Grades and Notes from the Lions vs. Browns

Let me just say that I have commented on multiple occasions that this was the game to watch. There are some great things with this team and there are some huge disappointments Let's start being positive.

Let's also be honest and say that the Browns were missing six starters, but the Lions were missing some #1's also. That said you have to take into account that this wasn't an NFL season ready team the Lions played tonight. Here we go.

The Good

The Lions DL even without Redding tonight played well. The starting four looked great and even the youngsters showed improvement. This is probably one of the biggest strengths on this team and is certainly an area that is the least concern.
The LB's looked as good as they have all season. They were flying all over the field. They made open field tackles and were all around the ball. If they can play that way in the regular season then the Lions could be very special on D.
The DB's also looked very good. You saw tonight even with Kelly out that these guys made plays. The forced receivers to change routes and they were as effective tonight as they have been
How about Kitna, Roy and Calvin. Again they had absolutely no OL help and they worked in tandem and looked good. On one particular play early, Backus was embarrassed and Kitna scrambled out of it. Roy read it and broke off his route and went down field and made a spectacular catch with one hand. Human nature is to follow the ball and the average person would have thought it was a great play. Unfortunately it was a horrendous play by Backus that his teammates made him look good. On the second drive Mulitalo gets embarrassed (5:59 left in the first quarter) when he literally had no one to block and was standing there and missed the blitzing backer. There is NO EXCUSE for that. Roy again had a great catch, but Kitna was under duress and threw it high (not his fault) and he had to leap so there was no YAC.
I was critical in the past of TE Gaines in his sustaining of blocks. He did a terrific job tonight. That is something that they have shown him on tape and he is working on.
GOZ played great tonight. He is clearly (along with Raiola) the best OL on this team. Right now he is better than Backus at LT and if it were me (and it isn't obviously) I would let him take his lumps and start there. I talked with him after the game. He had his elbows in and he kept his knees over his ankles and he drove people at will. Still some flaws, but he is clearly the best tackle the Lions have.
Dan O got reps with most of the ones and let's be very frank: his technique on his roll outs was not good, it was exceptional. He kept his eyes down field and his feet under his shoulders. We joked after the game of my assessment last week, but you could tell he had worked on his technique. He also got down the field on multiple plays blocking (most notably the Kevin Smith TD) and he was aggressive.
How about Mike Furrey. If you had a team of him you would win Super Bowls every year. Down field making blocks. He is a warrior.

Grades:

DL: A-

LB: A-

DB: B

Kitna/Calvin/Roy A

Gaines: B-

GOZ: B

Dan O: B

Furrey: B

The Bad

This team like last season is having problems (with the ones) punching the ball in for TD's in the red zone. That is an OL issue and I will address that in the ugly section.
The special teams blocking is very bad. The new NFL has a huge emphasis on special teams and it is impossible to pick a return man when no one can get a seem or even time for that matter to show what he can do.
The second team OL did better than the first. I would read to much into it because it would be hard pressed a second team OL in the NFL that isn't better (as a whole) than the Lions first string.
Shaun McDonald had some great catches. However his down field blocking has been an issue in the past and that continued tonight.

Grades:

Red Zone: D

Special TeamsÂ Blocking: D

Second Team OL The â€œbadâ€ issue here is not that they are terrible it is that you can't have your #2's better than your #1's. Because of how â€œbadâ€ the 1's are this grade is because of the situation: D.

Shaun McDonald's down field blocking: D

The Ugly

Anyone care to guess? Beuhler? Beuhler? The OL. Other than Raiola they were terrible. I really like Backus as a person and each week I get inundated with email telling me that I hate on him because he is a Wolverine, but he is terrible. The offense kept trying to go left because we already know the right side is so bad. Other than C this has to be the worst OL in pro football and that is the single biggest reason I said this team would only win six games. They miss assignments, they have poor technique and thank God that they have a QB and WR's who are on the same page because it is only their ingenuity that is making these guys remotely look decent. In the red zone they seem to lose vision and can't pick up guys that aren't right in front of them. If they don't improve this is going to be a very long season for the Lions. The Lions have to address this in the off season both in drafting and free agency. I am sick that we are here in the PRE SEASON and already talking about that.

The starting OL: F Horrendous, terrible, pathetic!

Lions fans will be excited and who can blame them. There is hope. This team has the best D that they have had in a long time. They have weapons on O. Sadly the OL which is the backbone of the team is a epic failure at this point. Team are going to blitz and try to disrupt Kitna so he can't improvise. Kitna has taken his knock and deservedly so, but a horrendous line is not his fault. Sure they haven't given up a ton of sacks, that is thanks to Kitna more than anything they had done. If this was still the Martz offense trust me they would have.

I even asked Raiola tonight if he was just ready to get the season going and he just looked for a second, and said, â€œNo, we need the practice. We have some things to learn.â€ For Dom to say that, he gets and understands the condition his line is in.

Sure I am excited to be 3-0. I admit that this team is improving. I also know that there are people who see the down field play and not the missed block. This team is still a ways away, but it is wonderful to admit that they are legitimately closer.