This is the last year for a semi-valid opinion to be spoken in regards to Calvin Johnson, at least with any shred of credibility, so please enjoy it all former NFL wide receivers turned commentator.

As opposed to the outrage and fury that I felt when Chris Carter opened up his loud, country-bumpkin sounding pie-hole that sits under a protruding beak-nose. I am actually happy that Jerry Rice has now set himself up to be shown wrong once and for all.

This is a bit different for me because Jerry Rice was more respectful of Calvin Johnson in his assessment of his top five wide receivers and I think that has a lot to do with the way that I feel about his opinion.  The all time greatest wide receiver in NFL history (for now) has ranked Calvin Johnson as only the second-best receiver in NFL football today behind Larry Fitzgerald. Fine….that’s his opinion, but that’s all it is.

Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

The great thing about this is that you know that after this year, there will be absolutely no question in anybody’s mind as to who the greatest wide receiver in the game is today. Continue reading “Jerry Rice’s Opinion Doesn’t Change Megatron’s Reality” »

OK, so with all of the wacky tabacky issues our Detroit Lions have been going through I was a bit hesitant to use the phrase “get off the pot”. I don’t want to confuse you, but this article is not about the Ganja and I’m making no references to the sticky green. Are we clear? Good.

This is all about players who have flashed elite-level talent but that’s all they have given us, flashes. This is about players who need to show up big this year or else get classified as a SO-SO football player. I don’t have to tell you what happens to so-so football players, but I will anyway. Their team starts looking for replacements.

You might get ticked at me if one of your favorite players is on this list but don’t blame me for their consistent level of just better than mediocre! Sheesh….

Oh, and I’m leaving off all players that haven’t shown ANY flashes, like Amari Spievey for example. Players like him aren’t good enough to make this list. Sorry Amari…

On to the players watch list.

1. DeAndre Levy – The 4th year LB drafted out of Wisconsin has been a steady yet unspectacular player even though given tons of playing time at multiple positions. Don’t scream at me, I’m not saying Levy sucks. He is pretty good in pass coverage and he is a good technical player with 109 tackles to show for it last year. That’s all well and good, what…ever.

The problem with DeAndre Levy is that he simply doesn’t make enough big splash plays. Continue reading “The “Piss or Get Off The Pot” Watchlist… Detroit Lions Players Who Need To Step It Up” »

OK, let me be very clear about this so that I don’t get any crazy comments directed towards me. I’m very happy to have Kellen Moore on the team. He’s the winningest QB in NCAA history, boasting a ri-dic-u-lous 50-3 record over his career. That’s awesome and I think he has all of the potential in the world.

He could be the next Drew Brees for all I know, he could also be the next Koy Detmer as well. Whose to say?

Either way I don’t care, I just would hate for him to become Detroit’s own Tim Tebow as far as hype and unwarranted coverage is concerned.

I’m just getting a little bit concerned for my Lions fan brethren and the local Detroit sports media. An undrafted QB brought in to compete for a spot at no.3 quarterback is not truly THAT exciting. But I’m seeing the beginnings of a Tim Tebow-esque style of coverage coming around the corner and I don’t like it one stinkin’ bit.

REAL training camp hasn’t even started yet and my left eye is already starting to twitch at each unnecessary mention of Kellen Moore. Continue reading “Hoping Not To Get “Tebowed” With Media Coverage Of Kellen Moore” »

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” »

When you draft elite-level talent, your team will have highly-talented players that produce immediately and elite-level players that breakout after a delay in progression or unfortunate injuries. The Detroit Lions have had plenty producers on the field the last couple of years, but it’s really intriguing how many difference makers are waiting at bay.

Willie Young (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

I looked more into this after former NFL GM Bill Polian gave his list of 10 pivotal players in the NFL this season and sitting at #3 on that list is Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

So, before I get into our other potential season-changing breakout players for the Detroit Lions, here is what Polian wrote about Fairley:

“Fairley could be the missing piece in making the Detroit defense dominant. If the big Auburn alum can reach his potential, a trio of him, Ndamukong Suh and the emerging Corey Williams could make the Lions’ D-line extremely hard to handle up the middle and wreak havoc on the pocket (which will help an improving secondary).

I still think the Lions need more from the running back position to be legitimate title contenders, but if Fairley steps up, an already improved defense will be taken to another level.”

Although I don’t know how an 8 year veteran like Corey Williams is “emerging”, I agree with everything else Mr.Polian said.

The exciting thing for Lions fans though is that this roster is PACKED with young and talented players who could blow up this year and propel the Detroit Lions to the absolute upper-echelon elite in the NFL. You all know what that means

Here’s is my top 10 Detroit Lions players that could breakout and lead this team to greatness.
Continue reading “Detroit Lions Stacked With Potential Breakout Players” »

How did this happen? Where did the narrative that “Gosder Cherilus isn’t that good” come from?

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whether it is fans of the Detroit Lions or talking heads in the Detroit sports media, I get the sense that everybody is waiting and expecting Gosder Cherilus to be replaced at the first opportunity, especially now that LT Riley Reiff was drafted. My question for you is simple. WHY?

I don’t know what it is about Gosder, but he doesn’t seem to garner much love from fans or media even though he is a really good player. Do you doubt that? Well then, I have another simple question for you. WHY?

I don’t know whether it’s the fact that Cherilus was a 1st round draft pick that none of us expected, or that he isn’t a Pro Bowl player yet or maybe even it’s that he has a bulbous head and kinda looks and sounds like Biz Markie, but Detroit Lions fans underestimate the big guy greatly.

2010 was the make or break year for him in my eyes because he certainly had underwhelmed in his first 2 seasons. The thing about it is this though… Gosder Cherilus started playing VERY good football in his 3rd year. He was very impressive in pass blocking, he was one of our better run blockers but then he got injured against New England in the Thanksgiving Day game on November 25th 2010.

I remember thinking about how much of a shame it was that he got hurt when he was actually becoming the player he was drafted to be in the 1st round. Well evidently, some of you missed out on that observation and only absorbed the disappointment of the injury and resumed seeing him as the Gosder from years 1 and 2.

The injury Gosder Cherilus sustained required micro fracture surgery, a surgery that has ended MANY professional sports careers. It’s one of those surgeries that some guys simply can’t recover from. So going into the 2011 season, I was simply hoping that the guy’s career would continue and that he’d be able to be on the field for MOST of the season and do reasonably well.

What did Gosder do?
Continue reading “Gosder Cherilus Won’t Be Beat Out At Right Tackle” »

When it comes to Jahvid Best, I’m left only able to hope for the best, literally. And from talking with fellow Lions fans constantly, I get the clear indication that they are not expecting much from Jahvid as far as staying healthy is concerned either. But again, they are hoping for Best.

(Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Strangely enough, I found encouragement from the fact that the Lions did not feel the need to draft another running back or sign one in free agency. Clearly, even with all of their medical experts on hand, the Detroit Lions have confidence in a healthy and concussion-free Jahvid Best in 2012. But do you? Continue reading “Jahvid Best’s Health Can’t Be Trusted…Yet.” »

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” »

Ahhh, don’t you love the 20/20 view of hindsight? With so many Detroit Lions fans having their panties in a bunch(my Lion-print panties included) over the Lions current draft selections, I began reminiscing to the past years when the Lions drafts were praised and graded as an A almost across the board by fans and media.

Those were the good old days, it seemed that with each Matt Millen draft pick the excitement level would rise, along with my hopes and dreams.

How did you feel about Matt Millen drafting our savior and future Hall-of-Fame QB Joey “Heisman” Harrington? Weren’t you geeked up to get that blazing fast wide receiver named Charles Rogers out of our own backyard? He was going to be great alongside Roy Williams. Who could defend that offense? Remember?

All Talk Millen - (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who wasn’t excited about the “track team” we were putting together when Millen and the Lions drafted the speedy Boss Bailey in the 2nd round of that same draft? Speed kills had become the mantra in the D! Woo hooo!

Let’s not forget about Kalimba Edwards (known as Kalimbust Edwards in my circle of friends), Mike Williams, and 2nd round “steal” Teddy Lehman!

Most of us were sooooooo excited at these draft selections, Mel Kiper and the other talking heads patted their buddy Millen on the back until they left bruises on the guy, Millen was the draft day guru!

But then the players had to actually play. WHOMP WHOMP…. Continue reading “Matt Millen’s Draft Picks More Celebrated Than Martin Mayhew’s – Detroit Lions” »

After fully defending the Detroit Lions 1st round pick of Riley Reiff I am having a hard time understanding what the heck they are thinking with their second round draft selection. I’m not going to start throwing around the “MM word” because it’s not fair, but the Detroit Lions have shocked many Lions fans by drafting Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles with their second-round selection (54th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft.

The Lions could have had C Peter Konz out of Wisconsin, Nebraska LB LaVonte David and various cornerbacks who were available. Evidently the Lions feel that Ryan Broyles is a better football player and they went with him. Continue reading “What?!?! Detroit Lions Draft WR Ryan Broyles In 2nd Round of NFL Draft” »