Detroit Lions Make NFL History

National Football League Blogcast, NFL Blogcast

Following a 31-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers today, the Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16. I can’t even imagine how difficult a season it was for the players and coaches. After today’s game, quarterback Dan Orlovsky said:

“I don’t ever want to be a part of this again. We haven’t won since — November of ‘07 — maybe? I don’t even know the last time we won a game.”

It was December 23 of last season, actually. But the fact remains, there are so many problems in Detroit, it’s hard to determine where to start. I guess you begin at the top with owner William Clay Ford Sr. What he does this offseason will go a long way in determining if the Lions repeat this kind of performance in 2009. He already did the right thing by ousting former President and CEO Matt Millen back in September, but it seems to me a total housecleaning is in order. Nevertheless, it appears Mr. Ford is probably going to continue with General Manager Martin Mayhew and Chief Operating Officer Tom Lewand. Head coach Rod Marinelli even stands a chance of returning to the team, which seems pretty unfathomable when you consider his 10-38 record as head coach of the Lions the past three seasons. The Lions have some good core players with whom to build a solid team around (namely Calvin Johnson, Mike Furrey, Kevin Smith, Paris Lenon, Ernie Sims and potentially Daunte Culpepper), but without a proven franchise quarterback (like Matt Cassel, perhaps) and the right leadership, they’re just going to continue to spin their wheels.

Source: NFL.com, Photo: Newscom