Lions Thread

[Panzram]

Joey Harrington (QB)
Harrington is no longer with the Lions, although head coach Rod Marinelli declined to say if he was actually "released", the Associated Press reports.

[DPark1]

its seriously cool if they let joey the duck go -- he holds the ball too long; this is the big leagues -- you better have the mental apttitude to excell at the position or some exceptional cruise control in the motor city -- and he got none

[TPSRadio.net]

Ya know, I'm kinda excited about the Lions move picking up Kitna and McCown. Gotta think that Kitna gets the start position, but McCown has shown potential with the Cards in the past.
Give those stud young WRs a good QB and this offense could click. Especially under Martz (great O-Coord, not so great head coach).

Now if they can just do something about that offensive line....

[Durango53]

Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for former Detroit Lions receiver Charles Rogers, said on WSVN-TV the Dolphins have shown interest in his client. Rogers, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft, was cut by the Lions after three injury-plagued seasons. Saban recruited Rogers to Michigan State before Saban left for LSU. "We'll make some decisions later on as to who we decide to work out," Saban said. "Things just haven't worked out for him (in Detroit). That doesn't mean there is not some other circumstance that he wouldn't fit into. He has a lot of ability. Since he is a player that we know, we would love to see the guy do well."

[LesPaul]

A Detroit Lions assistant coach was arrested twice in the past two weeks -- once while police say he was driving nude and a week later on suspicion of drunken driving.

Police in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn said Joe Cullen, who coaches the team's defensive line, was pulled over Aug. 24 and ticketed on suspicion of indecent and obscene conduct.

The ticket does not provide any other information about why Cullen allegedly was nude. The Lions said alcohol was involved.

[Durango53]

Nude and alcohol. Funny how those go hand and hand.......

[LesPaul]

Nude and alcohol. Funny how those go hand and hand.......

"We're going streaking!!!"

[Tigers#1]

I personally feel sorry for the guy. He's obviously got a real problem with alcohol, and now he's a national joke. I seriously don't know how he's not suicidal right now.

[Tigers#1]

Why is Tony Siragusa an announcer/sideline reporter? He's so freeken annoying. All he does is makes the same jokes that aren't funny to anyone over the age of 9, and talk about "what a man" he is.

[Durango53]

Man the Lions look like a whole new team. I didnt get most of the game in but man they played a hard game against the Seahawks.

[Tigers#1]

I thought they played great, dispite them only scoring 6 points. The only thing i didn't like was 2 out of every 3 plays was another screen play that never amounted to anything.

[Durango53]

Unless there's an injury to either Roy Williams or Corey Bradford, Mike Williams could be spending a lot of time on the Lions inactive list this season. Consider: Rookie undrafted free-agent receiver Shaun Bodiford had a knee injury and couldn't play this week but, instead of moving Mike Williams up the depth chart, the Lions elected to sign another rookie undrafted free agent -- Devale Ellis -- off the practice squad and activated him for the game. It appears to be a touchy subject for head coach Rod Marinelli who, when he was first asked about it Sunday, said, "No comment." Because Mike Williams doesn't contribute on special teams, the only way he's going to be active is if there's a need for an extra receiver.

[Durango53]

Detroit wide receiver Roy Williams entered the guarantee business Monday, declaring that the winner of Sunday's Lions game with the Bears has been determined. By him, at least. "We will win this game," Williams told Detroit reporters. "Y'all can take that as a guarantee or what not, but we will win this game. You can take that as a guarantee if you want.

[Tigers#1]

This is the most overblown quote. He said if the defence plays the way it did last week, and the offence plays to it's potential, then he guarantees a win. Which if that does happen, they CAN beat any team, anywhere in the league.

[Durango53]

Thats a lot of if's........

[Durango53]

Lions WR Mike Williams sounded off on being benched. "The way the organization is going under [coach Rod] Marinelli, it's going to need a poster boy for what's wrong," Williams said. "Every new beginning needs a poster boy for why the other way didn't work." Just call Williams the poster boy. Marinelli is all about hard work and discipline. Williams thinks he brings both. The Lions don't think so. The Lions have portrayed Williams as lazy and overweight. The only question is whether they are right. Williams said he respects Marinelli and offensive coordinator Mike Martz. But he also said neither had given him a reason for why he was inactive. "I've given up on trying to figure out what it is, or what it has been or what it's going to be," Williams said. "The only thing I look at is coming to practice and putting the maximum effort I can put into it. Y'all go ask the powers that be. I don't know what to say." Williams' complaint clearly goes beyond this week or even the coaching staff. There is a fundamental lack of trust between Williams and Matt Millen's organization. "That's what I've been labeled: the poster boy for the new regime and what's wrong in Detroit," Williams said. "It's chicken [bleep], but you keep working. Keep working because I'm a ballplayer. That's what I do. I play ball."

[Durango53]

Lions President Matt Millen called Raiders owner Al Davis to inquire about wide receiver Jerry Porter, but no trade offer was made, according to a league source. Porter asked to be traded before the season, but Davis wants him to return his $4 million signing bonus.

[Durango53]

Lions coach Rod Marinelli and offensive coordinator Mike Martz, moles say, believe Mike Williams has the potential to be a star. But they want him to work hard and earn it -- every day. They believe Williams, selected 10th overall in the 2005 draft, only is scratching the surface. And to get the best out of him, they have administered tough love. Team president Matt Millen, moles say, wanted to cut Williams right before the season. Marinelli and Martz, though, convinced Millen they'll get the best out of him -- eventually.

[Dward00]

I thought detroit would be better this year. I even picked them to go to the playoffs. :baby:

[Dward00]

Hey I hope you guys aren't blaming Jon Kitna for the Lions not winning. He's been playing awesome. He's on track to throw over 4000 yards, finish with a 64% completion percentage, and throw over 20 touchdowns. Hehe he might also be on track to throw 20 interceptions. Maybe the interceptions aren't his fault? Anyways I think he's playing awesome for the simple fact that he's starting on a team for his first year. Give him next season to take off, and flash MVP uberness.

[Durango53]

Lions WR Roy Williams, appearing as a guest on Fox Sports Radio with Jim Mora and Dan Morriarty, asked about his QB Jon Kitna: “He’s the best quarterback in this league. He gets overlooked because we’re 2-6; we’re not a winning football team. He’s just the best quarterback in this league- he throws a great ball- easy catch-able balls. I’ll play with him any day.”

[Durango53]

Lions WR Roy Williams, appearing as a guest on Fox Sports Radio with Jim Mora and Dan Morriarty, asked about the Lions poor record: “I think we’re the best 2-6 football team in this league. If we would’ve started out the way we’re playing right now, we’re looking at a 6-2 record. But you have to face reality and we’re 2-6 and this is the best 2-6 team in the country- and I really do believe that.”

[Durango53]

Lions center Dominic Raiola vowed to settle a score with Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who put a hit on Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna on Sunday that Raiola thinks was a cheap shot. "Twelve years down the road, whoever I'm playing for, I'm going to get him," Raiola said Monday. "Promise you. Promise you. "I promise you, if I see him on the field again, I will try to take his head off. That's all I have to say about that. I'm ready to go back and play right now."

[Durango53]

Lions head coach Rod Marinelli also dismissed the possibility of a quarterback change from Jon Kitna to Josh McCown. "I believe in him 100 percent. What he brings to the table, I've seen him have some games where he's started slow and he finishes really strong," Marinelli said. "He's got that great mental toughness to him. And he's got the leadership I'm looking for. That would be why." Marinelli also cautioned against jumping to conclusions that Detroit's struggling offense was the fault of the quarterback.

[Durango53]

Detroit's Jon Kitna is the only quarterback this season to have passed for at least 200 yards in all nine games this season, and is the only player to have completed at least 19 passes in all nine games.

[Tigers#1]

McCown could play receiver
Quarterback Josh McCown could play some receiver in the upcoming weeks, but offensive coordinator Mike Martz said the team would be smart about it and not send him on crossing patterns over the middle and will try to keep him out of harm's way if at all possible.

That means that McCown, who has been catching passes with the receivers for several weeks, would likely be a fourth receiver and run deep routes in obvious passing situations. McCown has good speed, great leaping ability and good hands.

"He's such a great athlete. He's a 4.5 (40-yard dash) guy, 6-4, 6-3," Martz said. "We work him out every week as a wide receiver just in case. We always carry him as an emergency receiver. I never had a quarterback that was that dynamic of an athlete. There's nothing he can't do athletically. He's a freak of an athlete."

Martz will not put McCown in danger of being hurt if he gets into a game.

"I think it'd be a very selective situation. We'd be very, very specific about how we would use him. Are we going to use him as a stock blocker, running inside on routes? No. We're not going to do that. Certainly with his height advantage, and his speed, there's some things that he can do that can help."

And, yes, this means that Mike Williams has now dropped below a quarterback on the receiver depth chart.

[KingDave]

I am bringing this thread back to the forefront. How could I let 2 rivals have official threads when the Lions go unspoken for? Thank you Durango and everybody else for keeping this thread active in my absence I really appreciate it. Like I said, you cats are alright.

[Durango53]

I am feeling bad for the Lions fans for the owners not getting rid of a bad GM. I know how that feels being a Rockies fan. :(

[KingDave]

Yea, there could possibly be a mass revolt this season if there are no positive signs. People are mad already because it is rumored that the Lions were the only team without a representative at Brady Quinn's workout.

[Durango53]

I dont know if I would be all ticked at that. :D

[KingDave]

i'm certainly not. the general consensus is that we should have at least had someone there, if only to give the appearance that we might want to pick him, just in case someone wanted to trade up.

still, i fear millen will pull a Jay Cutler on this one and draft him.

[KingDave]

during the week chris brown and tj duckett both made visits to detroit

these guys are scaring me a little bit - shawn bryson, brian calhoun, and kevin jones are still under contract, plus we now have tatum bell.

i think we have more pressing needs than hb.

[KingDave]

tj duckett signed to a one year deal

well i guess there are worse moves they couyld have made, but no matter how many backs you have, you still need an offensive line.

but, tj is from here and he has the same last name as me so i won't complain:tongue:

[KingDave]

Shaun McDonald signed a 2-year deal for reportedly 2.8 million with 1.5 guaranteed. Pretty much eliminates Curtis from the conversation.

Also former Rams CB Travis Fisher visitied Detroit.

[KingDave]

Travis Fisher signed a 1 year deal for $2.25 million with a $1 million signing bonus.

He is injury prone, but he will supply a veteran presence in Bly's absence.