Detroit Lions: Thoughts from the West Coast

Gasp! I lost my ranking as the No. 2 writer of the Detroit Lions!

Ah well, part of the reason is there has been so much written about these guys, I find it hard to write something new about them. And editorials about them can only go so far. I don't write a lot about breaking news, I'm more of an analyst regarding this team. 

There have been countless articles about their historic 0-16 season. For the few psychopaths out there that actually read my articles, you know my position is that it happened, the season is over, let's move on. 

But make no mistake, I have been a fan of this team for a very long time. I have gone through numerous one-, two-, and three-win seasons. Watching the Lions go winless last year was indeed painful.

But as dismal as the season was, we do have some good things to point to.

1. Matt Millen was finally fired. I wish I could have been back in Detroit when the news broke. I probably would have gone to Sinbad's Restaurant with a bunch of friends and had a good old time. And, suffice to say, I'm sure that Bill Ford, Jr. was everyone's favorite Ford at the time.

2. Calvin Johnson. 1,331 receiving yards and 12 TD's despite having 5 different QB's throwing to him. A talented receiver who desperately needs better talent around him to put up even better stats.

3. Kevin Smith. In 12 starts, he gained 976 yards, achieved a 4.1 yard per carry average and brings an element of toughness that has been lacking on the offensive side of the ball. He grabbed the starting spot because he wanted it...and by all indications, he won't give it up without a fight.

4. The hiring of Jim Schwartz, Gunther Cunningham and Scott Linehan. I know that many fans wanted a big name coach. However, Bill Cowher made it abundantly clear that he wasn't going to coach in 2009. 

My feelings are that the hiring of these three by Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand gives the Lions the best coaching staff since the days of Joe Schmidt.

5. Trading Roy Williams to Dallas for multiple draft picks.  Martin Mayhew, with this one trade, did better to position the Lions to improve than Matt Millen ever did in his eight seasons. Again, many fans wanted to bring in a big name General Manager such as Floyd Reese or Scott Pioli. But William Clay Ford, Sr. stuck to what he knows best and promoted from within.

I favored Reese but Mayhew has been making some good moves.  Sure, the release of Mike Furrey was a head scratcher but if he isn't fitting in to the future of the Lions, he isn't fitting in.

I am looking forward to what the future holds for the Lions. What will be the most telling of how they will do is how well they draft. Will they take Stafford or Sanchez? Indications are they aren't going to go after a QB, not after re-signing Culpepper and also having Drew Stanton on the team. 

Kitna & Orlovysky are probably going to be released but that will free up even more cap space for better talent say free agent DE Albert Haynesworth?

Will they go after a left tackle to improve the line? Mayhew did have a passing conversation with Backus about moving to guard but nothing more than that. Backus stated in the Free Press that Mayhew asked about him moving to guard, Backus asked why and Mayhew responded that there were a lot of talented tackles in the upcoming draft. Backus didn't seem opposed to the idea but we'll see what transpires.

Will they go defense? If by some miracle they do get Haynesworth, they should go after the best middle linebacker available, either Rey Maualuga from USC or Ohio State's James Laurinaitis, both who would complement OLB Ernie Sims nicely  

So there ya have...thoughts about the Lions from a West Coast slant.