Hiring Pats' Pioli would give Lions instant credibility
If owner William Clay Ford is interested in reshaping the Lions' front office after this season, he might have a chance to land a big-name executive with impeccable credentials who would give the franchise instant credibility.
Scott Pioli, vice-president of player personnel for the three-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, might be interested in being a franchise's top executive under the right circumstances.
The operative word is "might" -- no guarantees. But it would be worth a phone call, at the appropriate time, for Ford to find out if Pioli would consider running the Lions.
It is fishing season for the Lions right now, even with snow on the ground. They are fishing for their first win, after Sunday's 31-22 loss at Carolina dropped their record to 0-10. And the Lions' hierarchy, and those who follow the team, are fishing for answers regarding the future of the franchise.
In that regard, pursuing someone of Pioli's status requires the qualities of a good fisherman -- patience, and the right bait.
The potential of the Lions' pursuing, and landing, Pioli, a rehash of Sunday's loss at Carolina, the Lions' tattered run defense and the best and worst of the NFL in Week 11 are among today's issues:
1. Pursing Pioli: There is a buzz on the NFL pipeline that the right opportunity could entice Pioli to leave the Patriots. Being top man in a franchise could qualify. The only higher jobs are ownership, and NFL commissioner, and those jobs aren't open.
Pioli and Patriots coach Bill Belichick first joined forces when Belichick hired him as a pro personnel assistant in Cleveland in 1992. Pioli came to the Patriots in 2000, the year Belichick was hired as head coach.
The word on Pioli from an NFL contact with platinum-plated credentials is that he is a happy, loyal employee in New England and is not actively seeking another job -- but he'd be willing to listen to an offer.
2. Credentials: Pioli, 43, has a flawless resume. He has been voted NFL executive of the year three times -- after the 2001, '03 and '04 seasons -- and has kept the talent pipeline flowing for Belichick, with draft picks and veteran free agents.
In the 2007 draft, Pioli made moves with draft picks that landed wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and a first-round pick from San Francisco that was used in the 2008 draft to take linebacker Jerod Mayo of Tennessee.
Mayo is a leading candidate for NFL defensive rookie of the year.
Pioli has gotten gems on the lower rounds -- quarterback Tom Brady on the sixth round in 2000, and quarterback Matt Cassel on the seventh in '05.
Cassel, who had not started a game since high school, stepped in when Brady went out with a season-ending knee injury in the opening game this year and has been productive.
Linebacker Mike Vrabel and safety Rodney Harrison were free agents signed under Pioli's watch.
Just as important, the Patriots cut ties and did not overspend for their own players whose contracts expired. A prime example: They let offensive lineman Damien Woody depart in 2004, thinking they'd gotten his best years. They were right. He got $9 million to sign with the Lions and never produced at a high level.
3. The bait: Money and authority attract talent. Ford gave Matt Millen money and supreme authority when he hired him as president in 2001. He can do the same for Pioli or anyone else.
4. The Pioli tree: The Atlanta Falcons have improved their fortunes since hiring Thomas Dimitroff as general manager. He worked under Pioli in New England. The Falcons have hired Mike Smith as head coach, drafted quarterback Matt Ryan and signed free-agent running back Michael Turner. They are 6-4 and have the nucleus of a solid team.
5. Why Detroit? The perception close to home is that no one would want to come to Detroit, and that's logical considering the 0-10 record this year, and the fact that the Lions have had two winning records (9-7 in 1997 and 2000) in the last the last 13 seasons.
But around the NFL, the perception is different. Ford's ownership style gives management people what they want -- support in terms of money and other resources, time to prove themselves, and Ford doesn't interfere.
Also, the Lions have stability. They are part of the NFL's old guard, and that carries weight. So does the Ford name.
6. Holmgren's view: Mike Holmgren, retiring after 10 seasons as head coach in Seattle, had a first-hand view of the Lions as head coach of Green Bay from 1992-98.
I was in Seattle after the 2005 season, covering the Seahawks as they prepared for Super Bowl XL in Detroit. Holmgren likes to talk football, and one day we had a discussion about the Lions and their problems
"I always wondered why that didn't work," Holmgren said, referring to the facilities and support from Ford.
7. The odds: I'd rate the reality of hiring Pioli at 10 percent.
Martin Mayhew has been effective since Ford promoted him to general manager after firing Millen.
However, in terms of establishing credibility and enthusiasm for next year, the Lions would get more out of hiring Pioli than any other front-office move short of hiring Bill Cowher as head coach -- or trading franchises with the New York Giants.
8. TV talk: Fox network analyst Tony Bosellli was harsh on Lions safety Kalvin Pearson as the Panthers rushed for 264 yards. Boselli was especially critical on a 56-yard TD run by DeAngelo Williams, when Pearson barely waved at Williams when he broke through a hole.
"Kalvin Pearson has to do a better job," Boselli said. "You can't just run up there and flail."
9. Radio talk: Dan Miller, the Lions' play-by-play radio voice, referred to a "cavalcade of missed tackles" in his post-game summary.
Dapper Dan was being charitable. The Lions weren't close enough to miss tackles.
10. Marinelli's challenge: Coach Rod Marinelli challenged reporters to find better players for him in a post-game exchange Sunday. I'm offering linebacker Jordon Dizon, No. 57 -- stuck to the bench. Paris Lenon has been the Lions' best linebacker all year. After Lenon, the rest are interchangeable, including Ernie Sims.
11. Best of the best: The Titans (10-0) and Giants (9-1) have the league's best records. In a Super Bowl matchup, I'd take the Giants. They have better balance on offense.
12. Worst of the worst: The Chiefs (1-9) and Lions (0-10) have the league's worst records. In a Draft Bowl matchup, I'd take the Lions to win. The Chiefs and Lions are each 1-17 in their last 18 games -- but the Lions' win was over the Chiefs, 25-20 in Week 16 last season.
Hail to the Chiefs -- worst of the worst.
(c) Copyright 2008 The Detroit News. All rights reserved.
Studs and Duds Week 10: Thomas Jones Had To Be So Heartless
Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.
Here's Week 10 at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.
Studs
Thomas Jones, RB NY Jets (26 carries, 149 yards, 3 TDs) -- Three weeks ago the Jets looked absolutely dreadful, losing their third of four games and having people question just about every decision they'd made (i.e., Brett Favre). Well thanks to Jones, who has scored in three straight, all victories, New York looks like they could sneak in the playoffs and play the role of team you wouldn't enjoy seeing on the opposing sidelines. In the largest victory in Jets history, Jones found holes in a pitiful Rams defense and decided to hang out in the end zone three times. Mr. Jones, how does it feel to be the AFC leading rusher?
Brandon Jacobs, RB NY Giants (22 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs) -- What, you think Jones is the only New York running back who can have a game? Jumping in the air not withstanding, Jacobs has turned into the toughest running back in the league, pummeling defenses like they were a college team out of Washington. While Eli Manning has had a couple of decent, not great, games, Jacobs has picked up the slack and continues to have the Giants winning games over tough opponents.
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB Jacksonville (11 carries, 70 yards, 3 TDs) -- You could blame a lot of the Jaguars' problems on their rushing attack this season. Jones-Drew has found his name on the other side of this list because of his lack of a presence, but not this Sunday. The bowling ball bounced off defenders, celebrating in the paint three times and keeping a slight shot at making the postseason in Jacksonville's grasp if they can get hot. The career high for Jones-Drew helped the Jags to their highest scoring total of the season by more than two touchdowns. Novel concept -- score points, win games.
The Week of the Tight End -- Honestly, we could have a "Stud: Tight End" category this week with all these crazy numbers. Tony Gonzalez, Bo Scaife, Todd Heap, Kellen Winslow, Dallas Clark, Kevin Boss, Antonio Gates, Dustin Keller, Daniel Graham and John Owens all found the end zone, with Tony Sheffler pulling in four catches for 92 yards without a score on Thursday. If you were wondering why your receivers weren't posting any touchdowns, it's because the tight ends were stingy this week. Obviously this paragraph is looking past the fact that Jeremy Shockey has hands made up of Acme brick.
Duds
Sage Rosenfels, QB Houston (294 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs) -- I've decided to coin the phrase "Pulling a Sage" for anybody who has ever replaced somebody great with somebody not so great. You know, we all have that buddy with the beautiful, funny, intelligent girlfriend who he eventually dumps for the girl who looks like a walking bacterial infection. Well, that would be pulling a Sage. I think if I was Matt Schaub, I'd ask the Houston beat writers to avoid using the term "Texans quarterback" with Rosenfels just so people don't think the two play the same position.
Trent Edwards, QB Buffalo (12-for-23, 120 yards, 2 INTs) -- In the Bills' five wins, Edwards tossed five touchdowns to only two interceptions. In their current three-game losing streak, he's reversed that number, throwing five interceptions and taking the Bills from playoff lock to hopeful destination of Matt Stafford.
Marc Bulger and Trent Green, QB St. Louis (combined: 11-for-23, 135 yards, 1 fumble, 2 INTs, 1 hit referee) -- Yeah, the Rams are terrible, and a lot of that blame can fall on the quarterback position. These two gems combined for such a bad game I felt the need to include both parties. How bad was the game for the Rams? Head coach Jim Haslett said after the contest, "It was embarrassing. That was bad football all the way around. I can't even describe it." I can -- u-g-l-y.
Eagles' Play-Calling -- Granted I've never been that big of a Donovan McNabb fan, but the guy was molded for plays like the last one in the Sunday night game. Third-and-3 with the game on the line, the Eagles decide to run the ball on a defense that gives up yards like a homeless guy gives up quarters. Fourth-and-1 was the same play call, a Brian Westbrook run that seemed to be sniffed out before McNabb yelled "hut." You know the decision-making is bad when your star is questioning it to reporters after the game. "I want the ball, but the coaches felt we can run it for the yards." The only problem is the coaches were the only ones who thought so.
Near Studly -- Matt Ryan, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Joe Flacco, Jay Cutler, Willis McGahee, Kerry Collins, Will Blackmon, Adrian Peterson, Peyton Manning and Clinton Hart.
Near Dudly -- Aaron Rodgers, Daunte Culpepper, Jake Delhomme, Drew Brees, Marshawn Lynch, Steve Slaton, Ben Roethlisberger, and Rex Grossman.
(c) 2007 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.
League Suspends Chiefs Running Back Johnson for a Game
Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was suspended for Week 10 by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Johnson was already deactivated the last two weeks by Kansas City and will not play this Sunday against Tampa Bay. He will miss the Chiefs' game at San Diego next weekend under the NFL's suspension.
Johnson was charged Monday with simple assault for spitting his drink in a woman's face on Oct. 10. He is not permitted on the team's premises until Nov 10. The suspension will cost him about $147,000, or one game check.
PACKERS COMMIT TO RODGERS The Green Bay Packers made a long-term commitment to quarterback Aaron Rodgers, signing him to a contract extension through 2014. Terms were not disclosed.
"I'm very excited knowing that my future is going to be here in Green Bay," Rodgers said.
Rodgers, the Packers' first-round pick in 2005, spent his first three years as the backup to Brett Favre. In seven games this season, Rodgers has completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,668 yards and 12 touchdowns with four interceptions.
JETS' SAFETY SMITH OUT Jets safety Eric Smith will not play against the Bills in Buffalo. Smith sustained his first concussion of the season Sept. 28 against the Cardinals, and after the Jets' bye and his one-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit with Anquan Boldin, Smith sustained a second concussion against the Raiders.
The Jets were criticized for allowing Smith and receiver Laveranues Coles, who both have a history of concussions, to play last week against the Chiefs, after both sustained concussions against the Raiders. Coles was not limited in that game. But the Jets took out Smith after halftime. Tight end Bubba Franks (hip) and linebacker David Harris (groin) are doubtful.
Coles and Jerricho Cotchery are probable. Right tackle Damien Woody will play despite missing two days of practice for personal reasons.
GREG BISHOP KERNEY OUT INDEFINITELY Seattle Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney is out indefinitely and getting a second look at his surgically repaired shoulder.
Coach Mike Holmgren said Kerney was going to Alabama to see Dr. James Andrews, who repaired torn labrum cartilage in Kerney's left shoulder after last season.
Kerney re-injured the shoulder late in Sunday's win at San Francisco after he had recovered a fumble and returned it 50 yards. (AP)
AROUND THE LEAGUE Vikings Coach Brad Childress said he expected safety Madieu Williams (neck) to play for the first time this season Sunday against the Texans... Redskins receiver Santana Moss is a game-time decision for Monday's game with the Steelers. (AP)
Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company
Bills game literally blacked out
Three helium balloons crashed into power lines across the street from Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday afternoon causing a delay in the National Football League game between the hometown Bills and the visiting San Diego Chargers.
Power went out in the stadium 30 minutes before the game began forcing both teams to go through pre-game rituals in darkness. The electricity started up again in time for kickoff, but quickly went off again after only six plays.
After a 16 minute delay officials decided to resume play with the referees timing the game with their own watches.
"We communicated with our NFL supervisor here on the game site and he talked with [(the league head office in] New York," said referee Jeff Triplette. "The decision was that once we knew that it was going to be awhile for the power to come back we would just the game clock on the field."
The lack of a visible play clock did have an impact on a game as a time-count violation helped stall a Buffalo drive in the first quarter.
"[The referee] flagged me one time and I wasn't too happy with it because there wasn't any clock to see and he came up and threw a flag," said Buffalo quarterback Trent Edwards. "I had some words with [the official]... but he was giving me some (hand) signals (to indicate how much time was left) and that's really tough."
Bills linebacker Kawika Mitchell said the power outage had a big impact on his play early on.
"The first quarter was probably one of the worst quarters of my life," Mitchell said. "My second play, I was backpedaling and I just tripped and fell down. The timing was just messed up with the power going out and I was just dead. My emotions were leaving me."
The power returned for good in the third quarter and the Bills ended up winning 23-14.
The power authority in New York is currently investigating the outage.
(c) 2008 The National Post Company.
Packers, Seahawks should run, run, run
SEATTLE -- Musing over whether Aaron Rodgers will practice. Mystery over whether the quarterback is taking painkilling injections. Marveling over his ability to play.
All that may not matter on Sunday, because the Packers have their own remedy for Rodgers' sprained throwing shoulder -- one Seattle knows too well.
"They still have Ryan Grant," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.
The last time these teams met, Grant tromped through a Wisconsin blizzard for a Green Bay playoff-record 201 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a 42-20 win.
"It should give you confidence," Grant said of that game, while finally healthy after a hamstring injury that has helped limit him to 269 yards rushing and no touchdowns in five games. "But at the same time, this is a matter of now."
Yet the now is in Grant's favor, too.
Seattle's undersized defense with 11 returning starters, including four Pro Bowl players, just got trampled by Brandon Jacobs. The Giants' 264-pound bull ran through missed tackles for 136 yards and two scores on just 15 carries last week as New York gave Holmgren his worst loss in 17 seasons as a head coach, 44-6.
That had the 60-year-old grandfather ripping into his four-time defending NFC West champions this week, a tirade he called a "truth session."
Here's more sobering truths for Seattle, which is trying to avoid its first 1-4 start since its last losing season in 2002: Grant is listed at 226 pounds and has the same rumbling, straight-ahead style that embarrassed the Seahawks last week. Plus, his offensive line is also getting healthier.
Grant showed signs of breaking out last week, when he had 83 yards on 18 carries.
"I know the line kind of felt they were getting into a rhythm and I felt like I was kind of getting into a rhythm," Grant said.
Yes, one gets the impression Green Bay should run Grant so much on Sunday that the Packers (2-3) will forget Rodgers' shoulder hurts or that Greg Jennings leads the NFL in yards receiving (569) and has three 100-yard games this season.
Sound the alarms.
"Yeah, absolutely. The way we gave up yards against the run last week, it's going to be a fire burning until we put it out," said defensive end Patrick Kerney, one of Seattle's frustrated Pro Bowlers.
Brandon Mebane is a brick wall of a tackle and one of Seattle's primary run stoppers. He also thinks Grant will be the focal point of Green Bay's quest to beat Seattle for the fifth time in six games and improve its 12-6 road record under coach Mike McCarthy.
"It's like, we've got to keep plugging until we get our respect again," Mebane said. "Teams are going to keep trying the run until we have to prove we can stop the run."
But one of the Packers' biggest problems is they have to prove the same thing. These is far from the same 13-3 team that rolled into the NFC championship game last season.
Green Bay's defense has just three true tackles inside after recently losing run stopper Cullen Jenkins for the season to a pectoral injury. It has allowed an average of 190 yards rushing in each of three consecutive losses to Dallas, Tampa Bay and Atlanta. After Rodgers' fourth interception of the season with 4:33 remaining last week, the Falcons ran three straight times for the decisive touchdown, then three more times for the clinching first down.
The Packers are allowing 161.4 yards rushing per game, 31st in the league.
That fits Holmgren's West Coast offense that seems to suddenly be going the way of Woody Hayes.
Matt Hasselbeck is the lowest-rated passer in the NFC, thanks in part to six of his receivers having been hurt. About an hour after Bobby Engram and Deion Branch made their season debuts last week, Branch bruised his heel and is out indefinitely.
At least recently reacquired Koren Robinson is set to play his first game for Seattle since the 2004 season after being out with a sore knee.
Yet he may only have a bit role. By necessity, Seattle is sixth in the NFL at 143.3 yards rushing per game, thanks to new lead runner Julius Jones' first 100-yard days since 2006. And co-lead back Maurice Morris is expected to return from a sprained knee that has caused him to miss a month.
"A huge emphasis has to be on continuing to get better running the football. It appears as though that's going to have to be a big part of success this year," Holmgren said, almost rolling his pass-happy eyes. "We have never been that type of team, and it's not the football typically that I embrace, necessarily, but ... "
But running is what a Packers game now demands.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
RBs Davenport, Russell back with Steelers
PITTSBURGH -- Down to one healthy running back, the Pittsburgh Steelers brought back two players from last season by re-signing Najeh Davenport and promoting Gary Russell from the practice squad on Wednesday.
The Steelers, third in the NFL in rushing last season, lost Pro Bowl running back Willie Parker to a sprained knee last week and first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall to a season-ending fractured shoulder Monday night against Baltimore.
The earliest that Parker will play again is Oct. 19 at Cincinnati.
Mewelde Moore, normally the Steelers' third-down back, is expected to start Sunday night in Jacksonville, despite being limited to one carry this season before the 23-20 overtime win over Baltimore.
Moore has started 11 games in his career, rushing for 100 yards or more in four -- two with the Vikings in 2004 and two more in 2006.
Davenport, a former Green Bay Packer, was the Steelers' second-leading rusher last season with 499 yards and a 4.7 yards per carry average. He also led them with five rushing touchdowns and had two more touchdowns as a receiver.
"I still know all of the (pass) protections and most of the plays," Davenport said Wednesday. "Some stuff is new, but you've got to adjust to that. That's expected."
Davenport ran for 123 yards and a touchdown in St. Louis on Dec. 20, after Parker broke his right leg early in the game, but was held to a combined 52 yards while starting the Steelers' final two games. He was limited to 25 yards on 16 carries in a 31-29 playoff loss to Jacksonville.
Davenport was released June 28, or two months after Mendenhall was drafted, because the Steelers owed him $1 million if they kept him this season.
"If you passed grade school, you could do the math," he said.
The Steelers decided to bring back Davenport after working him out Tuesday. He was on his way to a conditioning program in Milwaukee and wasn't aware the Steelers were so thin at running back. Fullback Carey Davis also sprained an ankle Monday night and may not be ready for Jacksonville.
"I had a couple of workouts for teams, every team I worked out for said I was at the top of their list," Davenport said. "If someone would have went down, someone would have called me, just like here. When you get an opportunity, you have to be ready when it calls."
Russell made the Steelers' 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent last season and began this season with them, but was taken off the roster before their Sept. 21 game at Philadelphia to clear room for a special teams player. Russell then joined the practice squad.
The Steelers added guard Doug Legursky and defensive end Jordan Reffert to their practice squad and released safety Grant Mason.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
Young starts working his way back onto field
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Vince Young has started working his way back onto the practice field for the Tennessee Titans. Once his knee is healthy enough to return fully, coach Jeff Fisher says it will be as the backup to veteran Kerry Collins.
Young hasn't played since spraining his left knee midway through the fourth quarter of the season opener on Sept. 7. He skipped a scheduled MRI exam a day later, then prompted a police search when he panicked someone by taking off hours later without his cell phone.
Fisher announced Sept. 15 that Collins would be his starter until the Titans lose or struggle, and Tennessee now is off to one of the best starts in franchise history.
Young watched practices the past two weeks, standing off to the side. He didn't go with the team to Cincinnati on Sept. 14 and watched last week's 31-12 win over his hometown Houston Texans from the coaches' box but was listed as the emergency third quarterback for each game.
The No. 3 pick overall in 2006 started running Tuesday and was throwing after practice Wednesday.
"I can't say how close he's getting," Fisher said. "He ran yesterday, had good success on the field, and he threw. He's going to go through some sets and drops today and run a little bit after."
When Young is ready to return?
"He comes back and he's ready to go, we're going to move him from third to the second quarterback," Fisher said.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
|
