Schwartz showing a lack of tolerance for poor play -- how refreshing!

Good article by MLive.com's Tom Kowalski today outlining that for all of Coach Jim Schwartz's other qualities -- he seems to be an intelligent, confident, forward-looking coach who isn't overwhelmed by his new position -- he also possesses something new General Manager Martin Mayhew has shown as well: ruthlessness.

When a Lions player isn't getting the job done, Schwartz doesn't tell us he'll need to check the film to make sure his eyes worked on Sunday; he makes changes to the lineup. The latest is taking underperforming Aaron Brown off kick return duties and installing fellow rookie Derrick Williams -- and essentially putting Williams on-notice to perform or else.

But that's only the latest such move by Schwartz, Killer notes. Others have included:

* After signing Phillip Buchanon to a 2-year, $8.5 million contract with the expectation he would be a starting CB, Schwartz has replaced Buchanon in the starting lineup with journeyman Will James. James has played solid, consistent football and made it difficult to take him out of the lineup, Schwartz said. But this also has to do with how Buchanon's been performing, and it's interesting that his contract isn't saving him. Writes Killer: "Buchanon didn't just slide to the nickel back position or even the dime -- he's at the bottom of the depth chart. For two games now, he has seen only time on special teams."

*LB Ernie Sims, a first-round pick, could be losing more and more playing time to third-rounder DeAndre Levy; as could veteran Julian Peterson, who was signed in the offseason with fanfare and high expectations. Why? Levy's simply getting the job done better.

*Left guard Daniel Loper practiced with the first-team offense almost all of training camp. He's been replaced as a starter by Manny Ramirez.

*S Kalvin Pearson gave way to Marquand Manuel, who gave way to in-season signee Ko Simpson, as Schwartz continues to look for solutions on the other side of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month Louis Delmas.

Noticing a pattern here?

There's a fine line between accountability for your play and too much of a revolving door leading to no continuity or improvement. But as Killer points out, a lot of coaches talk tough, then don't back it up. Schwartz seems willing to back up his talk with action.

"I've never been known as a patient person," Schwartz said. "There's a fine line between staying the course and being on the right track and then going the other way and continuing to do the same things and not having results and expecting things to change. It's my job to recognize that.

"We keep putting the same people in the same positions and the job doesn't get done, so we need to make a change. Either put players in a different position, or put different players in the same position."

Talk about it in The Den!

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Rave reviews for Stafford continue to pour in

A no-look pass?

Rookie QB Matthew Stafford apparently threw one in practice recently, faking out both LB Julian Peterson and the pass's intended recipient, Calvin Johnson, Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver reports.

Lions officials and players are having increasing difficulty remaining cautious and measured when talking about Stafford and his immediate prospects:
* Peterson - "As rookies go, he’s way ahead of the curve."
* Calvin - "He doesn’t even look like a rookie. He picked up the playbook very quick; he’s a smart kid. He looks very, very comfortable out there."
* Head Coach Jim Schwartz - "There is no debating that everything about him has been very, very impressive."

There is nothing to be gained by anointing Stafford the starter -- Schwartz wants everybody competing -- HARD -- for their spot in the lineup, and there are four preseason games to come on which to additionally measure the players.

But the thing is, Stafford is competing hard. He's playing and acting like he wants to start Game 1. He's showing things that indicate he's not just the Lions' best option at QB, but may be something special even looking from a league-wide view.

Better hone those clipboard-holding skills, C-Pep.

UPDATE: Finding these similar old quotes about Joey Harrington from around the time he was drafted gave me a much-needed dose of perspective.

The bottom line is, Stafford's looking good; he needs to keep it up in preseason game situations and the starting spot could be his through simply earning it.

They're talking about it in The Den!

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Peterson: Avril can be elite pass-rusher

New Lions LB Julian Peterson said he looks forward to teaching DE Cliff Avril his pass-rushing tips, Nicholas Cotsonika reports at Freep.com.

"I'm just letting him know he has the talent to be one of the better pass rushers in the league," Peterson said at Lions training camp. "He has a good frame -- not the biggest guy, but strong enough to hold his weight and fast enough to be like a linebacker, too.

"It's good to have him out there turning the corners, bending the corners, because most tackles are scared of speed, and he possesses a lot of it."

Avril is one of those Lions who's shown flashes that he can be more than good. It's possible he's got a major breakthrough in him. Peterson -- who's been around a little -- seems to recognize it, too.

Discuss in The Den!

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Niyo: 10 hot Lions topics heading into training camp

Lions writer John Niyo of the Detroit News lists 10 hot Detroit Lions topics heading into the start of training camp. I won't list them all here (follow the link to see them all), but a couple that caught my eye:

So, who are these guys, anyway? It's way too early to suggest the 2009 Lions can repeat the feat of the 2008 Dolphins. Miami rebounded from a 1-15 finish in 2007 to win the AFC East and make the playoffs last winter under rookie head coach Tony Sparano. And the key was a Bill Parcells-led purge that saw 27 new faces on the Dolphins' 53-man roster to begin last season.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew is on a similar pace, with nearly half the players from last year's Week 1 roster (25 of 53) already gone -- and others sure to follow in the next six weeks. Mayhew has made five trades since last October, claimed seven players off waivers since the start of free agency in late February, and signed 27 new players, not including draft picks, since the end of last season. In short, he's trying to, as new head coach Jim Schwartz puts it, "take advantage of being crappy."

When you stop and quantify it like that, there really has been a lot done to try to turn over last year's awful team. Many of us were calling for a major roster overhaul to start the road back, a la the Dolphins or the Saints under Jim Haslett years ago. We sort of got that -- and like Niyo said, with more to come.

But who'll emerge as a playmaker on defense? There simply wasn't one last season, though defensive end Cliff Avril showed promise as a rookie. The Lions finished 2008 with a NFL-low four interceptions, with only one by a defensive back. Not surprisingly, the secondary is almost all new, and free-agent cornerback Phillip Buchanon, along with rookie free safety Louis Delmas (Western Michigan), will be counted on to make a big splash.

So will the revamped linebacker corps, with Julian Peterson and Larry Foote helping to free up Ernie Sims. And while the addition of Peterson, a five-time Pro Bowler, may have been the team's biggest offseason move outside of the draft, the more noticeable difference could be schematic.

The answers will all start to become clearer -- for better or worse -- very soon.

Discuss in The Den!

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Training Camp Battles: Linebackers

The linebacker corps provide something of a break as we stroll through the position groups in the week before training camp. This is the only position on the team that actually resembles an NFL-caliber group, with solid veteran starters backed up by promising young players. Detroit will probably go into the season with 7-8 linebackers and many roster spots are already relatively secure.

Julian Peterson. The prize acquisition from this past offseason, a five time Pro Bowler including the last three years in Seattle. He figures to play three downs and to be the pressure linebacker from the strong side. He may occasionally line up with his hand in the dirt. Chance of making roster: 100%

Ernie Sims. Sims is a bit enigmatic, struggling the last couple of years after a promising rookie season. Still, he is only 24 and there is a good argument that his problems stem more from being required to do too much, rather than any particular talent issues. This will be an interesting year as we see whether he can develop into an above average linebacker or not. Chance to make roster: 100%

Larry Foote. The third part of the starting triumvirate, he'll steady the middle and make plays. I'm not quite as excited as many by Foote, but he represents an upgrade and the matador run defense that Detroit featured the last couple of seasons should at least be slowed a bit. Chance of making roster: 100%

Jordan Dizon. Another disappointing linebacker from last season, and another strong argument that he was misused, when he was used at all. Lots of promising news about him out of the OTAs leads me to expect him to play a significant role, and eventually take some time from Peterson. Chance of making roster: 95% (you never know)

DeAndre Levy. The heir apparent to Foote's spot in the middle. As a third rounder on a rebuilding team it would be a major upset to see him cut. Nate wrote an article after the draft, part of which really illustrated the difference in philosophies between the Marinelli defense and the Schwartz defense.

Typically, the middle linebacker is considered the quarterback of a defense. However, under defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, the "MIKE" position would have no more responsibility than any other position.

As Schwartz put it, it's not a very "mentally taxing" position.

“Quite honestly in our defense that’s not that big a deal," said Schwartz. "It’s not that big of a difference between an outside player and an inside player. It’s not like a quarterback on offense and maybe a tight end or something like that. Everybody on defense is responsible for making calls. It’s not one person that makes every call over there, so it’s not as big of a concern.”

Of course, we all recall that last year Dizon wasn't allowed to play because somehow Marinelli's defense was too complicated for a rookie. Apparently it was also too complicated for eleven veterans and half a dozen coaches as well, but I digress. Chance of making roster: 90%

Cody Spencer. With the release of Alex Lewis, Spencer is the lone veteran backup fighting for a spot. His experience and special team skill should give him an edge in landing one of the last 2-3 spots. Chance to make roster: 70%

Zack Follett. Guy is already developing a cult following but the fact remains, he's a 7th round pick and facing an uphill fight to win a spot. My heart says that he will be just crazy enough to land a special teams gig. Chance to make roster: 49%

Curtis Gatewood. Gunther and Karm thought enough of Gatewood to claim him from Kansas City so we have to figure he'll get a fair look. Accrued a half dozen games of special team time last year with the Chiefs. He's a classic tweener, a defensive end in college who is too small for the position in the NFL but who lacks the kind of athleticism and instincts to be an effective linebacker. It is doubtful he can ever develop past special teams. Chance to make roster: 25%

Darnell Bing. Entering his fourth NFL year and has been activated for exactly one game, registering one special team tackle. Holdover from '08 it is hard to see Bing finding a role, considering neither Oakland nor San Francisco nor Detroit have thought much of him so far. He has the hitting and coverage skills to be a nickel backer, but at this point he's filling out Safeway applications. Chance to make roster: 10%

Spenser Smith. Rookie FA our of Eastern Michigan he isn't competing for a roster spot. Converting from DE to LB, he will be lucky to get a year on the practice squad. Chance to make roster: 0%

I have a hunch that the Lions will continue to watch the waiver wire closely throughout the summer. While there is good reason to be excited about the first five linebackers above, there is plenty of room for improvement after them.
Tomorrow I'll wrap up the tour with a review of the Lions' brutal secondary.

Discuss the article Here, in The Den

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The Pain Train is coming

According to Adam Caplan, the Lions have signed seventh-round draft choice Zack Follett to a three-year deal.  Known as the “Pain Train” to his Cal teammates, Follett has said that he patterns his game after the original Pain Train, Terry Tate. 

Coming out of Clovis, CA as a four-star recruit—the 40th-ranked linebacker in the nation--Follett immediately made an impact at Cal with his speed and aggressiveness.  Playing in every game as a true freshman, he had 32 tackles and 2 sacks.  As a sophomore, he only started one game, yet lead the team in tackles for loss (12.5), tied for the team lead in sacks (5.5), led the Pac-10 in forced fumbles (4), had 62 total tackles, and was honorable mention All-Pac 10.  As a junior starter, he was second-team All-Pac 10; again with 12.5 TFL and 5.5 sacks, plus 64 total tackles.  However, his season was interrupted by a neck stinger, caused by the aggravation of a bulging disc discovered in high school.  Just prior to his senior season, Cal switched to a 3-4 alignment, partially to maximize Follett’s explosive, attacking style:

I would say they were successful. Follett finished fourth in the Pac-10 with 10.5 sacks.  He also led the Pac-10 in tackles for loss (23) and forced fumbles (5).  He was named first-team All Pac-10, in a conference rife with NFL linebacking talent.  He was also MVP of the Emerald Bowl after racking up 9 tackles (8 solo), four of them for losses (-33 yards).  That also includes two sacks, one of which forced a fumble.

As easy as it is to get pumped about Follett’s amazing hits, huge plays, and passion for football, there are several drawbacks to his game.  Follett’s far from a complete linebacker; he was asked to do little more than blitz in college. He lacks the coverage skills to be a traditional 4-3 strong side OLB, and there were multiple reports from minicamp that he’s having difficulty picking up Gunther Cunningham’s scheme.  While it’s tempting to compare his skill set to OLB Julian Peterson, a more apt comparison would be former Buckeye and Patriot Andy Katzenmoyer, whose explosive highlight-reel hits in college failed to translate into excellent all-around play in the NFL . . . and whose career was also sidelined by neck stingers.

Follett’s only saving grace may be that he won’t be asked to be a traditional strong side OLB; the Cunningham-Schwartz scheme will feature a lot of blitzing, as high as forty percent of snaps.  If Follett can prove to be a situational threat when blitzing, and a special teams demon, he could yet make the roster—and be the next against-the-odds fan favorite, in the mold of David Kircus, Greg Blue, and “Blue” Adams.

Discuss it here, in The Den!

Julian Peterson Joins a "Deadbeat Club" and Gets to "Roam If He Wants To"

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As reported this morning by Tom "Killer" Kowalski of MLive.com, the arrival of Julian Peterson gives the Lions a lot of options with the former first rounder out of Michigan State.

Football fans have a tendency to lock players into a certain position. Yet, more and more, coaches are doing more and inventive things with talented players. Troy Polamalu gets to walk up to the line of scrimmage any time he wants. Jason Taylor can play any number of positions in one game.

With the Lions, Peterson offers the same amount of versatility. If the goal on 3rd down is to provide the maximum amount of pass rush. Expect to see a defensive line bracketed by Avril and Peterson.

With coaches wanting to use Dizon as a nickle linebacker, the biggest question will be who pairs with him. Larry Foote is a tackling machine, but doesn't have the range needed in pass coverage. Ernie Sims is a talented young player but has never shown the versatility Schwartz craves. Peterson is the obvious choice but if Sims and/or Foote step up, Peterson may end up seeing even more time as a defensive end.

And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks!

DISCUSS IT IN THE DEN!

Sims: Foote, Peterson "are going to be leaders of this defense"

From Carlos Monarrez at Freep.com, Ernie Sims said he's already developed a great chemistry, on and off the field, with new Lions LBs Larry Foote and Julian Peterson.

"Those guys, they aren't like me. They done been to Pro Bowls, they been to Super Bowls. They know what it takes to be successful and win games in this league. And you've got me on the other hand. I just know one thing: to play hard and make plays. So when you put those two together you've got great chemistry."

Sims is only 24 as he prepares to enter his fourth NFL season. On the heels of a difficult season, he could be defensive, threatened or perhaps even nonchalant about the new company he's keeping on the linebacker corps. But he isn't.

Sims knows he can learn a lot from Foote, 29, who has two Super Bowl rings, and from Peterson, 30, who has been to five Pro Bowls.

"They've got the experience," Sims said. "They know what it takes to be successful. They're going to be leaders of this defense."

My take? Sims is one of a handful of Lions for whom this is going to be a very, very important season. The new coaching staff will feel no special reason to give him the benefit of the doubt, and keep him out there if he's not performing.

I do not expect Schwartz to keep running Sims out there like Marinelli did last year, if Sims performs like he did last year. Sims this season can either reestablish himself as a young up-and-comer or disappear down the depth chart.

Discuss in The Den!

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First Look at the New Lions

The Lions’ new coaching staff has had some chance to evaluate their holdover stock, and their new acquisitions, through OTAs, film sessions, quarterback school, independent weight-room work, etc.  Moreover, up until this point, the rookies and veterans have been segregated—rookies against rookies, vets against vets.  This means that the key rookies are competing against dozens of “camp fodder” guys that almost certainly won’t make the team—and the veterans aren’t playing with or against several players who are sure to see plenty of playing time.

Now, however, the Lions’ new staff—charged with the Sisyphean task of making the worst team in the history of the NFL competitive—will get their first look at the complete, overhauled, roster today.  Since there won’t be any live TV, live radio, scoreboard, box score, or any other traditional metric of football success, Lions observers looking for concrete improvement will have to focus on a few key areas:

• Calvin Johnson vs. Cornerbacks: One of the only absolutes on the Lions roster is Calvin “Megatron” Johnson.  The 6’-5” wideout managed to haul in 78 balls for 1,331 yards and twelve scores last year--despite subpar quarterback play, and a lack of complementary threats to keep defenses honest.  It is probable that he'll be successful against both free agent CB signee Patrick Buchanon, and CB Anthony Henry, who came to the Lions via trade.  However, whether he is merely “successful”—as opposed to “unstoppable”—could reveal whether the Lions’ secondary can slow down the likes of Bernard Berrien and Greg Jennings . . . or not.
• Interior OL vs. Interior DL: The Lions have struggled for the better part of a decade to find stalwart guards to bracket smart, gritty veteran C Dominic Raiola. This offseason, the Lions re-signed Stephen Peterman, brought in Titans T/G Daniel Loper, claimed ongoing reclamation project Toniu Fonoti, and signed a pair of tackles--Ephraim Salaam and Jon Jansen--all of whom could compete for the two starting spots.  Peterman is the returning starter on the right; the Lions think his game is more suited to this run-first offense than the outgoing Martzian zone scheme.  Loper, who came to Detroit with Schwartz, has the inside track on the left guard spot—though his 6’-6”, 320-pound frame makes him a more natural tackle.  All will compete against an extremely young and raw defensive line.  With FA acquisition Grady Jackson taking most of the summer off to keep his legs fresh, fourth-round rookie Sammie Hill and second-year vet Andre Fluellen will get a lot of reps in this minicamp.  Both are athletic, yet extremely raw prospects.  Fluellen looked good in what very little time he played last season, but has been asked to bulk up in this new defense.  Hill needs little bulking up at a lean-looking 330 pounds--but having played for tiny Stillman College, he has nearly zero coaching in fundamentals or technique.  How these two fare against the rotating cast of outsized veterans will show how much the Lions have improved a run defense that allowed over 2,700 yards rushing in 2008.
• The linebacking corps: What was the Lions’ greatest weakness in 2008—the linebackers—just might now be their greatest strength.  A trade brought former MSU Spartan Julian Peterson in from Seattle, and Steelers run-stuffer--and Detroit native--Larry Foote, came home after becoming a cap casualty in Pittsburgh. Adding third-round rookie DeAndre Levy to returning starter Ernie Sims and second-year vet Jordon Dizon, the Lions’ new-look LB corps features a lot of speed and athleticism.  In coordinator Gunther Cunningham’s new blitz-heavy scheme, the Lions will be asking these players to create a lot of pressure—and in turn, relieve a lot of pressure from the defensive line and secondary.  Given the Lions’ well-documented troubles in pass protection, word from camp should be that these linebackers gave the offensive line fits—if not, the Lions’ defense could again lack fangs come autumn.

There will be many other interesting positional battles waged, and the performance of many other players will be closely watched--of course, all eyes will be on Matt Stafford and Duante Culpepper.  However, determining when in the next 12 months Matt Stafford will take over won’t answer the real questions surrounding this team: Can they run?  Can they stop the run?  Can they rush the passer, and can they cover opposing wideouts?  The answer to at least some of these questions being "yes" will be the keys to the Lions winning . . . well, any games in 2009.

Discuss it here, in The Den!

Kowalski - Alex Lewis could be crowded off roster

Who ever thought they'd see the day where the Lions would have a logjam at linebacker? But it's shaping up that way, and that may bode ill for Alex Lewis, Tom Kowalski says on MLive.com. Killer makes the argument that Lewis was misused in the Millen era -- asked to step in as a starting strong-side LB and stop the run when he was performing well as a backup specializing in pass coverage. Says Tom K.:

The linebacker position is one of the most rebuilt spots of the off-season. Not only did the Lions go out and get a couple of starters in Julian Peterson and Larry Foote, but they drafted two linebackers (DeAndre Levy and Zach Follett) and brought in some solid free agents (including Curtis Gatewood and Cody Spencer). Lewis will find the competition tough because second-year player Jordon Dizon is proving to be very effective in pass coverage and the younger Gatewood, a former defensive end, could be stronger on special teams.

Talk about it in The Den!

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SI writer: Lions on road to respectability

Sports Illustrated.com football writer Damon Hack has a column called "Spoiler Alerts" in which he looks ahead to the 2009 season, arguing against conventional wisdom. And while the expectation is that the Lions won't sniff .500 this year, Hack's "spoiler alert" is that they will be vastly improved. "New coach Jim Schwartz need only look south to Atlanta to see what a first-year head coach and rookie quarterback can do together. Winning doesn't come easy in the NFL, but it can come quickly," Hack states. He later adds:

Like the Miami Dolphins after their one-win 2007 season, the Lions have turned over their roster in an attempt to shed the remnants from their winless season. (Heck, they even created a new logo!) Linebacker Julian Peterson and defensive tackle Grady Jackson are instant upgrades. The secondary looks better, too, with Phillip Buchanon, Anthony Henry and Eric King, who played under Schwartz in Tennessee. We're years away from a parade here, but maybe only a few months from respectability.

And he didn't even mention Larry Foote. Agree? Disagree? To The Den with it!

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