It's prime time for Lions; season ends with bang
April 14, 2005
BY CURT SYLVESTER
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
The Lions will open the season with traditional rivals Green Bay and Chicago, but the real fireworks in their 2005 NFL season might be exploding in the final six weeks.
Beginning Thanksgiving Day against Atlanta, the Lions will meet six teams with a combined 60-36 record in 2004; all had records of 8-8 or better; and three of the final four games are on the road.
The wild ride to the finish includes:
The Falcons, defending NFC South champions, in the traditional holiday game at Ford Field on Nov. 24.
The Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Dec. 4.
The Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 11, in the Lions' first ESPN prime time appearance since the 2000 season.
The Cincinnati Bengals in the final regular season game at Ford Field on Dec. 18.
The New Orleans Saints in a Christmas Eve road game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, defending AFC North champions, in the regular-season finale at Heinz Field on New Year's Day.
With that kind of finishing schedule, it is probably in the Lions' best interest to get off to a fast start, and that's what coach Steve Mariucci had on his mind after getting his first look at the NFL schedule announced Wednesday.
"We always emphasize the importance of our division," Mariucci said in a statement released by the team. "What better way to start the season than with two divisional opponents who also happen to be arguably our two greatest rivals?"
The Lions open the season at home Sept. 11 against the Packers, followed by a road game against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 18 and a bye in the third week.
Six of the next eight games are against teams coming off losing seasons -- Tampa Bay, Carolina, Cleveland, the Bears, Arizona and Dallas. Baltimore (9-7) and the Vikings (8-8) also are included in that eight-game span.
The Lions' elevated expectations for the 2005 season are reflected in their three games scheduled for national television -- a Monday night exhibition game against St. Louis on Aug. 29, the Thanksgiving Day game against Atlanta and the Sunday night game at Green Bay on Dec. 11.
It will be the most nationally televised games the Lions have had since the 2000 season, when they had four.
The Lions also have two Sunday afternoon late games -- the 4:15 p.m. opener against Green Bay and the 4:05 p.m. final home game against Cincinnati -- that are shown to a larger nationwide audience than the 1 o'clock games.
NOTEBOOK: The Lions have agreed to contract terms with two restricted free agents -- tackle Kyle Kosier of San Francisco and linebacker Brad Kassell of Tennessee. Their teams can match the Lions' offers by next week or let the players go in exchange for compensation. ... Alex Smith, the tight end from Stanford, was among the draft prospects who visited Wednesday. Other players who spent at least part of the day at the team's Allen Park headquarters were Adam (Pac Man) Jones of West Virginia and defensive end/linebacker Johnathan Goddard from Marshall.
April 14, 2005
BY CURT SYLVESTER
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
The Lions will open the season with traditional rivals Green Bay and Chicago, but the real fireworks in their 2005 NFL season might be exploding in the final six weeks.
Beginning Thanksgiving Day against Atlanta, the Lions will meet six teams with a combined 60-36 record in 2004; all had records of 8-8 or better; and three of the final four games are on the road.
The wild ride to the finish includes:
The Falcons, defending NFC South champions, in the traditional holiday game at Ford Field on Nov. 24.
The Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Dec. 4.
The Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Dec. 11, in the Lions' first ESPN prime time appearance since the 2000 season.
The Cincinnati Bengals in the final regular season game at Ford Field on Dec. 18.
The New Orleans Saints in a Christmas Eve road game.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, defending AFC North champions, in the regular-season finale at Heinz Field on New Year's Day.
With that kind of finishing schedule, it is probably in the Lions' best interest to get off to a fast start, and that's what coach Steve Mariucci had on his mind after getting his first look at the NFL schedule announced Wednesday.
"We always emphasize the importance of our division," Mariucci said in a statement released by the team. "What better way to start the season than with two divisional opponents who also happen to be arguably our two greatest rivals?"
The Lions open the season at home Sept. 11 against the Packers, followed by a road game against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 18 and a bye in the third week.
Six of the next eight games are against teams coming off losing seasons -- Tampa Bay, Carolina, Cleveland, the Bears, Arizona and Dallas. Baltimore (9-7) and the Vikings (8-8) also are included in that eight-game span.
The Lions' elevated expectations for the 2005 season are reflected in their three games scheduled for national television -- a Monday night exhibition game against St. Louis on Aug. 29, the Thanksgiving Day game against Atlanta and the Sunday night game at Green Bay on Dec. 11.
It will be the most nationally televised games the Lions have had since the 2000 season, when they had four.
The Lions also have two Sunday afternoon late games -- the 4:15 p.m. opener against Green Bay and the 4:05 p.m. final home game against Cincinnati -- that are shown to a larger nationwide audience than the 1 o'clock games.
NOTEBOOK: The Lions have agreed to contract terms with two restricted free agents -- tackle Kyle Kosier of San Francisco and linebacker Brad Kassell of Tennessee. Their teams can match the Lions' offers by next week or let the players go in exchange for compensation. ... Alex Smith, the tight end from Stanford, was among the draft prospects who visited Wednesday. Other players who spent at least part of the day at the team's Allen Park headquarters were Adam (Pac Man) Jones of West Virginia and defensive end/linebacker Johnathan Goddard from Marshall.
Comment