Tag: Detroit Lions

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Making a case for former Detroit Lions, Billy Sims and the NFL Hall of Fame

Embed from Getty Images The Detroit Lions drafted a special running back with the first pick in the 1980 NFL draft. Billy Sims was instant superstar, rushing for 1,303 yards, scoring 13 touchdowns, and earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors, his contributions to the offense helped Detroit improve from 2-14 in 1979 the to 9-7 in 1980.

During the 1981 season, Sims built on his rookie success, rushing for 1,437 yards and scoring another 13 touchdowns. The Lions had been absent from the NFL Playoffs since 1970, but Billy Sims was able to help lead them to the playoffs in both 1982 and 1983. Unfortunately in 1984, Sims blew out his knee and had to retire.

When Barry Sanders arrived in Detroit, then Lions head coach Wayne Fontes wanted Sanders to wear No. 20 in homage to Billy Sims. Both Detroit running backs were game-changers.

His time in Detroit was indeed cut short. But during those days there was no denying the flashy, whirling dervish Billy Sims who struck fear in defenses across the NFL, was a force.

Billy Sims career stats prove he was on path for the Hall of Fame, 60 games played, 313 rushing attempts, 5,106 rushing yards, 4.5 average per rush, 42 touchdowns.

Billy Sims stats are very comparable to that of NFL Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers. Sayers career stats 64 games played, 991 rushing attempts, 4,956 rushing yards, 5.0 yards average per rush, 70 touchdowns.

One thing must be noted and stressed, Sayers played 7 seasons, Billy Sims played 4 1/2 seasons.

Yet, Sayers is in the Hall of Fame. Billy Sims should absolutely be there as well. One more thing Billy Sims was very efficient as a pass catcher. Billy Sims is still a larger-than-life Lion legend.

A former player who should be among the greats in the Hall of Fame. His numbers dictate it.

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***Breaking news*** The Detroit Lions have just hired a new defensive coordinator

Embed from Getty Images We have a developing story, The Detroit Lions have named Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs coach Cory Undlin defensive coordinator. This is from NFL insider Field Yates. A formal announcement from the Lions is coming shortly.

Cory Undlin, has been coaching in the NFL since 2004. Undlin started as a defensive assistant with the New England Patriots, the same year current Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia started in the Patriots organization.

Coaching with the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Denver Broncos, Undlin has been the defensive backs coach in Philadelphia for the past four seasons.

During his coaching career, Cory Undlin has produced mixed results with the defensive backs units he has been part of. This past season the Philadelphia Eagles secondary struggled with pass defense. To be fair, the Eagles did not have the best player personnel to work with in the secondary.

During the 2018 season Undlin helped the Eagles weather the storm of a rash of injuries to produce a solid if not spectacular secondary. This is an expected type of move for Patricia and his Lions staff.

In my opinion Cory Undlin was brought in for a couple of reasons. The primary reason being, Undlin already knows, understands and has a firm grasp of the defense Patricia wants to run dating back to their time in New England.

It goes without saying that because his background is in the secondary the Detroit Lions need to bring in a home run hire for the linebacking unit. In a move that may surprise some. Undlin really is not that far fetched.

People inside the Philadelphia Eagles organization have has internal conversations if current Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz leaves the team who would replace him, the answer was Cory Undlin.

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The Detroit Lions bring in a new special team coach

Embed from Getty Images Brayden Coombs, who worked for the Cincinnati Bengals since 2009 in different capacities, was hired Saturday as the Detroit Lions special teams coach. Coombs replaces the departed John Bonamego. Brayden Coombs joins Detroit’s staff with high regard.

In Brayden Coombs, the Detroit Lions are getting a real up and coming coach. At just 33 years old, Coombs has experience not only with the offensive and defensive side of the ball, but Coombs has also put in work as a gameday scout as well as quality control coach who helped with the offensive game plan.

When Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, chose to keep Coombs after he was named head coach it spoke volumes to just how solid a coach Brayden is.

Brayden Coombs, is viewed around the NFL as a bright, rising coach. Last season Coombs nearly landing a coordinator job in Green Bay. Detroit Lions fans should be happy he did not get the job.

On a very bad Bengals team, the special teams turned heads. The Cincinnati Bengals special teams were the best in the NFL. Finishing the season ranked #1.

The 2019, Detroit Lions special teams were anything but special. Head coach Matt Patricia prioritized special teams as a unit the Lions would like to upgrade. The Lions finished the season ranking 8th in the department. Not bad, but if there is a way to improve the team it needs to be made. So Patricia saw a clear upgrade and made it.

Brayden Coombs will have pressure from expectations he has placed on himself from his previous work. All indications are he is ready and able to meet the challenges head on.

Brayden Coombs is a very solid, very good move for Patricia and his coaching staff. To get one of the best special teams coach in the NFL is a big win for a staff that dismissed a few coach’s in order to get better.

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With coaching vacancies the Detroit Lions have work to do

Embed from Getty Images Tuesday the Detroit Lions gave six assistant coach’s pink slips. Yesterday, two Lions coach’s announced they were leaving coaching. Also yesterday the Detroit coaching staff was confirmed to be coaching the Senior Bowl. The Lions have three weeks to fill eight coaching positions in order to be able to coach the Bowl game.

The Detroit Lions will have a new defensive coordinator in 2020. Paul Pasqualoni, who  oversaw the Detroit Lions defense the past two seasons and the second worst defense this season, announced Thursday that he’s stepping away from football because the Lions said he wants “to be closer to his family.”

In more of a surprise, offensive line coach Jeff Davidson also is taking what the team described as an “indefinite leave” of absence from coaching. Davidson worked wonders for the Lions offensive line.

The Senior Bowl is widely viewed as the most prestigious college all-star game. Last year’s event showcased 40 players who were taken on the first two days of the NFL draft, including 10 first round picks and 93 drafted players overall. This year’s game is Jan. 25 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.

Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia, now has a lot of work in just three weeks. Patricia needs to find a: Special teams coordinator, linebackers coach, assistant strength and performance coach, Football performance coordinator,  Defensive backs coach, tight ends coach as well as a defensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

In my opinion, Patricia will move quickly. Really he has no other choice. It is possible he has already in mind the coach’s he would like. Coaching in the Senior Bowl is considered a serious advantage because it gives teams an opportunity to actually work with prospects and put them through drills, rather than just seeing them rip a 40 yard dash at the NFL combine or a pro day. Usually the two worst teams in the league that didn’t make a coaching change land the gig.  Detroit picks at No. 3 in the first round of the draft.

Both Patricia and Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn are excited about the opportunity to head to Alabama. Its is a golden chance to see talent up close. But before then there is work to do. Lions fans can expect to hear about new coach’s in the next two weeks.

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The Detroit Lions fire six assistant coaches

Embed from Getty Images Monday afternoon in the end of the season press conference’s  Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia said he was evaluating everything as the team fresh off a 3-12-1 season needs to be overhauled in some areas. Lions general manager echoed the same. Evaluate, think, make moves.

Tuesday afternoon The Detroit Lions announced some changes. The unfortunate outcome was six coaches received pink slips. This is what 3-12-1 looks like. Some of the firings were justified, more on that in a moment.

Tuesday, strength coach Harold Nash, special teams coordinator John Bonamego as well as four other assistant coaches were let go beginning what looks to be a rather significant offseason makeover for the Detroit Lions.

One puzzling move that was not made was defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni was not fired, not yet anyway. Heading into the 2019 NFL season the Lions defense looked as good as it has in a while on paper. But paper does not play games nor does it coach.

Monday afternoon when GM Bob Quinn spoke, he said he did not like to make excuses, but the Lions had an NFL high 18 players on IR (injured reserve.) It seemed every game at least two Lions players were being carted off the field. To dismiss, Harold Nash was probably the right thing to do.

It is mind-blowing and downright boggling Paul Pasqualoni was not at the very least reassigned a different role. The Detroit Lions had one if not the most underachieving defenses in the NFL this season. The Lions ranked 31st in total yards, 26 in points allowed, dead last against the pass and blew seven second half leads.

Watching the Lions, the linebackers were out of position often and certain players development such as former first round draft pick Jarrad Davis has stalled. Leading to the linebackers coach getting his pink slip.

Coaching is not an easy job to be sure. Bob Quinn said he expects about a 25% roster changeover this offseason. That is down from last season where the Lions were closer to a 60% changeover.

Time will tell if the changes pay off. Lions owner Martha Ford gave a playoff or lose your job next season mandate to both Quinn and Patricia. If there is no playoffs next season, there will be a total rebuild, again. Lions fans are use to rebuilds the team has been doing it since 1957. Perhaps that why Mrs. Ford wants to give it one more shot.

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Weeding through some good in a lot of bad for the 2019 Detroit Lions

Embed from Getty Images Mercifully the 2019 Detroit Lions season has come to an end. At 3-12-1 the Detroit Lions were done in by a woefully underperforming defense and a rash of injuries. The Lions were in nearly every game, but could not put teams away. That is the bad in a nut shell. So let’s take a look at some good that the team and fans can take away.

For starters the Lions actually found talent in the later rounds of the NFL draft. Rookie defensive back Amani Oruwariye, became the first Detroit Lions player since 2010 to record two interceptions in their rookie season. Oruwariye looks like a solid player moving forward.

Defensive back Tracy Walker, became the fifth DB in Lions franchise history to total 100 tackles in a season. Walker’s feat is even more impressive as he did it in 13 games played.

Danny Amendola, Marvin Jones Jr. and Kenny Golladay, had 60+ receptions for 675+ yards each. That is a franchise first.

Rookie running back Ty Johnson was the first Lions RB since 1991 to record at least 50 rushing yards in the first half of a game while averaging more than 20.0 yards per attempt.

Lions running back Kerryon Johnson recorded the eighth most rushing yards by a Lions player with 1,104 in their first two seasons. Only Detroit Lions legends Billy Sims and Barry Sanders had more.

Lions wide receiver Kenny Golladay, caught a touchdown pass in all four games against AFC teams. Golladay, totaled 5 TD catches in all. Only Lions great Calvin Johnson had more (6 in 2011.)

Speaking of Kenny Golladay, he lead the NFL with 11 receiving touchdowns. Joining Detroit greats, Herman Moore and Calvin Johnson as the only players in Lions history to post 1,100 receiving yards and 11 receiving TDs. Golladay also had 16 receptions of 25+ yards, the most by a Detroit Lions since Calvin Johnson in 2012.

Since the NFL began recording pass defenses, Lions cornerback  Darius Slay became the only player in NFL history to have six consecutive seasons with 12 pass defenses and 2 interceptions.

It is not much. But there is the good in a lot of bad. The Detroit Lions have a lot of offseason work to do, in order to put a better defense on the field. The team will pick at #3 in the first round of the NFL draft and has $50 million in cap space to make improvements.

 

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The Detroit Lions are sticking with Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia

Embed from Getty Images No one person has been more disappointed with the season the Detroit Lions have had than owner Martha Ford. Tuesday Ford and her daughter, who happens to be the  vice chair of the Detroit Lions Sheila Ford Hamp, announced they are bringing general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia back.

Surely, Martha Ford, Lions team president Rod Wood and Sheila Ford Hamp knew this would be an announcement that would rub an already frustrated fan base the wrong way.

At 3-10-1, the Lions who some believed could compete for a playoff spot are one of the most underachieving teams in the NFL this year. Whether you agree with them or not they believe the team is headed in the right direction.

It could be the Fords saw growth in Matt Patricia as a coach this year, the way he carries himself publicly and in front of his team, and they saw growth as a team in the first eight games of the season.

The Lions did look like a different team offensively in the first half of the season, before the rash of injuries began to test roster depth. Quarterback Matthew Stafford fractured bones in his back in a Nov. 3 loss to the Oakland Raiders, it is safe to say that sunk any hope the Lions had of having a successful season.

The Lions have gone 0-5 since, and have barely been competitive the last two weeks, as injuries on both offense and defense have crippled the team. Ford, Wood and Ford Hamp, seem to feel a change would be too disruptive to the deeper than expected roster and cultural overhaul they  undertook bringing Patricia in these past two years, and they believe, with some good injury luck and an offseason of impact additions, they can close the gulf between them and the playoffs.

Ford Hamp who seems to be making decisions for all parties to keep Patricia and Quinn have given them what essentially amounts to a playoffs or bust mandate in 2020. Martha Ford, insisted Patricia make changes to the coaching staff, with the focus on bringing in a new defensive coordinator. Current defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni has seen his unit fail this season. It is a unit that was thought to be a strength before the season kicked off.

This is the right move for the Ford’s to make. Otherwise, like the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings, the Lions would have been force into a total rebuild.

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Building blocks for the Detroit Lions

Embed from Getty Images The 2019 Detroit Lions season is close to being over. Mercifully.  It has been a total disaster in the Motor City for the Lions players, coaches, front office and fan base. That is the bad. For a little pick-me-up, there are some building blocks that have shown themselves in spite of a bad season.

Defensive end: Trey Flowers, limited offseason reps lead to a slow start to the season for Flowers. As the season has moved along, Flowers  has been the player the Lions expected they were getting when they signed him in free agency.

Wide Receiver: Kenny Golladay,  a true big play threat. Golladay’s rookie contract is set to expire after the 2020 NFL season when he’ll be 27 years old. If Golladay he stays healthy, he’ll be in line for a massive extension. He is worth it.

Center: Frank Ragnow, a season after an up and down rookie year, Ragnow’s performance has taken a HUGE step forward in his second season. A powerful run blocker as well as above average pass protector, it could be  argued Ragnow is Detroit’s only building block up front, unless the team resigns guard Graham Glasgow.

Safety: Tracy Walker, hindered by a knee injury off and on this season, Walker still leads the Lions in solo and total tackles, and is also top five in tackles for loss and pass breakups.

Tight End: T.J. Hockenson, Hockenson’s rookie season  is over  because of an ankle injury. While on the field T.J. averaged a paltry 21.5 receiving yards. His blocking, a selling point when is a work in progress. NFL rookie tight ends historically take a little time developing. Expect Hockenson to take a step forward next season.

Defensive tackle: Da’ Shawn Hand, while Hand does have some durability concerns,  Hand has shown positional flexibility and athleticism provide optimism if the second year defensive lineman can shake injuries going forward.

Linebacker: Jahlani Tavai, Tavai, is a second round draft pick has been an ideal scheme fit for Detroit. Tavai, has shown enough flashes he can be a very solid linebacker for the Lions unless they change coach’s. Then it depends who comes in if he still fits a would be new defensive scheme.

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Detroit Lions Kenny Golladay leads all NFL receivers in receptions of 20 yards or more

Embed from Getty Images To say this season has been rough for the Detroit Lions, is like saying water is wet. It is plain to see and a fact. Yet the Lions have found some building blocks (more on that in my next entry.) One such block is wide receiver Kenny Golladay.

Be it Freddie Scott, Jeff Chadwick, Herman Moore or Calvin Johnson, the Detroit Lions seem to usually have a very good receiver on the roster. That is the case with Kenny Golladay.

The third year wideout has emerged as one if not the best deep threat in the NFL. This season because of injuries, Golladay has played with three different quarterbacks. Has it slowed him down? NO! Golladay continues to make defenses pay downfield.

This season no wide receiver has more receptions of 20+ yards than Golladay. With 13 games played he has 19 catches of 20+ yards. One other important note, Golladay has the highest percentage of receptions at 35.8%. Kenny is ahead of the Chargers Mike Williams.

Perhaps the most interesting fact in this, is Golladay ranks near the bottom of all receivers in average separation per route run. Defenders blanket him because they know Golladay is the man who is being targeted downfield.

Golladay is a former third round draft pick who is about to post a second straight 1,000 yard season. Golladay, said he wants to sign an extension and remain in Detroit. His current contract runs through next season.

“I definitely feel like I’ve done my part,” Golladay told the Detroit media. The question is will Lions general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia be back? Or will a possible new regime come in and need to look at players and contracts?

No matter what happens, any general manager or would-be general manager can see beyond the shadow of a doubt, Kenny Golladay is the real deal. He is worthy of a new contract. I suspect he will get one.

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The Detroit Lions are rebuilding, even if no one will acknowledge it

Embed from Getty Images Do not call it a rebuild. Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn will not. Head coach Matt Patricia will not say the word either. Yet, that is exactly what is taking place within the Lions organization. The Detroit Lions have slid into last place in the NFC North standings with six straight losses and nine in their past 10 games, Patricia has referenced the “process” his team is going through.

Patricia was asked Wednesday if that (“process”) is code for “rebuild,” he simply would not associate that word with where the Lions are 29 games into his tenure as head coach.

“I don’t know. You can divide the English language however you want,” Patricia said. “I think for us, you know me, we’re just trying to get better this week. We got a lot of young players out there that are trying to get better and certainly for us, I think every season is a process.”

The 2019 Detroit The Lions are 3-9-1 and have won just nine games under Patricia, who inherited a team coming off back to back nine win seasons. Before he was brought in to coach the Lions, general manager Bob Quinn famously said he thought the Lions were better than their record under Jim Caldwell, and he was looking for a coach who could lead the team to Super Bowls.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford, Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay, left tackle Taylor Decker and wide receivers Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay, hid the fact the Lions were about to enter a rebuild. Last season’s 6-10 result was considered a minor step back to take two steps forward.

Back to this past Wednesday, Patricia would not utter the word rebuild, rather he stated the Lions are”just building.” This season was always going to be bumpy and tough, and that has been the case.

Current Fox NFL television analyst and former Detroit Lions legend, Chris Spielman, who still does a weekly spot on the teams official website said, “I think the Lions as an organization made a decision to rebuild. It’s like renovating the house. Sometimes you’ve got to tear it down to the studs. They’re changing what type of team they are and it’s my opinion that you have to be a little bit patient with that. I have numbers to back that up.”

I do not think Quinn or Patricia should be fired. There is enough evidence the suggests the Lions are on the right path.