First win in... a long time!

That's right, the Detroit Lions finally got a W after 19 straight losses, tied for the second longest loosing streak in NFL history.

Breaking down the W:

When it comes down to it, the Lions won because they wanted it more then the Redskins did. Anyone who watched that game saw a lot more heart from the guys in blue then the opposite team, and that desire ultimately determined the outcome of the game.

Specific players had particularly impressive performances including Matthew Stafford, throwing for 241 yards and a TD, but more importantly he didn't turn the ball over. He responded well to pressure and threw the ball away when he had to.

DeAndre Levy stepped up big-time as he filled in for Ernie Sims. Levy made some key goal-line tackles and limited any rookie mistakes in coverage.

Kevin Smith was running the ball very well before he hurt his shoulder and had to leave the game. Smith should be back by next Sunday, and we certainly need him back because he was finally getting the kind of running game we need to support Stafford.

Bryant Johnson had a big game with 4 catches, 75 yards and a big TD catch. Now we just need to get the other Johnson more involved...

Looking toward next week:

Next Sunday we head over to Chicago for a big game. Jay Cutler and his Bears have been impressive the past two weeks in beating the Steelers and the Seahawks, so the Lions really need to step up the play to be in this one at the end. First of all we have to get the run game going. I will continue to stress this as I believe to to be utterly vital. Matthew Stafford needs help from a solid running game and when he gets it he plays so much better. Stafford needs to have another no-turnover game, we can't give the Bears short fields and easy points. The defense needs to stop the run and get to Cutler. The Bears have an extremely weak receiving core so Larry Foote and the linebackers need to keep the TE Greg Olsen from having a big game. All-in-all, we have little chance of winning this game; but if everything works the way it should (and we catch a few breaks) then a two game winning streak is possible.

Week 1 (Lions at Saints)

Well after a long leave of absence we're back to work at the Gridiron Growl. Recently I've been behind in several areas and as I became overwhelmed in busyness I decided to put the Gridiron Growl to the side for a little while. My schedule remains full so I certainly won't be able to blog everyday but I hope to update at least once a weak with a game preview or the latest news.

Lions at Saints: 9/13

Who we're up against:

The first thing most people think of when the New Orleans Saints are mentioned is the potent passing game lead by the out-standing QB Drew Brees. Brees has been a top-tier QB in this league for a long time and he has the ability to shred most passing defenses. The Saints running game will be somewhat shaky going into Week 1. Reggie Bush has never lived up to the hype of his #2 overall pick and he comes into the season with questionable knees; having played little in preseason due to injury. The majority of carries were expected to be given to young Pierre Thomas who had shown potential in his two seasons with the Saints but Thomas will not play on Sunday due to a knee injury.

On defense the Saints have been weak over the years. They have strong defensive ends in Charles Grant and Will Smith but other then that they are no more then average. The Saints used their 1st round pick in CB Malcolm Jenkins but he is not expected to start on Sunday.

Keys for the Lions:

One offense the Lions absolutely have to get the running game on track. The Saints have had weak run defenses in the past so Kevin Smith has to come out hard and fast. The Lions o-line has done a decent job of run-blocking in the preseason and that will be an essential aspect for performance on Sunday. If the Lions can sustain a good running-game through out the match it will take pressure off Matthew Stafford and keep the ball out of Drew Brees' hands. Kevin Smith should be helped out by veteran Maurice Morris and rookie Aaron Brown to change the pace. Personally, I'd love to see Brown come in and make some big plays, something he's certainly capable of doing. Secondly, Matthew Stafford must play well. He won the starting job over Daunte Culpepper and it will be essential for him to not only prove to the fans and coaches that he was the right pick, but also to his fellow players. But he won't be able to perform if the o-line doesn't protect him well and if the running game doesn't come out hot.

On defense the Lions have to stop Drew Brees from tearing them apart; and in the end I believe it will come down to the pass rush. If Drew Brees is given all day to throw the ball there's no doubt he will destroy the Lions secondary. But if the Lions can get pressure on the QB they will be more able to force incompletions or even sacks and interceptions. Look for Gunther Cunningham to bring some intricate blitz packages on Sunday to make sure Brees' is under pressure the whole game. Another factor on defense will be the performance of our rookie starters. Louis Delmas needs to make plays and not get burned, and Sammie Hill needs to shed blockers and stop the run or get to the QB.

Predictions:

(Realistic) In the end, the Saints air attack will be too much for the Lions shaky secondary:

Saints: 28 Lions: 10

(Optimistic) Kevin Smith is on fire, the o-line gives Stafford enough time to throw to Calvin Johnson, and the Lions get pressure on the quarterback:

Lions: 24 Saints: 21

What's up with the Lions? (7/30)

• In the past few weeks the Lions have been working on rookie contracts. So far eight have been signed: 1st round selection QB Matthew Stafford; (signed before the draft) 2nd round selection FS Louis Delmas, 3rd round selection LB DeAndre Levy, 4th round selection DT Sammie Hill, 6th round selection RB Aaron Brown, 7th round selection LT Lydon Murtha, 7th round selection LB Zack Follett, and 7th round selection TE Dan Grankowskie. Only two picks remain to be signed: 1st round selection TE Brandon Pettigrew and 3rd round selection WR Derrick Williams. Tom Lewand has commented saying all draft picks will be signed before the beginning of training camp.
• With the signing of rookies the Lions have been forced to release veterans in order to create roster space. In the past weeks the Lions have released  RB Antoine Smith, S Tra Battle, and DE Rudy Hardie and DE Eric Hicks.
• The Lions have also signed veteran CB Will James.

• The Lions have announced their 2009 training camp schedule which was specifically designed to welcome and excite neglected fans. The Lions will hold semi-closed practices from August 1-4 that will only be open to season ticket holders and and sponsors. After that there will be an open-to-the-public practice almost every day totally in 18 open practices. As a bonus the Lions will be holding unique fan day that will be called “Lions Uncaged.” These open practices coincide with lower season ticket prices in one big attempt to rejuvenate and re-excite fans about Detroit Football.

Position Analysis: Quarterback

The 2008 Season:
Every Lions fan out there knows that the 2008 season was utterly horrible at quarterback. The line couldn't protect anybody so whoever was playing either got sacked a ton or threw careless interceptions. None of the five QB's that played had much to show for in the NFL. 

Jon Kitna was certainly on the decline from a spot that was never all that high to begin with. He completely threw away the week 2 game against the Packers with his multiple late game interceptions. He had big disputes with the coaching staff and they had problems with him as well. As a result Kitna was placed, unnecessarily, on IR.

Dan Orlovsky had never started before in the NFL; and there had been a reason for that. He came in inexperienced and unprotected. I do give the kid credit though for how hard he worked. I think towards the end of the season he wanted that win just as much if not more then anybody. He just didn't have what it takes to be an NFL starting QB, especially in an offense that had been ravished by poor management.

Drew Stanton was never given the chance he deserved from a coaching staff that was holding an immature

 grudge against him. When he came in he played fine. But he was never in for more then a few plays. Jim Colletto pushed Stanton aside because Colletto didn't like the way Stanton's throw looked. Immature, I know. Who knows, maybe Stanton would've been our best option at QB; the guy who would've given us the best chance at a win. But because Colletto and Marinelli didn't like him, he never got a chance.

Daunte Culpepper came in in the middle of the season, out of shape and unprepared. It's tough to enter an offense in the middle of the season; especially at the QB position. Because you have no time to learn the playbook, create chemistry, or settle into the system. Plus Culpepper was very out of shape not having played football for a while. All that to say, he was rusty; and it showed.

Drew Henson is a third string QB and most everyone knows that.

Offseason acquisitions:

Need I even say his name? Well, Matthew Stafford is obviously our hope at QB now. The #1 overall pick out of Georgia, a kid with a

 huge arm, loads of talent, leadership ability, and confidence to top it all off. There's a reason the Lions have invested over $40 million guaranteed to this kid: the future of our franchise now rests on his shoulders. All of you have read the scouting reports and watched the tapes of this kid play; so I'm not going to go into lengthy detail about all of his features. I just want all reading this that I believe the pick of Matthew Stafford was the right pick to make, and I believe that down the road we all will reap the benefits.

This wouldn't count as an "acquisition" but I think it's important to mention: Daunte Culpepper looks like a completely new guy out there. He came to the first mini-camps having lost about 40 lbs. He now ways less then he did back when he was playing pitch and catch with Randy Moss in Minnesota. Culpepper is determined to be the best he can be, and that determination is showing in his work ethic. He will go into the season having a full training camp and offseason program under his belt. He'll obviously be comfortable with the playbook, unlike last year; and he'll have good chemistry with the whole offense.

The 2009 season:

There have been rumors that Stafford will get the nod day 1, but I can't see that happening. The coaching staff and players all have immense trust that Daunte Culpepper will take good care of the team until Stafford is ready, so there's no need to rush things. Schwartz has said repeatedly, of each position but most specifically the QB position, that if a player is the best player at his position and that player is ready, mentally and emotionally; then that player will play. Matthew Stafford has to fulfill both requirements before he will start. He was to be provenly better then Daunte Culpepper and he has to be mentally and emotionally ready to be a starting NFL QB. Until both of those things happen, Matthew Stafford will sit, no matter what's going on with Daunte Culpepper on the field.

Summing it all up:

Matthew Stafford is what the QB position sums up to. He's our hope for the future. The face of the franchise. The cornerstone of a massive rebuilding process. He might suck his first year, he might not even play his first year; but it's not about what he does now it's about who he becomes down the road. It's about learning and developing into a franchise quarterback who can lead his team to success.

Until Stafford becomes that player, Daunte Culpepper will do a fine job filling in. Last season was no indication for how he'll play in 2009, seeing as he was pulled off the street, out of shape and unprepared, having to learn an entirely new system and playbook with no time to soak it in; and then told to lead a winless team to victory. Of course he failed. But now he's back, in shape and prepared; having learned the playbook and system thoroughly, having gelled with the players around him, and by week 1; he will have gone through the entire offseason program with the Lions. He still has what it takes to play pitch and catch with Calvin Johnson and hand it off to Kevin Smith. And that's really all he needs to do. Just minimize mistakes and get the ball in the hands of our playmakers.

There's one more guy I want to talk about as I wrap this whole thing up. You guess it, Drew Stanton. If you've read my blog enough you know how I feel about the way he's been treated here in Detroit, so I won't go into big detail about Stanton's past. But I would like to comment on my hope for the future of Stanton. Right now it looks like he will be able to wrap up the 3rd string spot; which is all he needed to do for now. Culpepper's contract ends after this season and Stafford's performance will dictate Culpepper's future in Detroit. Most likely the Lions will want to extend Culpepper's contract as a safety net incase something happens to Stafford, but eventually Culpepper will be too old to play in this league, and if Stafford has become what he is capable of becoming at that point, then hopefully the coaching staff will have enough trust in Stanton to give him the #2 spot at QB. I think he could fill that spot perfectly and those two QBs, Stafford and Stanton; could be a great team for years to come.

What up with the Lions? (6/29)

• I believe Martin Mayhew has done a very good job as far as decision making goes since he took over; and each move he's made I've either heartily supported or have been willing to give the benefit of the doubt. But just recently he made a move that I disagree with 100%; trading Gerald Alexander to the Jaguars for old declining Dennis Northcutt. Northcutt will be a part of the rebuilding at WR as he joins Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, and Derrick Williams; all brought in this offseason. I'll further explain my feelings about this trade in a later post.
• Dominic Raiola has signed a 4-year contract extension. Many say that this move was made to protect Stafford; in that he won't have to change centers in the first few years of his career.
• Lions owner William Clay Ford spoke with the media last week and made some pretty interesting comments, including taking all the blame for 0-16. Brian Van Ochten had a good post about Mr. Ford's comments, here.