Lions Update Aug 31

-The Lions held an afternoon practice in shorts on the outdoor fields today at the team's headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park.

-The team announced today that they have released WR Delmir Boldin, LB Robert Francois, S LaMarcus Hicks, DE Ryan Kees and have placed CB Dexter Wynn on the reserve/injured list.

-Lions QB Daunte Culpepper is day-to-day after sustaining a minor-cut to his toe Saturday night at his home. He has not been ruled out of Thursday's preseason game at Buffalo.

-The Detroit Lions will finish out their preseason Thursday night when they take on the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. This week's matchup marks the eighth consecutive year the two teams have closed out each other's preseasons. This week's game will be televised live in Metro Detroit on WWJ-TV 62 (CBS) with Matt Shepard handling play-by-play, former Lions WR Desmond Howard adding color commentary and Steve Courtney and Hall of Fame TE Charlie Sanders reporting from the sideline.

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Lions win third preseason game, quarterback battle continues….

By: Michael Niziolek

Daunte Culpepper, Matthew Stafford and Drew Stanton all played well in the Lions third preseason game helping Detroit to an 18-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

All three quarterbacks had pretty solid stats.

Daunte Culpepper completed seven of 12 passes for 67 and threw a touchdown. Matthew Stafford threw for 160 yards on 13 completions and Drew Stanton completed four of six passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.

Stafford was the only quarterback to throw an interception, his third of the preseason, but Jim Schwartz said that the turnover wasn’t the rookie’s fault. Detroit took a shot at the endzone at the end of the second half and Schwartz said the receiver needs to make sure to knock the defender down.

"We took a shot right there, and I told the players at halftime, I said that's a lesson right there; wide receivers you need to go PI,” Schwartz explained. “You need to drag the guy down, run him over, whatever it is. We can't have the ball intercepted. We're running out of time in the half, we needed a chunk, we wanted to take a chunk, but you want your guy to be the only guy to come down with that football, so that's more on the wide receiver than on Matt (Stafford)."

Overall though Schwartz was happy with the offense’s play. After the game Schwartz credited them with keeping the Colts’ offense off the field.

“Our offense was able to control the ball,” Jim Schwartz said after the game. “When you play the Colts, when you play Peyton Manning, you better be able to control the football and limit his chances, and I thought that Scott (Linehan) and the offense did a great job of that.”

He said the main negative for the offense was their lack of red zone efficiency. In three trips to the red zone the Lions only came up with points once. Schwartz said it was frustrating because it was mistakes that prevented Detroit from scoring, not the Colts defense.

“We stopped ourselves,” he stated.

With no quarterback separating himself from the pack, fans will have to wait a little while longer for a resolution to the quarterback battle.

Lions Update August 27

Here's what Coach Schwartz has to say today concerning which QB will start this Saturdays game against Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts. “I’m on the same schedule with that we were on the last couple weeks. Today was the first day we started doing Indianapolis; we’ll go back in this afternoon and we’ll meet, we’ll talk about that tomorrow, but I’ll let you guys know tomorrow." Schwartz goes on to say, "I already know what we’re going to do, but it’s something we haven’t approached the players with yet, simply from putting it in stages, and wanting to stay on the same schedule we‘ve done the last couple of preseason games.”

In related matters, Schwartz talked about the receivers getting time with Culpepper and Stafford. “We don’t have a No. 1 unit here, but yes, both quarterbacks will see time with all the wide receivers, if that’s a better way to put it, yes. What will happen is we’ll rotate receivers through. So they’ll be some series where you’ll see some guys some series where you won’t but they’ll rotate through. A lot of the players will go into the third quarter, not all, but we still have a lot more decisions to make."

Schwartz hints that everybody will get playing time though. "We have probably some game-time decisions of guys with little nicks here and there, but quarterbacks most likely will be sort of on a quarter and a half basis again like we’ve done in the past.”

On a final note the Lions have announced today that RB Allen Ervin has been released.

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If I had mad money and owned the Lions I would...________________.

If I had mad money and owned the Lions I would...________________.

Lions Update Aug 26

Today marked the last day of training camp for the Detroit Lions.

The team has released WR Eric Fowler and K Swayze Waters.
In other transactions the team acquired DL Orion Martin via waivers and signed Kicker Billy Cundiff.

Coach Schwartz spoke to the media today about the Kicker situation and had this to say, “There’s a pretty good chance. It looks like Swayze [Waters] won’t be able to go and we’ve given Dane [Looker] a lot of stuff but that’s asking a little much for a position player to have to do double duty like that. We’ll see what happens after this and make a decision.”

Schwartz also spoke to TE Brandon Pettigrew’s status.“I think that’s still up in the air a little bit, but it’s looking a little bit more optimistic when you can come out to practice like this – that was physical with good contact and also full speed and you can make it through".

Schwartz continues, "What we’ve done is stuck with the plan of what we talked about all along. Give him a little bit of individual, give him a little bit of this, and a little bit more, a little bit more and he’s close to being released into the general population and being able to go where you don’t even worry about how we’re managing him during practice.”

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Quick Hits: Lions Wide Receiver Derrick Williams

By: Michael Niziolek

The Detroit Lions return game hasn’t had a lot of great playmakers the last few seasons, but Jim Schwartz hopes this year can be a little different. Detroit drafted Derrick Williams out of Penn State hoping that he could make an impact returning kicks….

“One of the reasons we drafted him was his return resume at Penn State; not only consistency, which is what he brought, but the ability to make a play,” Schwartz said. “Our philosophy is going to be aggressive on defense. We want to push the edge and try to score, and you need playmakers at the return position.”

But Williams is hoping he can also find some playing time at wide receiver. He’s had the chance for some extra reps because of injuries (Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson) and Schwartz said he’s doing a pretty good job.

Wiliams wasn’t as sharp in the second preseason game, but against the Atlanta Falcons in Detroit's first preseason game he caught a touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford.

In-Play! talked to the rookie about returning kicks, getting playing time and the quarterback battle…

IP: There have been quite a few injuries to receivers in camp, did you feel you had an opportunity to make an impression on the coaching staff and win more playing time?

DW: I’ve had that impression ever since I came in here. I didn’t come thinking that I wasn’t going to try to contribute to the team. I came here saying anyway possible, I’m going to do my best and go out there and make on an impact on this team year.

IP: You left Penn State with your name at the top of a lot of different returner categories, in your mind what makes a good kick returner?

DW: I think what makes a good returner is the people up front because if there’s not the blocking there then you’re going to have to fair catch. So many things can go wrong, I’ve always heard on punt returns there’s so many things that can go wrong and there’s just a slim chance that there’s going to be a big play. You just have to count on the other ten people on the field.

IP: Do you think it might be easier for you to make an impact on special teams this year, than on offense?

DW: I think I can shine there, but I think I can shine on the offense as well.

IP: You’ve played with both Daunte Culpepper and Matthew Stafford, have you noticed any differences between the two so far?

DW: (Laughs) Right now I’m just focusing on making sure I’m in the right spot. With me just learning everything and switching between different positions I just have to worry about my responsibilities.

Former Detroit Lion Named Finalist For Hall Of Fame.

Former Detroit Lions CB Dick LeBeau has been named by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Seniors Committee as a finalist for election into the Hall of Fame with the Class of 2010. Lebeau, along with former NFL RB Floyd Little, will join 15 still-to-be-named modern-era candidates on the list of finalists from which the Class of 2010 will be selected.

The Hall of Fame selection meeting will be held on February 6, 2010, the day before Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida. LeBeau was originally drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 1959 draft. After being cut by the Browns, he was signed by Detroit where he starred for 14 seasons at cornerback for the Lions.

He intercepted 62 passes which he returned for 762 yards and 3 TDs. His interception total ranked third all-time in NFL history at the time of his retirement following the 1972 season. Today, it remains a Lions team record and is tied for 7th among all-time NFL interceptors.

LeBeau currently serves as the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator and is entering his 37th year of coaching.

As a player he was voted to three Pro Bowls (1965, 1966, and 1967). In 2008, LeBeau was named to the Lions 75th Season all-time team.

In Play! Magazine

The QB Controversy Keeps Going At Lions Camp...And That's A Good Thing.

Head Coach Schwartz today (Aug 24) says that he will not reveal his decision at this time for starting Detroit Lions Starting QB. “I’ve mentioned this before: we’ll probably take a different approach in that fourth preseason game than other teams do. So it probably won’t be this week, we’ll see. The other thing is, from our standpoint, there may be even a point where we make a decision on a quarterback and we may not even announce it."

Schwartz goes on to say, "What good does it do? Understand from our standpoint with the Lions is, there is a team down in New Orleans that’s getting ready to play us and if they can zero in on one quarterback, it makes it a little easier for them to plan. If they have to prepare for both, then Daunte and Matthew both have a different skill set. They are both a little bit different the way you would game plan them. Most likely we’re trying to keep that a little close to the vest.

I have often wondered why a coach would name a player of a position in question, some things are better left unsaid, right?

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE?

Lions Update Friday Aug 21

-The Lions completed their 21st day of training camp with a morning practice in shorts and an afternoon walkthrough on the indoor field at the team's practice facility before leaving for Cleveland in the evening.

-Following today's workout, Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz informed the media that QB Matthew Stafford will open the game at Cleveland and be relieved by QB Daunte Culpepper at some point in the second quarter; QB Drew Stanton will come into the game during the second half and is expected to finish the game.

-The Detroit Lions hit the road today to travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns for Game 2 of their 2009 preseason slate. The two teams will kick off their 41st preseason meeting at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday, August 22) at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

-Detroit leads the preseason series against Cleveland 22-17-1. This week's game will be televised live in Metro Detroit on WWJ-TV 62 (CBS) with Matt Shepard handling play-by-play, former Lions WR Desmond Howard adding color commentary and Hall of Fame TE Charlie Sanders and local sportscaster Steve Courtney reporting from the sideline.

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LIONS UPDATE AS THEY HEAD TO CLEVELAND

-The Lions completed their 20th day of training camp with morning and afternoon practices. The morning workout was held on the outdoor fields while the afternoon session was on the indoor field due to weather. The players practiced in shorts for both sessions.

-The team announced today that they have waived/injured S Daniel Bullocks and acquired LB Robert Francois via waivers. Bullocks, who cleared the 4 p.m. claiming deadline, will now revert back to the team's reserve/injured list.

-The Detroit Lions will hit the road this week and travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns for Game 2 of their 2009 preseason slate. The two teams will kick off their 41st preseason meeting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 22 at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Detroit leads the preseason series against Cleveland 22-17-1.

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