NFL FanHouse

Dominic Raiola Wants Detroit Fans to Lay Off Matthew Stafford

Chris Burke — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:20:00 EST

Filed under: Lions

Dominic Raiola has played all nine of his NFL seasons in Detroit, never finishing with better than a 7-9 record -- and that streak isn't ending this season. So he's allowed to have some pent-up frustration.

He let some of it out Sunday during the Lions' 17-10 home loss to the previously winless Rams, firing off some choice words at a group of Detroit fans who were heckling rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford. Detroit's final possession of the game consisted of four Stafford incompletions (plus two more pass attempts wiped out by penalties).

After the final misfire landed well wide of its intended target, a few rowdy patrons let Stafford have it -- yelling "Hey Matt, throw it to me, I'm open, I'm open," according to Raiola, who quickly came to his QB's defense.

The veteran center let fly with a few obscenities, according to MLive's Tom Kowalski, then spent a postgame interview defending his actions.

"You want to pick on [Stafford]? I'm going to say something," Raiola said. "I understand the frustrations, I do. I've been here for 8 1/2 years. I love these fans, I love these people and I love it here. I'm just saying that I'm sorry if I was offensive to anybody, but I'm just being loyal to my teammate, one of my guys.

"It did strike a chord. You've got three or four guys yelling at him ... did they see what happened on the last drive? I don't think so. If you're going to call a guy out, know what you're talking about. He just got here. You want to run him out of town already? You know what I'm saying? That just hit home with me. Because I've been through it with Joey [Harrington]. I've been through it. They sent him packing and they're not going to do it to this guy.

"I'm going to be right here next to him.''

To some extent, you have to commend Raiola for sticking up for Stafford, though cussing out a handful of the measly 38,000 or so fans that made it to Ford Field on Sunday might not have been the best strategy.

This isn't Raiola's first rodeo, either. Last year, when some fans booed the Lions as they fell to 0-13 -- en route to an 0-16 record -- Raiola flicked them off, then said that he'd fight those fans if he were allowed.

But despite his sometimes-rocky relationship with the Motor City faithful, Raiola remains committed to the Lions. He signed a four-year contract extension in the offseason that could keep him in Detroit through the 2013 season.

Detroit has every intention of still having Stafford as its starting QB at that time; part of the reason Stafford is playing in the first place this season is so he can learn on the go, in hopes that he'll progress faster. Of course, that was also the plan with Harrington, who, as Raiola vividly remembers, earned the Lions' starting job just three games into his rookie season in 2002, then was sent packing by the Detroit organization after 2005.

If Raiola's ever going to play on a winner in Detroit, he needs Stafford's career path to hit a much more upward progression than Harrington's did.

And if he has to drop a few obscenities to make that happen, then so be it.

Dominic Raiola Wants Detroit Fans to Lay Off Matthew Stafford originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bumbling Rams Allow Unusual Safety

Chris Burke — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, Rams

Sunday's St. Louis-Detroit matchup appeared destined to be one of the worst of the NFL season -- the teams entered Week 8 a combined 1-12 on the year -- and one second-quarter play summed up the ineptitude of both teams pretty well.

With Detroit facing 3rd-and-10 from the Rams 12, quarterback Matthew Stafford fired a pass over the middle that ricocheted off the hands of running back Aaron Brown and right to waiting St. Louis safety James Butler.

More: Rams Get First Win in Detroit | Week 8 NFL Scoreboard

Butler made a shoestring grab in the end zone for an interception. But rather than take a knee for a touchback, Butler attempted a return, running out of the end zone to the St. Louis 2 -- then reversing field back across the goal line, where he was tackled by Kevin Smith for a safety.

Brown's missed catch was one of at least five drops that the Lions had in the first half.

"Don't ask about that dumb play," Butler said. "I knew it wasn't going to hurt us. I just knew we were going to win because I have faith."

Moments after his mental mistake, Butler flat-out botched a second interception. Stafford overthrew a pass down the middle, hitting Butler in the numbers, but he was unable to reel it in.

The wacky safety didn't wind up doing the Rams in, though -- St. Louis scored late to grab a 17-10 win, its first of the season.

Bumbling Rams Allow Unusual Safety originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NFL FanHouse Week 8 Chat Recap

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Eagles, Lions, Giants, Packers, Rams, Vikings, NFL Live Blogging

He's back, and it's stealing all of the headlines. It's going to be a highly emotional Sunday for many NFL fans, as former Detroit Lions defensive lineman James Hall makes his return to the Motor City as a member of the St. Louis Rams.

Oh, and Brett Favre is back in Green Bay. Not sure if you've heard about that one.

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NFL FanHouse Week 8 Chat Recap originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Calvin Johnson Inactive, Matthew Stafford May Need Knee Surgery

Chris Burke — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, NFL Injuries

Not that the Lions need any more mountains to climb, but they will be without quarterback Matthew Stafford and star wide receiver Calvin Johnson Sunday as they attempt to break an 18-game losing streak at Lambeau Field. Both players are listed as inactive for the matchup in Green Bay, though Stafford will serve as Detroit's third-string, emergency QB.

Daunte Culpepper will get his second straight start at quarterback for the Lions. In Week 5, he was 23 of 37 for 282 yards, a touchdown and an interception in Detroit's 28-20 loss to Pittsburgh.

Despite Stafford's presence on the sidelines at Lambeau, the 2009 No. 1 pick's right knee injury -- suffered on a Week 4 sack at Chicago -- may be worse than first feared. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Stafford had some additional swelling in the knee Wednesday, and will send his MRI results to famed surgeon Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion. Should surgery become necessary, Stafford would likely be out until 2010.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew disputer Mortensen's report.

"It's just gossip," Mayhew told the Detroit Free Press. "It's gossip. I'm not going to comment on it. I'm not going to give it any credence or credibility by making a statement about it."

The Lions' wide receiving corps gets a lot less formidable without the dynamic Johnson. Bryant Johnson and Dennis Northcutt will likely be Detroit's starters, with increased roles for rookie Derrick Williams and recently re-signed John Standeford.

Sunday's injury news was more promising elsewhere in the NFC North -- Vikings rookie wide receiver Percy Harvin will be active against Baltimore, despite a shoulder injury.

Calvin Johnson Inactive, Matthew Stafford May Need Knee Surgery originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matthew Stafford Likely Out Sunday

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:10:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, NFC North, NFL Injuries, NFL Quarterbacks

As the Detroit Lions' one-game winning streak was officially snapped Sunday in Chicago, fans were left holding their breath. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper might have been in the game only after it was out of hand, but he was also in there because rookie starter Matthew Stafford had gone down with a knee injury.

While it doesn't sound like Stafford's injury will be a long-term issue, the Lions appear to be planning on him missing Sunday's game against the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stafford missed practice for a second straight day Thursday, and the Lions are likely to start Culpepper against the Steelers, Tom Kowalski of MLive.com notes.

While Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said that not practicing Wednesday and today wouldn't necessarily rule out Stafford, it's important for a young quarterback - or any quarterback for that matter - to get as many reps as possible to prepare for Pittsburgh's complicated defense.

While this might not be the best news for Stafford, it also isn't the worst. He's played well since winning the job in training camp, as it looks like he's getting better each week. The Steelers might present an incredible challenge for Stafford, however, because of their unpredictable and aggressive defense.

A veteran like Culpepper, assuming he hasn't put on 25 pounds in the first four weeks of the season, is a good play against this front seven. He's played against fast and free-flowing defenses before, and it looked in the preseason like Culpepper had regained at least a chunk of the quickness he lost because of knee surgeries and weight gain.

Since it doesn't sound like Stafford will be out long, it's a chance for him to watch a game from the sideline. He might even be able to pick up a few pointers from Culpepper's play, if the Lions can protect him.

Matthew Stafford Likely Out Sunday originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fans of Bears, Lions Finally Have Quarterbacks to Cheer

Greg Couch — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Lions, NFL Quarterbacks

CHICAGO - Matthew Stafford stood by his locker in jeans and polo shirt denying that he had ever screamed: "No, I'm all right. I don't remember yelling.''

But you did. You grabbed your knee and screamed after a sack by Adewale Ogunleye, and then you didn't come back into the game.

"(Then) it was a silent yell.''

A few minutes later, he walked out while a few of us stood there pretending not to watch him do it.

"Giving me the eye test, huh?" he said. "See if I can walk?"

More: Check Box Score | Green Bay-Minnesota MNF Preview

The thing is, no one has cared to give the eye test to any Detroit Lions quarterback in years. On Sunday, Chicago beat Detroit 48-24 in a moment marked by something no one has seen in 50 or 60 years.

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Both Chicago and Detroit have real quarterbacks. These are two franchises defined by a history, especially a recent history, of bad quarterbacking.

Dan Orlovsky, Jon Kitna, Mike McMahon.

What has happened to the Black and Blue Division, when teams combine to score 72 points?

Did Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, a Bear after he orchestrated a trade from Denver, feel like he was back in the high-flying AFC West?

"Uh, no," he said. "No. We got short fields. Offensively, we didn't really get into a rhythm."

Truth is, it wasn't a game for Cutler. But the eye test shows that he's doing something Bears quarterbacks haven't done in years.

Leading.

After years watching Rex Grossman, Bears fans should just be thrilled to see someone not panicking. But they're suspicious.

Steve Stenstrom, Shane Matthews, Kordell Stewart.

Bears fans have been trained to rely on tough defenses and running backs. They take pride in smashing the ball down the other guy's throat in frigid weather off the Lake. They want to win the Bear Way. It's a Chicago thing, with the people thinking the team is just like them, big and tough.

The men here feel that way, too.

Certain basics of the Chicago psyche are being challenged now. The Bears, 3-1, have won three straight. Cutler is the first Bears quarterback since 1970 with a passer rating over 100 in three straight games.

But he was booed in his first preseason game. He was criticized for saying, accurately, that Devin Hester is not a "jump-up-and-get-it" receiver. He threw four interceptions against hated Green Bay, and was seen yelling at receivers. People were already on the verge of giving up on him.

It was his first regular season game.

Jim Miller. Henry Burris. Cade McNown.

Oh, God, Cade McNown.

Bears fans just don't understand how to have a real quarterback, that you can cheer for one. It's just now occurring to people here that the word "quarterback'' does not necessarily require them to start booing the way a doctor's rubber mallet makes the leg kick.

Tap, tap. Quarterback.

"Boo."

That's part of why it's so tough for Chicago or Detroit to actually have a quarterback. It's a history of booing, a history of skepticism.

Every new, young quarterback steps into it.

The fans should react that way. If not, then they would be the biggest suckers of all. Their teams have let them down over and over and over.

Charlie Batch and Ty Detmer and Gus Frerotte.

But maybe guys like Joey Harrington and Cade McNown just needed a little love and nurturing.

Nah. They just stunk.

These guys I keep naming, by the way, have all been starting quarterbacks for the Bears or Lions the past 20 years. Know that I'll never get to all of them.

Dave Krieg, Steve Walsh, Will Furrer.

Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel, Chad Hutchinson.

Most of these guys weren't fill-ins for an injured starter, but were the actual starting quarterbacks the teams chose. Those last three started every game for the Bears in 2004.

Cutler is already a star. Former coaches have ripped him for his attitude. Mike Martz said, "He just doesn't get it. He doesn't understand that he represents a great head coach and the rest of those players on that team. Somebody needs to talk to him."

Yes, he supposedly is not the best guy to be around, unlike, say, Jim McMahon?

Before now, the Bears have had one really good quarterback, McMahon, since Sid Luckman retired in 1950. And McMahon was so fragile he lasted about 15 minutes. The Lions haven't had anyone since they traded Bobby Layne in the 1950s and he supposedly put a curse on the team, saying they wouldn't win a championship in 50 years.

Just try to believe, Bears and Lions fans. Lucy is not going to pull the football away from Charlie Brown this time.

Daunte Culpepper (old version), Jeff Garcia (old version).

Midway into the second quarter, the Bears had third and goal from the 5, and Cutler couldn't find anyone open, so he rolled left, jumped at the goal line and was clobbered by two defenders going opposite ways.

Cutler spun like a helicopter blade as he scored.

"It's what you expect from your leader," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "A leader has to make sacrifices from time to time."

The Bears aren't used to that. They're used to hoping the quarterback doesn't ruin things for the defense. That's the only bar to clear.

Stafford, the first pick in the draft, is not quite there yet. But his arm is a gun, and while he doesn't have Cutler's patience yet, he has far more than most rookies. He threw three dumb passes for sure Sunday.

One was intercepted when he was trying to throw it away, one was completed near the endzone when he threw into three defenders.

It's OK. He passes the eye test. As for his knee, he'll have tests on Monday, and you never know what happens inside the knees of NFL players. Maybe the Bobby Layne Curse really does exist?

We'll have to see. It's hard for fans at either place to have faith.

And Detroit has a million more problems to work out.

But not every quarterback is Brian Griese, Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman.

Oh God, Rex Grossman.

Email me at gregcouch09@aol.com

Fans of Bears, Lions Finally Have Quarterbacks to Cheer originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matthew Stafford Leaves With Knee Injury In Lions' Loss

Matt Snyder — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Lions, NFC North, NFL Injuries, NFL Quarterbacks

Coming off their first victory since December of 2007, the Lions played another good half of football Sunday. Heading into halftime, Detroit stood even with the Chicago Bears, 21-21. Matthew Stafford had engineered three touchdown drives, including a 98-yard beauty that greatly resembled the Lions' 99-yarder last week.

The second half, though, was another story. Johnny Knox, the Bears rookie wideout/returner, took the second half's opening kickoff back for a touchdown and his team never looked back. When the dust settled, the Bears had routed the Lions 48-24 and injured their rookie quarterback. On a play during the fourth quarter, Stafford was sacked by Adewale Ogunleye. In the process, Stafford's body was awkwardly twisted around and he screamed while grabbing his right knee. He did not return.

More: Eli Manning Also Hurt | Bengals Win in OT | Texans Win Big

There is no news yet of the exact injury nor of the extent. What we do know is that Stafford was noticeably limping on the sidelines and that he was replaced by Daunte Culpepper. You can bet there's an MRI in Stafford's future.

"He wasn't able to get it warmed back up again and we didn't want to put him back in the game," Schwartz said in the post game press conference. "If he was healthy enough, he would have gone back into the game."

UPDATE: Adam Shefter passed along, via Twitter, that Chris Mortensen is reporting Stafford suffered a dislocated kneecap (or subluxation of the patella, for you med fanatics out there). He says it was popped back in, but that doesn't sound fun. It's entirely possible Culpepper will take the field next week for the Lions as their temporary starter.

As far as the game itself, Stafford played relatively well. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown. He did throw one interception, and it was a bad one, coming on the Lions' 14 and setting the Bears up for an 8-yard (after the return) touchdown drive. He also missed several wide-open receivers in the Bears' zone coverage. He did lead those three drives in the first half and seemed to be on the same page with No. 1 receiver Calvin Johnson (eight catches for 133 yards).

The Lions outgained the Bears 398 yards to 276 and had the ball for 13 more minutes. The difference in the game was the Bears' efficiency on offense and special teams play. The Bears got good returns all day, not just on Knox's touchdown, in addition to stellar punting from Brad Maynard. The result was the Bears having an average starting position of Detroit's 46 compared to the Detroit 17-yard line for the Lions, which is an astounding difference.

The Lions will look to get back on track next week at home against the defending Super Bowl champs, the Pittsburgh Steelers. If Stafford is healthy, he'll face a tough test, but he appeared to be developing nicely Sunday in Chicago.

Matthew Stafford Leaves With Knee Injury In Lions' Loss originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Live Chat: Week 4 Preview

Bruce Ciskie — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bengals, Browns, Buccaneers, Chargers, Jets, Lions, Packers, Redskins, Saints, Steelers, Vikings, NFL Fans, NFL Live Blogging

It's a week headlined by some old guy facing his former team, but there are other storylines in Week 4. The Browns and Buccaneers start new quarterbacks, the Lions try for their second straight win, unbeatens clash in New Orleans, and the defending Super Bowl champions arguably face a must-win Sunday night. We'll talk about all these topics and more in our weekly get-together. Read the recap.

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FanHouse Live Chat: Week 4 Preview originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lions Win First Game Since 2007

Bruce Ciskie — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, Redskins, NFC East, NFC North

There have been a few near-misses, more than enough heartbreak, and some blowouts thrown in. Sunday afternoon, however, the Detroit Lions finally broke a hideous streak that saw them make NFL history.

The Lions beat the Washington Redskins, 19-14, at Ford Field. It marked the end of a 19-game losing streak for the Lions, who had not won since December of 2007.

More: Check Box Score | Giants Stuff Bucs | Pack Smokes St. Louis

The Lions played great defense throughout the afternoon, getting a key goal-line stand in the first half to keep Washington off the scoreboard. The ensuing Detroit possession saw rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford lead the team on a 99-yard scoring drive, capped by a touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson.

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Detroit would never trail in the game. A 13-0 lead at halftime was cut by a Santana Moss score in the third quarter, and the teams traded scores in the fourth. Detroit's failed two-point play after their score meant it was 19-14 when Washington got the ball back for a last-minute attempt at a touchdown.

The Lions defense bent, but didn't break, just like it did virtually all afternoon. Washington reached Detroit's 36 with 23 seconds left -- Campbell then fired three straight incompletions before the Redskins failed on a hook-and-lateral play to end the game.

There were some positive signs for the Redskins, as Jason Campbell threw for over 300 yards and a pair of scores. Moss caught 10 passes for 178 yards. However, banged-up back Clinton Portis was held to 42 yards rushing, and the Redskins again struggled to finish drives, both offensively and defensively. The defense couldn't get off the field, allowing Detroit to convert 10 of 18 third downs -- plus Albert Haynesworth, Brian Orakpo, Carlos Rogers and London Fletcher all got banged up. Meanwhile, the offense hit on just two of 10 third down attempts.

The Lions and their fans deserve to over-celebrate this win, if you will. Players could be seen with tears in their eyes on the field. For many Detroit players and all of their fans, this kind of day has been way too long in coming. Perhaps getting the first win will give them the confidence to play more assertively when they have a lead, something that has failed them in the not-too-distant past.

Lions Win First Game Since 2007 originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lions, Raiders Blacked Out on Sunday

FanHouse Newswire — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, Raiders

Both Detroit and Oakland failed to sell out Week 3 home games by the Thursday deadline, so the Lions and Raiders will be blacked out in their respective local markets Sunday. San Diego avoided the same fate, unloading enough tickets to keep its game with Miami on the airwaves.

As of Wednesday, the Lions had more than 10,000 tickets still available for Sunday's game against Washington -- Detroit narrowly avoided being blacked out last week, selling its final 1,700 tickets after the NFL allotted an additional 24-hour window. Oakland received a similar extension in Week 1 for its game versus San Diego and also reached a sellout in time.

"It is on us because it's our job to win," Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said about Detroit's game being taken off the air in a 75-mile radius. "It's our job to get fans excited and to give them a reason to come to the game. And when we do that, we won't have to worry about blackouts or sellouts or anything else."

The Lions had sold out every game at Ford Field after its opening in 2002 until midway through last year. This Sunday will be the sixth time in the last eight games that Detroit has been under blackout.

Oakland, meanwhile, has had two games blacked out each season since taking over ticket sales from Alameda County before the 2006 season. This marks the first division game blacked out during that time.

- Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Lions, Raiders Blacked Out on Sunday originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Kolb, Garcia Wait for McNabb; Quinn Still Shaky

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, Eagles, Lions, Panthers, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

Things are looking interesting in Philadelphia, although Donovan McNabb can come back and ruin all the fun. Meanwhile, there appears to be no end in sight to the situation in Cleveland, where the Browns have looked generally awful when they have the ball.

Philadelphia Eagles: Kevin Kolb and Jeff Garcia

As mentioned, McNabb could return, take the job, and relegate both to the bench. As long as McNabb isn't playing, Eagles coach Andy Reid is faced with a tough decision. Kolb looked shaky, inaccurate, sometimes indecisive, and not very good overall in a loss to New Orleans Sunday. It's not the kind of performance the Eagles can afford to see again, but is it enough to get Garcia a chance to start?

Let's face it: Garcia is rarely a happy backup. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because no one should want to stand on the sideline in a baseball cap. But it isn't really easy on the head coach or the starting quarterback. Garcia knows the Eagles offense, is obviously capable of running it, and has already won over Philly fans as their starter once. He could do it again.

Then again, he could also end up as the inactive third quarterback when McNabb returns.

Status update: Very warm, until McNabb is ready

Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson

The Browns have scored 26 points in two games. Yes, it's more than the Rams have, but it's still not very impressive. They got six in four quarters against the once-maligned Denver defense Sunday, as the Broncos whipped Cleveland 27-6.

Quinn has been the ringleader of the Browns offense so far. He hasn't done much of anything. He's not throwing with great accuracy, as was advertised. He isn't moving the chains, and he isn't making any big plays.

Yes, Eric Mangini wants his "guy" to succeed, but how long can he watch Quinn struggle without giving Anderson a shot? The Browns are 0-2, and the schedule isn't magically going to get any easier, especially when you consider that the Browns have yet to play a game against an AFC North rival.

Status update: Very warm

Miami Dolphins: Chad Pennington and Chad Henne

It's hard to get a read on this one, but the Dolphins can't be terribly fond of Pennington's play so far. He has been his normal accurate self when it comes to shorter passes, but the Dolphins have had issues putting up points, in part because the passing game has too many moments of ineptitude. Plus, there were already some rumblings that Pennington would be replaced in 2010. If the offense sputters more, will the Dolphins accelerate Chad Henne's timeline?

Status update: Lukewarm

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford and Daunte Culpepper

Yes, head coach Jim Schwartz has said Stafford is his guy. No, Stafford isn't hurt. However, the Lions are 0-2, have not looked good on offense, and are going to get Stafford killed if they don't protect him better. Culpepper is a veteran who could have a steadying influence on the offense. Stafford isn't going to be destroyed if the Lions sit him for a few games. In the end, he'd be grateful for the chance to clear his head.

Status update: Lukewarm

Others Worth Watching

Kansas City (Matt Cassel and Tyler Thigpen); Carolina (Jake Delhomme, A.J. Feeley, Matt Moore)

Pocket Presence: Kolb, Garcia Wait for McNabb; Quinn Still Shaky originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sunday Snippets: Delhomme Is Bad, Even in His Good Minute

Dave Goldberg — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:20:00 EST

Filed under: Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs, Colts, Eagles, Jets, Lions, Panthers, Saints, Vikings, NFL Quarterbacks, NFL Notebook

It got so bad for Jake Delhomme Sunday that, even when he was good, he was bad.

Was he ever good in Carolina's 38-10 loss to the Eagles, in which he threw four interceptions and lost a fumble that was returned by a touchdown? Well, the Panthers took the opening kickoff and moved 70 yards for a score of their own to take a 7-0 lead on DeAngelo Williams' 11-yard run. But it was ugly -- two plays before the TD, the Panthers had a first down at the Eagles 1, but Ryan Kalil jumped on the first play and Jeff Otah on the second.

Williams took care of the rest, but those two penalties -- probably some sort of messed-up count by Delhomme, since it was that kind of day -- simply were a precursor of what was to come. Worse, the same thing happened in Delhomme's last game, when Carolina was upset at home by Arizona in its first playoff game last season.

OK, not quite as bad -- Delhomme had six turnovers in that one, five INTs and a fumble. In any case, he now has nine interceptions in his last 51 passes and 11 turnovers in his last two games.

And he got a five-year contract extension worth $42 million in the offseason. Actually, it's probably more like $25 million up front, but it means they're saddled with him until 2012, when he'll be 37. He'll probably play next week -- his backup, Josh McCown, left with knee and foot injuries."I hope so," Delhomme said when asked about it. "I'm not looking for the easy way out."

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Arizona Cardinals team president Michael Bidwill speaks before the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Michael Bidwill

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals stands on the sidelines during the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Larry Fitzgerald

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Quarterback Shaun Hill #13 of the San Francisco 49ers is sacked by Darnell Dockett #90 of the Arizona Cardinals during the NFL game at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Shaun Hill;Darnell Dockett

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GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 13: Runningback Tim Hightower #34 of the Arizona Cardinals leads teammates onto the field prior to the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Universtity of Phoenix Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tim Hightower

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Jay Cutler #6 of the Chicago Bears walks off the field following a loss to the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jay Cutler

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 13: Kevin Kolb #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles passes against Charles Johnson #95 of the Carolina Panthers at Bank Of America Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Kolb;Charles Johnson

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 13: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles heads off the field after being injured against the Carolina Panthers at Bank Of America Stadium on September 13, 2009 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Donovan McNabb

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Matt Forte #22 of the Chicago Bears runs against the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Matt Forte

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GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 13: Brian Urlacher #54 of the Chicago Bears awaits the start of play in the 1st half against the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 2009 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-15. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Brian Urlacher

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Delhomme got company in the Sunday night game from Jay Cutler, who threw four interceptions in his regular-season debut for Chicago. Three came in the first half, when both teams struggled. The fourth came on a play that started with 1:11 left after Green Bay had taken a 21-15 lead.

In the first half, Cutler was clearly uncomfortable with Dom Capers' 3-4 defensive schemes, which are more aggressive than most. Next Sunday, he gets to see another difficult 3-4 -- Pittsburgh's -- when the Steelers visit Soldier Field

QUARTERBACKS (a few of them): Delhomme was lucky in a way. Donovan McNabb broke his ribs in the same game, taking some attention away from his disastrous day and raising questions -- facetious ones -- about whether Roger Goodell might let Michael Vick come back a week early. No, of course Goodell won't, so Kevin Kolb will almost surely be the QB when the Eagles play host to the Saints next week.

Kolb may do OK -- the Saints don't play much defense. On the other hand, the Philly defense, which was handed all those gifts by Delhomme, will meet a very different guy -- New Orleans QB Drew Brees, who had six TD passes against Detroit. Of course, the Detroit and Philadelphia defenses are at opposite ends of the spectrum. (No pun intended, although the Spectrum parking lot is next to Lincoln Financial Field)

Brees was so good Sunday in a 45-28 win that Jeremy Shockey actually caught two TD passes, his first since November, 2007. Shockey says there are more to come. We sort of believe it, although the Saints don't get to play the Lions anymore.

Brett Favre played his first game for the Vikings, who beat the Browns 34-20. Brett was -- horrible phrase -- a "game manager.'' Stats: 14 of 21 for 110 yards while Adrian Peterson was rushing for 180. That's likely to be Minnesota's way all season.

Then there are the rookie QBs,

Mark Sanchez, the fifth-overall pick, threw for 272 yards and an a touchdown in New York's 24-7 win, but it was easy because Rex Ryan's defense held what was supposed to be a high-powered Houston offense to 183 yards. Houston had one shot at getting in the game, but Donald Strickland knocked the ball away from Steve Slaton on an 18-yard pass completion, the Jets recovered and that was it.

Matthew Stafford, No. 1 overall, demonstrated why he should be watching and letting Daunte Culpepper absorb the punishment. As Detroit lost its 18th straight, 45-27 in New Orleans, Stafford was a 16 of 37 for 205 yards and was intercepted three times. "Some of those balls I was throwing, I was just trying to get rid of it and not take a sack.,'' he said.

That's life with the Lions.

NEW PHILOSOPHY?: Jim Caldwell, who replaced Tony Dungy, as the Colts' coach, obviously trusts his defense (and his special teams).

With the Colts leading 14-12 with 7:42 left, they had a fourth-and-1 at the Jaguars 44. Caldwell elected to kick it away and rookie punter Pat McAfee dropped the ball on the 1.

The Jags never got out of the hole. A decision like Caldwell's wouldn't have always been the right one with a team that's depended so heavily on Peyton Manning and the offense, which lost receiver Anthony Gonzalez to a knee sprain that will probably cost him four-to-six weeks. Defensive coordinator Larry Coyer also showed some new wrinkles -- blitzing middle linebacker Gary Brackett a couple of times to disrupt David Garrard late in the game.

The Colts rarely blitzed when Dungy was the head coach and Ron Meeks the defensive coordinator and the bend-but-don't break Tampa Two was the defense of choice. On the final Jacksonville possession, Brackett broke through twice, forcing an incomplete pass and then letting Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney clean up.

Other notables: The play of the day, of course, was the game-winning TD for Denver in Cincinnati, when the Bengals' Leon Hall deflected a desperation pass with 28 seconds left into the air, only to see it come down to Brandon Stokley. Stokley completed an 87-yard TD play to give the Broncos a 12-7 win after the Bengals had scored with 38 seconds left to seemingly win it.

It was the first win for Josh McDaniels, who is a smart guy. Stokley is a smart guy too -- he wasted an extra five or six seconds running parallel to the goal line before stepping into the end zone.

"I've played football since I was 7 or 8 and I never saw anything like that,'' said Carson Palmer.

Actually, he's played for the Bengals since 2003, so he's seen a lot of odd things.

o. Kansas City, with Matt Cassel out with a knee injury, started Brodie Croyle at QB, replaced him with Tyler Thigpen and then brought back Croyle when Thigpen was hurt. The Chiefs went without a first down until just over two minutes was left in the half, but trailed just 10-7 at that point because they scored on a blocked punt.

For the game, the Chiefs were outgained 501-188, although they were tied at 24-all when the Ravens finally scored with 2:06 left.

Sunday Snippets: Delhomme Is Bad, Even in His Good Minute originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Premium Previews: Week 1 Highlighted by Young (And Old) Quarterbacks

Dave Goldberg — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Bills, Browns, Chargers, Jets, Lions, Giants, Packers, Patriots, Raiders, Redskins, Saints, Texans, Vikings, FanHouse Exclusive

Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco started a trend last season: rookie quarterbacks who started from Week One and led their teams to the playoffs.

So the Detroit Lions and New York Jets are trying it this year with Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez. Although if Stafford gets the Lions from 0-16 to the postseason as a rookie, he probably should go directly to Canton.

In any case, Stafford and Sanchez will start Sunday in New Orleans and Houston as the NFL season finally gets under way after what seems like an eternal offseason.

There are other QB story lines the first week (although folks often forget there are 21 other guys on the field).

They include the return of Tom Brady to New England after a 2008 season that ended with a torn-up knee in the first quarter of the first game.

They include Jay Cutler's first game with the Bears -- in Green Bay against the hated Packers -- after an acrimonious exit from Denver.

And they include the re-return of Brett Favre -- this time to Minnesota -- after what has become an annual Favre Watch in Hattiesburg, Miss.

One more Favre item: Brett's first game will be in Cleveland, where he played his first exhibition game last year after joining the New York Jets. The Browns' coach is Eric Mangini, fired by the Jets after starting 8-3 and finishing out of the playoffs at 9-7, largely because Favre fizzled late with a shoulder problem that required offseason surgery.

Mangini, like the Bill Belichick offspring he is, spent the week trying to hide his QB choice from the Vikings -- Brady Quinn of Derek Anderson. But he told Quinn and Anderson his choice Tuesday night and it leaded out Wednesday -- Quinn's the man. More proof that Eric isn't Bill, who's a lot more feared by his players.

Here are some games of note for Week 1:

Chicago (9-7) at Green Bay (6-10)

The NFC North looks like a three-way contest among the Bears, Packers and Vikings. So the winner gets an early edge over the loser in the tiebreaker scenarios.

Two important new guys: Cutler for the Bears and Dom Capers, the defensive coordinator, for the Packers. Capers, who as Carolina's head coach got the Panthers to the NFC title game in their second year, has installed his 3-4 defense. Aaron Kampman, Al Harris and Charles Woodson seem especially pleased.

It's also obligatory to note that this is the NFL's oldest rivalry, the 177th game in the series. The Bears lead it 90-80-6 and have outscored the Packers 3,008-2,879.

Washington (8-8) at New York Giants (12-4)

A late Sunday game. And another division opener in what could be a four-way battle. Most prognosticators seem to think the Giants and Eagles are better than the Cowboys and Redskins but potential injuries make that subject to change.

This one has the silliest of subplots.

It involves Andre Woodson, a marginal quarterback cut by the Giants last Saturday and signed to the Redskins' practice squad the next day. On Monday, Tom Coughlin laughingly suggested (as had others) that the Skins only signed him to pick his brain about New York's offense.

Folks in Washington didn't hear Coughlin laughing and took him literally, prompting a Jim Zorn speech about Woodson's potential. Actually, the way Woodson played in exhibitions suggests he didn't know much about the Giants' offense and doesn't have much potential.. But Woodson ran the Redskins' scout team this week, presumably with more knowledge of the Giants' plays than, say, Chase Daniel, who the Skins cut. .

Detroit (0-16) at New Orleans (8-8)

With Stafford starting his first NFL game, the Lions will attempt to break a 17-game losing streak and a run of 23 losses in 24 games.

He will face a defense that allowed 28.9 points a game last season, most in the league, negating Drew Brees' near record-breaking year. So Gregg Williams is now the defensive coordinator. Changing coordinators seems to be the new fix-it method of choice in the NFL. Three offensive coordinators were fired in preseason.

Detroit could be heir apparent to New Orleans as the league's worst defense. There just aren't enough good players there even though Jim Schwartz, the new head coach, is a very innovative mind who made the Titans into one of the league's consistently good defenses.

New York Jets (9-7) at Houston (8-8)

If we're going to promote Stafford's first start, we should also promote Sanchez and the debut of Rex Ryan as the Jets' head coach.

But it's also a chance for the Texans to make a statement. They've never been better than 8-8 and now's the time to improve. Matt Schaub is limping, but probably will play. And Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton and Owen Daniels make the offense potent.

The defense has Mario Williams, who has proven more worthy than Reggie Bush and Vince Young after being picked No. 1 over them in the 2006 draft. And it has DeMeco Ryans, one of the NFL's best linebackers. But it was 29th in yardage allowed last season. It won't help that the best DB, Dunta Robinson, won't play after finally signing his franchise tender and reporting Sunday.

Buffalo (7-9) at New England (11-5)
San Diego (8-8) at Oakland (5-11)

In the first Monday night game, Brady returns for the Patriots against a team so punchless in preseason that it fired offensive coordinator Turk Schonert. ESPN has its first string crew there and will clearly play up the names: Randy Moss and, of course, T.O. Heck, they'll probably figure out a way to mention Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, Manny and the rest of their staples -- at least during the pregame hype.

The game? The Pats have beaten the Bills 11 straight times and 16-of-17, including by a combined score of 84-17 two seasons ago. The Bills have no offense and RB Marshawn Lynch is suspended.

But this still figures to be more competitive than the second game. The Chargers are prohibitive favorites in the AFC West and they should do a lot better than last year's 8-8. Ed Hochuli sent them into a spin in Week Two that it took all year to get out of. The Raiders were awful in preseason, and the most notable event in Napa, Calif., was a dust-up between coach Tom Cable and assistant Randy Hanson.

Premium Previews: Week 1 Highlighted by Young (And Old) Quarterbacks originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saints Top Worst-to-First Power Rankings

Dan Graziano — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:39:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Browns, Chiefs, Jaguars, Lions, Rams, Redskins, Saints, NFL Power Rankings, NFL Analysis

Amid all these NFL predictions flooding the web this week there are few certainties. But if recent history is any indication, we know for sure that at least one of this year's division winners will be a team that finished in last place a year ago. At least one team has turned the trick every year since the NFL went to the current eight-division format -- 10 teams total in six seasons. The Dolphins did it last year, the Buccaneers the year before, and the Eagles and Saints the year before that.

The reasons for this phenomenon are obvious -- overall parity, four-team divisions, a scheduling system that (basically) makes life easier for the teams at the bottom and tougher for the teams at the top. The only question as the 2009 season dawns is which of last year's last-place finishers will be among this year's division winners. We ranked all eight of them in order of their chances to continue the trend:

1. New Orleans Saints (8-8 in 2008): First place seems like an easy call. The Saints weren't bad last year. They have a big-time offense (assuming Pierre Thomas gets healthy and holds up). And you can see where each of the other three teams in the NFC South could take steps backward. Many are even picking New Orleans as division champ this year.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11): Those who like the Jags point to upgrades on the offensive line and at wide receiver, their two trouble spots from a year ago. Those of us who aren't buying it point to the Colts, Titans and Texans all also playing in the AFC South. But hey. You never know.

3. Washington Redskins (8-8): If Jacksonville's AFC South is a meat grinder, then Washington's NFC East is a bone-crusher. It takes a lot to imagine the Redskins being better than the Eagles, Giants and Cowboys. But if Clinton Portis can hold up all year and Jason Campbell takes that big leap forward and Albert Haynesworth plays as well in the first year of a contract as he did in the last...that's how these things work.

4. Buffalo Bills (7-9): The idea that anybody but New England can win the AFC East is predicated on the assumption that the Patriots somehow fall apart. Even if that happens, it's hard to see the Bills, who have spent the past couple of weeks in roster and coaching disarray, being the team to jump up and swipe the division title. But nobody saw the Dolphins coming a year ago, either. Now, if only the Bills can think up some dazzling new offensive scheme that tricks the entire rest of the league and becomes the hot trend a year from now...

5. St. Louis Rams (2-14): They were abominable a year ago, and in spite of our high opinion of Steve Spagnuolo, there's no reason to think they'll be any better this year. But the NFC West was won with nine wins in 2008, so the Rams don't have to make much of a jump to get into contention. This ranking says more about the Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers than it does about the Rams.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (2-14): Everything's new in K.C., which is great. And if the Chargers don't take off the way everybody's expecting them to, the AFC West will be there for the taking. The problem is, thanks to their offensive line, so will the Chiefs' quarterbacks. All year.

7. Detroit Lions (0-16): We believe they will be better this year. This is not a difficult prediction to make. They only need to win one freaking game, and they'll be better. But in an NFC North that might feature the three best teams in the conference, their chances of going worst-to-first look pretty dismal.

8. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Both of last year's AFC Championship Game combatants play in the AFC North. The Browns' new coach is a paranoid whack-job. They didn't know until four days before the season started who was going to play quarterback, and they still don't know who's going to catch the ball when that guy throws it. We say they're the worst team in the league. But again, the whole point of this exercise is...you never know.

Saints Top Worst-to-First Power Rankings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pocket Presence: Browns Play Mind Games With Vikings

Bruce Ciskie — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: 49ers, Browns, Buccaneers, Chiefs, Jets, Lions, NFL Quarterbacks

It's often said that a team with two quarterbacks really doesn't have any. With that spirit in mind, FanHouse will keep you updated weekly on NFL teams facing potential quarterback controversies.

There are some unusual circumstances surrounding the quarterback position as we enter Week 1 of the NFL season. There is still one team that has yet to formally announce its starter for Sunday, while others can expect to face questions about their signal-callers unless things go really, really well.

More Coverage: Is Quinn in? | Fantasy Football

Cleveland Browns: Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn

New coach Eric Mangini wiped the slate clean when he took over in Cleveland. That meant that former coach Romeo Crennel's rather ridiculous decision to name Quinn the Browns' starter for 2009 meant as much as the air it was spoken into. There would be an open competition.

Since then, Mangini has seemingly been trying to screw with the mind of Vikings head coach Brad Childress, who stands on the opposite sideline for Sunday's opener in Cleveland. Mangini thinks it gives his team an edge if no one knows who the starting quarterback will be for the Browns. Of course, this brings to mind the idea that Mangini must really think his team stinks, since he's looking for any competitive advantage he can find to offset an obvious talent gap.

Whether this is true or not, the Browns have not made an announcement, and none is planned. We have preseason games to go off of, and there are reports that Quinn got the gig. While we can't expect any official confirmation of this, it seems the Vikings will enter their game with a pretty good idea who they'll be facing.

Even if they don't, why would there be any genuine concern? The Browns don't have any depth at wide receiver, and they figure to still struggle to run the ball consistently.

Status: White-hot

San Francisco 49ers: Shaun Hill and Alex Smith

The 49ers decided to avoid Mangini's ploy, naming Hill the starter before the preseason had ended. This is going to be a running football team this season, even if Michael Crabtree signs and manages to make a positive impact.

Given the nature of this team (run the ball and play tough, physical defense), it doesn't seem as if either guy would have a long leash on the field.

The need here is for mistake-free football from under center. Hill has to manage the game, avoid taking dumb chances, and make some plays when called upon. If he's not getting it done early in the season, expect head coach Mike Singletary to waste no time seeing what Smith can do.

Status: Warm

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Byron Leftwich, Josh Johnson and Josh Freeman

It looks like a messy season in Tampa. Rookie coach Raheem Morris has named Leftwich the starter on a team full of holes. While the veteran seems to be a good, steady hand to lead this group, a bad start to the season is only going to leave him peeking over his shoulder at his younger backups.

Johnson and Freeman could both see playing time this season, and it probably isn't a good sign for the Buccaneers if they do. While the NFL's youngest head coach tries to rebuild his defense, he's also trying to avoid a revolving door at the quarterback position.

Status: Lukewarm

Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford and Daunte Culpepper

Like the Browns, Detroit has a new head coach, and Jim Schwartz has made it abundantly clear that Stafford is his guy.

"This isn't an internship, this isn't a trial basis," Schwartz said Monday. "He's our starting quarterback."

However, it's hard to imagine the Lions tanking another season, and possibly ruining Stafford's confidence, by trotting him out to play when he's clearly overwhelmed. Plus, they know Culpepper looked good throughout the offseason, and has said and done all the right things since Stafford was drafted.

If Stafford just isn't getting the job done, would the Lions consider making a change, or will Schwartz stand by his word?

Whether Culpepper wants to admit it or not, he's going to be quite peeved if Stafford is throwing two picks a game and keeps getting the starting nod.

Status: Lukewarm

Other Teams Worth Watching

New York Jets (Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens); Kansas City (Matt Cassel and Tyler Thigpen)

Pocket Presence: Browns Play Mind Games With Vikings originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Wed, 09 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lions Veterans 'Somber' After Stafford Named Starter

Bruce Ciskie — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, NFC North

No one was surprised by the announcement Monday from Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz. Most expected that rookie Matthew Stafford would be Detroit's starting quarterback, and it was likely to be sooner rather than later.

However, veteran Daunte Culpepper impressed from the start of the offseason with the Lions. Despite proclamations from many that Stafford would get the job no matter what, Culpepper worked his tail off, and he did everything he possibly could to win the job he had virtually no chance of winning.

It was that behavior from Culpepper that won him a lot of fans in the Detroit locker room. Tom Kowalski of MLive.com notes that the mood in the locker room Monday was "somber," hardly the reaction you'd expect as the Lions prepare for their season opener Sunday at New Orleans.

On the one hand, everybody can see Stafford's potential and the veterans genuinely like the kid and respect his abilities. They know he's the man of the future.

On the other hand, the veterans have grown quite fond of Daunte Culpepper and respect what he did in the offseason.

It wasn't just losing weight and whipping himself into good shape, it was the way he attacked his ambition to be a starter and how he conducted himself in the face of what most guys saw coming -- Stafford getting the No. 1 job.

Culpepper was facing extremely long odds, but he didn't back off. He was all in from day one and never wavered.

Update: Culpepper has issed a statement through the Lions, in which he pledges his full support to Stafford.

"Now that the debate is over and the decision has been made regarding the starting quarterback in Detroit, I would like to make the following statement today so that tomorrow I can put all of my energy into helping our team prepare for our opponent.

"The reason I agreed to restructure my contract in order to stay in Detroit was because I knew that I would have a chance to have a full off-season for the first time in over three years. I also knew that I would have an opportunity to finally compete against whoever the Lions brought in whether via free agency, trade or the draft. When the Lions selected Matthew Stafford first overall I was excited. My position is that if you want to be the best you have to beat the best. Coach Schwartz gave me a fair opportunity to compete for the starting job and now the decision has been made that Matt is the best quarterback in Detroit. I support the decision and I am ready to settle into my role. Matt is a great guy and a talented young quarterback. I am confident that he will lead this team to plenty of victories in Detroit for a long time to come. I look forward to helping Matt in that mission in any way that I can this year. My role as his back-up is not to be seen unless needed and not to be heard from unless required. The Lions organization has treated me with respect and class and they can expect the same from me."

There's no doubt Culpepper is in a position to start at quarterback in the NFL again. It may be a question of "when" more than "if" now. Culpepper is a backup in Detroit, but could the Lions parlay his offseason work ethic and attitude for a draft pick if someone suffers an injury at quarterback?

While some may argue that it's time to trade Culpepper now, before his attitude could possibly sour and cause a problem in the locker room, there is no reason to think this can happen.

The pricetag for his services won't change, whether the Lions deal him now or before the NFL's trade deadline in Week 6. That price will increase if someone, especially the division rival Packers or Bears, has to deal with a serious injury with their starter. Culpepper might not be a perfect fit in every offense, but his experience battling for the Lions job will give him a leg up on a bunch of guys who had no chance of being starting quarterbacks this summer.

The Lions should hold on to him ... for now.

Lions Veterans 'Somber' After Stafford Named Starter originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Carr's Words of Wisdom for Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez

Dan Graziano — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Jets, Lions, Giants, NFL Quarterbacks

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- David Carr has been where Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford are -- sort of. He knows what it feels like to be a high draft pick with huge expectations who's named a starting quarterback in the NFL right out of college. A 16-game starter on the 2002 expansion Houston Texans, Carr got to experience first-hand what Sanchez and Stafford will start experiencing for real this weekend. And it's not that he's trying to scare anybody, but ...

"If I had it to do all over again, I think I would have rather watched," Carr, now the Giants' backup QB, told FanHouse on Monday. "There were just so many bad habits I picked up that, if I'd seen another guy doing it, I don't think I would have."

More Coverage: Stafford Named Lions Starter

Of course, Carr is quick to point out that his situation was much different from the one in which Sanchez and Stafford find themselves now. The Jets aren't among the preseason Super Bowl favorites, but they're a far cry from an expansion team just trying not to get its brains beat in every week. The Lions, coming off an 0-16 season, are a closer comparison. But both teams have veterans to whom the rookie QBs can go for advice, which may be the most important thing.

"In Houston, it was tough, being an expansion team. There just weren't a lot of guys who weren't coaches that you could lean on," Carr said. "You just used the guys around you, but they didn't know any more than you did."

Carr was coming out of college, where he and his Fresno State teams were dominant enough to make him the No. 1 overall pick in that 2002 draft. In college, Carr said, they practiced a couple of hours a day and then watched film for two or three hours.

"We thought that was a lot," Carr said.

In the NFL, it's not. And his rookie year, there was nobody around to tell him otherwise. So he basically just did the same things he did in college. Once he got on the field, it became clear quickly that it wasn't going to be good enough.

"The first NFL game I ever saw, I played in," Carr said. "There were so many things I wasn't prepared for. Just realizing how teams tried to attack you -- that's new. In college, we ran the same plays every week and the defenses basically did the same things. Here ... it's not like that."

Carr was the starter for five challenging years in Houston, racking up 59 touchdowns and 65 interceptions during his time there. He's not willing to say things would have been different for him if he'd had time to learn on the job, but he does recognize that the situation probably means as much as the quarterback does in these types of equations.

"Every time I see Ben Roethlisberger, I tell him how jealous I am," Carr said. "He walked right into the perfect situation."

Things have worked out pretty well here for Eli Manning, the man David Carr now backs up. Another top pick with huge expectations, Manning did not start right away for the Giants. He served as veteran Kurt Warner's understudy at the start of his rookie season in 2004, eventually playing in nine games and starting seven that year.

"As a rookie, I think it's important to play your first year, whether you start or not," Manning said. "Obviously I can't say how I would have done if I was the starter right away, but I know I wanted to come in there and play, learn from my mistakes. You'll never know if you're getting better or doing the right things unless you get into games."

That won't be a problem for Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford, who appear set to start their first NFL games Sunday. And just because it didn't work out for Carr in Houston, that doesn't mean he thinks those two can't pull it off.

"New York might be a little better situation," Carr said. "And Sanchez, he looks like he's a good player, and he's smart, says all the right things. I think he has coaches that are smart enough to know, if the group's good enough around the quarterback, you can put him in a position to succeed."

Sometimes that happens, and you're Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco. Sometimes it doesn't, and you're David Carr. Which will Sanchez and Stafford be? We'll get to start finding out soon.

David Carr's Words of Wisdom for Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matthew Stafford Named Lions Starter

Dan Graziano — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, NFL Quarterbacks

Top draft pick Matthew Stafford will be the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions' regular-season opener Sunday in New Orleans, Lions coach Jim Schwartz announced Monday. Stafford has beaten out veteran Daunte Culpepper for the job and will join No. 5 overall pick Mark Sanchez of the Jets as a rookie starting quarterback on Day One of the 2009 NFL season.

The Stafford-Culpepper competition was, by all accounts, a close one, with the veteran Culpepper having reported to camp in top shape. He impressed the coaching staff with his mobility, arm strength and attitude during offseasn workouts and the preseason. But in several interviews with FanHouse this summer, Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan also praised Stafford, saying at one point that "you don't get the feeling you're dealing with a rookie quarterback."
"This isn't an internship, this isn't a trial basis," Schwartz told reporters at the Lions' practice today. "He's our starting quarterback."

The Lions are coming off an 0-16 season and are hoping to present Stafford to their fan base as the sign of a brighter future to come. But it could be a rocky start for the rookie, as the Lions' schedule doesn't offer much of a break in the early going. After the opener in New Orleans, the Lions return home for games against the Vikings and the Albert Haynesworth-led Redskins, then play at Chicago, home against Pittsburgh and at Green Bay before finally getting the Rams in Week 7 following their bye.

"The criteria was that he needed to be ready and he needed to be our best quarterback," Schwartz said. "And I thought in both of those cases (he was). His command of the offense is very good. His command of what defenses are doing is very good. And what he needed to do was play. I think he had a very good preseason."

Matthew Stafford Named Lions Starter originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Mon, 07 Sep 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bills Trade Ko Simpson to Lions

Chris Burke — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Bills, Lions

Desperate to upgrade their struggling and banged-up secondary, the Lions acquired safety Ko Simpson from the Bills on Friday for an undisclosed draft pick.

By all accounts, Simpson will start at safety opposite rookie Louis Delmas, assuming Simpson passes his physical and settles in before Week 1. Simpson started 15 games for Buffalo last season, intercepting two balls and making 76 tackles.

Detroit likely coughed up a mid-round pick in this deal -- a move that would be extremely worthwhile for the Lions. Before the trade, Kelvin Pearson was penciled in, hesitantly, at Detroit's second starting safety spot. Pearson has had a miserable preseason and Detroit's been actively looking to upgrade.

It got to the point that Detroit reportedly contacted Lawyer Milloy in hopes of adding him to the mix. Milloy said no, so Detroit moved on to another option -- which turned out to be Buffalo, since the Bills have Donte Whitner and Bryan Scott firmly entrenched at their safety spots, thus making Simpson expendable.

He'll be much more valuable for Detroit. The Lions gave up 234 yards passing to, ironically, the Bills in their final preseason game Thursday. But beyond that, new Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew has made a very concerted effort to bulk up his team's talent level at every possible opportunity, and this clearly fell into that category.

In case Simpson's name is ringing a bell, but you're not exactly sure why -- it might be this. On this past New Year's Eve, Simpson was arrested for reportedly hindering a police investigation, then was verbally abusive to the officers, yelling, "I'm Ko Simpson with the Buffalo Bills. I am worth millions." Good times.

Bills Trade Ko Simpson to Lions originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit Lions 2009 Season Preview: It Can Only Get Better

Bruce Ciskie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Lions, NFC North

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews ." We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Without playing a game, the Detroit Lions have matched their 2008 regular season win total. Naturally, this is an embarrassing fact, and one that Lions fans are probably sick of hearing. However, it also serves to show how easy it will be for head coach Jim Schwartz to be hailed as a genius this season. The Lions will win a game (or more!) in 2009, and Schwartz has done some things in the offseason to point this franchise in a positive direction. It's time now for the players to see the benefits of their hard work during the spring and summer.

Offense -- Since we still don't know who will lead the Lions on the field Sept. 13 at New Orleans, it's hard to get into a ton of detail about the play they'll get from the quarterback position. However, it's clear the play will be improved from last year. Veteran Daunte Culpepper might never dazzle the way he did in Minnesota earlier this decade. He's older, not as fast, and doesn't have Randy Moss to throw to. However, the starting quarterback will have Calvin Johnson. He's no Moss, but he's still a special player. Johnson caught 78 passes for 1,331 yards last year, despite being the only proven NFL receiver on the team. Culpepper is still competing with rookie Matthew Stafford for the starting job. Stafford, the first overall pick in April's NFL Draft, has been impressive in camp, but has not done enough to overcome a strong offseason from Culpepper, who lost notable weight and appears to have at least some of his quickness back. The Lions gave up sacks left and right last year, and they're counting on veteran left tackle Jeff Backus and right tackle Gosder Cherilus to hold off opposing rushers this year. The running game should be improved with a healthy Kevin Smith in the backfield. Outside of Johnson, the Lions have rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew and receivers like Bryant Johnson and John Standeford to use in the passing game. It isn't a lot, but it's better than it was. Heat Index: 5

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Detroit Lions Photos

DETROIT - AUGUST 29: Kevin Smith #34 of the Detroit Lions runs with the football against the Indianapolis Colts at Ford Field on August 29, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Colts 18-17. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Smith

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Detroit Lions Photos

Detroit Lions football fans Marcus Hill, 14, from left, Christopher Sousa, 7, and Keith Sousa waits to enter the Detroit Lions Kickoff Luncheon at Ford Field, Wednesday, September 2, 2009, in Detroit, Michigan. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Lions quarterback Daunte Culpepper arrives for the Detroit Lions Kickoff Luncheon at Ford Field, Wednesday, September 2, 2009, in Detroit, Michigan. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson arrives for the Detroit Lions Kickoff Luncheon at Ford Field, Wednesday, September 2, 2009, in Detroit, Michigan. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz talks to fans during the Detroit Lions Kickoff Luncheon at Ford Field, Wednesday, September 2, 2009, in Detroit, Michigan. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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Detroit Lions quarterback Julian Peterson arrives to the Detroit Lions Kickoff Luncheon at Ford Field, Wednesday, September 2, 2009, in Detroit, Michigan. (Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press/MCT)

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DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 29: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts calls signals at the line of scrimmage against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on August 29, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Colts 18-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Peyton Manning

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DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 29: (L-R) Dallas Clark #44, Peyton Manning #18 and Reggie Wayne #87 of the Indianapolis Colts look on against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on August 29, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Colts 18-17. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dallas Clark;Peyton Manning;Reggie Wayne

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DETROIT - AUGUST 29: Dallas Clark #44 of the Indianapolis Colts is tackled by Larry Foote #55 and Louis Delmas #26 of the Detroit Lions during the game at Ford Field on August 29, 2009 in Detroit, Michigan. The Lions defeated the Colts 18-17. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dallas Clark;Larry Foote;Louis Delmas

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Defense -- The Lions were terrible at forcing turnovers, stopping the run, stopping the pass, and keeping opponents off the scoreboard last year. Only marginal improvement is expected in all areas. Hulking tackle Grady Jackson should help defend the run, while ends Jason Hunter and Dewayne White will be expected to make noise in opposing backfields. The addition of outside linebacker Julian Peterson should be a great help, and former Steeler Larry Foote is back in his hometown to man the middle. Despite the presence of some veteran help in the secondary, the headliner is likely to be rookie Louis Delmas, a second-round pick out of Western Michigan. He had some issues staying healthy in college, but Delmas is a tough, hard-nosed player who will stick his head into the backfield. The job of Schwartz and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham won't be easy, because the talent doesn't appear to be much better than the unit that gave up an eye-popping 517 points last year. Heat Index: 4

Special Teams -- Longtime Lion Jason Hanson returns to handle the kicking duties. Last year, Hanson missed just one of 22 field goal attempts. Nick Harris was a busy guy punting the ball in 2008, but he had a strong season, and is very good at pinning opponents inside their 20. The return game was expected to get a boost when the Lions drafted Derrick Williams out of Penn State. Instead, however, it appears veterans Phillip Buchanon and Aveion Cason will handle most of the runbacks. Heat Index: 7

Coaching -- Schwartz doesn't step into an impossible situation. Work done last year in Atlanta and Miami shows clearly that even the most down-and-out franchises can return to prominence very quickly in the NFL. That both teams did it without any game-breaking gimmicks on either side of the ball (no offense, Wildcat supporters, but that isn't what put Miami in the playoffs) shows Schwartz that a no-nonsense style can work. Schwartz has scouting background, and he understands how to relate to players. Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is reunited with Culpepper. Even if Stafford is the quarterback in Week 1, Linehan should make a positive impact on this team. Heat Index: 5

Intangibles -- The Lions were 0-16 last year. Confidence isn't exactly high, and their home-field advantage won't be noticeable until they start winning ... whenever that is. For years, the Lions have been viewed as a laughingstock, and they didn't arrive at that point in just one year. It's likely going to take them more than a year to dig out of this. Players and fans are keenly aware. Heat Index: 2

Total Heat Index: 23/50 -- It looks like Schwartz and the front office are going to do their best to build from within. That means the team is likely a draft or two away from making serious noise in the NFC North. The Packers and Bears are clearly better than they were last year, while the Vikings are at least on par, if not a little better. There simply aren't many arguments in favor of Detroit winning more than three or four games, but success on the field will be measured more in the incremental improvement at positions where the Lions were simply embarrassing in 2008, along with the development of promising young talent.

Detroit Lions 2009 Season Preview: It Can Only Get Better originally appeared on NFL FanHouse on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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