Lions Update and Coach Sarge Marinelli

DETROIT LIONS DAILY UPDATE TODAY'S NEWS The Lions held a full-squad workout today in pads on the indoor field at the team's headquarters and practice facility

DETROIT LIONS DAILY UPDATE TODAY'S NEWS

• The Lions held a full-squad workout today in pads on the indoor field at the team's headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park.
• Tickets for Thursday's game vs. Buffalo are still available. Tickets can be purchased via detrotilions.com, TicketMaster.com, TicketMaster outlets and over the phone at 248.645.6666.
• LB Teddy Lehman and WR Scottie Vines remain on the PUP list and did not practice today.
• S Idrees Bashir, TE Casey FitzSimmons, DT Shaun Rogers, RT Rex Tucker, DE Cory Redding, WR Roy Williams and RG Damien Woody also missed practice today.
• The Detroit Lions will finish their 2006 preseason slate at Ford Field Thursday when they play the Buffalo Bills at 7:30 p.m. This will be the fifth consecutive preseason the two teams have closed out each other's exhibition schedule since 2002. Detroit enters the game looking to end the preseason on a high note after a 21-3 loss at Oakland while Buffalo will look to rebound from a 20-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns.

LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
Opening Statement: "On the injury front: (Damien) Woody came back and got some good padded work today, so that was good. (Ross) Verba, we just rested his Achilles heel, we wanted to make sure he was rested. (Bill) Swancutt sprained a knee today, and (Roy Williams) groin has been sore and aggravated, so we kept him down a little bit today. I think that's it in terms of everybody. We just came in today and had a good chance to get some good padded work against each other. A lot of the systems fit that we're going to play, so it was a good chance to get a good tempo and fundamental work."

On the injury of DE Bill Swancutt: "It's just a knee - looked like a sprained knee. He fell over a pile and that's all I know right now."

On G Damien Woody's problems with weight and how he looked today with not being able to practice consistently: "Good. His movement has never been a problem for him - athleticism. It was good to get him out here and working. It's harder (to get back out), just like you and I - if you sit all day; it's tough. It's hard, you've seen him walking around the field - he's been walking to New York and back - we're just trying to help him in those areas, but the lighter the better."

On worrying about massaging the morale of the team coming off a loss at Oakland: "Like I was talking about yesterday a little bit - the biggest thing I wanted to try to accomplish was who could do it. We came up with thirteen guys that really did it, and under those circumstances came out and did a heck of a job. I showed the team those thirteen, and clips of what were good. We just have to get more to join it. I don't believe about massaging or any of that. You go back to work; get our foot work right. What needs to be corrected? Our foot work, pad level here, details here, bronco here, covering a guy here - just cleaning those things up. It's not a mental thing, I don't need a psychiatrist here. I just need to work and that's all we have to get done."

On how G Damien Woody looked today in practice and how much he'll play on Thursday (vs. Buffalo): "He looked (movement wise) very good, but he's fresh too (body wise). He's just getting used to the club and that thing. He did some very good things -I expected him to look like."

"We have to see, and just kind of feel it. Hopefully we got some good padded work today that would help him, but we have to be smart too. We're going to count on it (him playing). We'll see what we do tomorrow; how much we can get done tomorrow; how he's feeling tomorrow and then we'll play it by ear from there."

On not having 'the right side of the offensive line' so far in the preseason: "Not having the right side of the line? No, it's just who we got. We just play with who we have, it can happen during the season, it can happen and you just have to go play - it's whose up you got to go with."

"We had a good practice today with him (Woody). (He) moved around very well, we'll see what we get done tomorrow and how he's progressing. That's a tough call, and we just have to think it through. You hate putting him in the game and then he looses his balance. If we do it wouldn't be much (playing time)."

On what it means having Woody back: "He looked really good, and moved around really well and hustled around. It's big to have him back, he's a leader."

On if he'll (Marinelli) hold Woody back on Thursday night vs. Buffalo: "I think that's what we'll do (hold him back); we're going to talk about it and see how much work we can get in pads here. We'll see, if you're balance is off a little bit, it takes a little time to get your balance right with that club. You have to make sure you're in good shape with enough practice and all of those things."

On LB Boss Bailey's progress and if he's back to where he wants him to be and how big of a contributor he can be: "No not yet - I could lie to you. He was rusty early in the game and he missed a chance to make a nice tackle, but he seemed to get better as the game went on. So it's just now about reps, reps, reps - seeing it in practice and all of those things. He works details and all of those things. He does a nice job, it's just now he's got to get game speed - as much game speed as you can now - he's got to get better playing the game because he's missed a lot of practice. I think he could be the center piece (of the defense). He's in a position to make a lot of plays for us."

On always telling players what he wants out of them and what exactly is going on with WR Mike Williams: "I keep trying to say, going to back to it - it comes down to practice. His position coaches talked to him - what's expected of him. The way I see it (it's been covered). The coaching staff and I (make the call); we sit together - what we need, and what we want. Position coaches are in it and all of those things. It's just like I said, practice is key."

On cutting the last player: "We have a couple of hours left. We're going to talk I think later this afternoon. There are still some questions right now."

On WR Roy Williams missing today's practice: "He has a sore (heel) and we just want to make sure we're precautionary. It's a little bit sore, so we kept him out of practice."

Courtesy of the Detroit Lions