So here I sit watching the Lions get stomped by the Bears (Kyle Orton is my awesome QB pick of the week for fantasy by the way) and I wonder if the Lions have any hope to improve in the next few years.  The Lions play with no passion, no drive, and hardly look like they are interested in the game.  Rod Marinelli just finally benched Kitna, only to play Dan Orlovski.  Roy Williams is blaming everything but his hands for why he isn't catching the ball.  This is sad.  I say it's time to trim some fat and let the new guys play.

First things first, fire Marinelli.  The man is lost, and has no hope of fixing this team.  At halftime Rod said "We know what we need to do we just need to start doing it".  Duh.  Even assuming the Lions as a team know what to do, there is no reason to believe they can do it.  Marinelli came in to Detroit preaching fundamentals, defense, and dedication and this team has no idea about any of them.  The tackling is the worst in the league, the defense is pathetic and the only dedication I see in Detroit is William Clay Fords dedication to Rod Marinelli.  Rod Marinelli has been hindered by Matt Millen, but the choices for offensive and defensive COs came from Marinelli and are just wrong.  Son in law can't lead a pee wee football teams defense to victory and Jim Coletto just is not O-line coordinator quality. 

Does firing Marinelli make the Lions better?  No not at all.  In fact finding an interm or even new head coach at this point in the season would be very hard.  But it again pacifies the fans, and WCF needs to do as much of that as possible.  The Lions need a GM and a new head coach.  A quaterback a new offensive line, some DBs that can tackle, I mean the list goes on.  Here is my solution.

Hire Floyd Reese as GM.  This is the guy that made the Tennesee Titans the team they are today.  He can evaluate talent, he has some kind of draft crystal ball, and he is not Matt Millen.  This man is asking for the job.  He wants to come to Detroit, and I can't imagine he is just looking for Millen like job security.  Reese must see something here in Detroit that he can work with.  I say hire him, give him 3 years and see what happens.

Find Bill Cowher and pay him whatever he asks.  Marty Shottinheimer is another option.  The guy took his last team to a 14-2 record before getting fired.  Either way you are getting a quality head coach with a proven track record.  Personally I think Cowher would be a better fit here, he is a take no #### kind of guy and that is what the Lions need.  Rod Marinelli is supposed to be that guy now, but he hasn't lived up to the hype.  Cowher will come in here, clean house and smack some heads until this team listens.  I will give WCF some credit, he sticks with a head coach until they have proven they can not get the job done, unlike Al Davis.  So give Cowher the reins, 4 years, and a GM he can work with and turn him loose.

Next on the agenda, clean house.  Kitna is worthless as the Lions quarterback, the guy is not the future here.  Trade him now while he still has some value to a team that has a shot.  The Patriots need a quarterback so let's make a deal.  Kitna has enough skill to lead a team like the Patriots into the playoffs, easily.  So get a 3rd round draft pick for him.  Hell float the conditional draft pick idea like Green Bay did with Favre.  Detroit gets a 3rd round, a 2nd round if the Pats make the playoffs, and a 1st round if they win the Super Bowl.  Even going 4th, 3rd, 2nd makes sense.  It is time for Drew Stanton to get his shot as the starter, so the team can see if he is the answer for the future.  I doubt it myself.  Stanton in the second round was one of the worst reaches I've seen in the draft in years, but the guy deserves a chance to prove himself.

Next up on the chopping block, Rudi Johnson.  Send him to Pittsburgh for a 4th or 5th round pick.  He isn't worth that much sitting on the Detroit sidelines so get what you can for him.  The Steelers are hurting for a decent RB and Johnson can fill in until FWP is healthy.

This one makes me happy inside.  Let's ship Roy Williams to Dallas for a 2nd round pick.  The Lions are going nowhere this year so why keep all this dead weight around?  Roy Williams doesn't want to stay here in Detroit, is gone in 3 months anyways, why not try to get something of value for him?  Jerry Jones would love to see Williams line up across from T.O.  Another good place for Williams is Cleveland.  The Browns are going to stick with Anderson because they spent so much money on him, so why not try to pry Brady Quinn off the bench and into the silver and blue?  Of course it's gonna cost Detroit more than Williams to get Quinn, but I think adding a late round pick would be worth it.

Those three players are the only ones on the Detroit roster that any other team is going to show interest in besides Ernie Sims, and to give him up would be insanity.  Sims is going to be the cornerstone of the Lions new defense, and I hope he is ready for that.  Personally I would like to see the Lions cut everyone but Sims, Kevin Smith, Stanton, Calvin Johnson, and maybe Gosder, and sign jobbers for the league minimum and play this year and the next.  Detroit is so #### up when it comes to the salary cap that they need two years of a 20 million dollar roster to make room to rebuild. 

This is my way of making the Lions better, even though it may take two to three years to pay off.  We need draft picks, and lots of them to make a difference.  Lemmie know what you think, any better ideas or trades out there?

Ok, I'm a die hard Lions fan who has watched them 20 years.  I've seen lows, I've seen very lows, and I've seen the 2008 season so far which is the lowest of the low.  I know pain and suffering.  I don't on the other hand start spouting off about how the Lions are back, how they are going to the Super Bowl, or other such nonsense, especially after 3 weeks of football.  I know better.  Look at last year, 6-2 to start the year!!!  Hell yes, the Lions are improved!  Wait....1-7 in the last 8 weeks?  Really?  Oh my God they are still the Lions.  I knew that Detroit had the ability to ruin a good thing, they just had to get back to the Lions football of old.  So when I see fans of teams like the Niners, Raiders, and Bucs start spewing the same old #### when their team is 2 and 1 it drives me crazy.  If I have to see one more 49ers fan post "The Gold Rush is back baby!" one more time I might hit my computer. 

Seriously.  The Niners have won 2 games so far.  Whoop de freakin do.  Lets see here.  You beat the Seahawks, who have guys who weren't drafted for pee-wee football for WRs, and the Lions, who can't tackle my grandma even if you took away her walker.  Real impressive.  So after beating the Rams am I going to have to listen to how awesome San Fransico is and how they are destined for the Super Bowl?  The 49ers have started out 2-1 after three weeks twice in the past 5 seasons and still managed to pull off an underwhelming 0-5 winning season record.  Look at last season.  After pulling off a 2-1 record after three weeks they managed to put together an amazing 8 losses in a row.  Even the Lions didn't manage to lose 8 weeks IN A ROW.  In the past five seasons the 49ers are an amazing 25-55.  Which is one less win the than Lions in that same time frame.  Kinda funny when you think about it, since everyone on earth labels Detroit the worst football team in the league.  Now I am in no way saying the Lions are better than the 49ers, because let's face it, they aren't.  I'm just saying that blind faith in a team is kind of stupid, and to cover every blog posted with "Gold Rush" comments isn't really needed.  I kinda figured out you were a fan by the name Niners4ever.  So please let it go.  Come tell me I'm wrong when they are still over .500 at the end of the year.

The Raiders.  Oh the Raiders and their fans.  Oh my god.  Seriously I get it.  You're a huge fan, the Raiders are your life.  Super.  Please stop telling everyone on earth.  The Raiders are 19-61 in the past five years.  I know there is history here, and that the Raiders were one of the Best teams ever, but please.  Let it go.  They now dwell in the same realm as the Lions, 49ers, Texans, Cardinals, and Chiefs.  Bottom dwellers.  Scum of the NFL.  I feel your pain.  You have a nutcase for an owner, we have a nutcase for an owner.  The Raiders suck, the Lions suck.  On the plus side, you don't have Matt Millen. 

Finally, Bucs fans.  SHUT UP ALREADY.  I cannot stand when Bucs fans run around here telling everyone that they are the team to beat, that the NFC South is all wrapped up, that there is no way they aren't making the playoffs.  You beat Atlanta and Chicago.  Oh and lost to the Saints.  That's talent.  Over the past 5 years the Bucs are 36-44.  That is not exactly an amazing feat when one considers the fact that they won the Super Bowl in 02.  The next 5 weeks are going to be rough with the Bucs going 1-4.  And that's if they beat Seattle.  So please Bucs fans, stop the flag waving.  We get it.

Please don't take offence to this if you are someone who has a screen name based on one of these teams.  My own name is in reference to the Lions.  I am all for showing support for your team and by God if you are a NinersFan4Life, that is fantastic.  But there is a difference to supporting your team and posting repeated comments about how super, awesome, great, Godlike, whatever your team is.  If they are that great post a blog about it, scream it off the rooftops, but don't go into a blog about two different teams, or another totally unrelated subject just to comment about your personal favorite. 

I would like to point out that there are plenty of fans out there for the Chiefs, the Dolphins, the Rams, and other such horrible teams, but they don't go around pounding the we used to be great drum like the fans I listed here.  Now please go ahead Niners fans, Bucs fans, and Raiders fans tell me how stupid I am, and how my opinion is the worst one ever put down in words.  Although if you do, you missed the point of this blog.  Sorry.

Ok, so I'm new here and I'm gonna jump in head first and start out with predictions for the league.  I'm going to start with the NFC North, firstly because thats where my Lions play, and secondly because it is the easiest to predict since I'm almost positive there are going to be at least three losing records.  The NFC  North is like the NL West, not really relevant but teams gotta play somewhere.

Detroit Lions 6-10

This one hurts.  I'd love to say the Lions are going to win 10 and make the playoffs for the first time in 4 billion years but it just will not happen.  8 of their games are against play off teams or should have been play off teams from last season.  The Lions haven't done enough this off season to make a huge difference.  Kitna is not the QB needed, and honestly Stanton isn't the QB Millen was dreaming of when he reached for him two years ago.  I love the WRs for Detroit and the running game should be at least used this year if not improved.  The defense isn't the best but if they play anything like they did the first half of last year they can make a difference.  Lions out in 6.  Again.

Chicago Bears 5-11

Chicago only has one weapon anymore and unfortunatly for them Devin Hester can't score EVERY time he touches the ball.  The defense is not nearly as prolific as it was 2 years ago, and the offense is laughable.  It is hard to say Detroit is better off on offense than anyone, but you have to admit Chicago is sad.  The QB conundrum is a joke, it is a little like choosing between having your teeth pulled without being numbed and having your foot removed awake.  Who wants either?  They let the only two people capable of catching the ball leave, and brought in people who wouldn't start on other teams.  I just don't see it this year Bears fans.  So sorry.

Green Bay Packers 8-8

The Pack is good.  Last year was amazing, and kudos to Brett for making such an amazing run.  But that was last year.  This year they are going to have to follow a man that they have seen ride pine for the past few years.  Nothing against Rodgers but he is as yet unproven.  I'm sure the Packers can pull off 8 wins pretty easily and I wouldn't be shocked to see them win more, but I just can't give them more looking at their schedule.  They are lucky in the fact that their last four games are against, for the most part, losing teams.  The Jags in week 15 are the only hitch in the end of the season road.  Grant should have a great season as Rodgers works out the kinks and the defense is solid. 

Minnesota Vikings 9-7

I'm giving the Vikes a 9-7 mostly for the fact that they play Chicago twice and that is a for sure two wins.  The run defense is going to shut down Forte and that will make the Bears fall back on Gross/Orton.  The Vikings have a huge question mark at QB that will put alot of pressure on AP, which is going to lead to an injury.  The man is bound to get hurt with the cutting and jumping he does.  The defense is going to hurt sometimes, but the D line can only do so much and I'm not enamored with the secondary on this team.  Anytime a team that can pass well plays Minnesota they might have a more difficult time than before but I don't see them shutting down QBs like Manning (either of them) or Brees.  It just won't happen. 

So there you go.  NFC North is done, with more to follow.  Feel free to bash me, praise me, or just say hi.