DETROIT LIONS DAILY UPDATE FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2006

TODAY'S NEWS The Lions practiced on the indoor fields in helmets and shorts today at the team headquarters and training facility in Allen Park. The team

TODAY'S NEWS

• The Lions practiced on the indoor fields in helmets and shorts today at the team headquarters and training facility in Allen Park.
• The team announced today they have re-signed TE Casey FitzSimmons to a four-year contract extension. No other contract terms were disclosed. FitzSimmons originally joined the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2003 out of Carroll College in Montana. He has played in 46 career games (16 starts), and has caught 43 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns. FitzSimmons has also recorded 40 career special teams tackles.
• The following players have been listed on the Detroit Lions' injury report: WR Shaun Bodiford (knee) and TE Casey FitzSimmons (wrist) are out. LG Ross Verba (hamstring) is questionable. Bodiford, FitzSimmons and Verba each missed the team portion of practice. The Lions did not have any changes to their injury report today.
• The following players have been listed on the Chicago Bears' injury report: WR Justin Gage (rib), S Chris Harris (ankle), LB Hunter Hillenmeyer (head), DE Israel Idonije (ankle) and TE Gabriel Reid (back) and are questionable. The Bears did not report any changes to their injury report today.
• In FB Cory Schlesinger's 11 previous seasons with the Detroit Lions, he has faced the Bears 21 times. He didn't play in last season's first match-up at Soldier Field (9/18/05) due to a leg injury sustained in the preseason and the Lions were limited to 29 yards rushing (17 att.; 1.7-avg). Schlesinger returned to the lineup in time for the second meeting between the Lions and Bears at Ford Field (10/30/05) and Detroit rushed for 93 yards (29 att.; 3.2-avg), the most rushing yards allowed by Chicago up to that point (Week 8) of the season.
• The 10 tackles that LB Ernie Sims registered against Seattle (9/10) were the most by a Lions rookie in an opening day start since S Bennie Blades (1988-1996) recorded 12 tackles in his professional debut against the Atlanta Falcons (9/4/88).
• LB Ernie Sims' 10 tackles on opening day against the Seahawks (9/10) were the most by a Lions' rookie linebacker to start opening day since LB Dennis Gibson's (1987-1993) 11 tackles made in his opening start as a Lions pro against Minnesota (9/13/87).
• Tickets remain for the 13th annual Detroit Lions Courage House Dinner that will feature Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Bart Starr as its keynote speaker. A special award also will be presented to former Pittsburgh Steelers' star and Detroit native Jerome Bettis. The event will be held at Ford Field on October 17, 2006 beginning at 5:30 PM. Several Detroit Lions' players also will attend the banquet that will benefit HAVEN, Oakland County's premier center for the prevention and treatment of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. Proceeds will target the center's child abuse prevention and treatment programs. Previous banquets have raised approximately $1.2 million for HAVEN. Starr led Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers to a record five NFL Championships and was named the Most Valuable Player in both Super Bowls I and II. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1977. Bettis retired this year with a Super Bowl XL Championship ring after a 13-year NFL career with Steelers and the Rams. He will receive the Community Courage Award at the Courage House Dinner, recognizing his commitment to community service as well as his outstanding play on the field. For information on tickets and sponsorships, contact Kim Doverspike of Lions' Community Affairs at 313-216-4171 or Christine Farah, sponsorship chairman, at 248-344-2291.
• Detroit will play their first divisional opponent this season when they travel to Chicago to battle the Bears at Soldier Field. In the last eight meetings between the two teams, six games have been decided by six points or less with each team winning four games. This week, Detroit will look to rebound from a heartbreaking 6-9 loss to the defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks while Chicago looks to win their second straight NFC North matchup after shutting out the Packers, 19-0, last week at Lambeau Field.

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
On G Ross Verba's current status: "He's still day-to-day, week-to-week. Right now we're kind of set at who got their work in and it's just time to get ready to go play."

On if (Ross) Verba will play this Sunday against the Bears: "I would say doubtful."

On if the injury is more serious than previously thought: "No, we felt it was going to be a good two weeks (to recover). You look to see how he's progressing day-by-day; but it's a hamstring and I think he's going to have a great shot next week but we'll see. We'll see how he finishes this weekend."

On if T Rex Tucker is still starting at right tackle: "Right tackle."

On if there were any changes to the lineup: "No. I think everything's the same."

On if LB Paris Lenon is going to start in the 'Mike' position: "Yeah, and we'll work Boss (Bailey) around - exact rotation as last week on defense - we should just get ready to roll."

On if the rotation of the linebackers is similar to what he used in Tampa: "Jeff Gooch was there, at one time we had Hardy (Nickerson), Derrick (Brooks), Al Singleton, Gooch and Sheldon Quarles - we actually had five. Guys keep fresh that way and really productive and fast."

On LB Boss Bailey saying he lined up wrong accidentally last weekend and stayed in that position: "There's a lot of details between those spots - a lot -but some guys, there's some carry over between 'Sam' and 'Will.' There's none at 'Mike,' that thing is completely different. A little bit at 'Sam' and 'Will'; when you're playing on the tackling and ones a bubble guy more and all of a sudden that 'Will' is playing over a tight end, which he never does. It's been great for us to be able to have that right now. It's like having a nose tackle like Shaun Cody, who can play the one and the three and that really makes it valuable, a guy who can play inside and outside. Those things help you, when you get position flexibility."

On if he liked the way LB Alex Lewis was able to cover: "Alex? Big time - this guy, you know what, he is a great spot blocker and zone dropper, oh man, he's got the feel. His instincts and ability to break on the ball are very good and his awareness out there is really good. All of those guys can really play coverage very well with their speed. They're all pretty interchangeable when you look at them, sometimes you have to look out there to see who's on the field, you have to make sure you check their numbers because they all run block."

On if it's too easy to think because the Lions and the Bears use similar defenses that it benefits the Lions offense during the week: "In this thing - when we're doing it around our defense - we should not care. If we walk in and say this is what we're doing - block us - that's the way it gets when you get it because you know what you're doing; you know how to do it and this is where I'm at; I'm going to be right here and let's see if you can block us; this is our coverage and we're going to break on the ball and we're going to gang tackle and we're going to play our spot drops and that's all we force. When this defense is humming you force people to execute and you've got to execute. That's the whole premise of this defense - from day one - fundamentals: tackling, hustle, and sprinting to the ball. You protect your gaps, got to get a four man rush, disguise what you're doing, got a feel a little blitz when it's necessary and then it's humming."

On if WR Az Hakim will be active: "We're going to look at that Saturday and get a feel."

On if WR Mike Williams will play: "That's the whole thing - we want to look at this whole thing - where we're at."

On if it could be one or the other, or both: "You mean both down or both up? It's something that it all could be. We got to look at this whole thing and see. A big factor comes in at special teams, guys that cover and all of those things too."

On if Mike Williams' is doing anything on special teams: "He's learning different spots on it - backup on some of it. He's not going to start on it - neither is Az. You have to look at the whole thing."

On if he will be aware of the presence of his friend (Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith) across the field: "Oh yeah. The biggest thing where I'm aware of him is the style that they play; you know what I'm saying. I mean the style of football that we're going to see. His hand print is over that, hand printed (Tony) Dungy all the way back. You know what you're going to get and you know how it's going to be executed. When that team is playing it represents his belief on how you play the game with the tempo and the fundamentals and those types of things. I'll be very aware of that."

On how he can avoid at least making eye contact during the game with him: "I'm sure we'll say hello before the game. We played against each other before, you know. He was in St. Louis, he was a coordinator, and we were in Tampa. Then he was the head coach in Chicago and I was in Tampa -so, this is a little different."

On if it's more fun to play against an old friend: "I just want to win. It could be an enemy or an old friend - I just want to win."

On for the record if he's spoken to Lovie Smith this week: "No."

On if he bumps into him on the field will be the first time they've spoken in awhile: "I don't think we've ever talked the week we've ever played each other, you know, it's like brothers fighting."

On if this is a bigger deal because they are playing against each other in the same division: "Oh boy - no question. This is serious stuff now and so it makes it fun, really. To compete like this, you couldn't ask for anything better. If you like to compete, this is what it's all about."

On if this is why you never truly reveal everything you have under your hat whether it be football related or anything to a friend: "I think you always quote, keep your cards close to yourself and if something needs to be said then you say it - usually too many words are not good."

 

Courtesy of the Lions