Detroit Sports Thread

[ALinChainz]

Lions | Hakim Released - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:33:11 -0700

WDFN Sports Radio 1130 AM in Detroit reports the Detroit Lions have released WR Az-Zahir Hakim.


Lions | Marion Released - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:32:54 -0700

WDFN Sports Radio 1130 AM in Detroit reports the Detroit Lions have released S Brock Marion.


Lions | View Cody as Interior Rush Specialist - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 25 Apr 2005 13:01:22 -0700

Curt Sylvester, of the Detroit Free Press, reports the Detroit Lions plan to use 2005 second-round draft choice DT Shaun Cody as an interior pass rush specialist in their defensive line rotation next season.


Lions | Wilson to Compete in Nickel, Dime Packages - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:59:23 -0700

Curt Sylvester, of the Detroit Free Press, reports Detroit Lions CB Stanley Wilson, the club's 2005 third-round draft choice, will compete for playing time in the nickel and dime packages next year.


Lions | Williams to Play in Three Receiver Sets - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:55:00 -0700

Curt Sylvester, of the Detroit Free Press, reports the Detroit Lions plan to play 2005 first-round draft choice WR Mike Williams in three-receiver sets with WRs Charles Rogers and Roy Williams next season.


Lions | Orlovsky Projected as No. 3 QB - from www.KFFL.com
Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:48:22 -0700

Curt Sylvester, of the Detroit Free Press, reports Detroit Lions QB Dan Orlovsky, the club's 2005 fifth-round draft choice, is expected to be the team's third-string quarterback this season.

[ALinChainz]

Lions say draft picks should help them win

April 25, 2005

BY CURT SYLVESTER
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER


It was a throwaway line, typical of Lions president Matt Millen. Certainly not an ultimatum.


"A few years back we sat here and we said, 'We need playmakers. We need to get younger, we need to get faster, healthier and we need playmakers,' " Millen said. "Right now, we've done that. Across the board we have playmakers."


Millen paused momentarily, turning to coach Steve Mariucci with a grin: "It's up to you there, big guy."


Not an ultimatum but -- in the thick of the NFL draft -- a hint. A suggestion. A subtle reminder.


With the addition of playmaking wide receiver Mike Williams and defensive tackle Shaun Cody, the Lions are no longer a team overmatched for the NFL battles ahead.


In a similar situation at San Francisco, Mariucci took a rebuilt 6-10 team to a 12-4 record and the 2001 NFL playoffs.


The 2005 Lions might not be ready for a 12-win season, but the 2-14, 3-13, 5-11 and 6-10 seasons should be history.


"That's what you want," Mariucci said Sunday. "You want to put a team together where you have higher and higher and higher expectations each year, and that's the path we're on.


"We added six draftees this weekend, we added six or so free agents, so we'll get some improvement from the additions we made but -- like I've mentioned before -- the greater part of the improvement will come from the development of our current players.


"All the guys who have been wearing a Lions helmet need to improve and will improve and that's where that 6-10 record changes."


The Lions might not have had the glitziest draft in the league -- nothing like last year's coup of landing wide receiver Roy Williams and running back Kevin Jones in the first round -- but Millen and Mariucci perhaps applied the finishing touches to the younger, faster Lions.


Mike Williams and Cody -- the first- and second-round picks -- are not projected as instant starters, but the Lions will expect them to make immediate and significant contributions. They plan to use Williams in three-receiver sets with Charles Rogers and Roy Williams, and want Cody to provide an inside pass rush in the defensive line rotation.


Cornerback Stanley Wilson of Stanford, the third-round pick, brings speed in an area where NFL teams are always seeking more depth. He will compete for time in the nickel and dime defenses.


The second-day draft picks are never a sure thing, but the Lions feel good about the three they landed, including two Millen acquired in a trade with New England:


• Dan Orlovsky of Connecticut, expected to be the No. 3 quarterback behind Joey Harrington and Jeff Garcia, with the prospect of developing into quality backup or a player with trade value.


•Defensive end Bill Swancutt of Oregon State, a pass rusher who shared Pac-10 defensive player of the year honors with Cody and whose work ethic gives him a chance to make the team.


•Defensive end/linebacker Johnathan Goddard of Marshall, who led the nation last fall with 16 sacks but doesn't fit physically as either an end or a linebacker. The Lions like his speed and will leave it to defensive coordinator Dick Jauron to determine where he fits best.


Millen gave the Patriots the Lions' fourth-round pick in the 2006 draft for New England's fifth- and sixth-round picks this year. He took Orlovsky in the fifth round and Goddard in the sixth. The Lions took Swancutt with their own sixth-round pick.


The Lions earlier gave up their fourth-round pick to move up four notches and draft Cody in the second round. They used their fifth-round pick in the maneuvering to get Jones in the first round a year ago, and their seventh-round pick went to San Francisco as compensation for signing restricted free agent tackle Kyle Kosier.


Mike Williams and Cody briefly visited the Lions' training headquarters at Allen Park on Sunday. All six of the drafted players are expected to participate in a three-day minicamp beginning Friday.


"We're going to give these guys a taste of what we do on offense and defense," Mariucci said. "We're going to do a little special teams, too. We'll put in punt and field goal.


"We'll give them a little bit more than our base offense and defense. We're going to give them every personnel group. We'll probably stay away from goal line until June, but we'll give them a variety of things we're going to do in our base and nickel."


Although the Lions spent their first pick -- No. 10 overall -- on a wide receiver for the third consecutive year, they used four of the remaining five choices on defensive players. Three of the four -- Cody, Swancutt and Goddard -- are front-seven players, providing the depth Millen and Mariucci wanted.


"The defensive line was probably the most deep position and the strength of our football team, and we added a couple of real good players to it," Mariucci said. "We improved something we were doing pretty well with."


Millen called Swancutt and Goddard, the Lions' last two players in the draft, "relentless. We've already picked up the pace on our defensive line."


Wilson, the son of the former Cincinnati Bengals running back with the same name, also figures into the Lions' improved defensive depth. He has sprinter speed, has good size at 5-feet-11 and is good in coverage.


"There's a good mix of corners right now," Mariucci said. "He's going to come in and compete.


"Then you always get a special teams evaluation, too, on these kids. Chuck had him as a gunner, as a jammer, as an aggressive cover guy, as a guy that can run and do a lot of things in the kicking game. That's another area where he has added value."


Gunners and jammers are the fast, tough players who man the flanks on punts and punt returns, the units Chuck Priefer coaches.


Contact CURT SYLVESTER at 313-222-2621 or sylvester@freepress.com.

[ALinChainz]

Mike Williams practices for the first time in nearly 16 months

By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer

April 29, 2005



ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) -- Mike Williams' long, agonizing wait is over.

The Detroit Lions' receiver was finally back on a football field -- with teammates -- for the first time since helping Southern California beat Michigan in the 2004 Rose Bowl.

``It's been a long time, a real long time.'' Williams said Friday.

He hoped to be an NFL rookie last season.

After a court ruled in February 2004 that Maurice Clarett was eligible to play in the league, Williams hired an agent and tried to follow him. But an appeals court overturned the earlier ruling and upheld the NFL's right to bar players who had been out of high school less than three years.

Williams attempted to return to USC for his junior season, but the NCAA turned down his request last August. He was relegated to working out on his own until Friday morning, when the Lions opened a minicamp.

``It's a lot of fun to just be a part of a group again,'' said Williams, the 10th pick in the draft. ``I definitely didn't feel rusty or out of place, like you think I would.''

After some light running and stretching, Williams stood and watched the first 10 plays during a drill before getting a chance to run a route.

Later, he lined up as a slot receiver in a four-wide set alongside Roy Williams, Charles Rogers -- first-round picks the two previous years -- and Kevin Johnson with Joey Harrington at quarterback.

Detroit cornerback Dre Bly said it reminded him of practicing against the St. Louis Rams.

``For opposing defenses, it can get ugly,'' Bly said.

The knock against the 6-foot-5, 229-pound Williams has been his lack of speed. He ran two 4.59 40-yard dashes at the NFL combine.

But it didn't take him long to show Bly he's fast enough for professional football, running past him on an inside route.

``I wasn't expecting him to get out of his break like he did,'' Bly said. ``He was so explosive -- so fast. He had me flipped and turned around. It kind of caught me by surprise.''

Williams said he doesn't pay attention to critics who have him pegged as a tight end in the NFL.

``I might not run fast on a track, but I play fast,'' he said.

Williams played two years at USC, catching 81 passes for 1,265 yards and 14 touchdowns as a freshman, then making 95 receptions for 1,314 yards and a school-record 16 TDs in 2003.

``He's a huge target,'' Harrington said. ``He uses his body and hands well.''

The Lions usually reserved their three- and four-receiver sets for third downs, but Lions coach Steve Mariucci envisions using those formations more on first and second downs this season.

That's assuming Rogers is healthy for the first time in three seasons.

The second pick overall in 2003 played five games as a rookie before breaking his collarbone, then broke it again in the season opener last year.

``He's got to be more comfortable -- not just physically, but mentally,'' Mariucci said.

Though he was limited to non-contract drills, Rogers insisted he's healthy.

``I feel good,'' he said. ``Everything is going great.''

With a potentially explosive receiving corps and promising running back Kevin Jones, many have said Harrington will not have any excuses during his fourth season in the NFL.

``I always put more pressure on myself than anybody from the outside,'' he said.

[ALinChainz]

Lions Defense Has Talent - Coaching Is Worrisome

Doug Warren - Scout.com

April 29, 2005 at 3:37pm ET


The Detroit Lions have the talent and speed on defense, writes columnist Doug Warren. But it is up to defensive coordinator Dick Jauron to employ a defense that can take advantage of its strengths. Analysis inside.

I find it a bit funny that many observers and fans alike see the Lions decision to ignore their defense with last Saturday's first round selection as a mistake. For the first time in a decade, the Lions went into the draft with the ability to select the best available player on the board.

Contrary to what many believe, outside of the free safety spot and possibly quarterback, the Lions no longer have any glaring weakness on the roster. With the health questions surrounding Charles Rogers and the butterfingers of Az Hakim, the selection of Mike Williams shored up one of Detroit's biggest pre-draft need; which was to find a solid complement to current #1 receiver Roy Williams . With Mike's arrival, and last week's free Agent signing of veteran wideout Kevin Johnson , the Wizard of Az was sent to Kansas to find Judy Garland and Toto Monday afternoon.


Texas OLB Derrick Johnson was the nearly unanimous mock draft selection for the Lions last week. When all was said and done, Johnson had slipped to #15 where he was chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs . Johnson is a very good player, and would very likely have been an upgrade for the Lions at weakside linebacker (WLB). Nevertheless, while I agree that the Lions have some holes and depth questions defensively, the linebacking core wasn't one of them.

Boss Bailey is expected back at 100% to man the Lions' SLB spot. The underappreciated Earl Holmes will be back once again at MLB, and the young trio of Teddy Lehman , James Davis and Alex Lewis are currently expected to battle for the starting WLB spot. Throw in Wali Rainer and Donte Curry as sold reserves and special teamers, and it is clear that Detroit's LB core is a strength rather than a weakness.

With or without a top-ten defensive pick last Saturday, the Lions' defense will be better this season. It has to be when you consider that the Lions will add three players who were picked, at one time or another, in the first two rounds of the NFL draft (Kenoy Kennedy , Boss Bailey, Shaun Cody ) next season.

Bailey and Kennedy of course will be starters. Cody could start as well, although I expect him to be worked into the starting lineup slowly; as he will fit nicely into the DT rotation with the veteran trio of Shaun Rogers , Dan Wilkinson and Marcus Bell .

The pass defense should be stronger too. Don't be surprised if we see the emergence of two young players this season in the Lions' secondary, safety Terrence Holt and cornerback Keith Smith . Holt will likely be the opening day starter at free safety. Many Lion observers have wondered why this development has taken so long; being that he had shown the ability to make things happen during his three years as a reserve. With the release this week of veteran Brock Marion, the Lions' starting FS spot is seemingly Holt's job to lose. If Terrence takes control of the job, he and SS Kenoy Kennedy could make a tremendous impact on the Lions' defense next season.

I like Keith Smith too. This kid, like Holt, showed the ability to make plays last season as a rookie cornerback. He is a hitter with good size and speed. If number-two corner Fernando Bryant 's struggles continue next year, look for Smith - the second year player who hails from Joe Dumars' alma matter, McNeese State - to become a starter by midseason. With the arrival of 3rd round pick and former Stanford Cardinal CB Stanley Wilson , veterans Chris Cash and Andre Goodman will both be fighting for a roster spot this summer. Both vets have been plagued by injury during their careers, and those problems have zapped much of the speed and quickness they displayed during their rookie seasons.

Dre' Bly, contrary to popular reports, was a Pro Bowl player last season. While he didn't have the INT numbers of the previous year due to his injuries and missed snaps, he was a very good run defender last season and still collected four interceptions. Maybe I'm blind, but I saw him plenty of times last year come up in the flat and cut a RB at the knees as the D-lineman and linebackers were converging "gang-tackle" style. Bly is a player and a leader, and if he can remain on the field for 16 games next season, the Lions' pass defense will be infinitely better.

Fernando Bryant had an off year last season, no question. Was it a fluke? We will find out soon enough. I think it had a little to do with injury and a little more to do with Dick Jauron's passive zone defenses. Bryant and Bly would both be more effective if they were allowed to play a more aggressive Cover-2 scheme like Tampa Bay or the New York Jets employ. I really hope that it has been made clear to Jauron that he needs to be much more aggressive with his playcalling this season. There is no reason that all this speed has to go to waste in a chicken$#!+ "bend-but-don't-break" scheme.

For the first time in a long time, the Detroit Lions are entering a season with depth and talent on both sides of the ball. The time is now for the Lions to make a move into the upper echelon of the NFC and contend for the NFC North crown and their first playoff birth since 1999. The time for patience has passed. The cry of "wait until next year" will no longer be tolerated - and it shouldn't be.

There is no reason that this team, with relative health and solid QB play, should not contend for a division title, a playoff birth, and even the once unthinkable ten-win plateau. With the draft now over and spring mini-camp now underway, there is a urgent anticipation among long suffering Lions fans everywhere that their team is now talented enough to not only contend, but may even be on the verge of something more.

Let's hope that Steve Mariucci and Dick Jauron coach and create game plans next fall with the same sense of urgency.

[ALinChainz]

Lions' three of kind feel spring in steps

BY CURT SYLVESTER, FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER


The moment came and went quite unceremoniously.


The Lions lined up in a four-wide set, and there they were -- Charles Rogers split on the left side with Mike Williams in the slot, and Roy Williams flanked on the far side of the field.


The big three of wide receivers. The team's top draft picks of the past three years. Three of the most promising receivers in Lions history lining up together for the first time.


The ball was snapped, and they were off. Straight down the field in the vertical offense the Lions have been longing for all these years.


The moment was frozen in time perhaps for those observing from the sidelines but wasted on quarterback Joey Harrington, the man with the football in his hands.


"Did we complete the ball?" Harrington asked.


Yes, Harrington completed the pass, but let history show that neither Rogers nor Roy Williams nor Mike Williams caught the ball on this momentous occasion. The pass went to the fourth receiver -- six-year veteran Kevin Johnson, signed last week as a free agent from Baltimore -- who made the catch, running out of the slot position on the right side.


"Good," Harrington said, laughing. "I wasn't thinking about it a whole lot today. I'm not worried about matchups right now; I'm just trying to get the ball in the offense's hands."


The day might come eventually when Harrington has to concern himself with which receiver will be the primary target, but not Friday on the first day of the first minicamp of the spring at Allen Park.


Mike Williams, the 10th player taken in the NFL draft last Saturday, got his first taste of the NFL and admitted he was somewhat surprised.


"It was a lot more than I thought it would be," Williams said.


Although he had been warned that the pro game would be faster, he said it was faster than he expected.


Roy Williams, the seventh player taken in the 2004 draft, practiced for the first time since undergoing arthroscopic surgery to clean up his injured left ankle at the end of last season.


At one point in the workouts, after catching a deep throw and sprinting the rest of the way to the end zone, he had to stop and catch his breath.


"I'd run about 300 yards," he explained.


And Rogers, who started the Lions' run on receivers when they took him with the No. 2 pick in 2003, was getting his first taste of action since suffering a broken collarbone -- his second in less than 12 months -- in the season opener at Chicago last Sept. 12.


The last thing on his mind was whether there would be enough receptions to satisfy three first-round receivers.


"I think we'll all be on the same page as long as we don't let egos come into it," Rogers said. "There's going to be times where Roy catches five passes and nobody else catches any. There's going to be times when Mike catches his, there's going to be times when I catch mine."


For Rogers, the first day of minicamp was about getting back on the field and running plays after missing all except three plays last season.


"It felt great," Rogers said. "It's kind of hard to put in words, but when you play football your whole life and get back out there on the field, you're just doing something that you love. You're just having fun again.


"When you're out there, you take it back to when you were a kid, playing on that playground at school. It's kind of hard for me to put it into words, but it's beautiful."


Rogers was even understanding of coach Steve Mariucci's decision to limit his participation in the minicamp. Rogers took a turn in all of the individual drills and the position drills, but he wore a red shirt as a reminder to his teammates that he is not allowed to have physical contact yet.


And when the Lions went into 11-on-11 work, Rogers was reduced to an observer -- on Mariucci's orders.


"You want to compete, you like competition," Rogers said. "So any time you're out there and they pull you out, you might get a little offended, but that's Coach. He knows what's best for you. I believe in what he's trying to do, and I feel like he's got my best interest at heart."


Rogers said he has gained about eight pounds, putting him at 218, since starting rehabilitation work.


"I put on a little bit of weight," he said. "I felt like I had to make that adjustment. When things don't go right, you try something different. The weight is holding up pretty good, my speed's still there. I think it was beneficial to me, and I think as I get older my body's maturing to be a complete receiver."


Rogers said he expects to lose some of the weight as he increases the running he does to prepare for the season. He said he expects to play at about 212 pounds.


Contact CURT SYLVESTER at 313-222-2621 or sylvester@freepress.com.

[POJO_Risin]

Kevin Johnson is an awfully effective #4 receiver...even though I suspect they'll use him more as a #3...or even #2 in some sets...not that it will matter...

[JBall008]

I think Williams was a good pick. Rogers could be awesome if he ever plays any regular season games, and this pick will probably be the "do or die" for Harrington (as if this season wasn't already). If Joey can't get 'er done with the two Williams', then it's all she wrote. The sad thing is they got Garcia.

I hear Eric Hipple still has a home in Farmington Hills.....

[Warham]

Let's face it. The Lions are stacked on offense.

Kevin Jones
Corey Schlesinger
Marcus Pollard
Roy Williams
Charles Rogers
Mike Williams
Kevin Johnson

They let go of Hakim, who's probably a #2 on some bad teams.

[POJO_Risin]

The Lions are certainly stacked on offense...but like anyone else...they have question marks...

Charles Rogers staying healthy...sure...he's got a metal plate...but he has the feel of someone who is going to be battling something all the time...

Roy coming off surgery...

Pollard isn't getting any younger...

KEVIN JONES IS A STUD...

Mike Williams will be...

Kevin Johnson is a good pickup...

but they will need a quarterback by midseason IMO...

and if Garcia starts...this strange love that Lions fans have for him will disappear...

They certainly will improve their #30 in the NFL redzone offense...

but the question remains whether or not their #22 defense will improve...

with a healthy Kevin Jones all year...3 good receivers...a great tight end...

they SHOULD be able to hold onto the ball more...and make that D better...

I still question not going after a Merriman who would have been big for them on D...

but can't fault them for going after a guy who would have gone top 3 the previous year...

[Warham]

I actually think Harrington will have a good year this year.

I also think the D will improve with the pick-ups over the offseason.

I'm more confident now than I was before the free agent pick-ups.

[POJO_Risin]

there really is no precedence for Harrington to have a good year...

I think the D will improve...but not because of the pickups...because the offense HAS to improve...if not Harrington and Millen will both be looking for jobs...

Confidence is good...I actually thought that the Lions were going to make the playoffs last year in the preseason...

then Rogers went down...then Jones...then Roy...then Jones came back...but Harrington was laying eggs...

and the D wasn't bad...but certainly wasn't that good...

the addressed some needs for sure...but I really don't see an impact Defensive player signed...

I loved the Cody pick in the second round...a steal IMO...and Wilson may be a good cover corner in a couple of years...but will more than likely warm the pine this year...because if he starts...that's saying a bunch about what their d will be doing...

they addressed the offense...and truly have nothing but resigned defensive guys on that D...

Really the only guy that I can remember them signing is that Kennedy chap from Denver...the DB...and that certainly isn't a defense changer....

[ALinChainz]

Johnson and Pollard give Lions a big hand

Proven pros will have time to help younger receivers adapt to NFL style.

By Mike O'Hara / The Detroit News


ALLEN PARK -- Youth will be served among the Lions' receivers, but there is still a place for some good old hands.

It wasn't by accident that when the Lions lined up in a four-receiver formation for the first time in mini-camp, Joey Harrington's pass down the right seam settled into the sure hands of wide receiver Kevin Johnson.

Johnson and tight end Marcus Pollard were signed as free agents to add stability and playmaking ability to a passing game that has lacked both in recent seasons.

Johnson caught 367 passes and scored 25 touchdowns in six seasons with Cleveland, Jacksonville and Baltimore. Pollard has 263 catches and 35 touchdowns in 10 seasons with Indianapolis.

On April 20, Johnson agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the prospect of working with Roy Williams and Charles Rogers as the No. 3 receiver. Three days later, the Lions drafted Mike Williams of Southern California in the first round.

Johnson chuckled Saturday when asked about the timing, and if he would have signed with the Lions had the same opportunity presented itself after the draft.

"One thing about life, you make decisions, you've got to live with them," he said. "It's a great opportunity. Things happen for a reason in life. You've got to make the most of it.

"It's going to be a good experience. Hopefully, I can bring a lot of different things to the table. Hopefully, I can help these young guys get ready. It's going to be fun.

"We're going to throw the ball all over the field. I think it just gives me an opportunity to be out there and make some plays on this team."

Pollard, 33, has played at a high level on one of the NFL's best offenses. In 2004, he caught 29 passes and six touchdowns. He has made his presence felt in the first two days of mini-camp.

"You can see that he has several great catches," coach Steve Mariucci said. "He's a good route-runner. You can split him out and use him as a receiver-type if you need to. He's a smart guy."


Drop zone


Stats Inc., which provides comprehensive statistical information for NFL teams and other sources, gave the Lions 36 dropped passes in 2004, fifth-most in the league.

Mariucci disputes that total.

"We had 50-some," Mariucci said. "Maybe we graded harder than Stats Inc."

Owner William Clay Ford watched the first day of mini-camp with team president Matt Millen. Ford liked how the receivers caught the ball compared with last season

Millen related this comment by Ford: "We look better. Even our kickers can catch the ball."


Highlight catch


Roy Williams made his teammates cheer with a spectacular one-handed catch in the afternoon practice. He was covered by cornerback Dré Bly and had to reach back for a pass. Williams caught the ball with his right hand, pinned it to his back and ran upfield. The players were still buzzing before the next play.

"Once again, a lucky catch," Williams said after practice, smiling.

Before practice, Williams said he practiced catching balls launched by the jugs machine with one hand.

"I dropped all eight of them," he said.


Lining up


Kelly Butler, a sixth-round draft pick from Purdue in 2004 who was inactive for all 16 games, was No. 1 in the rotation at right offensive tackle at the start of mini-camp. Right tackle is the only starting position open.

Butler isn't claming the position. Victor Rogers, drafted in 2002, and Kyle Kozier, a free agent with three seasons of starting experience at guard and tackle in San Francisco, also are in the running.

"We're rotating now," Butler said. "Nothing's solidified. At the end of the season, whoever's the starter, that's the best thing.."

Final judgments won't be made until training camp, when players are in pads and there is contact. Mini-camp practices are in helmets and shorts.

Meanwhile, guard Damien Woody's battle of the bulge -- with his weight -- appears to be continuing from last season. Where does he stand?

"Ask him," offensive line coach Pat Morris said. "He should know by now."

[ALinChainz]

Mariucci not concerned with Garcia's so-so practices

Monday, May 02, 2005

By Tom Kowalski


ALLEN PARK -- Jeff Garcia, the Detroit Lions new backup quarterback, looked good for the majority of the team's three-day minicamp, but there were also times when he looked not-so-good.

There were times when Garcia threw short to receivers downfield, but head coach Steve Mariucci isn't concerned at all.

"I think he's practicing right now as well as he has," said Mariucci, adding that Garcia would occasionally throw bad practice passes even during his three-year Pro Bowl run from 2000-02 when Mariucci coached Garcia with the San Francisco 49ers.

"There'll be practice time where he's not going to have that big arm and shoot it over on a comeback (route) and put it right there every time," Mariucci said. "He'll practice well, and smart, and all that sort of thing. But it's when it's live and he has to run around and make a play and do something out of the ordinary or something that's not in the playbook. His improvise is so special. That's where he becomes a heck of a player, on game day."

Mariucci also said he isn't worried because Garcia is hardly in full camp workout mode.

"He hasn't been throwing twice a day, none of these guys have," Mariucci said. "He's not a bad practice player, he's had a good camp. Our quarterback situation is as good as it's been in a long time here."

Mariucci got a chuckle out of Garcia's listing on the team's roster: 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds.

"I don't know. I've stood next to him when he was weighing in a few years ago (with the 49ers) and I saw 188 one time," Mariucci said of the 35-year-old quarterback. "I don't think he's got a lot of growth potential. He's not 200 pounds and 6-1 is a stretch."

Quarterback Dan Orlovsky, the team's fifth-round draft pick, impressed some of the players and coaches with his play during the minicamp.

"We gave him some good amount of reps, for a rookie. Usually, we have rookies standing over here by the water," Mariucci said. "He showed us some good things, he certainly has enough arm for all the throws that we're going to make in this offense."

Mariucci was also impressed by Orlovsky's mobility, despite the fact he's 6-5 and 238 pounds.

"He runs around well enough. He threw the ball on a scramble drill for a touchdown to Adam Herzing," Mariucci said. "He steps into the huddle with a little confidence. Often times, rookies go in there like 'I don't know this stuff.' He was good with his huddle demeanor and his cadences, his on-the-ball procedure was good and he didn't seem to be intimidated by anything."

The Lions ran their annual beep test on Sunday, but it lacked the same drama it had for the previous two seasons. The test is for endurance as players run 20 yards back and forth, based on a beep sound that increases the tempo as the run goes on.

Undrafted rookie free-agent quarterback Todd Mortensen won it on Sunday, but many of the veterans didn't take part.

"We ran it already this week. The varsity ran it already," Mariucci said. "We did it as part of our conditioning one day this week. So I told them 'I need a few rabbits,' because the rookies hadn't seen it."


Story

[ALinChainz]

Lions expectations running high

Monday, May 02, 2005

By Tom Kowalski


ALLEN PARK -- For a team that hasn't won more than six games in any of the last four seasons, the Detroit Lions are a confident bunch.

"We expect to be in there at the end of the season. Our goal is to win the division, which puts us in the playoffs and than you re-evaluate from there," said Lions quarterback Joey Harrington after the team completed its three-day minicamp on Sunday. "Step one is to get in (playoffs), and that step has never changed since the time coach (Steve) Mariucci has been here. I don't think it is really fair to say that our expectations are higher because our expectations have never been low. On the same end, we have a lot of new guys and a lot of young faces, so we are hoping we pick up on it pretty quickly."

The Lions' talent level is vastly different than it was last year. Wide receiver Roy Williams was hurt most of the year and running back Kevin Jones turned it on in the second half of the season. Wide receiver Charles Rogers missed all but three plays of the season and linebacker Boss Bailey never took a snap. Add in free-agent additions such as strong safety Kenoy Kennedy and tight end Marcus Pollard and rookies such as wide receiver Mike Williams and defensive tackle Shaun Cody and the Lions have a lot different look.

"Well, it was kind of an interesting weekend in the meetings and in the lunch room," Mariucci said. "There's a certain hunger, or eagerness, with this bunch that, not only do they want to be good, because that's always the case, but I think they think they really can be good."

There's no question the Lions have accumulated a great deal of talent. The next step is bringing those athletes together and melding them into a team.

"There's a lot more pieces in place now," Mariucci said. "Now, most of the work is going to be the development of these pieces. Putting them together, and getting them to play as a unit, understanding what we do, getting good at it and feeling confident in it."

Harrington is brimming with confidence already.

"As I look at us through our first few days of practice, it makes me feel pretty good. I am excited to see what we can do," Harrington said. "Our talent pool is bigger. We have more talent out there than I have seen in my last three years of being here. It is exciting to look out there and see those guys, knowing that if we get things on the same page we could have some fun."

Some of that fun came on Saturday afternoon when Roy Williams made a spectacular catch on a long throw from Harrington. Despite great coverage from cornerback Dre Bly, Williams snared the pass with just his right hand and then brought it behind his back where he grabbed it with both hands. Without breaking stride, Williams raced into the end zone.

Williams described it as "a lucky catch."

Mariucci said he watched the play several times on the practice film.

"The camera followed him all the way into the end zone," Mariucci said. "And then Roy, you could see through his Darth Vader visor, he was smiling, and the camera started shaking, because even the cameraman started laughing. Everybody in the building started laughing, because it was such an awesome catch. He does that, he makes lucky catches like that a lot."

"It was a great catch," Harrington said. "But, really, I expect to see more of those from him."

"Like I said earlier, not so much 'want' to be good, but I think the general feeling is they think they can be good and will be good," Mariucci said.


Booth Newspaper Story

[NATEDOG001976]

Lions sucks, Vikings rule!