Camp countdown '08: Detroit Lions

Posted: June 9, 2008
Tom Kowalski
For Sporting News



Sporting News continues its breakdown of all 32 NFL teams while counting down to the start of training camp. Today's team is the Lions:


With at least six new starters on defense and a completely different offensive philosophy, the Lions continue to be a team in transition -- for the eighth straight season.

Coach Rod Marinelli, in his third year on the job, still found it necessary to make sweeping changes in the offseason because he still hadn't rid the locker room of mediocre performers and negative influences. Marinelli has been successful in tearing the team down completely and building a corps of disciplined players with the right attitudes.

After changing coordinators in each of the last two years, Marinelli has also found a coaching staff that is in line with his philosophy and teaching techniques. Overall, the foundation has been set, but because it's all still relatively new on both sides of the ball, a legitimate playoff run is probably too much to expect.

Offense

Former offensive line coach Jim Colletto replaces the departed Mike Martz as coordinator, and the changes will be drastic. Colletto will keep Martz's three-digit passing attack and all the terminology, but he'll cut the playbook to a fraction of its original size.

Colletto will stress two big changes in philosophy: he'll put more emphasis on the running game and, when throwing the ball, he will make sure it gets into the hands of gifted wide receivers Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson.

Defense

This is the third season of the Tampa 2 scheme in Detroit (the second under coordinator Joe Barry), and the Lions are coming off a season in which they were the worst in the league (in yards and points allowed).

The problem in the past hasn't been the system, but the ineffective players running it; that's why more than half the starters will be new. Several of those players, including tackle Chuck Darby, cornerback Brian Kelly and safety Dwight Smith, played the defense under Marinelli in Tampa Bay.

Breakout candidate

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson: The second-year receiver was largely ignored in the offense last season, but should be a big-time target this year.

The Detroit quarterbacks will have much more freedom this year to throw to Johnson if they like the matchup, even if it's in bracket coverage.

Bottom line

Lost in the team's 6-2 start and ultimate 7-9 finish last season was the fact that the Lions got blown out in four of their losses. How bad was it? The Chargers and Vikings both scored on each of their first-half possessions, while the Eagles scored six first-half touchdowns.

The Lions had success early because they were getting a slew of turnovers (they led the league for most of the first half of the season), but they were terrible on third down and couldn't keep their defense off the field. With changes throughout the roster, especially defensively, the Lions will be better.

They've got so far to go, however, that reaching the .500 mark would have to be deemed a successful season. SN prediction: 3-13, fourth in NFC North.



MY THOUGHTS
3-13? Are they kidding? This is another case where everyone loves the losing Lions. If they don't think that the Lions will be better than 3-13 then I wonder who they have winning the north. Who ever predicted that we win 3 games probably has Green Bay winning the north at 13-3 and of course they should get better since they only lost one of the greatest QB's in NFL history. He can only do things that 99% of all other QB's cant do in the pocket or with his arm. The Bears have a drunk for a tailback, who is soft and cant run well anymore and a QB who either cant stay healthy or throw to the recievers. Dont forget that Tommie Harris cant stay healthy either. The Vikings have no QB and their pass defense last year was terrible.