Lions update and transcript of Rod Marinelli
DETROIT LIONS UPDATE
NEWS
- The Lions completed their 17th day of training camp today. The team held morning and afternoon workouts on the outdoor fields at their headquarters and training facility in Allen Park. They worked out in full pads in the morning and in helmets and shorts in the afternoon.
- Detroit kicked off the 2007 preseason on an offensive torrent. The Lions had 11 plays of 20 yards or more against Cincinnati which was more than double what any other NFL team had during the first week of the preseason. Carolina and Jacksonville each had five plays of 20+ yards, while Lions QB J.T. O'Sullivan had five completions of 20+ yards by himself.
- WR Devale Ellis, RB Kevin Jones and DT Shaun Rogers remain on the PUP list and did not practice today.
- The Detroit Lions will continue their 2007 preseason this week at Cleveland Browns Stadium when they face the Browns at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Saturday's game will be the 39th meeting in what has been dubbed the Great Lakes Classic between the two teams. The Lions enter the 'Dawg Pound' looking to build off their preseason opening 27-26 victory against the Bengals while Cleveland began their preseason with a 16-12 win at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. Next week's game will be televised live in Metro Detroit on WKBD-TV UPN Channel 50 with Frank Beckmann handling play-by-play, former Lions QB Erik Kramer adding color commentary and local sportscaster Steve Courtney reporting from the sidelines.
LIONS HEAD COACH ROD MARINELLI
Opening statement: "We had a very, very physical morning practice. This is a training camp practice. We wanted to, again, we had them in another two-minute situation yesterday, and we put them into another two-minute situation kind of as a surprise element for them right at the end of practice. That's when we've got to communicate and do those things. But I've been pleased, really pleased, by our receiving corps. The leadership of that corps, the effort and the energy of that group; Roy (Williams) and Mike (Furrey) are doing great jobs in those areas in terms of leadership and hustle and tempo and so forth."
On the intensity of the practice: "Oh yeah, push it. Just push; we're going to keep pushing them. It's that time of (camp); you've got to go. They want to be good, and that's our job, is to help them."
On if he likes that a few players got angry at practice: "No. You've got to keep poised and go. It's important to them and it's that time of camp. We're pushing, guys are edgy - that's what it is. We've got to take that edginess and put it into the next snap and can't lose it. But that's human nature. Hopefully you can change human nature a little bit."
On if LB Teddy Lehman practiced: "Yeah, he did. He got out there and did it. We were kind of monitoring him; they had the pads on. But he got in and got some work."
On if he expects Lehman to play against Cleveland: "It kind of surprised me that he came back this quick. I thought he was going to get some activity. So we'll see how he's doing. I would like (him) to; I've got to get him released from the trainers, though."
On RB Tatum Bell: "He's good. He's a good back, a very good back. He's an experienced back in this league and he's had success in this league."
On if having Bell and RB Kevin Jones together is an asset: "Yeah, no question. As many good running backs as you can have, that's awesome."
On Bell's biggest adjustment coming from Denver: "I think probably just learning our passing game: blitz pickup, routes, catching. But he's suitable for all of that."
On DE Kalimba Edward's prognosis: "He should practice tomorrow. I think he'll be fine."
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