The "Perfect" Season - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

thespian86 · 12-28-2008, 01:36 PM

As the biggest GB fan on the face of the earth, it is my pleasure to announce that they will be going to Canton, Ohio this year. No, not because Rodgers had a MVP worthy year (numbers wise). No, not because we had two 1,000 yard receivers.

We beat the lions to take them to 0-16. The first winless season since the 16 game schedule (sorry, I meant the first team to go 0-16)

. Sad. So sad.

ESPN - Detroit vs. Green Bay - Recap - December 28, 2008

Quote:

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Nobody will remember the Detroit Lions came close to winning their last game. All anyone will know -- now and forever -- is 0-16. The worst record in NFL history, a dubious distinction that will permanently stain everyone involved.
The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.
"I've got to live with this," center Dominic Raiola said. "I've been here eight years. This is on my resume."

It's also on the resume of Lions coach Rod Marinelli, who faces an uncertain future.

"No competitor wants to go through something like this," Marinelli said. "This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there's people going through a lot worse than this."

Asked if he was glad it was over, the coach said "no. I could go another 16."

Marinelli told reporters that he expected to have a routine Monday -- watch film of Sunday's game, meet with the team and then with owner William Clay Ford Sr. later in the day.

Marinelli has gone 10-38 in three seasons. His future has not been announced, but Ford has decided the leaders of the front office, Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand, will be back in some capacity.

The Lions' last loss didn't come without a fight. After falling behind 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Kevin Smith's 9-yard touchdown run put Detroit back within a field goal.
But Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers responded with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver and the Lions' Dan Orlovsky threw an interception on fourth-and-27 with 3 minutes left, dooming Detroit to futility of historic proportion.

"It's just kind of numb," veteran kicker Jason Hanson said. "It's here. It's been coming, though, a train rolling down the tracks for a while. We tried to stop it. We couldn't."

The Lions were building toward this for years and now have lost 23 of their last 24 games. The 0-16 record will be a lasting testimony to the Matt Millen era. With Millen as president of the team from 2001 until he was fired on Sept. 24, Detroit won only 31 games -- none this year, of course.

It's so bad that some Lions can't remember the last time they won.

"I don't ever want to be a part of this again," Orlovsky said. "We haven't won since, November of '07, maybe? I don't even know the last time we won a game."

The Lions haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat Kansas City. Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and have been outscored 551-281.
Orlovsky was 22-of-42 for 225 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Lions, whose bid to steer clear of the record book came undone in large part because of ill-advised penalties.

Rodgers was 21-of-31 for 308 yards and three touchdowns for the Packers (6-10), and Ryan Grant and DeShawn Wynn rushed for 106 yards each.

After a disappointing season of their own, Rodgers said the Packers wanted a win to build momentum for next season. Left unsaid was that they didn't want to be the only team to lose to the Lions this year.

"We didn't want to lose, no, we didn't," Rodgers said. "But really it's not on your mind once the game starts. I didn't even think about it until the fans started chanting in the fourth quarter. They played hard, they really did."

Packers coach Mike McCarthy didn't want any part of the 0-16 discussion.

"I want to politely try to avoid the question here," McCarthy said. "That's tough. That's a tough deal. But we were focused on winning the game."

With the Lions trailing 14-7 early in the third quarter, safety Kalvin Pearson then put a hard hit on Grant to cause a fumble, and recovered the ball at the Packers 11.

Calvin Johnson caught a pass from Orlovsky and broke three tackling attempts to score a tying 14-yard touchdown with 10:20 left in the third quarter.

But the Packers drove for a 36-yard field goal by Mason Crosby early in the fourth quarter. After a three-and-out by Detroit's offense, Lions linebacker Ernie Sims' penalty for a late hit out of bounds on Grant played a key role on a drive that ended with a 5-yard pass from Rodgers to fullback John Kuhn.

The Lions weren't finished, as Orlovsky used two long completions to John Standeford to set up Smith's touchdown with 8:34 left. After the ensuing kickoff, Rodgers reared back and threw deep to Driver, who blew past Lions cornerback Leigh Bodden and ran in for a touchdown.
Orlovsky led the Lions back into Packers territory, but a taunting penalty on Smith moved the Lions back near midfield and Orlovsky threw an interception to Nick Collins.

"It was a very bad, selfish decision," Smith said. "I let my emotions get the best of me. It was tough, but it is no excuse."
Perhaps more than anything, the penalties got Raiola riled up.

"Stupid," Raiola said. "You know, just uncalled for. You're in a game like that, you can't do that. Just dumb."

And very much like the Lions.

QuasiMondo · 12-28-2008, 01:43 PM

It's actually the second winless season in history. The 1976 tampa bay buccaneers went 0-14.

Glory's Sun · 12-29-2008, 02:30 PM

The Lions have the worst front office ever. They make the stupidest draft picks and hire the bummest coaches.

Marinelli is gone now.. who knows..maybe they'll pick up Romeo or Mangini. heh.

thespian86 · 12-30-2008, 03:25 AM

I don't know. If we are talking front office, or owner, I'd say Al Davis of the Raiders tops everyone; he drafts people with impressive combines/high 40's and they are almost always busts (Robert Gallery, Michael Huff, Sebastian Janikowski, Jamarcus Russell, etc), signs confusing and washed up players to ridiculously lucrative contracts (see the Javon Walker transaction this past off season), and fires coaches with incredible potential (ie: the Lane Kiffan debacle). And that was this season alone; save the draft.

And I think Mangini lost his job far too quickly. His decisions didn't leave them 1-4; Farve's arm did.

jimk · 12-30-2008, 08:59 AM

i have lived in chicago for 18 years, and the only vestige of michiganderism i have is my painful, absurd attachment to the lions.

this season ranks up there on the pain scale with them having possibly (at their respective times) the best running backs in the league in two separate decades, and still being unable to build teams around them: b. sims and the honorable b. sanders.

i hang my head in disappointment (again).

grumpyolddude · 12-31-2008, 11:23 AM

My only question is "why did it take a whole day to announce Marinelli's firing?" Oh, yeah, because WC Ford is a DOOFUSS! He's bringing back the whole front office, minus Millen, of course. Who in their right mind would hire into such a braindead organization? If I were a top coaching prospect, I wouldn't even TALK to the Lions. If I were a potential top draft pick, I'd check out the CFL for a year!

AVoiceOfReason · 01-04-2009, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpyolddude

If I were a top coaching prospect, I wouldn't even TALK to the Lions. If I were a potential top draft pick, I'd check out the CFL for a year!

This is off-topic, sort of, but your suggestion raised a question for me: If a draft pick sits out a year--or plays in Canada--can he be declared a free agent, or does he re-enter the draft the next year, or does the team retain the rights beyond the first year? I remember Elway used the baseball leverage to get out of Baltimore, but those rules may have changed.

djtestudo · 01-04-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVoiceOfReason

This is off-topic, sort of, but your suggestion raised a question for me: If a draft pick sits out a year--or plays in Canada--can he be declared a free agent, or does he re-enter the draft the next year, or does the team retain the rights beyond the first year? I remember Elway used the baseball leverage to get out of Baltimore, but those rules may have changed.

I'm not sure in the NFL. In baseball, you have to go through the draft basically until you are not picked anymore.

I think it's the same in football.
-----Added 4/1/2009 at 03 : 24 : 19-----

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpyolddude

My only question is "why did it take a whole day to announce Marinelli's firing?" Oh, yeah, because WC Ford is a DOOFUSS! He's bringing back the whole front office, minus Millen, of course. Who in their right mind would hire into such a braindead organization? If I were a top coaching prospect, I wouldn't even TALK to the Lions. If I were a potential top draft pick, I'd check out the CFL for a year!

Only problem is, you could get hurt, and then you're screwed.

At least in Detroit they'll have to pay you a crapload of guaranteed money.

12-28-2008, 01:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	It's actually the second winless season in history. The 1976 tampa bay buccaneers went 0-14. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

12-30-2008, 03:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
thespian86 change is hard. Location: the green room.	I don't know. If we are talking front office, or owner, I'd say Al Davis of the Raiders tops everyone; he drafts people with impressive combines/high 40's and they are almost always busts (Robert Gallery, Michael Huff, Sebastian Janikowski, Jamarcus Russell, etc), signs confusing and washed up players to ridiculously lucrative contracts (see the Javon Walker transaction this past off season), and fires coaches with incredible potential (ie: the Lane Kiffan debacle). And that was this season alone; save the draft. And I think Mangini lost his job far too quickly. His decisions didn't leave them 1-4; Farve's arm did. __________________ EX: Whats new? ME: I officially love coffee more then you now. EX: uh... ME: So, not much.

12-30-2008, 08:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
jimk Addict Location: Chicago	i have lived in chicago for 18 years, and the only vestige of michiganderism i have is my painful, absurd attachment to the lions. this season ranks up there on the pain scale with them having possibly (at their respective times) the best running backs in the league in two separate decades, and still being unable to build teams around them: b. sims and the honorable b. sanders. i hang my head in disappointment (again). __________________ raw power is a guaranteed o.d. raw power is a laughin' at you & me -iggy

12-31-2008, 11:23 AM	#6 (permalink)
grumpyolddude Deliberately unfocused Location: Amazon.com and CDBaby	My only question is "why did it take a whole day to announce Marinelli's firing?" Oh, yeah, because WC Ford is a DOOFUSS! He's bringing back the whole front office, minus Millen, of course. Who in their right mind would hire into such a braindead organization? If I were a top coaching prospect, I wouldn't even TALK to the Lions. If I were a potential top draft pick, I'd check out the CFL for a year! __________________ "Regret can be a harder pill to swallow than failure .With failure you at least know you gave it a chance..." David Howard

12-29-2008, 02:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Glory's Sun Registered User	The Lions have the worst front office ever. They make the stupidest draft picks and hire the bummest coaches. Marinelli is gone now.. who knows..maybe they'll pick up Romeo or Mangini. heh.