DETROIT LIONS DAILY UPDATE FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 2006

MONDAY'S NEWS The Lions had a full-squad practice this afternoon in pads on the outdoor fields at the team's headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park.

MONDAY'S NEWS

• The Lions had a full-squad practice this afternoon in pads on the outdoor fields at the team's headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park. This week's practice routine will be similar to the regular season.
• TE Dan Campbell was removed from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list today and participated in practice for the first time this preseason. G Barry Stokes also returned to the practice field today.
• LB Teddy Lehman and WR Scottie Vines remain on the PUP list and did not practice today.
• TE Casey FitzSimmons, WR Charles Rogers, DT Shaun Rogers, RT Rex Tucker and RG Damien Woody also missed practice today.
• Fans have one final opportunity to take advantage of the exclusive opportunity to purchase regular season individual game tickets (based on availability) with the purchase of individual game tickets to the Lions' preseason finale August 31 against Buffalo. Fans who purchase individual game tickets to the game against Buffalo can then purchase an equal number of regular season individual game tickets prior to the public on-sale date of Wednesday, August 23 at 10 a.m. EDT. To take advantage of this exclusive offer fans must call TicketMaster by phone at 248.645.6666.
• The Detroit Lions will face the Raiders in Oakland Friday for their third preseason game which kicks off at 7 p.m. (PT) at McAfee Coliseum. This week's game marks the fifth time the two teams have faced each other in the preseason, with the Raiders holding a 3-1 series edge. Detroit enters the game trying to rebound from a 20-16 preseason loss at Cleveland while Oakland will try to win their fourth straight preseason game after winning their home debut against San Francisco, 23-7.
• Friday's game will be televised live in Metro Detroit on WKBD-TV UPN Channel 50 with Frank Beckmann handling play-by-play, former Lions DT Kelvin Pritchett adding color commentary and local sportscaster Steve Courtney reporting from the sideline. The games can also be viewed throughout the state of Michigan and portions of northwest Ohio on: WBKB-TV CBS Ch. 11 (Alpena); WFQX-TV FOX Ch. 33 (Cadillac/Traverse City); WJMN-TV CBS Ch. 3 (Escanaba); WXMI-TV FOX Ch. 17 (Grand Rapids); WSYM-TV FOX Ch. 47 (Lansing); WNEM-TV CBS Ch. 5 (Saginaw/Flint/Bay City) and WNWO NBC Ch. 24 (Toledo, Ohio).

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI:
Opening statement: "We were in full pads today and we'll be in helmets and shoulder pads tomorrow in terms of our preparation for Oakland. We had a really good start. We got Stokes (Barry) back today, he had a chance to come in and get some good solid work with us. (Dan Campbell) came out and got some work - just checking out that elbow. (Cory Redding) just pulled a muscle in his side making a swim move, that doesn't seem like anything but we're going to check it out. Another thing is that we're ok and just getting ready to work."

On if there's a legitimate concern about running the football and/or stopping the run: "It's not a concern - it's a statement we want to make - that's something that we want to be able to do and do a good job with it."

On why LB Ernie Sims working with the first unit today: "Yeah, he's up there working with the first group. He played very well (at Cleveland); he's had a couple of really good performances in a row. (I like) his awareness, his instincts, he has great explosion in his hips and he's got great instincts in the running game."

On how Sims got the sack on Friday night: "Well they (Cleveland) picked it up, and he should have kept coming faster at the initial start of the blitz and he just kind of bounced around and stayed alive and kind of wiggled through them and got it - nothing great, but he just stayed alive."

On RG Damien Woody being close to getting back into full practice: "We think next week he's going to be able to start working. He was just getting it re-checked again today out in Alabama."

On whether or not he (Marinelli) likes what WR Mike Williams has done and if he should get more balls thrown his way and get more involved in the offense: "No, I think everybody is right at the progress we're making right now. I think it's very consistent and very steady."

On if he (Williams) has done some things to improve his standing: "As they all have - not just him - all of them are in the hunt and doing their work and just putting it on tape."

On the biggest progressions needed this week, both offensively and defensively: "Fundamental work. I think coming back having a great day - we're going to play a very, very powerful run team. We just have to get our pads down and play our gaps and establish a run - do what we do, and that's still the No. 1 thing we have to accomplish each week."

On the situation with WR Charles Rogers: "He's got the bone bruise on his knee. It's slightly below like Rex Tucker's deal. It's week-to-week."

On RT Rex Tucker and DT Shaun Rogers: "Shaun has been moving now, he's finally getting himself running and moving; his tonsils have cleared up and he's just getting his shoulder really on top of (that) right now. We're hoping next week (vs. Buffalo); hopefully we'll have a chance to get him some practice. (Same for Damien) Woody."

On if he would play them in the last preseason game: "No. This is just to get the padded practice work and stuff like that."

On how big it is to have TE Dan Campbell back: "Really big, we just have to see. He's just jamming it in there now and seeing how that works for him. Hopefully he stays healthy. (When he is healthy) he's a load - that's what his forte is, he's a tremendous blocker. We just have to wait and see if it holds up."

On if something has really clicked with Sims that he just gets it and makes his presence felt: "His ability is coming - when you get him a little bit comfortable, then his ability starts to show. He's a quick learner."

On if Sims can use his speed when he knows what he's doing: "Yeah - even when he doesn't - he goes the wrong way and comes back. He's so fast and he's so explosive. I don't want to over due him yet, he's got to get his work in. He's a heck of a player."

On if LB Boss Bailey will be ready this week: "If everything stays the same this week with no setbacks we're planning on him playing in the first half (at Oakland) - that's the plan."

On thinking about the cut down coming up and how difficult it is: "We'll meet again tonight to start getting ideas on guys we need to really take a good look at somewhere in the second half. Then next week we'll start cutting down. It's tough, especially with how hard these guys work. You see these guys come out all through the offseason (since last March) putting in the work everyday, coming here, two-a-days, all the things and just fighting - it's extremely tough. You get close to these guys and you want them all to be successful."

On worrying about missing something on tape in deciding who makes the cut: "Every time - in this game you're always second guessing yourself. Maybe we could have taught this better, we could have done this better, we could have drafted this guy better. You're never satisfied; it's always something. There's something under every stone that we haven't seen, you just have to keep turning them over."

 

courtesy of the Lions