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abruptly walking away
three-and-a-half years into his tenure.
The Lions have tried the
offensive mastermind route, bringing in Steve
Mariucci and his west coast attack, which produced
three No. 1 draft picks at receiver, a grand total
of 15 wins in two-plus seasons, and a great deal
of frustration in the Motor City.
The hotshot young assistant
route? Check. Marty Mornhinweg, two years, 5-27.
The loyal soldier route?
Yup. Wayne Fontes, the elevated defensive coordinator
and only Lions coach to win a playoff game since
1957, who despite some success left town with
a losing record.
Up steps Rod Marinelli, the
wizened and ever-toiling lifelong assistant, who
gets his first crack at being a head coach at
the age of 57. Marinelli is well respected in
NFL circles, but understandably jaded Lions fans
have grown a bit weary of pronouncements of imminent
success when it comes to their leaders.
Could Marinelli actually
be the answer, swaying the masses in his favor
and leading one of the NFL's oldest and most-storied
franchises into an era of sustained success?
If so, he will be guiding
the Lions on a route they have taken ever-so-
infrequently during the past half-century.
Below we take a capsule look
at the 2006 edition of the Detroit Lions, with
a personnel evaluation and prognosis included
therein:
2005 RECORD: 5-11 (3rd,
NFC North)
LAST PLAYOFF APPEARANCE:
1999, lost to Washington, 27-13, in NFC Wild Card
Game
COACH (RECORD): Rod Marinelli
(first season with Lions, first overall)
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Mike
Martz
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Donnie
Henderson
OFFENSIVE STAR: Roy Williams,
WR (45 receptions, 687 yards, 8 TD)
DEFENSIVE STAR: Dre' Bly,
CB (62 tackles, 6 INT)
OFFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 26th
rushing, 26th passing, 28th scoring
DEFENSIVE TEAM RANKS: 24th
rushing, 13th passing, 21st scoring
FIVE KEY GAMES: at Chicago
(9/17), Detroit (9/24), at Minnesota (10/8),
Miami (11/23), Chicago (12/24)
KEY
ADDITIONS: QB Josh McCown (from Cardinals),
QB Jon Kitna (from Bengals), RB Arlen Harris (from
Rams), RB Brian Calhoun (3rd Round, Wisconsin),
WR Corey Bradford (from Texans), TE Dan Campbell
(from Cowboys), T Barry Stokes (from Falcons),
OL Ross Verba (from Browns), OL Rex Tucker (from
Rams), DE Tyoka Jackson (from Rams), LB Ernie
Sims (1st Round, Florida State), LB Paris Lenon
(from Lions), CB Jamar Fletcher (from Chargers),
S/WR Mike Furrey (from Rams), S Idrees Bashir
(from Panthers), S Daniel Bullocks (2nd Round,
Nebraska)
KEY
DEPARTURES: QB Joey Harrington (to Dolphins),
QB Jeff Garcia (to Eagles), RB Paul Smith (to
Rams), WR Troy Edwards (to Jaguars), OL Kyle Kosier
(to Cowboys), DT Dan Wilkinson (released), LB
Earl Holmes (not tendered), LB Nate Wayne (released),
LB Wali Rainer (to Texans), CB R.W. McQuarters
(to Giants), CB Andre' Goodman (to Dolphins),
S Bracy Walker (not tendered)
QB:
The Lions finally turned the page on the Joey
Harrington (2021 passing yards, 12 TD, 12 INT)
era, allowing the former No. 3 overall pick to
escape to Miami after producing just 18 wins in
four years as a starter. The spotlight is now
on a couple of castoffs, ex-Seahawk and Bengal
Jon Kitna (99 passing yards, 2 INT with Cincinnati)
and former Cardinal Josh McCown (1836 passing
yards, 9 TD, 11 INT with Arizona). The soon-to-be
34-year-old Kitna has the experience edge over
McCown (79 NFL starts to McCown's 22), and thus
was named the opening-day starter, but the 27-year-old
McCown has the stronger arm and better long-term
prospects. Dan Orlovsky, a 2005 fifth-round pick
out of UConn who appeared in two games as a rookie,
will hold the clipboard for at least another season.
RB:
Martz is seen as being a pass-first guy, but that
doesn't mean a running back can't thrive in his
system (see: Marshall Faulk). Martz and the Lions
are hoping that Kevin Jones (664 rushing yards,
5 TD, 20 receptions), the 2004 first-round pick,
can shake off a weak sophomore season in which
he failed to post a 100-yard outing and become
that player. The battle for backup duties was
fierce in the preseason, as ex-Ram Arlen Harris
(21 rushing yards, 1 TD with St. Louis), holdovers
Shawn Bryson (306 rushing yards, 1 TD, 37 receptions)
and Artose Pinner (349 rushing yards, 3 TD, 21
receptions), and third-round draft pick Brian
Calhoun (Wisconsin) were all competing for carries.
It looked that Pinner, who was being dangled as
trade bait during the preseason, could be the
odd man out. Cory Schlesinger (8 receptions, 1
TD) begins his 12th year as the Lions fullback.
WR/TE:
The coupling of Martz's supposed offensive genius
with a receiving corps that includes former No.
1 picks Roy Williams (45 receptions, 8 TD), Charles
Rogers (14 receptions, 1 TD), and Mike Williams
(29 receptions, 1 TD) had many Lions fans and
NFL observers salivating. But Rogers and the latter
Williams almost immediately occupied spots in
the coaching staff's doghouse, and it appeared
throughout the preseason that Rogers' release
was imminent. Roy Williams was the only member
of the trio with a handle on a starting spot,
and has the potential for a breakout season in
his third year in the league. The leading candidate
to start opposite Williams is former Texan Corey
Bradford (34 receptions, 5 TD with Houston), who
was in out of the starting lineup during four
seasons with that franchise. The bizarre NFL journey
of Mike Furrey continues, as the player who started
11 games and led the Rams in interceptions as
a safety last season is back at his original receiver
position. Furrey and Mike Williams will compete
for third receiver duties, and holdovers Glenn
Martinez (1 reception) and Eddie Drummond will
be in the mix as well. Scottie Vines (40 receptions),
who came out of nowhere to become the Lions' second-most
productive wideout last season, could begin the
season on the physically unable to perform (PUP)
list due to a groin injury. The same goes for
tight end Casey FitzSimmons (10 receptions, 1
TD), who suffered a broken wrist in training camp.
Holdover Marcus Pollard (46 receptions, 3 TD)
will probably serve in more of an h-back role,
while Dan Campbell (3 receptions, 1 TD with Dallas)
will be featured in more of a traditional tight
end role.
OL:
The Lions will require stronger play from their
offensive line if they wish to move the football
at anything resembling a prolific pace, but didn't
do much to upgrade this unit in the offseason.
Rex Tucker (ex-Rams) and Barry Stokes (ex-Falcons)
were brought into compete with incumbent starter
Kelly Butler at right tackle, but neither is considered
a reliable NFL starter. Ross Verba, who started
16 games with the Browns in 2004 but was out of
football last season, is penciled it at left guard.
The starting holdovers up front are left tackle
Jeff Backus, center Dominic Raiola, and right
guard Damien Woody, each of whom started 16 games
last season. Woody was bothered by a wrist injury
during training camp, leaving 2005 part-time starter
Rick DeMulling to take most of his first-team
reps. DeMulling should stick around as a backup,
along with the odd men out in the right tackle
competition, returning backup Brock Gutierrez,
and perhaps rookies Jonathan Scott (5th Round,
Texas) and Fred Matua (7th Round, USC).
DL:
There is less turnover here than in any area of
the team, as only tackle Dan Wilkinson has departed
from last year's starting group. That shouldn't
be a major problem, since 2005 second-round pick
Shaun Cody (27 tackles, 1.5 sacks) is ready for
a starting role on the interior alongside two-time
Pro Bowler Shaun Rogers (39 tackles, 5.5 sacks).
Rogers was to miss the entire preseason with a
shoulder injury, but was expected to be ready
in time for the regular season. The team has a
solid rotation at end, with James Hall (59 tackles,
5 sacks) and Cory Redding (31 tackles, 1 sack)
playing in run- stopping situations and Kalimba
Edwards (32 tackles, 7 sacks) supplanting Redding
on passing downs. Jared DeVries (22 tackles, 3
sacks) will continue to provide depth at end,
and Marcus Bell (20 tackles) and former Ram Tyoka
Jackson (16 tackles, 2.5 sacks) will spell Rogers
and Cody on the interior.
LB:
The Lions used the ninth overall pick in the 2006
draft on Florida State's Ernie Sims, an undersized,
high-motor linebacker who will step into a starting
job immediately on the weak side. Boss Bailey
(59 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) has endured almost
constant injury problems since breaking into the
league, but has a chance to be one of the league's
better middle linebackers if healthy. Ex-Packer
Paris Lenon (65 tackles, 1.5 sacks with GB) will
start on the left side unless Teddy Lehman (13
tackles, 1 INT) can recover from foot surgery
that shelved him for most of the 2005 season and
into 2006 training camp. James Davis (59 tackles),
who started all 16 games a year ago, can spell
either outside spot, and fellow holdovers Alex
Lewis and Donte' Curry (38 tackles) also have
experience. Rookie Anthony Cannon (7th Round,
Tulane) will probably end up on the practice squad
DB:
Detroit is in decent shape at corner, where Dre'
Bly (42 tackles, 6 INT) has been among the team's
top playmakers and Fernando Bryant (8 tackles)
appears recovered from a shoulder injury that
limited him to two games last season. Kenoy Kennedy
(98 tackles, 2 INT) is back for another year at
strong safety, but the second-round selection
of Daniel Bullocks (Nebraska) in the April draft
could mean Terrence Holt's (41 tackles, 2 INT)
days as the team's starting free safety are numbered.
If ex-Colt and Panther Idrees Bashir (2 tackles
with Carolina) makes the team, he figures to play
primarily on special teams. Two former third-round
picks, Stanley Wilson (10 tackles) and Keith Smith
(20 tackles, 1 sack), will push for time at corner
along with ex-Charger Jamar Fletcher (29 tackles,
1 sack, 1 INT) and rookie Dee McCann (6th Round,
West Virginia).
SPECIAL
TEAMS: The jobs of both kicker Jason Hanson
(19-24 FG) and punter Nick Harris (43.5 avg.)
are secure, and Eddie Drummond (6.0 punt return
avg., 22.0 kickoff return avg.) will be the team's
primary kick returner if healthy. Don Muhlbach
has played 21 games as Detroit's long snapper
in the past two seasons, and should remain in
that role.
PROGNOSIS:
On paper, the Lions do not look like a strong
candidate to make a giant leap and contend for
a playoff berth in 2006. The upgrades the team
made personnel-wise look marginal, with the quarterback
switch at the top of that list, and it will probably
take some time for the new staff and the players
to get on the same page. But the main reason for
hope in Detroit is that the Lions play in the
NFC North, where there is not a standout club
and a hot stretch could insert a team immediately
into the division title hunt. If Martz's offense
takes hold sooner than expected and the Lions
are able to score some points, while the defense
remains healthy and plays with some renewed enthusiasm
under Marinelli and Henderson, the Lions could
post eight or nine wins and have something to
play for in the final month of the year. The more
likely scenario has Detroit turning in its sixth
straight losing season, with an eye toward a serious
postseason run in 2007, but a little luck might
see the team arrive ahead of schedule.
Click Here For More 2006
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