Thoughts From The Win

It's still a lot early to process the game and there were a lot of things happening. This won't be the first post on the game and certainly won't be the best analysis but here were a few of my takeaways.

I wasn't at all confident that Washington was a very good opponent for the Lions right now. Not that I think there are very good, in fact the opposite. I think they are terrible and are due for a collapse this year for a number of reasons. Even so, some of those things have already been exposed and that team was circling the wagons. I expected the Lions to break the streak by catching a team napping. This was far better, they caught a team fully prepared and whipped them.

Stafford was fine. Unlike last week, when he hit a lull he didn't go crazy and melt down with a series of bad decisions. While it isn't a cumulative stat, it is notable that his passer rating today was greater than his ratings of the first two weeks combined. I expected that the coaches would beat him up for ignoring Bryant Johnson the first two weeks. Maybe the interception in preseason on the pass to Johnson robbed Stafford of any faith he had in the guy. Regardless of the reason though, Stafford was convinced to go to Bryant repeatedly and it paid off well, even allowing for a drop by Bryant in the first half. The touchdown to Johnson as well as the 2nd down pass to Will Heller in the 4th quarter were the two most important signs of growth in Stafford that I have seen yet. Instead of trying to force the ball in Stafford put it up and trusted his receivers to make plays. I believe that the touchdown in particular would have been an easy interception only two weeks ago. There were a few misses, but overall this was the Big Step I've been expecting from Stafford, and this game restores much of my faith in the decision by Schwartz to start him.

Kevin Smith was brilliant and if he misses significant time it will be a real blow. While the offensive line blocked well the entire game, it is hard to overlook the difference in production between Smith (16/101) and the rest of the running backs (17/21). While the reality of things won't be that dramatic, the numbers do reflect the quality that Smith brings to the position.

The Lion defense was the key to the win. Unlike the first two games, Detroit held the opposing quarterback to a fairly average game. Combined with a run defense that continues to be effective they were able to slow Washington enough for the win. Schemes tend to win on defense, and Detroit demonstrated this today with their relatively anonymous group of contributers. Something called Kevin Hobbs was the Lions' third leading tackler, need I say more?

On the other hand though the game that Detroit played today would not be good enough to win in most weeks. The Redskins did as much to lose as the Lions to win, even going down to the decision in the last few seconds by Zorn to take no shots at the endzone. Washington committed the only turnover and it was unforced, the blocking by their offensive line was very sketchy, their play-calling seemed to lack much cohesion, they committed almost 100 yards of penalties. None of this is to detract from the Lions' accomplishment, they took what the Redskins gave them and did what they had to do. It is, however to point out that this was more the type of win that poor teams are able to nab a few times per year, not nearly the type of win that good teams carve out weekly. There is still plenty of work to do.

The milk-carton WR corps -- time to worry?

No Calvin Johnson. No Bryant Johnson. No Dennis Northcutt. No Brandon Pettigrew.

This is becoming an issue.

Though I've criticized rookie QB Matthew Stafford's performance against the Browns, to be fair, it's difficult to impossible to judge the passing game when your top FOUR targets are out, and have been out for weeks now.

This will absolutely affect the offense early in the season, and probably lead to losses in the early part of the year, if it continues.

Sure, Calvin will be Calvin. But there will be no cohesion to the passing attack because they've had so little time together on the field.

None of the injuries is said to be so serious that any of the four is expected to miss a large amount of time. And yet it's been week after week without the group working together on the practice or playing field.

If this extends on into the third preseason game against the Colts game, it's time to get real worried.

They're talking about it in The Den!

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WR an unsettled -- and unsettling -- lot for Lions

And you thought you could just chew your nails over the lines and defensive backs.

As Grand Rapids Press Lions writer Brian VanOchten notes, despite Matt Millen's attention there year after year, other than All-World Calvin Johnson, wide receiver remains the position most lacking depth for the Lions.

There's Calvin and newcomers Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson, who still hasn't played after he fought the golf cart and the golf cart won. There's last year's free-agent pick-up Keary Colbert too. After Calvin that's a "less-than-enthralling group, to be sure," VanOchten writes.

The others vying for a job are even less impressive -- Demir Boldin, Adam Jennings, Bobby Sippio, John Standeford, Derrick Williams, Eric Fowler and Kenneth Harris. Williams, a third-round pick, hasn't exactly set the world on fire.

Maybe someone will emerge in the preseason games -- but don't count on it. It wasn't just the jumble of mediocre QBs throwing to Calvin that made his numbers amazing last year. Megatron had no complement at WR pulling attention away from him. The second-leading receiver on the team last year, the departed Shaun McDonald, had 1,000 fewer yards than Calvin.

The best hope for making things better, it seems, is if Brandon Pettigrew emerges as a reliable receiving threat down the middle of the field.

Discuss in The Den!

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Jackson, Bryant Johnson miss start of camp with undisclosed maladies

Tom Kowalski at MLive.com reports that DT Grady Jackson and WR Bryant Johnson have missed the start of training camp today:

Jackson, a 12-year veteran defensive tackle, was placed on the Non-Football Illness list with an undisclosed health problem. Bryant, a seven-year veteran receiver, was placed on the Non-Football Injury list with "non-orthopedic" injuries suffered in a golf cart accident last month.

Lions general manager Martin Mayhew would not reveal details, other than to say he expects both players to be back "soon."

With Jackson I figure it's a veteran big guy who wants to limit how much preseason pounding he takes, also known as "Jerry Ball-itis."

The Bryant Johnson thing is potentially more concerning. Killer writes that the injuries, while not involving torn muscles or broken bones, "appear to be a long way from healing and recovery could be a lengthy process." Though it doesn't seem like Mayhew or Schwartz are that worried about it.

I had a horrifying thought run through my head today -- what if Calvin Johnson suffered an injury that required him to miss time? (Heaven forbid, knock on wood, etc.)

The Lions might have the worst receiving corps in football were that to happen.

Discuss in The Den!

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Calvin Johnson Getting Love

There's only a few things the Detroit Lions should carry over from last year's 0-16 team.

But consider Calvin Johnson and his 1,331 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns among them.

Johnson's fantasy value was discussed in a recent article in the Detroit Free Press, and not so surprising, the third-year receiver is considered one of the top fantasy players for 2009 -- regardless of who is tossing him the pigskin.

"If his hands become a little more consistent, which they should, there's a good chance Johnson will be the top-ranked WR when it's all said and done this year," writes Matthew Lutovsky of the Sporting News, who rates Johnson as the team's only five-star player. "Don't be scared away by either Daunte Culpepper or Matthew Stafford throwing the ball to him."

The article, which more or less relied on the Sporting News for all of its fantasy prognostications, also listed running backs Kevin Smith and Maurice Morris, receiver Bryant Johnson, tight end Brandon Pettigrew and kicker Jason Hanson as fantasy draft worthy talent.

DISCUSS FANTASY FOOTBALL, AND MORE DETROIT LIONS TOPICS, IN THE DEN MESSAGE BOARD

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Can Bryant Johnson find a home in Detroit?

Will the Detroit Lions be the ideal destination for WR Bryant Johnson or just another place where it doesn't seem to work out?

That's the question MLive's Tom Kowalski asks.

Johnson seemed on his way to good things in Arizona, Killer points out. Then a draft pick named Anquan Boldin turned out a little better than expected.

Then it was on to San Francisco, where Johnson never seemed to thrive in Mike Martz's complicated system (and the Niners' muddled QB situation didn't help).

Says Killer:

Now that he's in Detroit, Johnson is hoping to benefit from playing opposite of Calvin Johnson, who should move into the elite class of receivers this season. Bryant Johnson still has the speed to get downfield and all of his experience in the slot has improved his play over the middle.

Other factors that should help Bryant Johnson get more opportunities with the Lions are the addition of rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew and free agent slot receiver Dennis Northcutt - who will both put more pressure on the defense - and a greater emphasis on the running game.

In the past few years, teams didn't respect Detroit's running attack so they could play two-deep zones and not worry about receivers on either side of the field. If the Lions can run the ball with any effectiveness, one safety will have to drop into the box. The other safety will have to shade Calvin Johnson and now the field opens up more for Bryant Johnson.

Uh, Tom? Calvin should move into the elite class of receivers this year? I believe he did that last year.

Bryant Johnson will get every opportunity to move into a role in Detroit like T.J. Houshmandzadeh had in the best years of the Cincinnati Bengals' passing game. It's pretty much on him.

Discuss in The Den!

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A Peek Across The Lake

A couple of national columnists devoted space to the Vikings and Packers today so I thought I would take a minute to share and weigh in.

Rick Gosselin points out that the Packers have the most returning starters in the NFL with 20, losing only Mark Tauscher - by choice - after he closed the season on IR. This is pretty bad news for the rest of the North as Green Bay had awful luck last year, scoring 40 more points than they allowed in a 6 win season. They should bounce back strong, particularly considering the youth on the team. Gosselin notes:

The Packers may be on to something by trying to keep this current team together. Green Bay endured those struggles last season with the youngest roster in the NFL at an average age of only 25.5 years.

Despite all that youth, the Packers defeated 12-4 Indianapolis and NFC North champion Minnesota, fell in overtime to 13-3 Tennessee and blew fourth-quarter leads in losing four other games. Green Bay had the talent to compete in 2008 but lacked the maturity to close out opponents.

The continued development of a young playmakers – quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Greg Jennings are both 25 and running back Ryan Grant is 26 – and an overhauled defensive approach has coach Mike McCarthy believing his Packers can return to Super Bowl contention after a year's absence. Green Bay won 13 games in 2007 and hosted the NFC title game.

Gosselin also mentions that Detroit leads the league in '08 starters no longer on the roster with 9 departures.

In Kevin Seifert's NFC North blog, Seifert predicts that Percy Harvin will be the division's 'breakout' player of the year.

Vikings coaches seem prepared to load him with as big of a role as he can handle -- using him at all three receiver positions in spring drills, as well as a kickoff returner, punt returner and at quarterback in a new Wildcat formation.

In fact, Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has added some 15 plays to the Vikings' playbook in anticipation of Harvin's unique skills. "We are up there [in meeting rooms] trying to diagram everything we can," Bevell said.

Okay, for one thing I object to the idea that a first round rookie could ever be a 'breakout' player. Breakout typically implies some years laboring in obscurity before suddenly taking play to a superior level. But I really object to the idea that a rookie wide receiver could be that guy. Harvin may be different, but the fact is that rookie WRs typically do not have great production their first year.

Just look at the best WRs of the decade. Holt, Harrison, Owens, Moss, Fitzgerald and Smith (I apologize if I am overlooking anyone obvious). Of that group only Moss had a great season, making All Pro on a team that set an NFL record for scoring. While many of the others had good years that illustrated their future greatness, none broke 1000 yards receiving or 10 TDs. The Lions' own Calvin Johnson had 49 receptions his first year.

If Harvin can stay clean and healthy I expect him to be an outstanding receiver and playmaker. I believe he is a tremendous talent. But I really don't expect that talent to begin to manifest itself before the last half of '09 at the earliest. There is too much for receivers to learn in the NFL. There are too many adjustments to make.

Getting back to the question of which player in the NFC North is most likely to break out, I probably would just throw that open to discussion. On the Lions my best guesses would by either Bryant Johnson or possibly Jordan Dizon, if he is forced into the lineup. As for the rest of the division? I have no good guesses.

Discuss it Here in The Den

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It's on now

A mandatory 3-day minicamp for the Lions begins today in Allen Park. And as Nicholas Cotsonika at Freep.com reports, the competitions for jobs begin in earnest now.

Previous weeks have been preoccupied with veterans learning the new coaching staff and its wants; rookies getting caught up; and the Lions' front office turning over to a great extent the largely atrocious roster from last year's 0-16 season.

Coach Jim Schwartz has pointed to this minicamp -- the end of the off-season program -- as the time to start making it count, Cotsonika says.

The battles won't begin in full force until camp opens in late July with the players in pads. The players will be in helmets and shorts this week. No hitting.

Things I'm looking to see:

1. How much do OLs Ephraim Salaam and Jon Jansen have left in them? Enough to push Gosder or even Backus? Or at least to be very strong backups? The problems last year weren't just Backus' and Gosder's inconsistency. It was a lack of quality depth, the inability to rotate in effective players as the starters got tired. If Salaam and Jansen show something -- even if they don't unseat the starters -- the Lions might have a much better rotation available to them in the second halves of games this season.

2. How much better will the Lions' secondary be this year? (It can't be much worse.) With two new CBs -- Phillip Buchanon and Anthony Henry -- and highly touted rookie S Louis Delmas.

3. Will one of the veteran WRs -- Bryant Johnson or Ronald Curry -- emerge as a legitimate threat on the other side of Calvin? It's incredible what Megatron accomplished last season with no other Lion receiver seriously taking any pressure or attention off of him.

Discuss in The Den!

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Watch out, NFL: Calvin's planning on a better season than last year

Chrissy Wywrot at DetroitLions.com had a good long talk with Lions WR and all-around stud Calvin Johnson, who says he's looking to improve this year. That means improving on more than 1,300 yards and leading the league in TD catches, despite having multiple mediocre QBs throwing to him and no real help to take pressure off him from his fellow receivers.

“Every year I just want to go into the season thinking, ‘Just do better than you did last year and you’ll be okay.’ I don’t ever put any specific numbers up for myself, but as long as I feel I’ve done better than I did the year before, it was a successful season.”

Calvin also praised the addition of veteran WRs Ronald Curry and Bryant Johnson.

“It’s been great. There are some skill areas that everybody needs to work on and those guys would definitely be the first ones to tell you, ‘Hey, if you do this on this route, you’ll win.’ “They’re always giving little hints and tips and stuff like that so it’s been a great addition. I feel like they know what they’re doing, so it’s been good for the whole group.”

Bryant Johnson gave the love back, saying Calvin is mature and a hard worker, always striving to improve, and that rubs off on other players. A better supporting cast almost has to help Calvin Johnson. And if he does improve on last year ... ooh, man. Discuss it in The Den!

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