dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted December 30, 2013 Black Monday. I will say we should thank Schwartz for at least changing the culture somewhat and making the team at least competitive. I'm just surprised their record wasn't better now considering how fast he and Mayhew made the team competitive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted December 30, 2013 He did do a lot with the team. He took them out of the cellar and into the main floor. Now we need someone who can get them to the penthouse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
haroldsnepsts 4,826 Report post Posted December 30, 2013 Black Monday. I will say we should thank Schwartz for at least changing the culture somewhat and making the team at least competitive. I'm just surprised their record wasn't better now considering how fast he and Mayhew made the team competitive. If he simply could've gotten them to stop taking so many idiotic penalties they likely would've picked up another win or two. From ESPN: In their past two seasons, when their talented roster should have been blossoming, they produced an NFL-high 67 turnovers along with the league's 11th-most penalties (210).Over the past five years, the Lions allowed their opponents more first downs via penalty (160) than all but one team. Their total of 565 penalties and 156 turnovers, along with a turnover margin of minus-31, all ranked 30th in the league. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted January 4, 2014 My ex-bf (loyal Vikes fan) likes to pull my leg. He just sent me a text that the Lions had hired Matt Millen as the new head coach. It was a joke, of course, but given that this is the Lions we're talking about, I did check the website to be sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LeftWinger 4,953 Report post Posted January 14, 2014 Lion's once again forced to make the wrong hire....Jim Campbell. Get ready for another coaching change in 5 years, this guy is barely over .500 as a head coach, took Super Bowl team in the Ravens as a OC and they missed the playoffs...this guy cannot coach his way out of a wet paper bag. But with the two guys the Lions wanted flipping them the proverbial bird, they had no choice but to hire the guy that John Wooten chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation told them would be the best choice...in other words, when Lovey Smith went elsewhere, the next African American should be the Lions coach. He even said there needs to be more minority coaches in the NFL. So, they don't get their man in Whisenhunt, they succumb to the pressure's of racial organizations and hire the totally wrong guy...but then again, who else wants the Detroit job? This guy inherits all his accolades (which aren't that good anyhow.) He is said to help lead Peyton Manning to the Super Bowl, yet Peyton was already a superstar QB, Caldwell stumbled onto a Super Bowl team. He took the Ravens (Super Bowl Champs) and led them to miss the playoffs and have a 29 out of 30 ranked offense...Super move Mayhew, keep hiring people due to outside pressures, what's next hire a son-in-law for an OC or DC? Oh wait.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted January 15, 2014 Lion's once again forced to make the wrong hire....Jim Campbell. Get ready for another coaching change in 5 years, this guy is barely over .500 as a head coach, took Super Bowl team in the Ravens as a OC and they missed the playoffs...this guy cannot coach his way out of a wet paper bag. But with the two guys the Lions wanted flipping them the proverbial bird, they had no choice but to hire the guy that John Wooten chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation told them would be the best choice...in other words, when Lovey Smith went elsewhere, the next African American should be the Lions coach. He even said there needs to be more minority coaches in the NFL. So, they don't get their man in Whisenhunt, they succumb to the pressure's of racial organizations and hire the totally wrong guy...but then again, who else wants the Detroit job? This guy inherits all his accolades (which aren't that good anyhow.) He is said to help lead Peyton Manning to the Super Bowl, yet Peyton was already a superstar QB, Caldwell stumbled onto a Super Bowl team. He took the Ravens (Super Bowl Champs) and led them to miss the playoffs and have a 29 out of 30 ranked offense...Super move Mayhew, keep hiring people due to outside pressures, what's next hire a son-in-law for an OC or DC? Oh wait.... I disagree that race was a player in this. I think Caldwell was the next best choice as he filled the requirements that Mayhew/Lewand wanted as the next coach. Whisenhunt was the guy they really wanted all this time. They went ahead with the interview process with a few coaches which included Caldwell, patiently waited through the playoffs until the Chargers were eliminated and the Ford's had their private plane ready to leave for San Diego... then suddenly Whis decided to coach for Tennessee :/ I'm honestly not real excited over this hiring, but I'll point out the good and the bad. To start with the bad, which everyone I've seen thus far has been falling back on, is his college record and his last season in Indianapolis. A lowly 26-63 at Wake Forest. But I don't care much about that, it was back in the 90's and for the last decade and a half he's been coaching in the NFL. His last season with the Colts which was the season Manning was out for, they went 2-14. I must also point out that this year as the Raven's OC they had the 29th ranked offense. Now for the good which people should look at. He's regarded as an offensive mind. He spent most of the 2000s under Tony Dungy as a QB coach/OC and he's widely respected by players. He has 2 Superbowl rings as an OC, 1 with the Colts in '06 and 1 with the Ravens last year where he was credited as helping Flacco have that great year that eventually got him that massive contract. He also took the Colts to the Superbowl in his first season as their HC (and without Marvin Harrison) in '09 but lost to the Saints. He also has a lot of playoff experience. It should also be noted that as his teams have always been tops in the league in least amount of penalties, so we should see more consistency that wasn't there when Schwartz was coach. One thing I want to point out about that awful 2011 season: I don't put as much fault on Caldwell as I do on management for the way they built that team. It's known that the starting QB gets most of the reps during practice, and when you have a QB like Peyton Manning, he got nearly all of the reps if not all of them IIRC. So when Manning was out of the season and you throw in your backups like Painter and *cough* Orlovsky (anyone remember him???) on top of an average-for-years defense, the results won't be good. Couple that with a drunk owner that wanted to clean house, it'll result in an early departure. So I just wanted to say I don't think people should be mad about the hiring when there wasn't really any strong candidates. I personally wanted Whisenhunt, but I'm not upset about this hiring, just not really excited. I am kind of excited that Caldwell's bringing in Bill Lazor, Eagles OC, to be the Lions OC, which I think he'll be more effective than Linehan (OK, wayyyyyy more effective), considering what he did with Foles. He's also firing Cunningham and bringing in someone else I don't know, Teryl Austin. I guess he's had lots of experience, mainly with the secondary which people have desperately wanted improved, so we'll see how that goes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Inultus 12 Report post Posted January 15, 2014 Lazor is apparently going to Miami. http://www.freep.com/article/20140115/SPORTS01/301150105/bill-lazor-detroit-lions-miami-dolphins Good luck getting the Chiefs assistant HC to be our OC. http://www.freep.com/article/20140114/SPORTS01/301140117/detroit-lions-jim-caldwell-staff I'm excited for change but I'm not sure yet. I do like that this guy supposedly works well with QBs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted January 15, 2014 Yeah just read about that. That's what I get for believing in ESPN's lazy reporting that Lazor was going to be the Lions OC. Colts QB Coach Clyde Christensen is also a name thrown out. Is your comment about Cully meant in a good way or a bad way? I don't know about either candidates to be honest but I think I'd side with Cully since he's under the Holmgren tree line if that still counts for anything. One thing I'm not liking is Caldwell is bringing in Ron Prince to supposedly replace Jeremiah Washburn. That's one guy I don't want to see go from the previous staff since I felt the OL was their biggest strength for once. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Inultus 12 Report post Posted January 16, 2014 In spite of how the Chiefs finished I don't see Culley coming from there to here unless he was offered a HC job. Ron Prince has yet to prove himself in my book. But, it's all about chemistry I doubt we will know how the team is until we see them play again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumpkinEscobar 136 Report post Posted January 17, 2014 Lion's once again forced to make the wrong hire....Jim Campbell. Get ready for another coaching change in 5 years, this guy is barely over .500 as a head coach, took Super Bowl team in the Ravens as a OC and they missed the playoffs...this guy cannot coach his way out of a wet paper bag. But with the two guys the Lions wanted flipping them the proverbial bird, they had no choice but to hire the guy that John Wooten chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation told them would be the best choice...in other words, when Lovey Smith went elsewhere, the next African American should be the Lions coach. He even said there needs to be more minority coaches in the NFL. So, they don't get their man in Whisenhunt, they succumb to the pressure's of racial organizations and hire the totally wrong guy...but then again, who else wants the Detroit job? This guy inherits all his accolades (which aren't that good anyhow.) He is said to help lead Peyton Manning to the Super Bowl, yet Peyton was already a superstar QB, Caldwell stumbled onto a Super Bowl team. He took the Ravens (Super Bowl Champs) and led them to miss the playoffs and have a 29 out of 30 ranked offense...Super move Mayhew, keep hiring people due to outside pressures, what's next hire a son-in-law for an OC or DC? Oh wait.... Caldwell is a better hire than Whisenhunt all day long... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Joe Lombardi will be the OC, per Chris Mortensen. https://twitter.com/mortreport/status/425629845591048192 Someone from another forum I lurk around on posted this: May be the only time we get to say we got a Lombardi. Some are ecstatic, most don't know much about him, like me. I do like that he was under Sean Peyton, probably the most creative offensive minded coach in the league presently, so hopefully this hire is a good hire for Stafford and the offense. I'll have to read up more about Lombardi when I get some free time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumpkinEscobar 136 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 Spent last 7 seasons working with Brees so I'll take it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted January 22, 2014 (edited) Teryl Austin aims to install aggressive, multiple-front defense http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2014/01/detroit_lions_coordinator_tery.html I'm pretty happy about this. I'm not a big fan of the bend but don't break type of defense for this team and would like to see a defense that has different looks, confuses offenses, and more blitzes that creates more opportunities for turnovers. I am left wondering, however, if this means we may see a transition to a 3-4 in the future or if Austin will apply his body of work around the 4-3. Edited January 23, 2014 by dropkickshanahans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hockeytown0001 7,652 Report post Posted January 23, 2014 This is a good hire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Inultus 12 Report post Posted January 29, 2014 I'm liking he hires that have been made, especially on the offensive side. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyemeryhunter 2,747 Report post Posted January 30, 2014 All younger innovative guys with head coaching potential. And we have a Lombardi. That's gotta be good juju. I don't know much about the new wr coach prince, but I'm confused as to why Herman Moore hasn't ever came up in the discussion for that job. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumpkinEscobar 136 Report post Posted January 30, 2014 All younger innovative guys with head coaching potential. And we have a Lombardi. That's gotta be good juju. I don't know much about the new wr coach prince, but I'm confused as to why Herman Moore hasn't ever came up in the discussion for that job. because Moore is too busy running all his Cinnabons 1 jimmyemeryhunter reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmyemeryhunter 2,747 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 because Moore is too busy running all his Cinnabons That's probably true. And its hilarious. Kudos to you sir. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DickieDunn 2,571 Report post Posted February 3, 2014 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest midnightpulp Report post Posted February 3, 2014 Really, Seattle wins this SB with any other game manager QB. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted February 4, 2014 Congrats to the Seahawks. We Lions fans understand what it's like to never have won a Superbowl. This gives us hope. Maybe someday it'll be our turn. Kudos to the Broncos for continuing to play at their best even when the game was out of reach. I can understand wanting to throw in the towel, but it's a testament to their character that they didn't. The Seahawks would probably have intercepted it anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PumpkinEscobar 136 Report post Posted February 9, 2014 This new coaching staff has me interested. Can't wait for free agency and the draft Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted February 13, 2014 Lions let go Delmas and Burleson. I was kind of liking Delmas and was fond of Burleson. Too bad, especially considering that Burleson redid his contract to be cheaper in order to stay in Detroit. (Source: Lions website.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) Saves the team nearly $12 mil. I'm sad to see Nate go, he was a reliable receiver and a good veteran leader. I was hoping the Lions would turn around and resign him to the veteran minimum but according to Burleson's agent, he's not coming back but will look to play elsewhere. Delmas I'm not too surprised about; I did feel he made the defense a little better but he wasn't living up to his contract IMO. I also noticed the Lions are going to keep Cunningham. His new position is Senior Assistant and will be focusing on personnel. Edited February 13, 2014 by dropkickshanahans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dropkickshanahans 463 Report post Posted March 13, 2014 Very good signing: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/03/12/lions-reach-five-year-deal-with-golden-tate/ He has some of the best hands in the league (144 catches out of 149 in his career), and will put up better numbers in the Lions' offense compared to Seattles'. Great compliment to CJ on the other side of the field. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
