Skip to Main Content
Detroit Lions Team Logo

Detroit Lions

Which Team Is the Next New Orleans?

By Chris Burke 2/10/2010 9:00 AM ET

Lombardi TrophyThe Saints' Super Bowl win on Sunday ended a grueling 43-year title drought for the franchise -- since entering the league in 1967, New Orleans had never played in a championship game, let alone won the big one.

But in taking down the Colts, the Saints became the 18th NFL franchise to capture a Super Bowl crown. That leaves 14 desperate title-less teams, of which four (Cleveland, Detroit, Jacksonville and Houston) have never even made it to the NFL's grandest stage.

So with an eye toward next season and beyond, we take a look at who could be next to break through.
More »

NFL Standings for the Decade: Colts, Patriots Are the Best, Lions Are Clearly the Worst

By JJ Cooper 1/07/2010 10:00 AM ET

Peyton ManningA couple of weeks ago, the Colts execs mystifyingly tried to explain that 16-0 wasn't really that important a record, but they were quite proud of their 115 regular season wins in a decade--the most in the history of the NFL.

Setting the wins record for a decade isn't much of a case for swiping the team of the decade award away from the Patriots (who have three less regular season wins but two more Super Bowl titles with both in contention for this year's Super Bowl), but it is a pretty impressive feat. And it got me to thinking. While we all know that the Patriots and the Colts were the winningnest teams this decade, who was the best in the NFC? And how did everyone else fare this decade.

So here's a look at composite records for the 32 NFL teams (2000-2009). All teams are listed in their current division, even though the current divisional alignment didn't begin until the Texans joined the league in 2002.
More »

Bears Conclude Disappointing Season With Victory

By Matt Snyder 1/03/2010 5:55 PM ET

A season that included a lot more valleys than hills is finally over for the Chicago Bears. They toyed with closing the season in embarrassing fashion, as they were tied with the Detroit Lions 20-20 in the fourth quarter, but Jay Cutler led the Bears on three more scoring drives and the defense buckled down. When the dust settled, the Bears had won for the second straight week, this time by the score of 37-23.

If the Bears saw this Cutler every single week, you could argue they would be preparing for a playoff game next week. He was brilliant Sunday, connecting on 22 of 36 passes for 276 yards and four touchdowns. As has been the case many times this season, Cutler had to deal with several dropped passes throughout the game (notably from Matt Forte on Sunday). As has not been the case all season, Cutler didn't turn the ball over. He finishes his first season in Chicago with 27 touchdown passes, but an NFL-leading 26 interceptions. The Bears won seven games on the season, but just two were against teams with a winning record, and three were against the two worst teams in the NFL (two wins against the Lions and one against the Rams).
More »

Lions, Rams Race for No. 1 Pick

By Chris Burke 1/02/2010 10:35 PM ET

Ndamukong SuhIt doesn't exactly hold the same allure as, say, the AFC wild-card battle, but the Lions and Rams each have something to play for -- sort of -- as the NFL's regular season reaches its final week. St. Louis (1-14) and Detroit (2-13) are mathematically the only two teams that can secure the No. 1 overall pick for the 2010 draft.

St. Louis is the only one-win team left in the league. If the Rams lose to San Francisco on Sunday, they would clinch that top pick and have first crack at Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh (pictured), who is just about unanimously the 2010 class' best available player.

Should the Rams knock off 7-8 San Francisco in St. Louis, though, the Lions could leapfrog them for the No. 1 slot.
More »

Is Stanton's Start the End for Culpepper?

By Chris Burke 12/23/2009 3:55 PM ET

Drew StantonThe Drew Stanton era -- however short it may be -- officially began in Detroit Wednesday. Head coach Jim Schwartz announced that Stanton, a third-year pro out of Michigan State, would start at quarterback for the Lions in San Francisco this week.

Stanton relieved Daunte Culpepper in Week 15 against Arizona and nearly led Detroit back from a 17-0 deficit to a huge upset win. Sunday's start will be his first in the NFL. "It was a nice early Christmas present," said Stanton of getting the nod, according to the Detroit News, "The best one I've had."

Culpepper's Christmas, on the other hand, has a bit more of a coal-in-the-stocking type feel. The Lions' decision to go with Stanton may signal the end of the line for Culpepper's career.
More »

Rams, Lions Progressing Despite Losses

By Matt Snyder 12/20/2009 5:30 PM ET

If you only look at the standings, you'll see the Detroit Lions sitting at 2-12 and the St. Louis Rams a worse 1-13. You'll notice that both lost games Sunday as well -- the Rams fell 16-13 and the Lions lost 31-24 -- but the wins and losses don't tell the whole story for two teams that are undergoing massive rebuilding projects.

The Rams battled the swine flu all week. They entered the game with Keith Null -- a rookie who entered the season as a third-stringer -- under center. Steven Jackson, their only legitimate star at this point, was battling back issues in addition to the swine flu. They recently cut an offensive lineman in part due to his attitude problems. And they took the Houston Texans down the wire. Sure, the Texans are 7-7, but they play in the toughest division in the NFL and could easily be 10-4 with a few minor breaks.

Not to be outdone by their brother in futility, the Lions made the defending NFC Champions sweat. And this was with myriad issues as well. Backup quarterback Daunte Culpepper had to be replaced with third-string passer Drew Stanton. Last week the Lions lost running back Kevin Smith for the season. Star receiver Calvin Johnson is battled injury woes. Yet the Arizona Cardinals needed a touchdown with less than two minutes left to beat them.
More »

Lions' Coach Frustrated With Team of 'Castoffs'

By Chris Burke 12/17/2009 10:10 PM ET

Jim SchwartzBy just about all accounts, the future looks brighter for the Lions in 2009 than it did in 2008. Detroit's got two wins compared to the zero it had last year, has a developing star quarterback, one of the better receivers in the NFL and a young coach that is respected throughout the NFL.

But that young coach, Jim Schwartz, is probably getting older by the day. After Detroit's embarrassing 48-3 loss in Baltimore last Sunday, Schwartz went on a verbal rampage, promising that underachieving players would be cut in the offseason. Later in the week, a little calmer, he offered a pretty direct assessment for why the Lions are 2-11.

"There is a significant portion of our roster that's on our roster because they were castoffs from other teams," Schwartz said. "There were teams that didn't want them or let them go, or stuff like that, and we need to make sure, or the players need to make sure, that they're not in the same position this year with us.
More »

Lions' Kevin Smith Carted Off With Knee Injury

By Chris Burke 12/13/2009 4:56 PM ET

Kevin SmithA miserable Sunday for the Lions got worse when starting running back Kevin Smith went down with a non-contact knee injury in the fourth quarter. With Detroit trailing the Ravens 41-3, en route to a 48-3 loss, Smith caught a short pass over the middle from Daunte Culpepper, then crumpled to the ground as he tried to make a cut upfield.

Smith's left leg appeared to give out on him, and he fell untouched before ripping off his helmet in pain. He was eventually carted off the field.

"I was just catching a flat pass and trying to cut back and somehow my leg got stuck in the ground," Smtih told the Detroit News. "My knee just buckled and I had extreme pain instantly. I gotta get tests tomorrow, but it doesn't feel real good."
More »

Mark Sanchez, Matthew Stafford Out for Week 14

By Chris Burke 12/09/2009 3:50 PM ET

Mark SanchezOne of the toughest adjustments for rookies in the NFL is getting accustomed to the 16-game grind. The Jets' Mark Sanchez and Lions' Matthew Stafford are finding out just how difficult that transition can be.

Both rookie QBs will be out for Week 14 with injuries, their respective teams announced Wednesday.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan announced Wednesday that Kellen Clemens would start for his team's game at Tampa Bay on Sunday, as Sanchez deals with the sprained right PCL that he suffered last Thursday in a win over Buffalo in Toronto. New York was optimistic that Sanchez would play earlier this week, but Sanchez did not practice Monday or Wednesday.
More »

Matthew Stafford Re-Aggravates Injury

By Matt Snyder 12/06/2009 6:30 PM ET

Matthew Stafford injury shoulderConsidering the state of the Lions' offensive line -- and defense, really -- one of their goals for this season with rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford should be to make it through the season with his body still intact. He's been battered all year long, and Sunday's 23-13 loss to Cincinnati was no different.

Late in the game, after letting go a pass, Stafford was banged down on his left shoulder -- which he had separated November 22 against the Browns. He was visibly in pain and had to leave the game. The Lions scored late with Daunte Culpepper at the helm, but it was a meaningless drive as the game was already more or less over.
More »
  • Detroit Lions News
    Powered by Relegence Over 3,000 Sources

Tweets

  • by NFLFanHouseWhich Team Is the Next New Orleans? http://bit.ly/8YsRzq #nfl
  • by NFLFanHouseSaints Go Parading Into New Orleans http://bit.ly/bDhc8O #nfl
  • by NFLFanHouse2010 Free Agency Primer: Quarterbacks http://bit.ly/8XVfGC #nfl
  • by NFLFanHouseDespite Hasty Exit, Peyton Manning Still Class Act http://bit.ly/9l8TR3 #nfl
View All NFL Tweets »
Super Bowl Ads
FanHouse.com

Best of the Web >>>

Get NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR and college sports news from FanHouse including stats, scores, results, and player updates from pro and college leagues.

Aol Sports. Back To The Top