I despised Warren Sapp when he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, more recently I’ve been entertained and amused by his work on the NFL Network as an analyst and I now feel much gratitude to the guy for enlightening the Lions defensive coordinator.

I just recently wrote about Gunther Cunningham’s lack of creativity with the Detroit Lions defensive scheme. I wanted to see more movement from the defensive lineman. Thankfully Warren Sapp expressed those same sentiments and it seems Gunther Cunningham is listening.

Sapp criticized the Lions D-line scheme at the Super Bowl, saying that they were too predictable in how they used Suh in 2011, when Ndamukong’s sack total fell from 10 down to 4.

As an armchair QB and an overall know-nothing, even I was saying this throughout the 2011 season. I wondered why the Lions abandoned the exotic movement schemes that they unveiled in 2010. Continue reading “Ndamukong Suh To Move Along The D-Line – Thank You Warren Sapp!” »

The Lions opened up rookie mini camp Friday and their new weapon at wide receiver and NCAA all-time receptions leader Ryan Broyles is champing at the bit to hit the practice field.

It’s what you’d expect to see from a competitor of his caliber. Broyles may not have the fastest 40 time or the towering physical stature of Calvin Johnson, but he is known as a pure football player, someone with a passion for the game. From his college coach Bob Stoops to respected former General Managers and analysts, Ryan Broyles is seen as a true to the heart football player.

With that being the case, it’s no surprise that he is disappointed with standing on the sidelines in his #84 Detroit Lions Jersey and cap.

While blogging for the Detroit Lions team website, Broyles confesses that it’s hard to deal with the Lions’ careful approach.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Not being able to participate brings me back to after I got hurt at Oklahoma when I had to miss four games. I’m sitting on the sideline just so eager and competitive wanting to go in there and show what I have. I’ve been working the last five-and-a-half months to get to where I want to be. I get here and they’re pulling the reigns on me.”
Continue reading “WR Ryan Broyles Tired Of Sitting On The Sideline But Learning Fast” »

I’m an old fogey, I’ll admit it. Hi, my name is Lee Torre, I’m 34 years old and I’ve been spoiled by the GREATNESS of Herman Moore.

I’m a little pissed that the Detroit Lions have decided to adorn the new rookie WR Ryan Broyles in Herman Moore’s classic #84. I tried not to let it bother me, but deep down inside it just does.

I know the NFL chooses not to recognize most Detroit Lion’s greats from the latter half of the 20th century that aren’t named Barry Sanders, but why are our beloved Detroit Lions following suit? What the heck?!?

Judging greatness is mostly an unscientific procedure. It’s simple, you see greatness and you just KNOW that it’s greatness. Well as a young, lanky Detroit Lions fan growing up in the D, I got to see greatness, not only in Barry Sanders but in all of the 6’4″, 218 lbs frame of the velcro-handed, 3rd down ball-catching, scooping “Mitchell balls” off the turf, Lions great Herman Moore. A.K.A. # 84.

The fact that another new guy is going to wear the #84, well… I just don’t like it, and it’s not the first time Herman’s number has been given out. I didn’t like it when a scrub like Shaun McDonald wore it and I didn’t like it when a stud like Brandon Pettigrew wore it(early in his career). It’s not right.

The Detroit Lions organization needs to have more pride in their LEGITIMATELY great players of the past, if they don’t then who will?
Continue reading “Moore Disrespect? Rookie WR Ryan Broyles Is Being Given Herman Moore’s #84” »

If the Detroit Lions had passed on a cornerback in the third round of the draft, Lions fans may have stormed the streets like an angry lynch mob. Fortunately, the Lions did finally address their dire need in the defensive backfield by drafting Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Dwight Bentley in the 3rd round of the NFL draft(85th overall).

Bentley has a slight build but his fiestiness and willingness to hand-fight with bigger stronger players has been noted in scouting reports. Bentley is listed at 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds and has racked up 232 tackles, 13 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, 7 interceptions and 20 passes broken up in his collegiate career with the Ragin Cajuns.

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

During the NFL Scouting Combine, Bentley ran the 40-yard dash in 4.43 seconds. That speed helped Dwight Bentley return two interceptions for touchdowns in his senior year. He also earned All Sun-Belt Conference honors twice during his time at Louisiana-Lafayette. Continue reading “CB Dwight Bentley Picked by Detroit Lions in the 3rd Round of NFL Draft” »

The Detroit Lions have selected Riley Reiff in the 1st round of the NFL Draft(No.23 overall). The Big Brute that anchored the Iowa Hawkeyes O-line at the left tackle position was projected to be a top-15 selection by many respected pundits.

Reiff, a 6-foot-6 and 313 pound junior, was named a first team All-America by Pro Football Weekly in 2011. Some of Reiff’s other honors include third team All-America by College Football Madness; honorable mention All-America by SI.com; first team all-Big Ten by league coaches and media; fourth team All-America and first team all-Big Ten by Phil Steele as well various other honors.

Photo by Joe Robbins - Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife

Riley Reiff is widely considered to be the second-best tackle in the 2012 draft and could eventually replace left tackle Jeff Backus. Continue reading “Detroit Lions Select Riley Reiff at No.23 – Not a “Sexy” Pick But a Smart One” »

Nobody is perfect. That should be understood by each and everyone of us who is currently breathing, but perfection is not needed in order to be exceptional. In professional sports, players, coaches, team executives and team owners are judged by wins vs losses and really nothing else.

Then there are extraordinary circumstances. When the team you take over has just endured the weapon of Mass Ineptitude named Matt Millen and just posted a historically horrible 0-16 record it’s pretty easy to assume that you have a bigger task at hand than most GMs on the first day of work. But fortunately for the bruised and mentally beaten Detroit Lions fan Martin Mayhew was and is up to the task in a major way.

Martin Mayhew was promoted to general manager December 29th, 2008 after the wildly celebrated firing of “All Talk” Matt Millen and reports directly to Mr. Ford on all football matters.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I’ve sifted through Martin Mayhew’s transactions since he took over the team and picked out some of the highlights. I’ve left out some of the more obvious moves like drafting stars Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh in the top of the first round, even though he clearly still deserves credit for not screwing up top draft picks.

If you think not, let me remind you of Joey Harrington, Charles “puff,puff,pass” Rogers and Roy “first doooooown by 30 points” Williams. Even selecting at the very top doesn’t guarantee a marquee player, you must choose wisely.

There were literally hundreds upon hundreds of moves and transactions that I sifted through, you may remember something that I missed but here are a few highlights that took us from league laughingstock to league upper echelon in 3 short years after a DECADE of sheer misery. Some moves have helped long-term and some were the best that could be done at the time and definitely helped.

Here are your Martin Mayhew moves of note:
Continue reading “The Brilliance Of Martin Mayhew: GM Moves That Made a Difference For The Detroit Lions” »

Thank goodness the Lions have a smart GM that knows the true value of talented players that consistently contribute to winning.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I get so sick of slash and burn type fans that are quick to dismiss players who are clearly valuable to this football team.

You should see how (some) fans talk about Nate Burleson, as if he isn’t the highly productive emotional leader of the wide receiving corps.

Just because Corey Williams’ name isn’t all in the press and headlines doesn’t mean that he isn’t an absolute stalwart on this defensive line and another team leader.

With the Detroit Lions having the tight cap situation that they have, many have all but written Bobby Ross bus tickets out-of-town for these two integral team players.
Continue reading “Mayhew: Corey Williams and Nate Burleson Likely To Be Back With Team” »

2/14/2012 - Today Lions fans got a chance to get up close and personal with Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand by way of phone conference. I myself listened in as Tom Lewand held the conference call with Detroit Lions season ticket holders while Dan Miller mediated/hosted.

Although let me be clear, I’m quite the idiot and mistakenly hung up on the conference call halfway through it and didn’t know what number to call in order to be reconnected (the Lions call the ticket-holders to start the conference.)

That’s what I get for trying to listen to a conference call and talk with other Lions fans on my Lions Detroit Facebook page at the same time.   :-/

Anyway, enough about my buffoonery and on to the conference call with Lewand.
Continue reading “Lions In Dire Need Of Contract Restructuring To Keep Their Own Free Agents” »

Whoa, whoa, whoa…. Detroit Lions fans it’s time to have our guys’ back! Pro Football Weekly has some hate in their blood for Ndamukong Suh and I don’t like it one bit! They have the nerve to name the Lions’ star defensive tackle as the most overrated player in the ENTIRE National Football League!

Are they serious? I understand some of the fallout over Suh, I really do, I even had my own bone to pick with him but that was out of concern for him, this bull crap that these clowns are running their traps about is ridiculous!

They do know he missed two games right?

They do know the guy gets double and triple teamed on nearly every play right?

They do know Ndamukong Suh was coming off of rotator cuff surgery right?

Whether they know it or not Pro Football Weekly is just in the mood to jump on the bash Suh bandwagon and they are doing a good job of it. Check out the video for yourself…

I don’t like know-it-all outsiders bashing our guys, we’ll see how “overrated” Suh is this upcoming season. Suh simply has to stay on the field and he’s productive.

Do these dimwits even watch Ndamukong Suh play? It’s not all about the sack numbers, everybody on the Detroit Lions defensive line is a threat to make a play and they all have to share the sacks and tackles. Every year it will be someone different stacking the stats and this year it was our defensive ends Cliff Avril and Kyle Vandenbosch, and a huge reason for their production is Suh and Corey Williams in the middle eating up blockers.

Believe me “Pro” Football Weekly, we are ecstatic to have such an “overrated” D-Lineman like Suh for now and years to come. You will eat your words like Ndamukong Suh makes quarterbacks eat dirt.

It’s not the end of the world, but unfortunately for the Detroit Lions and Lions fans, the team is amongst the 5 NFL teams with the lowest available amount of salary cap space. After the new labor agreement NFL teams are now able to carry over their excess salary cap space from one year over to the next, that really doesn’t do our Detroit Lions very much good but here’s a look at every NFL team’s remaining 2011 cap space, as of today, February 12, 2012.

NFL TEAMS BY NAME & SALARY CAP SPACE AVAILABLE:

Jacksonville Jaguars:  $31.66 million.

Denver Broncos:  $27.88 million.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  $25.05 million.

Kansas City Chiefs:  $24.01 million.

Seattle Seahawks:  $21.27 million.

Buffalo Bills:  $19.29 million.

Cincinnatti Bengals:  $17.59 million.

Dallas Cowboys:  $17.14 million.

San Francisco 49ers:  $16.87 million.

Washington Redskins:  $13.6 million.

Philadelphia Eagles:  $11.01 million.

Miami Dolphins:  $9.05 million.

Cleveland Browns:  $8.98 million.

New York Jets:  $8.39 million.

Tennessee Titans:  $8.11 million.

Chicago (garbage) Bears:  $7.74 million.

Arizona Cardinals:  $7.04 million.

New England Patriots:  $6.66 million.

Baltimore Ravens:  $6.18 million.

Green Bay Fudge Packers:  $5.48 million.

New Orleans Saints:  $4.22 million.

St.Louis Rams:  $3.5 million.

Oakland Raiders:  $3.23 million.

Carolina Panthers:  $2.8 million.

Indianapolis Colts:  $2.5 million.

San Diego Chargers:  $2.1 million.

Minnesota Vikings(Viqueens):  $1.95 million.

Detroit Lions:  $1.47 million.

 
Houston Texans:  $1.08 million.

New York(worst Super Bowl Champs ever) Giants:  $1.06 million.

Atlanta Falcons:  $747,000.

Pittsburgh Steelers:  $506,000.

Look on the bright side Lions fans, we have very little salary cap space left in Detroit because we have great players, look at the top 5 teams WITH money to spend and you see a bunch of bad teams except for the Denver Tebows, oops, I mean Broncos.

You have to pay for talent and we have load of it bursting from the seams. Also remember that there will likely be contracts restructured, player cuts and even trades that can change the Detroit Lions cap situation for the better. GO LIONS!!!