With The 13th Pick In The NFL Draft The Detroit Lions Select....

DP's Pick:
Tyron Smith, OT, USC

The Lions would have loved if Prince or Peterson fell to them, however they have to settle for the big offensive tackle Tyron Smith. He can play on either side of the ball and has better upside than any other prospect in this draft. I'm not going to sit here lie to you like I know anything about blocking, so I guess he gets in the way of defenders better than the other people. Plus he has a pretty sweet name.

BMack's Pick:
Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

Prince is still on my board, so this becomes an obvious pick for the Lions. Chris Houston is coming along nicely for the Lions, and if Prince can lineup across from him that would give them a nice young defensive backfield to build around. With Suh already up front, and an offense that is coming together (if they can Matthew Stafford healthy), it seems like we say this every year, but this is a team that could start challenging for a playoff spot soon. Amukamara had 5 picks in 2010 at Nebraska, and you have to be impressed with his tackling skills racking up 155 tackles last year. I always like CBs with size, and this kid has decent size at 6-0 and over 200 pounds.

TOP 25 UNDER 25 - #18 Ndamukong Suh

NDAMUKONG SUH - Defensive Tackle, Detroit Lions (I really hope I spelled that right)

Prior to his senior season at Nebraska, this standout defensive tackle had more consonants in his name then fans who knew much about him. Nonetheless, he went on to have one of the more dominant seasons by a defensive player in NCAA history. He didn't stop there either. Suh, the #2 overall pick in last year's NFL draft became the center piece of a Lions defense that almost got them out of the basement in the NFC North...almost. (And that's saying something!)

Suh, is by most standards a behemoth of a young man. Standing 6' 4" and tipping the scales at over three bills he is a load and very tough to handle for NFL offensive linemen. At Nebraska, his career started off with a bang - except that bang was his knee and he would miss just about all of his first season, though he was granted a medical redshirt. It wasn't until his junior season with the Huskers that he started to draw some serious attention. He led the team in tackles that season and was named to the First Team All Big 12. The following year he began to dominate. For all intents and purposes he was a one man wrecking crew. In the Big 12 Championship with a possible BCS Championship bid on the line against Texas he singlehandedly nearly beat the Longhorns. He had 12 tackles that night, 7 for a loss and 4 1/2 sacks. He had Colt McCoy flat on his back more than a coed at a toga party and was even named the game's MVP despite being on the losing side.

Following that game many were projecting him as the #1 overall pick, but he would go 2nd to Detroit behind Sam Bradford of the Rams. His senior season efforts did not go unnoticed as he was the winner of a multitude of awards including the Nagurski Award for the nation's top defensive player, Bednarik award and the Outland Trophy for best lineman. He was also named a Heisman trophy finalist, a bit of a rarity for defensive players. He was a unanimous All-American and won the AP Player of the Year as the first defensive player ever to do so.

All his college accolades amounted to lofty expectations when he hit the NFL, but Suh did not disappoint, immediately becoming a factor in opposing offenses gameplans. Incredibly athletic for his size Suh dominates the line of scrimmage regardless of where he lines up. His vertical leap at the combine was measured at 35 1/2" which is mind boggling for a man who weighs more than 300 LB. He also ran a 40 yard dash in under 5 seconds. Basically, you don't want him chasing you down.

When he does chase someone down he makes it count, as he got to the QB and recorded 10 sacks in his rookie season. That was good for 17th in the league. He also had 66 tackles which was 2nd among DT in the league. One of his best highlights came on an fumble that he returned for a TD, showing off his athleticism.

Around the NFL Suh developed a bit of a nasty reputation. He took some silly aggressive penalties for what some might call "cheap shots" in his first season, but he clearly sent a message to the rest of the league. This is not a guy you want to be messing with. I'm confident that Lions fans are ok with it. They haven't had anyone like this in decades.


The lowly Lions took a couple steps forward this season in that they are no longer a doormat, essentially a bye week for opponents. However, they're still a long way from contending in that division. One thing they are not a long way from though is having the centerpiece of their defense for the next decade. Ndamukong Suh is it, and at just 24 years old Lions fans have something to finally be hopeful about. Now if they could just get that Stafford kid to stay healthy.

Patriots 45, Lions 24

The QB Rating stat, like all statistics, is imperfect. It doesn't, by itself, truly measure how great a quarterback's game/season/career is. But Tom Brady's maximum 158.3 from Thursday's win over the Lions is one time when the QB Rating is spot on.

After struggling to generate a rhythm in the first half, Brady spent the second half dissecting the Lions' defense. He was helped by some big defensive plays, which gave the Pats very good field position. And a 79 yard hook-up with Branch, which was as much the receivers' running as it was Brady's throwing.



And unlike against the Colts, the Patriots' offense maintained their assault. The defense was giving the ball back to Brady, and Brady spread it around to Welker, Gronkowski, and Branch. He added to the Patriots' lead, and what was a back-and-forth 24-24 game to start the 4th, very quickly turned into a slaughter.

I'm not going to dance in the streets for a win over a 2-9 Detroit team. Then again, the Patriots have continually struggled to make in-game adjustments. On offense, and also on defense, they figured out what Detroit was doing, figured out how to defeat it, and applied those adjustments with remarkable success.



Some of the nice looking numbers from the game: Tom Brady was 21/27, completing his last 10 pass attempts, for 341 yards, 4 touchdowns, and the afore-mentioned maximum 158.3 QB Rating.

Branch only caught 3 passes, but for 113 yards and 2 scores. Welker caught 8 passes for 90, and 2 touchdowns. 7 different Patriots caught passes (3 tight-ends, 2 backs, and only 2 WRs). BJG Ellis only ran for 59 yards, but averaged 4.9 per carry, and scored twice.



And how good has Devin McCourty been this season? He's no "shut-down corner," but he's done well in coverage, is a sure tackler, and has a nose for the football. He's a playmaker. Something the Patriots defense has been lacking for a few years.

The Patriots have an extended week to eat Lion leftovers, and prepare for the Jets, who come to town next Monday night. That's a fairly significant game.

-The Commodore

Stafford Out For Season? (UPDATE)

"The Lions are worried that they may have lost quarterback Matthew Stafford for the season with a separated shoulder, a source told Booth Newspapers in Michigan. Stafford suffered the injury late in 23-20 loss to the Jets on Sunday. Stafford underwent tests Monday and the Lions have had no comment (WEEI)."

There have been far too many injuries to this shoulder, and while I do believe he could've been a very good QB, I just don't believe he is ever going to be able to stay on the field. This is terrible news for the Lions, who have a lot of the right pieces to finally become relevant again. Now they are stuck with a very heavy contract for Stafford, and really no future at QB (unless they believe in Stanton). Typical Lions luck, and I really do hope I'm wrong, how can someone keep coming back from all these shoulder injuries?

***UPDATE***

QB Matthew Stafford has a grade 3 shoulder separation, MLive.com is reporting. Stafford will reportedly seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, an orthopedic surgeon. If the diagnosis is confirmed, Stafford will likely be out for the season.

Matthew Stafford Back This Week

"The Detroit Lions are going full steam ahead with the recovery plan for Matthew Stafford (more on said plan below). Stafford indicated on the "Dan Patrick Show" on Tuesday that he plans on taking all the first-team reps in practice this week, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Furthermore, the quality of his passes doesn't seem to be affected by the injury. "Once I got healthy, I knew I'd have the same arm that I've always had. I was just making sure that I was pain-free," he said Wednesday, per MLive.com. "It wasn't like a rotator (cuff) or a labrum or anything like that. It had nothing to do with the mechanics of throwing. It was an AC separation.(ESPN)"

Great news for the Lions after they lost Shaun Hill to injury, but Stafford is going to have to find a way to stay healthy. This is a young and growing team, but they aren't going to go anywhere unless Stafford becomes the real deal.

The Lions have let me down this year, I though they would be taking strides to becoming a better team, but these "close games" just aren't good enough anymore. Hopefully Stafford, is the missing piece, but that could be asking a lot.

Oh yea, and Drew Stanton is the man.

Matthew Stafford Has Separated Shoulder

Well this news sucks for Detroit who had somewhat of a chance to make an impact this year. Matthew Stafford can be a hell of a QB if he doesn't keep on getting injured, however, it seems like that right shoulder has taken a beating in his 2 years in the league.

I heard he will be out 4-6 weeks, which will place Shaun Hill as their starting QB which is never a good thing. Hopefully Calvin Johnson and Jahvid Best can mask their QB troubles.

Either way not a good sign for the up and coming Lions.

2010 NFL Preview: NFC North

Here is how we see the NFC South playing out...

1. Packers: 13-3
2. Vikings: 8-8
3. Bears: 8-8
4. Lions: 8-8

NFL Breakdowns: Detroit Lions

KEY ADDITIONS
Player, Pos., 2009 Team
Dre’ Bly, CB, San Francisco
C.C. Brown, S, N.Y. Giants
Nate Burleson, WR, Seattle
Shaun Hill, QB, San Francisco
Chris Houston, CB, Atlanta
Landon Johnson, LB, Carolina
Tony Scheffler, TE, Denver
Rob Sims, G, Seattle
Kyle Vanden Bosch, DE, Tennessee
Jonathan Wade, CB, St. Louis
Corey Williams, DT, Cleveland
KEY LOSSES
Player, Pos., 2010 Team
Phillip Buchanon, CB, Washington
Daniel Bullocks, S, Free agent
Casey FitzSimmons, TE, Retired
Larry Foote, LB, Pittsburgh
Anthony Henry, CB, Free agent
Grady Jackson, DT, Free agent
William James, CB, San Francisco
Daniel Loper, OL, Oakland
Kalvin Pearson, S, Free agent
Ernie Sims, LB, Philadelphia
Dewayne White, DE, Free agent

Draft
Rd., Player, Pos., Ht., Wt., College
1. Ndamukong Suh, DT, 6-4, 307, Nebraska
1. Jahvid Best, RB, 5-10, 199, California
3. Amari Spievey, CB, 5-11, 195, Iowa
4. Jason Fox, OT, 6-7, 315, Miami (Fla.)
7. Willie Young, DE, 6-5, 251, NC State
7. Tim Toone, WR, 5-10, 175, Weber State

Offense:
I'm very excited about the Lions offense. I love Matthew Stafford and feel he could be the next Aaron Rodgers like QB. Their backups aren't to shabby either with Bob's favorite player Drew Stanton(Bust) and Shaun Hill. I also am excited to see how their RBs work together Jahvid Best is explosive and can be the steal of the draft, and also Kevin Smith is underrated too. He was injured last year but could be a good change of pace. They also have the best WR in the league in Calvin Johnson and the addition of Nate Burleson was a nice piece. Tony Scheffler will also be a nice reliable check down guy for Stafford.

Defense:
Ndamukong Suh was a great pick up in the draft to anchor that defensive line for years to come, but the best pick up for the Lions was former Titan Kyle Vanden Bosch. He will have a good, pressure free year in Detroit and might surprise some offenses. Their linebackers are DeAndre Levy, Julian Peterson, and Zack Follett (threw up a little) but who knows, with a stronger defensive line, it could open things up for them. Their D Backs are led by Dre Bly, Chris Houston and Amari Spievey which leaves something to be desired also.

Overall:
I really want to put them in the playoffs, but I'll give them a 8-8 record for the year. I think the offense can lead them to a few more wins.

Lions, Broncos, and Eagles Pull Off 3 Team Deal

The Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles closed on a three-way trade, sending TE Tony Scheffler and the Broncos' seventh-rounder to Detroit, LB Ernie Sims to Philly and the Eagles' fifth-rounder (No. 137 overall) to Denver. Might not seems like a big trade, but this deal does tell us a couple things.

To start I really like this deal for the Lions. Scheffler has great hands, and it could be a nice target for the young Lions QB (Stafford). It also means that Brandon Pettigrew is a huge fucking bust. The Lions took him early in the 2nd round last year, and this kid has already lost his job. Hopefully his knee is now healthy, and maybe this can buy some time to get his career back on track.

The Broncos pick up another draft pick, but this deal leaves them with former Patriots Daniel Graham has their starting tight end. He is ok, but he really isn't much of a pass catcher, so you have to wonder if the Broncos will not be in the market for a TE in their the draft or on the free agency.

The Eagles pick a LB, which they need, because their depth there is just terrible. This kid won't turn this around there, but he is young, and could fit nicely into the Eagles defense.

Overall, I like this deal for the Lions, and the Broncos are rebuilding so picks are important, but I can't really say i would be thrilled about this deal if I was an Eagles' fan.

Stafford Surgery Goes Well

"The Detroit Lions say quarterback Matthew Stafford has undergone successful surgery on his right knee. Stafford had what the Lions called minor surgery on Tuesday. He was placed on injured reserve last week after a physical exam revealed he wouldn't be ready to play in Sunday's season finale against Chicago (CBSSports)."

The Lions have a long way to go if they want to compete in the playoffs, but Stafford did show some signs of life, and if he can Calvin can get on the same page this offense could become decent. I was not a believer at all in Stafford when he was draft, but I have to admit I was impressed with the way he handled himself this year. The next step is to stay healthy can and get Calvin Johnson the damn ball.

Lions To Trade Calvin Johnson?

"Calvin Johnson has the talent to be one of the league's best wide receivers, but he's suffered a bit through the growing pains of the start to the Matthew Stafford era in 2009. Calling to mind the recent Detroit Tigers trade that sent Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson out of town, Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press wrote on Wednesday that the Lions should ship Megatron away as well, in return for a bevy of draft picks. Joining him in the "Trade Megatron" choir on Thursday is Terry Foster of the Detroit News (ESPN)."

I don't agree with this thinking at all. The Lions have wasted so many draft picks trying to find a standout WR, so you can't just turn around and start all over. Calvin is a top 5 WR, and the return would be much less then that. The Lions have some the pieces they need. What they have to do is sit back and let these young guys develop. They have been through so many WRs, RBs, and QBs that they need to let a group come in and develop over time. Trading away their best player is not the answer, especially since he is so young...

Calvin Johnson Might Be Out This Week

"Wide receiver Calvin Johnson -- who entered the game with a thigh issue -- suffered an injury and had to be pulled from action. As he left the field, it appeared to be an upper thigh injury, but after the game, Lions coach Jim Schwartz confirmed to MLive.com that it was a knee injury. "We tried to get a sleeve on it, we tried to get a brace on it and it was a situation where it was still possible -- if he could feel good with it -- we would've put him back in the game. We couldn't get him settled down and we couldn't get him comfortable," Schwartz said. On Wednesday, NFL Insider Adam Schefter noted on Twitter that things are looking worse regarding Johnson's likelihood of playing on Sunday (ESPN)."

Even though the Lions record sucks they have been playing good football, but if they lose Calvin things could get ugly quick. Strafford has already been hurt, and if Calvin is not out there I don't see this offense doing much. In the end they aren't a playoff team anyways, but at least they seem to be heading in the right direction...

NFC North Preview

2008 records:

Minnesota - 10-6
Chicago - 9-7
Green Bay - 6-10
Detroit - 0-16


2009 Predictions:

Minnesota Vikings

Well I think we can all agree we are already sick of this team. Favre is a douchebag, and every week is just another distraction. This will come back in haunt the Vikings. They have an easy schedule to start with, and their running backs are unreal, but Favre will wear down, much like he did last season and the Vikings will crumble. The Vikings defense is solid though I sill have some questions about their pass defense. It is really too bad that this team signed Favre, because other then him they have one of the better teams in the NFL.

Prediction: 9-7


Chicago Bears

Here is another team that has got a shit load of media coverage, but once again I think this is a overhyped team. Forte is very solid, and Cutler is going to be very good, but he really doesn't have anyone to throw to. I like Hester, but he is not a #1 WR. The big problem with this team with be their defense. I just don't think it is what it once was, and this offense is still going to stall until they gt some WRs to help Orton.

Prediction: 8-8

Green Bay Packers

The Packers defense was so bad last year that no matter what the offense did it wasn't enough. This year will be different after picking B.J. Raji in the offseason. The big difference will be that they are actually healthy. When they have all their players on the field they have a great pass defense, and not with Raji in the middle they should be able to control the run. On offense this team is stacked. Rodgers proved he was the real deal last year, and he has all his weapons back this year. If Ryan Grant can stay healthy this could be one of the most dangerous offenses in the league.

Prediction: 11-5

Detroit Lions

The Lions are once again rebuilding. Stafford is the starting QB, but to be honest I think he sucks. Their defense is sub par, and the only thing this team has going for them is Calvin Johnson. They will win a couple games this year, but this is still the worst team in the NFL, and will inflate everyone record in this division by 2 games.

Prediction: 2-14

Final Standings:

Green Bay - 11-5
Minnesota - 9-7
Chicago - 8-8
Lions - 2-14

Stafford To Start For Lions

Matthew Stafford won the Lions' quarterback derby. Daunte Culpepper didn't lose the job.

That's what Detroit's new coach, Jim Schwartz, emphasized Monday when he made the No. 1 overall draft pick the starter for Sunday in New Orleans, when the Lions try to win for the first time in 21 months.ESPN

Good. The Lions are going to suck regardless and why not throw the kid in the fire. I'm a big believer of starting young guys and seeing what they can do. It worked for Matt Ryan and Big Ben so why couldn't it work for Stafford? Stafford has a big arm, a big receiver (who may be the best in the league), and a young stud runningback in Kevin Smith. I think the Lions may win 3 games this year, but regardless he is in for a long season.

Lions Sign Larry Foote

"Linebacker Larry Foote has signed a one-year deal with his hometown Detroit Lions, two days after being released by the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers (Sportsline)."

I am a little surprised about this. I thought Foote would want to go to a team that has a chance to win next year, but his hometown is Detroit, so I guess it makes sense. This is a great singing for the Lions especially since it is such a short contract, no real risk on their part. I was hoping Foote would come to the Patriots, but I guess this is just another guy they decided not to go after. It will be interesting to see how Foote does without a good defensive line in front of him. Even the best of LBs usually struggle if their defensive line struggles.

Lions Working On Deal With Stafford

Negotiations between the Detroit Lions and Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford have intensified but as of Wednesday night there was no deal, multiple sources said. ESPN

Everyone can see it. Matthew Stafford is going to suck. He is not that great and doesn't have that "Wow" factor for me. The Lions would be setting themselves back if they took Stafford. Jason Smith should be the pick here to secure that offensive line. They have a bunch of picks this year and they could use them all to build a team around him. Because let's face it people, the Lions will e a top 3 pick next year and they can get a guy like Sam Bradford or Colt McCoy, whom I think both are better choices than Stafford. Either way, the Lions suck and will always suck.

Detroit Lions New Logo

After going 0-16, you need to change just about everything, so this is the new logo. I have little to no feeling about this, but I don't hate it....

Lions Unsure About #1 Pick

Almost everyone will tell you that the Lions will draft Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford. Still the Lions say they have not decided, and I hope they are starting to think in a new direction. Matthew Stafford is a no talent ass clown. He is really no better then Sanchez, so the Lions should really start thinking of building from the offensive line (Jason Smith). It won't matter who is at QB if they can't protect him, but if you have a good offensive line, you can get away with a mediocre QB, especially with Calvin Johnson on the outside.

Odds are they will take Stafford, but for their sake I hope they go in another direction, because I don't see anything changing in Detroit with Stafford at the helm.

Julian Peterson To Lions

Lions defensive tackle Cory Redding has been traded to Seattle for linebacker Julian Peterson.
The Lions also are sending the Seahawks a fifth-round draft choice to complete the deal.

I like the Lions and this a step in the right direction for them. Cory Redding is one of those guys who will fall off and we will never hear from again, while Julian Peterson is a Pro-Bowl linebacker. I love Peterson and he can be an impact player for any team. He obviously can't fix the Lions by himself, but he is a good stepping stone. Also, if I were the Lions, I would pick someone other than Stafford with the first pick.

Tis A Silly Trade

Is anyone else scratching their heads with this one. The Cowboys traded a starting cornerback in Anthony Henry for a back-up in Jon Kitna. I don't have a problem with the Cowboys actually getting Kitna because if he was under center instead of Brad Johnson the Cowboys may have won a few more games, but giving up a starting corner is a little much don't you think. The Cowboys already gave a whole mess of picks to get the under achieving Roy Williams, so giving up anything more than 6th or 7th round pick for Kitna is a steal for the Lions.