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Last Year
What's white, blue, and silver and underachieves? No, it's not a homeless guy wearing a Detroit Lions jacket. With a stellar draft and a lavish free agency period, the Lions were everyone's darling heading into the season, but fell way short of expectations. Joey Harrington was broke again and key injuries bankrupted this team's potential. Another solid offseason means Harrington will be unemployed if he doesn't shape up and pull this team out of the NFC North gutter.
What We Learned From Last Year
With a 3-1 start, the Detroit Lions looked like they were ready to shed the training wheels, especially with two of those wins coming on the road (ending an 18-game road losing streak). But that never transpired as they only won three games the rest of the way.
Harrington improved a little bit, as he has in each of his three seasons, but he didn't display enough consistency. There were games where he was 33-of-49 or 18-of-22, but he also had 11-of-33 and 5-of-22 outings. His completion percentage, touchdown/interception ratio, and quarterback rating all augmented last year and he has the necessary tools to be a starting quarterback.
Although Harrington has been the scapegoat for Detroit's incompetence, he has not been a flop. The issue is that he was recruited to be a savior and he's only been average to this point.
From the 2004 NFL draft, the Lions plucked three notable starters in running back Kevin Jones, wide receiver Roy Williams, and linebacker Teddy Lehman, but the free agents that Lions General Manager Matt Millen wooed, cornerback Fernando Bryant and center Damien Woody, and wide receiver Tai Streets didn't produce as expected.
Woody ranks among the cream of the crop for offensive guards, but was consistently overweight last season, which hindered his output. Bryant was slowed by a foot injury and missed six games while Streets was useless, even though he started 12 games.
The Lions have made an attempt to surround Joey Harrington with a sufficient set of weapons, but most of their moves have failed. Bill Schroeder, Shawn Bryson, Olandis Gary, Az Hakim, Tai Streets, and even Charles Rogers have all disappointed.
Rogers endured another fluke injury, breaking the same collarbone that ended his rookie season. Someone should tell this guy to start drinking milk. That injury left the receiving corps quite bare, but also gave way for Roy Williams. He was hobbled by an ankle injury, but was still outstanding as a rookie, vacuuming all sorts of errant Harrington throws.
The Lions' other first-round pick, Kevin Jones, put an end to years of despair at the running back position in Detroit. He immediately started as a rookie and rushed for 1,133 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also doubled as a pretty good receiver out of the backfield with 28 receptions.
The major problem for the Detroit Lions in 2004 was third downs. Offensively, the team converted only 31.4% (29th in NFL), which meant a lot of curt drives. Then the defense stepped on the field and allowed opponents to convert 42.4% of their third downs (28th in NFL) and prolong their drives.
The defense was replete with young talent, such as James Hall, Shaun Rogers, and Cory Redding on the line and Teddy Lehman in the linebacking corps, but they spent too much time on the field and wore down.
The Lions' defense was exhausted and accumulated more time on the field than any other defense except for Oakland's.
Poor offensive sets had a ripple effect all the way through to the defense and if they are more efficient with the ball, a fresh defense will perform better than their 22nd rank indicates.
This Year
The 2005 Lions are what Detroit rapper Eminem was prior to Dr. Dre — young, brimming with potential, but undeveloped.
Now it's their turn to walk down 8 Mile Road.
Another solid draft pulled in wide receiver Mike Williams and defensive tackle Shaun Cody, both of which should have an impact in 2005.
The drafting of yet another wide receiver made some people lose it, but the Lions have been marred by dismal receiving the past few seasons. Two years ago, the targets were Az Hakim and Bill Schroeder (after Rogers was hurt) and last year, it was Hakim, Roy Williams, and Tai Streets (after Rogers was hurt) so really, the receivers have been inadequate for years. The last Lions receiver to grab at least 1,000 yards was Johnnie Morton back in 2001.
Mike Williams will add a big target and if Roy Williams or Charles Rogers are shelved for any period of time, the team won't experience a serious drop-off like they have in previous seasons.
Factor in free agent tight end Marcus Pollard, and now Harrington truly has some weapons to work with instead of B- and C-quality receivers masquerading as top-tier wideouts. Harrington's palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. He's nervous, but on the surface, looks calm and ready to drop bombs. However, if he fails — like Rabbit did in his first battle — Jeff Garcia will make this team go.
If running back Kevin Jones continues his emergence — and there is no indication that he won't — the Lions will start to become the offense everyone thinks they can be.
Before you lose yourself in the music and the moment, there are two possible kinks in the offense:
(a) The line. If Woody's weight problems persist and Kyle Kosier/Kelly Butler are defective at right tackle, there will be fractures up front.
(b) The wide receivers. Roy Williams has established himself, and Kevin Johnson is a reliable veteran, but Charles Rogers and Mike Williams might take some time to develop. The potential is there, but don't confuse that with production – these guys are still unproven.
On defense, the Lions are trying to create a monster because nobody wants to see weakness no more. Well, this looks like a job for Kennoy Kennedy, so everybody just follow him because they need a little vigor to some degree and it feels so empty without hostility.
Kennedy will add some much-lacking toughness at the back end of the defense and his confident swagger should rub off on the others. He's a sure tackler and is great in run support, but he's not trustworthy in pass coverage. He'll be teamed with sophomore Terrence Holt, who has better coverage skills.
The cornerbacks are a complete collection, but lack a traditional shutdown man. Dre Bly is the best they've got and Fernando Bryant has exceptional covers kills, but both can be pushed around by bigger wide receivers. Both are also non-factors in run support, but with R.W. McQuarters and Chris Cash, the Lions' secondary should be confident in pass coverage.
Boss Bailey has the skill to be the team's best linebacker and his presence is directly linked to the defense's success. He's the only linebacker who can play in pass coverage. Earl Holmes is an unyielding run-stuffer with mediocre speed and Teddy Lehman has a non-stop motor, but isn't explosive. Bailey has an extensive history of knee injuries, but the Lions are hoping he'll revert to his rookie form, where he was healthy and rarely came off the field.
The Lions' front four is one of the most underrated groups in the country. Shaun Rogers is a massive obstacle for offensive lines and Dan Wilkinson is a sturdy veteran. Ends James Hall and Cory Redding are also very good and keep an eye on last year's second-round pick, Kalimba Edwards.
It's time for the Lions to be a man, time to stand up and travel new land, time to really just take matters into their own hands and escape from this 8 Mile Road of all potential and no production.
The Vikings are mentally weak and the Packers are fading, so the window of opportunity is open for Detroit.
Over/Under: 8.5
Well, are you an optimist or a pessimist? I'm the latter. Asking an untried team to win nine games is too much even in a weak division. If Harrington struggles in the first couple of games, winning nine will be a struggle. Even if he does play well, the schedule is not a gimme. Outside the division they play: @TB, BAL, CAR, @CLE, ARZ, @DAL, ATL, CIN, @NO, and @PIT. 8-8 seems about right.
Fantasy Sleeper
By the process elimination, the sleeper on this team is Joey Harrington. The wide receivers will share the ball, which means there won't be one stud, Kevin Jones is no longer a sleeper, and Jeff Garcia is on the bench. Harrington has the tools and now he finally has the weaponry. Could he be the next Drew Brees?
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August 2, 2005
Rob:
I am tired of all of the “politically corrct” type of parroted dialogue I read in these commentaries. Years ago, before the web, when everything NFL was on the news stand, it was more understandable.
Now, with all the information available on the web, to read these parroted articles with no research is sickening.
“Farve is too old” or how about “Loss of Moss destroys the Vikes”.
“T.O. a no show. Philly is done”. How about
“If Harrington can’t get it done the Lions will stink”
It’s baloney. Why don’t we get more reporters who research. Learn. Investigate. Actually know “something” about which they write. Don’t just copy and paraphrase somebody else’s paraphrase. Its so obviously devoid of content. It pains me. Go to work people. You’re blessed with agreat occupational oppotunity and you copy crap and repeat it.
Research, Learn, understand, write.
August 2, 2005
Rob:
I want to expand on this point.
In your lead, you talk about Joey being unproductive in 2004 and how he needs to get it together. Every clueless writer has been writing this in the off season. They read it and repeat it.
You then go on to explain that Charles Rogers was lost for the season, Roy Williams, the #1 pick in 2004 was hobbled in the middle of the season. Az Hakim was hurt. Eddie Drummond, star returner was lost. Joey ended up throwing to an ineffective Tai Streets and other WR’s, who were cut in training camp, for the rest of the season. This is also been “parroted” all over the web,
So where is the big conclusion? Having a crippled and low performance WR corp should very likely crush you’re passing game. Do we read this? No. It’s implied but not really stated. Instead, Joey is no good and better shape up or else. How simple minded is this?
There is a clear lack of understanding, insight and obviously, zero research.
That’s why these kind of articles are useless.
August 3, 2005
Marc James:
Rob,
Thanks for the comment. But if you hate the Internet and freedom of speech so much, why don’t you stick to the dying print medium? You say research be done, but how is research going to prove losing Moss will destroy the Vikes? It’s an OPINION and you should accept that others will having differing ones.
Regarding Harrington, have you ever considered the fact that the reason people keep repeating things is NOT because they are just another sheep, but it’s true? Signing Garcia is evidence (there, you wanted “research”) that Harrington needs to produce now.
Look, we appreciate your feedback. But you have to understand that this isn’t an outlet where only detailed, research pieces are published. This isn’t an encylopedia or the NY Times. It’s an OPEN forum for editorials and commentary from everyday fans who have something to say, and disagreement is what makes it interesting.
Oh, and please avoid lumping thousands of articles into one category (“that’s why these kind of articles are useless”). If you want statistical research, try Matt Thomas’ fantasy football forecasts, where he used complex formulas to backup his rankings.