NFL Football at its best. NFL Football at its craziest.
Matt Millen destroyed the Detroit Lions. One of his special skills was to pick wide receivers with ultra high draft picks. They are almost all gone, Charles Rodgers, Mike Williams, Roy Williams. Only Calvin Johnson remains out of that group.

Detroit Lions first round pics by picture back to 1985.

There are other Matt Millen 1st rounder’s still with the team. It is actually in day two where Matt Millen and company totally failed.

First rounders that are still with the team in Matt Millen’s eight drafts?
Jeff Backus
Ernie Sims
Calvin Johnson
Gosder Cherilus (not starting)

First rounders that are gone?
Joey Harrington
Charles Rodgers
Roy Williams
Kevin Jones
Mike Williams

Not exactly a stellar group of players considering how high the picks were each year.

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As predicted by your intrepid author, Matt Forte rode all over my Lions. The Lions were pathetic and Matt Forte had a field day.

Matt had one touchdown on the ground and one through the air.

Chicago Bears 34 Detroit Lions 7

Matt Forte shown here stretching for a touchdown. He was a bit short before his knee hit the ground, but the refs figure the Bears will score on the next play anyway, so they gave him the touchdown

Remember this was for your intrepid author to win the weekly Pay the Fan 10 grand.

Unfortunately my other players must have been standing around watching Matt run for two touchdowns, because they did nothing. No 10 grand for the Squibster, but then there is always next week.

Who would have thought that the hot quarterback would have been Kyle Orton?

The thousands of Bears fans at Ford Field on Sunday could relate as they watched little Kyle Orton playing in the Lions’ backyard. He’s still a kid, sure, but suddenly he didn’t look like one. For the first time in Orton’s career, he played like a big boy.

He threw for 334 yards, 104 more than his previous career high. He completed 70 percent of his passes and averaged 13.9 yards per completion. His 121.4 passer rating was the second-best in the NFL on Sunday afternoon. He did not throw an interception, and he did not fumble.

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For my Lions, Jon Kitna was ineffective and left at halftime with back spasms or so they said. Orlovsky replaced him and continued the standard of less than mediocrity.

Roy Williams, the tall and talented Lions receiver, looked especially frustrated.

Must have been a special night for rookie running backs as Rookie running back Kevin Smith of the Lions had the only Detroit touchdown.

Photo source Newscom

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Your intrepid author is using Matt Forte for one of his running backs on his Pay the Fan Fantasy Football team.

Pay the Fan lets you pick a new team every week but you can only use a player twice all season. They pay 10,000 bucks if you beat everyone in a single week. Hard to beat that!

Since my Lions have not been able to stop the run all year and Matt Forte has been running hard it seemed like a good time to use him.

Wonder if there is any way Matt Forte can run for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns and my Lions could still win?

Wonder if there is any way my Lions could win, period.

Check out this YouTube of Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears.

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Darren McFadden makes the NFL Football magically float in the air

It is a crazy rookie running back year. Every team seems to have one. It was like they were on sale at Wal-Mart and everyone ran out and bought one.

Next year the Government will have to bail us out as rookie after rookie is sure to go bust, because this is the biggest bubble since the Tulip Bulb craze!

The prize rookie is Darren McFadden, but the problem with Darren is the team he plays for or maybe the owner he plays for and that would be the Oakland Raiders and Al Davis. That team is a mess. Oakland is so messed up that they already had a 1,000 yard rusher. Now wouldn’t you think that a team with an excessive amount of needs would have looked elsewhere for help?

McFadden was the rookie every owner had to have because of his playmaking ability in college. He was able to display those skills in Week 2 when he ran for 164 yards and a touchdown at Kansas City, but a toe injury slowed him down in Week 3 at Buffalo. We’ll see if he can pick it back up this week against San Diego, but McFadden will finish among the top rookie running backs. Just don’t expect him to be the best of this group. He will continue to lose carries to Justin Fargas when he’s healthy and Michael Bush.

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A very pleasant surprise has been Matt Forte of the Bears. My Lions cut Kevin Jones, because he was coming back from a severe foot injury, then, surprise, the Chicago Bears signed him. Kevin’s foot is getting better and better. So later in the season Kevin may get a few of Matt’s carries.

Forte has been the best surprise of the rookie running back class, and he’s among the running back leaders in rushing yards and total yards. He also is tied with Brandon Lloyd for most catches for the Bears, showing he’s the team’s best weapon.

With Kyle Orton at quarterback the Bears have relied on a controlled offense and mighty defense. This plays right into the hands of Matt Forte.

Speaking of my Lions, they have rookie Kevin Smith and he has looked good both running and catching the ball. The Lions have signed Rudi Johnson and he may end up cutting into Kevin Smith’s carries.

CBSSports.com 2008 projection: 985 rushing yards, five touchdowns, 13 catches, 97 receiving yards
Preseason rank: No. 24
Stats through Week 3/Ranking: 29 carries, 102 rushing yards, one touchdown, eight catches, 53 yards/No. 39

CBSSports does not have much good to say about Kevin, but it appears they based all of their comments on the game against the 49ers. Kevin did not play in the second half as Rudi was hot and Kevin only ended up with 14 yards. Keep in mind the Lions are struggling to put in an ‘establish the run’ offense this year with a bad offensive line. Not a good formula for success.

Another back worth mentioning is Chris Johnson of Tennessee. He is losing touchdown opportunities to my Fantasy Football running back LenDale White. Chris can run and already has 276 yards. Jamey Eisenberg of CBSSports.com compares his style to Reggie Bush. Say what you want about Reggie, you still want him on your team.

There are other backs so you will have to read to article to find out who they are.

It looks like 2008 is shaping up to be the year of the rookie running back!

Who is your team’s rookie running back sensation?
Photo source Newscom

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Kevin Jones may have to run on one leg, but he will do it for the Chicago Bears

Image details: Chicago Bears v Detroit Lions served by picapp.com

Why is it a Bear that Kevin is a Bear?

The answer? Because the moron Detroit Lions gave up on Kevin when they do not even have a great running back.

I just felt that when Jones was healthy and was given the chance to be a featured back, he was good. Not great, but good. He ran the ball hard. He was hard to tackle. No, he wasn’t the shiftiest back ever. He was just a good workman running back who could move the chains. So I was sorry to see him go. Perhaps Kevin Smith will be a suitable replacement, but I wasn’t ready to give up on Jones yet.
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It probably does not matter anyway. The Lions never really used him or any of their running backs, since Barry Sanders got disgusted and left.

When given a chance to be “the guy” in the Lions offense, he always did a decent job. He played in 53 games as a Lion and got more than 20 carries 11 times total. 11 times!

If we search far and wide for why the Lions let Kevin go, then we come up with this…money, possible knee problems, money, and money. Good reasons to be sure, but when you suck as a franchise, you cannot keep just letting players go.

And the cardinal sin is to let a good player go to a divisional rival. Ouch!

Jones’ deal is worth $605,000 with no incentives—far less than the $2.35 million he would have made this season had the Lions not cut him. The risk involves the running back’s health, with Jones coming off a right ACL tear that was repaired in the winter. The recovery was supposed to take a year, but thanks to the help of surgeon D.S. Ping in Saline, Mich., Jones says he is well ahead of schedule.
source

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80 to 1?

So that is like saying there is a chance, right?

If they play 80 seasons then the Lions would win it all 1 time? One time? Really? That is awesome!

Can they play 80 seasons next year, because we have waited for like forever, you know?

That would only be 1,280 games. That is a lot of Ford Truck ads for the Ford Family. Not that anyone buys a truck anymore with 4 buck per gallon gas.

Jon Kitna will pass in a more balanced attack now that Coach Mike Martz is gone

Image details: Detroit Lions v Minnesota Vikings served by picapp.com

We could win, because the offense is more balanced.

Offense - Jon Kitna is a veteran QB and will get the starting nod when the 2008 season kicks off because of it. But if his play heads south, don’t be surprised if the Lions start developing Drew Stanton, a second round pick last year. Without Mike Martz calling the shots, we can expect a much more balanced attack under new coordinator Jim Colletto.
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That running attack will be led by…by, oh you know who, uh, well by whoever shows up.

Oddly, the balanced attack will lead to a better passing attack, star receiver Roy Williams and star in the future Calvin Johnson will not have to put up with deep safeties on every down. The Mike Martz offense of last year passed on almost every down.

The defensive line is weak at every position and that is hard to do. The linebacking? It is bad, except for Ernie Sims.

The defensive backfield will be much improved.

The Lions secondary has pathetic in 2007, allowing opponents to complete 70.1 percent of their passes. This was not helped by a defensive line which was not able to put enough heat on the QB either. An infusion of new players such as cornerbacks Leigh Bodden and Brian Kelly and safeties Dwight Smith and Kalvin Pearson should improve this unit.

The Jimmy Boyd prediction is to have the Lions finish fourth in a four team division.

But don’t forget, one time in the 80 seasons of next year the Lions will win it all!

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Hey, first they cut him and then they want him back. Too funny.

A few months later, the Lions released him. The franchise was interested enough, though, to send director of pro personnel Sheldon White about 45 minutes west of Detroit to witness the workout.

“Sheldon said what impressed him was Kevin’s burst after standing still,” Ping recalled. “He also liked how Kevin picked himself up and finished a drill when he slipped on the grass that was really slick because of a lot of rain.”

source

Kevin Jones running for his life with Brian Urlacher on his tail

Image details: Detroit Lions v Chicago Bears served by picapp.com

The Lions still need a running back, so who knows?

Kevin Jones went through a workout Saturday while four NFL teams watched the running back sprint and cut just five months after he had major knee surgery.

Dr. D.S. Ping, who has been helping Jones rehabilitate his right knee, said Miami, Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Detroit sent representatives to the workout in Saline, Mich.

The Lions cut their former first-round pick in March with one year left on his contract after he hurt the knee late last season, adding to the injury woes that have stunted his success in the league.

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No, no, no.

Roy Williams is going nowhere.

Wait a minute that would be the Detroit Lions are going nowhere.

The Dallas Cowboys would love to trade for Roy Williams, but Coach Rod Marinelli says he is not on the trading block.

“I’m like the dad sitting at the doorway,” Marinelli continued. “Nobody’s dating my daughter. Nobody’s coming in. Just no. He looks fabulous right now. He’s in that position for having a tremendous year, I think. So, just no.”

Is there anything that could change the Lions’ mind? The Cowboys have two first-round picks. What if they offer the Lions the 28th overall pick straight-up for Williams?

“No,” Marinelli said. “I just think for our team right now, where we’re at, we need his presence. He’s one of our leaders. He can be a guy that’s going to be special for us.”
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Roy Williams just wants the ball

Funny thing, not too long ago Roy spoke out about how Calvin Johnson will turn out to be better than him. As Roy put it, why stay if my prodigy is going to be better.

Hmm, somehow the Lions will find a way to bungle this one.

NFL Football special comment No Kevin Jones, No Shaun Rodgers, No Damien Woody, these were supposed to be the bright stars. Can Roy be far behind?

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Hey, looks like the foot injury for Kevin Jones ended up in the removal of the foot?

Well, maybe they got one right this time, but the Lions still need to find a running back and defensive end.

The Detroit Lions cut Kevin Jones and Kalimba Edwards.

The 5-foot-11, 228-pound Jones missed the start and the end of last season with foot and knee injuries. He has played four pro seasons, all with Detroit.

Jones has 750 career carries for 3,067 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also caught 141 passes for 1,006 yards and three touchdowns.

The 6-6, 265-pound Edwards has spent his six NFL seasons with the Lions. He has 26 career sacks. source

At times, Kevin Jones was the whole team, until his foot injury a year ago. This past year under Mike Martz, as the offensive coordinator, the run was an afterthought. The games that Jones had significant carries, the Lions did well.

Kalimba Edwards always showed promise, but little else on the field. Good bye, good riddance. Letting him go was expected and should have happened before now.

Letting Kevin Jones go was a surprise and makes you wonder if he is a step slower after the foot injury healed or maybe it never fully healed.

So the Lions signed Tatum Bell, but already said he would not be the every down back.

So who will be the every down back?

They just signed safety Kalvin Pearson. They only have about 10 safeties now. Maybe one of them can run?

My guess is the Lions will go after Shaun Alexander, who was cut by Seattle.

NFL Football Fan Question Can anyone figure out the Detroit Lions?

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Jon Kitna stops to ask for Mike Martz to come back

Lions fans use the “Fire someone” slogan a lot. We feel the need to fire a lot of Lions employees.

Let’s see, there is the ever popular however unlikely Fire Bill Ford Sr. We expect that one to soon turn into the Fire Bill Ford Jr. Those are the owners and they sell a lot of Ford trucks during NFL games.

Then there is the standard that we all live and die by, the Fire Matt Millen. The 7 victories this year is his high as a GM.

Now we have a new one in Fire Mike Martz! Mike is the offensive coordinator that does not believe in the run.

Oh, but we should not chant that one, because journeyman quarterback and all around good guy Jon Kitna says we need to bring Mike Martz back.

“We have a great relationship,” Kitna said when asked about Martz’s future. “He’s somebody that we would love to have here. I understand he’s going to try to pursue his dreams, too.

“If that’s the case, so be it. I think it would be a mistake to let him go involuntarily.” source

But there are no excuses in the NFL. It is performance that counts and what have you done for me lately.

The Lions are 30th in the league rushing and that does not get it done no matter how you look at it. Last year they were 32nd. Hey, improvement! Hmm, you wonder what Read more