picks, Mariuccis picks, etc. Regardless, his draft picks, coaching picks and free-agent signings have not led to success. Likewise, there have also been rumors of deceitful practices in regards to free-agent contracts with agreed upon terms not being delivered in the final contract. Furthermore, there has been plenty of blame to be shouldered by the coaching staffs, from taking the wind, to open criticism of players, to poorly balanced play calling, to lack of development of drafted players. We must also not dismiss the failures of the scouting department and their lack of discovering mid- to late- round draft picks that should develop to be solid contributors that are the core of the team. Lastly, we must include the players. The players must be included in this analysis because ultimately, they are the ones on the field. Through the years, the players have had many different issues, ranging from lack of talent, to lack of mental acumen, including, but not limited to dropped passes, missed PAT snaps, INTs, fumbles, and missed assignments, just to name a few. The failures are not of an individual named Millen, nor are they of the team named the Lions, but they are of the entire organization named the Detroit Lions, from ownership down to the players.
Once we have established that there is plenty of blame to be shared across the entire organization for nearly a decade of losing football, we can stop putting a single face, Millen's, to the problem and start looking towards the future, but first, we must look at the present.
Currently, Martin Mayhew is the acting GM of the Detroit Lions. While there has been very little, if any, negative publicity surrounding Mayhew, a brief review of his history and a discussion of his role as a member of the front office will show that he is not the ideal choice to remain as GM of the Detroit Lions.
Briefly, Mayhew graduated from Florida State with a BS in business management before playing 8 years in the NFL as a CB for the Washington Redskins and Tamba Bay Buccaneers. In 2000, he received his Law Degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He then completed the NFL program for Managers at Stanford’s School of Business in 2003. In 1999, while working on his Law degree, he worked a 9 month internship in pro personnel for the Washington Redskins. He is credited with helping with their draft board that saw them take LaVar Arrington #2 overall, Chris Samuels #3 overall, and no other players to speak of in the rest of the draft. Prior to joining the Lions in 2001, Mayhew was Director of Football Administration for the XFL where he was involved in developing procedures for player transactions. Mayhew’s initial function with the Lions was Senior Director of Football Administration/Staff Counsel and was promoted to senior vice president in 2003. His key functions were described as “coordinating the team’s salary cap objectives, player contract negotiations and all team-related legal affairs in conjunction with Executive Vice President & COO Tom Lewand. He will also assist Lewand on all team matters pertaining to the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement and League policies and procedures. Mayhew is primarily responsible for all football operations (including team travel, the medical staff, equipment operations, video department, groundskeeping, player development and security), human resources, practice facility operations and the cafeteria staff. Mayhew is also involved in the Lions’ Inclusion Council.”
Looking at Mayhew’s role for the past 4+ years, what stands out is “primarily responsible for all football operations… player development…” It is no secret that one of the Lions biggest failures is the lack of player development. Furthermore, one of the biggest indictments against Millen was the claim that he “forced” players on coaches. That sounds like a role for the player development coordinator. It seems likely that if players were indeed forced on a coach that it would have been a front office decision, not solely a Millen decision. Then there is the matter of salary cap problems and the inability to sign free-agents as a result. Wouldn’t this also fall under the role of “coordinating the team’s salary cap objectives and player contract negotiations…?” Again, this seems to have been a failure of the organization falling under Mayhew’s watch.
Many analysts and journalists have come forward saying Mayhew is a rising star, an up and comer, etc. and would be a great choice to be the Lions new GM. While this may be true, there are several reasons that the Fords need to pass on him as the permanent GM and need to fire him outright. The Lions organization is in such complete disarray that now is not the time to experiment, once again, on an inexperienced GM that has not, in all apparent contexts, fulfilled his current roles in exemplary fashion. Perhaps there is more to the story and Mayhew was at odds with Millen’s decisions frequently, but if that were the case, something can be said for a lack of integrity it would take to stand idly by for 7+ years while watching wrong decisions being made. This leads us to either not fulfilling his duties, or lacking the integrity to take a stand against wrong decisions. Furthermore, Mayhew has been a mainstay of a losing organization. His continued employment with this organization would only serve as a reminder of the past mistakes and would be tantamount to rewarding failure.
In addition to Mayhew, the front office mismanagement woes can also be shared with Executive Vice President and COO Tom Lewand. Lewand has been a member of the Lions front office for over 12 years. During this span, there have been several instances that suggest Lewand is guilty of misconduct in player negotiations. The assertions claim that contracts received for final approval by players did not include the terms agreed upon verbally. Furthermore, we can point to cap troubles the Lions have recently found themselves facing. Immediately coming to mind is the Bobby Ross era that forced Millen to clean house in an effort to create cap space and rebuild. In addition, there are issues of waiting until a player becomes a free-agent until beginning negotiations for a new contract. What this maneuver has done, in 2 instances that come immediately to mind, is force the Lions to franchise tag a player and severely over pay to retain the player. If memory serves, Jeff Backus and Cory Redding both wanted contract extensions the year before their contracts were up. The Lions refused to negotiate early, in turn allowing these players to put in good to great years with little equivalent or better talent on the free-agent market. This forced the Lions to grossly over pay to retain these players. The line of thinking on this is beyond this fan. If these players didn’t play well, you couldn’t justify paying them a substantial amount of money that would have been dictated on the open market and we would have lost them. If they play well for that one season, you have to pay them an average of the top highest paid at that position. It was a lose-lose situation and Tom Lewand is responsible for these bad contracts the Lions are now stuck with.
Then there is also the recent situation in which it is reported that Lewand responded to a fans concern regarding numerous problems and broken promises about his season tickets with the infamous quote “F**k’em till next year.” While the quote in and of itself, is understandable as a human being under pressure, the fact that one of his main responsibilities with the Lions is public relations and ticketing, it is worrisome that any sentiment was uttered in a negative aspect towards the fan when it was clearly the Lions mistake. Furthermore, even if you ignore the comment, it is even more telling that Lewand attacked and threatened the media when they tried to do research, as good journalists are apt to do. Between questionable business practices, average salary cap management, poor foresight and horrid public relations with fans, Tom Lewand does not deserve to keep his job as a member of the Lions front office.
In addition to the front office, the coaching staff has also failed to live up to expectations. While Rod Marinelli and Co. have led the Lions to a poor record for the past 2+ seasons, it is difficult to place the blame squarely on their shoulders because of the many failings of the front office, but that’s not to say that they deserve none of the blame. Marinelli came in with the right attitude, “pound the rock,” “put it on tape,” “no excuses,” etc., and his hard-nosed style and determination to turn the attitude of this team around was refreshing and openly embraced by the predominately blue-collar Detroit fan base. However, this much needed attitude change has not manifested itself in wins. The apparent disconnect between the staffs message and the teams performance necessitates the need for a comprehensive review and evaluation of Marinelli and his staff.
During Rod Marinelli’s short tenure in Detroit he has received many criticisms, some deserved and some not so deserved. One of the most common complaints is his lack of head coaching experience. While his lack of experience as a head coach is a valid argument, it should not be a decisive point for the simple fact that other head coaches have made the position-to-head coach transition successfully. The fact of the matter is, he is apparently not a very good coach, as demonstrated not by his record, but by his lack of emotion on the sideline, his poor challenge record, not fighting for his team when the refs make mistakes, etc. His experience, or lack thereof, prior to becoming the head coach is not the issue. The issue is his inability to manage games, handle the officials and apparently, have his team ready to play from the opening whistle.
Another common critique revolves around his hiring of Joe Barry, his son-in-law, as the Lions defensive coordinator. It is unfair to place blame on Marinelli for the hiring considering that Barry was in high demand and would have received a similar offer elsewhere. However, it is fair to place blame of the failures of the Lions defense on Barry and Marinelli. While it is unclear the exact amount of control that Marinelli and Barry were allowed in the acquisition of players, it is a safe assumption that they were given a significant amount of leeway in the decisions based on the amount of ex-Buccaneers and the lip service they paid these players. If Marinelli inexplicably manages to retain his position as head coach of the Lions next season, the decision has to be founded on the understanding that Barry will be relieved of his duties.
Another common criticism of Marinelli is his failure to impose his identity on the offensive side of the ball. Along with this observation is the criticism of firing Mike Martz. Lets be clear here, Marinelli has the right concept of winning football with his “pound the rock” philosophy, however his lack of attention and/or comprehension of the offense is his failure. Some may fault Marinelli for the firing of Martz given the current ineptitude of the Lions offense, however the Martz philosophy did not match the type of football Marinelli wanted to see and he should be credited with taking the bold move to take steps to correct the lack of ball control and time of possession. The mistake was made when he promoted a coach from within that had minimal offensive coordinator experience and even less success calling plays. The mistake is apparent in the obvious confusion and disarray the Lions offense has exhibited this season. What is even more condemning is the lack of confidence in the system, to the effect that new schemes were introduced and abandoned in as many weeks. This indecisiveness speaks volumes to the incompetence and inexperience of the coaches in their current positions.
As if the previous reasons aren’t enough to condemn Marinelli’s career as the head coach of the Detroit Lions, it is now seemingly apparent that he is a hypocrite. One could point to the situation with Joe Cullen and his legal trouble as a sign that Marinelli is a hypocrite, however this analysis contends that Marinelli providing a second chance and help to someone in obvious need was fully within his preached philosophy. The real reason that Marinelli could, should, be viewed as a hypocrite lies in his handling of the current situation with Daunte Culpepper. For nearly 3 years now, Marinelli has preached, “put it on tape.” However, what tape was he viewing when he named Culpepper the starting QB after 2-3 practices after nearly 2 years out of football? What tape was he watching when he named Culpepper the starter for the Carolina game when it was obvious that Stanton played a better game than Culpepper? This is a clear case of Marinelli not following through on his words. At this point, everything he says is just lip service and means nothing. A coach that can’t be trusted to keep his word to his players is just a waste of space.
We could continue on with an in depth analysis of the entire coaching staff, namely the offensive and defensive coordinators, but the reality of the situation is that there is no need as the results, or rather, the lack of results are self-evident. The only comment that needs to be mentioned, in regards to Colletto, is that he should never have been hired as offensive coordinator in the first place. He had limited experience in this role and no success to speak of while performing similar functions. As far as Barry is concerned, he cannot be faulted for the serious lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but he can shoulder plenty of blame for not having his players ready to play or adapting his scheme to maximize his players abilities. The fact that there have been many examples of no backside contain on run plays this year demonstrates the poor coaching the players have received.
There really is no need to go into a long diatribe documenting and describing the failures of the scouting department, however the names Sheldon White and Scott McEwan need to be brought to the forefront. Sheldon White has been employed by the Detroit Lions since 1997, and has been the Director of Pro Personnel since 2000. Scott McEwan is the Director of College Scouting and no information is readily available on him, although mention of him as an employee of the Lions can be found as far back as 2003. During the tenures of the Pro and College Scouting Directors, the Lions have shown very little success at either drafting talent, in any round, bringing in quality free agents, or properly evaluating the talent already on the roster. These are the failures of the men entrusted to evaluate and scout college and professional players in conjunction with the entire front office. There has been no outstanding talent drafted in the first rounds (GM), nor much in the way of talent developed from the later rounds (Scouting). The Detroit Lions are in their current position partly because of the disappointments of the scouting department, and as such, they need to clean house here as much as they do the front office.
The players. Not much more can be said. The players lack talent and coaching. They are also to blame for the losing ways of the Detroit Lions, but they cannot be faulted for their lack of talent nor the significant contracts some have been given. While the players are also share the blame, the front office and scouting departments are the real culprits behind the roster deficiencies since 2001 and therefore, the abysmal record.
The Plea
To the Fords:
Please do not be satisfied with firing Millen. Please realize that you have a passionate fan base that have been loyal for so long without having the joy that only a winning team can bring and that you are in danger of losing these fans permanently if drastic changes are not made. Please do the right thing by recognizing that the entire organization, from the top to the bottom, has been dysfunctional for years and needs to be purged. You are in a unique situation in that your team is currently without an experienced GM. Many knowledgeable football minds are offering their advice. Rumors suggest the NFL is willing to offer suggestions. Please do not think that you are more intelligent than proven winners. You have shown for decades that your way does not lead to success. Please take this opportunity to listen to the advice of others outside the organization and clean house to bring in experienced and proven winners to give your city and the fan base a product that they can be proud of and that they deserve.
To the Fans:
Please do not be satisfied with the firing of Millen. The fans need to realize that Millen was only the face of the problem and that the troubles with the Lions organization run much deeper than just Millen. Since the firing of Millen, the fans have not had a face to direct their frustration towards. I implore you to replace your “Fire Millen” signs with “Clean House!” signs. “Clean House,” that is the only way the fans will begin to see any real improvement. Perhaps Mayhew is the next great GM, but he has played a large role in a losing culture so he must go. Mayhew may also maintain the status quo, which is exactly what this organization cannot absorb right now. No, the fans need to make a statement. Please pass the word to your local radio stations, tv station, newspaper journalists, you friends, your neighbors, your family, whoever will listen. Replace those “Fire Millen” signs you see at games with “Clean House” signs. Ford finally listened to the fans and fired Millen this season. Perhaps one more public outcry in this potential time of flux will be enough for Ford to do the right thing and CLEAN HOUSE!
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» Lions Redzone Original - Please Help! |
To Our Beloved, Our Dearest, and Our Most Gracious.
Dear, Mr. William Gates III, Mr. Warren Buffet, Mr. Michael Dell, Mr. Carlos Slim Helu, Mr. Karl Albrecht, Ms. Oprah Winfrey, Mr. Paul Allen, Mr. Sheldon Adelson, The Walton Family, Mr. Forrest Mars Jr., The Koch Family, Mr. Larry Page, Mr. Steven Forbes and last but not least, Mr. Steve Jobs.
First of all, thank you for your time.
As a hard working citizen of Michigan, I’d like to express to you my deepest concern at what is transpiring in our little corner of the world. As you may or may not know, automotive jobs here are being outsourced on a monthly basis, taxes are increasing at substantial rates and many blue-collar workers are finding themselves without work. Michigan, sadly, garners the highest unemployment rate in the country and not only are many residents fleeing this state, but I have witnessed many of my friends and family succumbing both mentally and financially to such tough times. I have seen first hand how this hardship has affected loved ones, friends and otherwise good people and with so little work, not to mention a declining economy, there seems little hope over the horizon.
I am writing you; because if anybody can help thousands if not millions of hard working Americans rekindle the old fiery spirit of what once made Michigan great, it is you. Our residents have supported Microsoft, Apple, Dell, Wal-Mart, bought pet food, candy, watched TV and have purchased gasoline. Please, in return, all I ask is another ten minutes of your time.
Respectfully, we here in Michigan need your help.
This state does not have much as far as entertainment. Here, we are a die-hard sports town, one who spend what little money we have on our teams. We don’t question it. I am writing you with 100% sincerity and a heart full of optimism and I am 100% serious in what I propose.
It is no secret that the NFL is one of the most popular leagues in the world of sports and we feel (as a state) that it is time for our team (The Detroit Lions) to be bought out from Mr. William Ford and the Ford family. Mr. Ford and his family are great, well-respected people of this state, but we feel it is time to move on. You may ask how this affects you. Well, I propose to you in all sincerity a three-point plan. I can guarantee that this plan will not only make you hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars from day one, but it will also ease the minds and elate a million tough working, blue collar Michiganders.
With so much hardship here in this state, we religiously follow our Detroit Lions. That said this team does not harbor the right motives that we fans hold so sacred. According to Forbes, the average NFL team is worth 733 Million dollars. It should be noted that Detroit has just built a brand new field, called Ford Field, and it is state of the art in all the world of sports. We also have a top notch practice facility in Allen Park and great sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch, Comerica, Master Card, and Burger King to name a few. Despite a record of just 7-9 in 2007, the Detroit Lions made over 189 Million in TV rights, licensing fees, advertising and other ticket and merchandise purchases by us, the loyal faithful. The purchase of this team is not only good business, but is a transaction that, if the right people are hired, will not involve much of your time. You will also be helping millions of sports fans.
The first point of our plan is to ask for a small, fee, say, $90 million dollars per person, but let it be noted that this is all you will have to invest. This is a business transaction that will pay for itself in less than three years. If this cost is too great, I tactfully add that for just $5 million dollars per, you could buy out our GM Matt Millen’s contract and write it off as charity. This action alone would greatly improve moral in this downtrodden state ten fold, the likes of which no amount of new factories could equate.
Mr. Ford is a great business mind as you know, and the Detroit Lions net worth increases 15% each year at the very least, just as it does for the rest of the league. For just 850 million dollars total (providing Mr. Ford a nice profit,) you will have ownership of a true NFL tradition, as the Detroit Lions hold the annual Thanksgiving game every year, which was watched by 60 million homes alone last year and your investment will ensure one of the elite, founding teams of the NFL. This team has been in action, as long as the league itself and not unlike the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Pistons or the Detroit Red Wings, it never fails to make a profit.
I am reminded of a young man that lives close to me. He was in a car accident not too long ago, and even though he cannot walk and has succumbed to a wheelchair, he loves his Detroit Lions. He can be seen in the neighborhood wearing his Honolulu Blue jersey and there is never a day, when he isn’t grateful for his team. He is one of millions. He was a linebacker for the local high school here and Ernie Sims is his favorite player. If you ever need a smile, I recommend you spend five minutes with him. Talk football. Talk computers. Talk current events. Talk love for life. You won’t regret it.
Whether you know it or not, your contribution to our cause will greatly impact a lot of people’s lives. We raise our children, love our families and are the best hard working people we know how to be. We love our sports here in Michigan and above all, despite it being taken from us, we love our football come Sundays.
Lastly, and I am sure you know by now, I am writing you, because these are desperate times. By no means do I think this letter will be read, but my intense propensity and sheer determination alone should tell you how much we need you. This is no joke, although I wish it were.
As a state, Michigan asks you for your help. We are desperate and are being ignored and ridiculed by the very team our proud city loves so much. We don’t look forward too much here, but we do look forward to Sundays and we do look forward to some day competing. With a transaction such as this, not only will your pocketbook thank you, but so will the millions of loyal and thankful fans of this great state.
No disrespect to Mr. Ford, but since he has bought this team in 1964, it has produced only two playoff games, both for losses. For being in the league 44 years, this record is unfathomable. Mr. Ford is a good man I am sure, but it is time to hand over the reigns and it is time to make the Detroit Lions respectable. With your modest help this can become a reality. As a blue-collar worker for this honest state, the one I love, the one I was born, there is only so much we can take and we feel it is time for better minds to bring us out of our misery.
Sincerely yours,
Will B. Praying
And
Ken U. Help
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» Lions Redzone Original - F'em till next year |
“F- - k ‘em ‘til next year.”
Perhaps Lions fans should concur.
By Anthony B. Irvine. A.k.a. Sanders97
www.LionsRedzone.com
May 20, 2008
Like a moth to the flame; a piranha to it’s prey; a fly to the ever-growing pile of dung that is the Detroit Lions organization, I am drawn to issues such as this one. I can’t help it. When something so obviously wrong takes place, how the hell can one ignore such a thing? Perhaps many may choose to when threats to “come after you” are levied as stated by Lions Chief Operations Officer Tom Lewand. However, when those threats are made in response to an absolute wrong on the part of a Lions employee, one has to question the integrity of such an organization.
The Lions have not offered up a winning season in nearly an entire decade. Still, ticket prices increase nearly every year. Inflation? Perhaps. The economy isn’t exactly thriving at the moment and even millionaires deserve to make a profit, but where is the incentive for the fans to continue spending their money on this product? Players and other NFL officials are quick to point out the generosity of the Ford family. “They have state of the art facilities” and “they are loyal” to a fault. But are these people who receive and love the generosity they get from the Ford’s simply covering for a deep dysfunction within the organization that radiates from the top down? I can think of no better example than the recent e-mail that was mistakenly sent to one fan who was shown less than stellar courtesy on more than one occasion, and I don’t mean just having to endure multiple seasons of shoddy performance on end.
After waiting out his time on a waiting list, season ticket holder Kevin Furlong acquired multiple season tickets for club and lower level seats. Paying several thousands of dollars each year for his seats, the Lions organization thanks him by downgrading his club level seats and then, somehow, misplacing the seats he was promised, not once, but twice in consecutive seasons. At this point, even a person with half the intelligence that God gifted primitive primates would feel that the burden of responsibility lies with the Lions organization. Let us not forget that Mr. Furlong would have every right to be disappointed in these occurrences. What transpired in conversations between Furlong and the Lions organization is irrelevant up until the time in which Furlong received an e-mail from the Lions. Granted, the e-mail was mistakenly sent to Furlong, but the message was loud and clear to not only Furlong, but also to many fans who have chosen not to renew their season tickets. Basically, the message was, “F—k ‘em ‘til next year”.
I’m sure there was a heated exchange between the two parties and I’m also confident that the Lions officials tried to do their jobs by satisfying a customer who had every right to be unsatisfied. However, my question is; how can this attitude even be present on the part of even the lowest of Lions employees? Not only that, but what about the “…’til next year” part of that statement? Are they making a Jon Kitna prediction? Are they suggesting that the Lions will, somehow, miraculously make a championship run and bring back all of those disgruntled fans? Even if they were making that suggestion, how can they feel confident in making that prediction after the word is out that they typically don’t give a damn about the fans they’ve disappointed year after year?
Fans can expect turbulent times. I think even the most rabid fans would be willing to stomach the common ups and downs of their favorite football team if they knew that they could very well bounce back and be competitive the following year. However, I also think that there’s a lot of people who base their decisions on principle matters and one of those principles is respect. I would like to know how any self respecting fan could validate spending a large sum of money on a product that not only doesn’t seem to have a clue on how to be competitive, but whose overall attitude is “f—k ‘em” towards those who have the nerve to get upset about it all.
Lions fans have proven to be, arguably, the most loyal fans in all of the National Football League. In over a half century, fans of the Detroit Lions have enjoyed less than what some expansion teams have enjoyed in less than fifteen years of existence. Still, come September, they show up in droves to support their hometown team. Common sense says that there’s an expiration date on that kind of loyalty when there’s no return and I think Tom Lewand and his staff have just moved that date a bit closer by displaying the attitude that was received in that one mistakenly sent e-mail.
Perhaps more fans need to mirror this attitude. Many are already doing this by refusing to renew their season tickets. Still, hope springs eternal and many of those cancelled tickets will be picked up by others who have yet to experience a game at Ford Field. Still, what once saw very little turn over on the waiting list is now flirting with the possibility of localized blackouts. Maybe the Lions organization is setting their own precedent. “F—k ‘em ‘til next year”. I think many Lions fans would agree.
Thank you Mr. Lewand. Threatening a journalist for suggesting what you’ve just clearly displayed in your statement versus the lack of action taken against the offending employee says enough. “F—k us ‘til next year”??? You’ll be lucky if you have many left to dismiss so readily after this statement, let alone another year of inept performance on the field or from within the organizations offices.
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» Lions Redzone Original - Change the D Scheme |
A Change For The Better Starts With Defensive Schemes
By Ryan ‘K-Dawg’ Kohler
www.LionsRedzone.com
Sept. 20, 2008
Bottom line, things are not working out for the Detroit Lions, again. The defensive line, with all the guys they kept and drafted, is not helping the rest of the defense. The linebackers are not making enough plays, if any at all. The secondary is giving up huge chunks of yards. When your defense makes guys like Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, or Jordy Nelson look like they’ve been Pro Bowl receivers for years, or even a rookie quarterback look like a Hall of Famer, you have to admit there is a problem. Maybe it’s the play calling. Maybe it’s the personnel. Maybe it’s the system. If the defense could be a defense for any amount of time, then the Lions wouldn’t put the game on the shoulders of Kitna. Under that kind of pressure, Kitna’s shoulder’s look about as broad as a second grade Pop Warner cheerleader. The focus of the draft was defense, but these young guys are not seeing any kind of time, so far, to decide what the Lions have in terms of talent on that side of the ball. So, starting from the end of the season, where the defense will be dead last in most statistics, the defense will be the downfall of Matt Millen, Rod Marinelli and family...um, not family, his staff. So how do you fix it?
The 4-3 has not worked for the Lions in a long time. A traditional 4-3 under Bobby Ross/Marty Mohrninwheg/Steve Mariucci/Dick Jauron didn’t fare too well either. The trendy Tamp 2 has yet to look at all what it is supposed to look like, a la the Buccaneers, Colts, and Bears. We have some youth on the defensive side of the ball, with Avril, Dizon and Sims. You also have one guy not making his money (Corey Redding) and another guy who MIGHT be making his money, but he hasn’t played enough to justify his contract (Dewayne White.) The secondary has potential, but someone is going to have to come in for Brian Kelly, who will be yet another year older. Depth may be a concern, but considering the major holes on the starting lineup, I wouldn’t worry about that yet.
I propose going with a youth movement. Change the entire 4-3 scheme into a 3-4.
The question, of course, is do the Lions have the bodies to fill the linebacker slots? As of right now, the linebacker corps consists of Ernie Sims and Gilbert Gardner on the weak side, Paris Lenon and Jordan Dizon in the middle, and Alex Lewis and Ryan Nece on the strong side. A switch to the 3-4 would mean Jordan Dizon and Paris Lenon would be starting in the middle, with Ernie Sims and Alex Lewis playing the outside positions. However, we do have Cliff Avril, who was projected as a 3-4 defensive player. I say put him at linebacker. That gives you Gilbert Gardner and Alex Lewis as the back ups on the outside. I didn’t forget Nece. I would shift him inside to back up one of the inside linebacker spots until depth can be found. Going into the draft, the Lions would have to spend an early pick on an inside linebacker to eventually take over for Paris Lenon, who will be turning 32 next season.
As for the defensive line, the starters would be Dewayne White, Corey Redding, and Jared Devries. Not all that intimidating, obviously. Corey Redding can give some flexibility by playing nose tackle or defensive end, he did play defensive end for a bit earlier in his career. The better option would be to draft a big body to play nose tackle, and put Redding on the outside. This would be better then sticking with a 4-3. In a 3-4 the Lions would need a younger inside linebacker to groom to replace Paris Lenon, and a nose tackle to help clog the middle, and a younger cornerback to start opposite of Leigh Bodden. In a 4-3, the Lions would be looking for a defensive end, a defensive tackle, a strong side linebacker, and a cornerback to take over for Brian Kelly. So automatically the Lions are cutting down on needs. It’s a question as to how well Dewayne White and Corey Redding would do in a 3-4, but with the size of their contracts, the Lions have to stick it out a little longer with them, before getting rid of them. Maybe the Lions catch lightning in a bottle, and both turn out to be solid in a 3-4. Or not, but no one knows that yet.
So to switch to a 3-4, the Lions would have to hire someone who knows how to run a 3-4. The candidates are pretty slim. Available at this moment are Bill Cowher and Marty Schottenheimer. If the Browns don’t make the playoffs, Romeo Crennel may be available. If the Lions management dig a little deeper there would be guys like San Diego Chargers Defensive Coordinator Ted Cottrell, New England Patriots Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees, Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Brian Stewart, Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau, and the dark horse of them all, Russ Grimm, the Arizona Cardinals Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach. Of course, none of these guys would be any helpful unless the scouting department is completely overhauled.
When’s the last time the Lions had a late round draft pick pan out into, at worst, a solid starter? Corey Schlesinger as a 6th round choice seems to fit the bill. But it was difficult to find anyone the Lions drafted in recent history that made any kind of impact, on any team, after the 4th round. So while the Patriots are finding guys like Tom Brady and Curtis Martin, the Lions are finding guys like Kerwin Waldroup and Terry Battle. Add into this, the Lions have a bunch of first round draft picks become busts, a change in the scouting department would be a welcome addition to a team trying to convert to a new defense and bring the fans back
Of course, the person who can do such a move would be the General Manage/President. If the Lions are going to overhaul the defense by converting to a 3-4, and bring in a guy who knows how to run it, that means firing Rod Marinelli. If Rod is gone, so is Matt Millen. That leaves the Lions with a hole to fill at the top of the organization. The key here would be to take someone from a team who is a perennial winner, and the head of their scouting department, or Assistant General Manager. There is a reason San Diego is the most talented team in the league. There is a reason the Steelers are always in playoff contention, even when they’re having a down year. There is a reason the Patriots have won so many Super Bowls in the past few years. These teams know how to draft. By taking a page from any of these teams, automatically it will bring fans back to the Lions and provide an immediate glimmer of hope in what has become the dismal Detroit Lions. The prospects would be Ed McGuire of the San Diego Chargers (Assistant GM and Executive of Football Operations), Ron Hughes of the Pittsburgh Steelers (College Scouting Coordinator), Scott Pioli (Vice President, Player Personnel, to get him to come over he would have to take a promotion to President, I would assume), Nick Caserio (Director of Player Personnel of the New England Patriots) and everyone’s favorite dark horse as a General Manager, Ron Wolf.
Depending on who becomes the Lions President/General Manager, they will bring in their own scouts, and they would want ‘their guy’ as head coach. So hiring a front office person from San Diego could bring in a guy like Marty Schottenheimer or Ted Cottrell. Hiring someone from Pittsburgh could land Bill Cowher (if the Carolina Panthers job is not open at the end of the season). Hiring someone from the Patriots would most likely bring anyone from the Patriots coaching staff over also.
To bring in a guy like Marty Schottenheimer, a good coach no doubt, you would have to have a guy on the staff be his protégé. Schottenheimer can coach the players and make them better, but he can’t navigate a team through the playoffs. To avoid a rebuilding process once Schottenheimer is gone, the Lions would have to set up something like the Seahawks have with Mike Holmgren and Jim Mora Jr. or what Dallas has with Wade Phillips and Jason Garret, but more friendly then how Dallas set it up.
So by just changing a philosophy on defense, the entire organization can be overhauled. No one would argue that Dallas, New England, Pittsburgh, and San Diego are top tier teams. So why not mimic what they have done to become an elite team? The NFL is a copycat league anyway, so what’s wrong with copycatting the team who has been to the most Super Bowls this century, a former Super Bowl winner who is still in contention for deep run into the playoffs, and a perennial favorite to go to the AFC Championship game? So the Lions bring in a whole new front office, a whole new scouting department, a whole new staff, and convert the defense into something Lions fans have only seen, and from the wrong side. Would this not be a sign of encouragement that indeed the time is now for change?
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