So just how good can the Lions be in 2008?

BY JEFF ZILLGITT AND NATE DAVIS • USA TODAY • June 28, 2008


The words spilled out of Jon Kitna's mouth last month just as easily as they did 11 months earlier, when the Detroit Lions quarterback predicted his team would reach double figures in wins during the 2007 season.


When the Lions defeated the Denver Broncos on Nov. 4 and improved to 6-2, they seemed on their way to a 10-win season for the first time since 1995.

But for a franchise with just 12 winning seasons in the past 40 years, a winning record was not in store for 2007. It was a lot of the same old Lions. Detroit lost seven of its final eight games, including six in a row, and finished 7-9.

But Kitna fearlessly reiterated his 10-win prediction for 2008 anyway.

"Our expectation is we will be disappointed if we don't win 10 games, because that will mean that we're not in the playoffs and that (stinks)," Kitna says. "I can't make it any simpler than that."

He isn't being bold just for the sake of it. Listen closer: "Anybody that says that's not their expectation level is unfortunately not very much of a competitor," he says.

He has a point. Who plans on an average or subpar year? At the same time, delivering on the field speaks more loudly than positive intentions. Kitna realizes that.

He will have to engineer 10 victories with a new offensive coordinator and new quarterbacks coach. Mike Martz and his pass-happy offense are gone, now with the San Francisco 49ers. Jim Colletto, a former head coach at Purdue and longtime college and pro assistant, enters his first year as an NFL offensive coordinator.

Scot Loeffler, a former University of Michigan quarterback, is in his first NFL job after six seasons as the Wolverines' quarterbacks coach. "It's really early, but he's very detailed, which is good for me because I like to know everything about a certain play or how we're doing something," Kitna says of Loeffler.

Unlike the Martz era, it won't be an air-it-out-at-all-costs system under Colletto, who wants to keep Kitna on his feet. He was sacked 114 times the past two seasons. While Detroit's passing game ranked ninth in 2007, its running game ranked 31st (80.5 yards a game). The Lions had seven games in which they rushed for fewer than 50 yards, including minus 18 at the Arizona Cardinals.

Colletto wants a consistent running game and doesn't want to rely on the pass. At the same time, he wants to give Kitna time to find his receivers. To that end, the Lions drafted tackle Gosder Cherilus in the first round — "I heard he's a mauler," Kitna says — and Central Florida tailback Kevin Smith, the second-leading single-season rusher in NCAA Division I-A history behind former Lions great Barry Sanders, in the third round.

An improved running game should free up talented wideouts Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, who is ready for his second season after an injury-marred rookie year.

"This year, I know exactly what's happening with the offense," Johnson says. "I know what's going to go on in practice, and I know how to practice. We have a great locker-room situation. The chemistry's there."

Kitna enjoyed Martz's system but often was handcuffed at the line of scrimmage. He is expected to have more freedom to change plays this season.

"Obviously there's going to be more pressure on my position in terms of getting us into the right things at the line of scrimmage, whereas before coach Martz watched all the film and broke it down," Kitna says. "The pressure was on him to get us to the right play calls and to really be a step ahead of the defense.

"Now, it's going to be on me to be able to do that stuff at the line of scrimmage, and that counts for preparation during the week."

Defensively, Detroit is turning into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers North. Coach Rod Marinelli, defensive coordinator Joe Barry and defensive backs coach Jimmy Lake were all coaches with the Buccaneers before coming to Detroit. Now their former players are also migrating to the Motor City. And the Lions need the help. They gave up a league-worst 377.6 yards and 27.8 points a game in 2007.

Cornerback Brian Kelly spent 10 years in Tampa Bay before signing with the Lions. Safety Dwight Smith and defensive tackle Chuck Darby played for the Buccaneers from 2001 to 2004. They all have intimate knowledge of the Tampa 2 defense, a scheme based on fast players covering specific areas of the field.

"I want to shrink the width of this field. I want to narrow it with speed," Marinelli says. "The thing about speed is, when you have it, you have to be tough enough to use it all the time. That's the mental toughness."

The Lions could have six new starters on defense, including Kelly, Darby and Smith.

"I'm excited," Kelly says. "It's a lot of familiarity for me here. I've been watching the guys play for the last couple of years. There's a lot of similarities of what we do in Tampa and what they're doing here. It's a simple system … guys that believe in each other and know that this man is going to take care of his position and this guy is going to take care of his position."

Says defensive tackle Cory Redding: "Now, they just have to get familiar with us. They've been around the scheme, and they know exactly what to do. The experience is the big part. Putting the Tampa 2 system in a couple of years ago, everybody was trying to figure out where they're going to fit in, and it's tough at times.

"But you have to buy into the system because the system works."

Now, it's up to the Lions to translate ideas, schemes and words into victories — 10 of them for Kitna's sake.

AROUND THE FIELD IN DETROIT

• Quarterback: Jon Kitna, who will be 36 in September, has averaged 20 touchdown passes, 21 interceptions and more than 4,100 passing yards over the last two seasons. Expect those numbers to fall with former offensive coordinator Mike Martz gone. Drew Stanton or Dan Orlovsky could stake a claim as the quarterback of the future if Kitna falters.

• Running back: Kevin Smith ran for 2,567 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2007 at Central Florida. He'll have a golden opportunity to provide half that as a rookie. Tatum Bell returns, though he fell out of favor in 2007. Brian Calhoun will get a long look after two injury-marred seasons.

• Wide receiver: Calvin Johnson showed flashes of the potential that made him the second overall pick of the 2007 draft, but a back injury curtailed his production. Roy Williams figures to get his share of catches, but Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald are looking at reduced roles in new offensive coordinator Jim Colletto's run-oriented system.

• Tight end: Michael Gaines signed as a free agent, joining a group that includes Dan Campbell, Casey FitzSimmons and Sean McHugh. Some might have to play H-back to earn more playing time.

• Offensive line: This unit surrendered 54 sacks and the run game produced a meager 80.5 yards a game. But that was under Martz, who often fielded four or five receivers. The linemen will be drive-blocking far more under Colletto, rather than playing on their heels. Left tackle Jeff Backus hasn't missed a game in his eight-year career. Rookie tackle Gosder Cherilus should help pave the way for the running game from the right side.

• Defensive line: On paper, this group is less formidable after occasionally dominant tackle Shaun Rogers was traded to the Cleveland Browns. Tackles Cory Redding and newly signed Chuck Darby will have to step up, and Shaun Cody must show something in his fourth year. Dewayne White, Jared DeVries and Ikaika Alama-Francis are the primary ends.

• Linebacker: Ernie Sims, fourth in the NFL in tackles last year, is emerging as a force on the weak side. But after Sims, there are a lot of questions. Paris Lenon and Alex Lewis are back, but expect rookie Jordon Dizon to quickly carve out a role. Fellow rookie Cliff Avril might also earn time on the strong side or up front.

• Secondary: The Lions ranked 31st against the pass in 2007. Leigh Bodden, acquired in the Rogers trade, becomes the team's best corner. Veteran Brian Kelly, imported from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also should start. Dwight Smith should man one safety spot, and Daniel Bullocks, back from a knee injury, will try to reclaim the other job from second-year man Gerald Alexander.

• Special teams: Ever-reliable kicker Jason Hanson is back for his 17th season in Detroit. Nick Harris holds down the punting duties. The Lions could use more pop from the return game, and rookie Kenneth Moore might get an opportunity to shine here.

• Coaching staff: Rod Marinelli notched seven wins in his second season, the Lions' best showing since 2000, though their 1-7 second half was a bitter disappointment. A disciple of the Tampa 2 defense, he continues to stock the locker room with the type of high-effort, highly disciplined players he covets. The offense will look far different under Colletto.

• Outlook: If the defense improves to the middle of the pack and the offense adapts to its new approach, the Lions can certainly be in the playoff conversation amid a wide-open NFC. If nothing else, the retirement of Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, long a Detroit nemesis, should help the Lions be more competitive in the NFC North.