The Detroit Lions decide their future is brighter without Roy Williams and Jon Kitna

I'm away from the PC for a few hours, and all Hell breaks loose!

Roy Williams and a 7th round pick to Dallas for their 1st, 3rd and 6th picks? Jon Kitna to the IR, essentially ending his career with the Detroit Lions?

And here I was, totally expecting the trade deadline to be a non-event.

I applaud both moves! Golf claps all around for Martin Mayhew! If this is how Mayhew begins his bid to impress the Fords and the fanbase, and make his bid become the Lions' GM, I have to say he's made one Hell of a first impression. One seriously GOOD first impression.  I"m not saying give Mayhew the gig, but you have to admit, he's proven to be quite competent since the shackles of Millen have been removed.

Mayhew robbed the Cowboys blind. No way Williams would re-sign with Detroit next season, and franchise tagging him would have been cap suicide. So instead, Mayhew took Jerry Jones to the cleaners in getting damn near a King's ransom for a player who wasn't going to be a member of the 2009 Detroit Lions. 

Taking another team to the cleaners is something you could never say about any of Matt Millen's moves. In fact, it was usually the other way around (the Dre' Bly trade). That alone shows the Lions are moving forward, in a good way, in a post-Millen era. 

As for Kitna, I'm sure his back is dinged up, but hurt enough to miss the rest of the season? I doubt it. But it was obvious his time in the D was running out. Kitna's 36 and was playing like he's 66. About the only person in the Detroti organization backing him was a coach whose picture is next to the term "lame duck" in the encyclopedia. Kitna was also visably pissed the Lions are no longer letting him throw the ball 40 times a game in Jim Colletto's (admittedly mediocre) offense.

Turns out Kitna was only a "leader" when allowed to run Mike Martz's pass happy offense. In other words, his intangibles were overrated. Kitna only had intangibles when he got his way. Good riddance.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts later... But for the time being, the Lions get 2 TWFE thumbs up!

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions - Final thoughts part duex: 12 more games of THIS?

I'll make my final thoughts quick, and to the point. By the way, I'm doing much better now.

Live blog links:

1st quarter: No hope, no hope at all

2nd quarter: Abandon hope all ye who enter here

3rd quarter: Fire Marinelli!

4th quarter: Seriously. Fire Marinelli

Final thoughts - part uno: I recommend a scorched earth policy

1. Today's loss to the Chicago Bears was a complete disaster. The Lions were ill-prepared, out coached and  overwhelmed in every single solitary phase of the game. Rod Marinelli's defense is amazingly bad, his offense ineffectual. Special teams, save for the specialists, Nick Harris and Jason Hanson, are a joke. The Detroit Lions are a BAD team. Though it's hard to believe, my eyes don't lie. They are getting worse. The Lions will be lucky to win 2-3 games, tops. A top 5 draft pick is a given. This franchise is at rock bottom. It's a bottom feeder. The dregs of the league. Bottom of the barrel. And we're only 4 GAMES INTO THE SEASON!

I think we all knew Matt Millen's firing wasn't going to change anything, but it did give us 2 weeks of hope. Hope that was shot all to Hell against the Bears. The destruction the moron wreaked upon the Detroit franchise came to a head today. Those were Millen's coaches, Millen's free agent signings, Millen's draft choices, all of the moves Millen made over the years, on the field.

And it was pure, unadulterated shit. Thanks for nothing, Matt.

2. I think we can safely put Rod Marinelli at the top of the "Coaches on the hot seat" list. If I were making the call, Mr. Pound The Rock would be looking for someone's defensive line to coach first thing Monday morning. It goes without saying Joe Barry would be joining his father-in-law on the unemployment line. They can take the drunk, naked, Wendy's hamburger eating line coach with them.

If you are free around 12:30 Monday afternoon, I suggest you tune into one of the sports talk radio stations here in the D. They broadcast Marinelli's weekly presser live. If the post game inquisition is any indication, as Marinelli was raked over the coals repeatedly, especially over the status of Joe Barry, Monday's presser is going to be even better...if you like extremely uncomfortable and pissy Q&A's.

The media smell blood, as Marinelli has all but admitted he has no answers. They will go in for the kill tomorrow.

3. It's beyond obvious Jon Kitna isn't the answer, and hasn't been for a very long time. His benching for "back spasms" may be the beginning of the end. Kitna hit a high point with the "miracle" concussion recovery, then coming back to win the game, against Minnesota last season. It's been all downhill, and fast, ever since. At this point of his career, 36 and showing it, Kitna should be a backup, not a starter.

As for Dan Orlovsky, he is what he is, a career backup, and I'm being generous.

Detroit has 3 options at QB. Old and busted, young and sucky, and the unknown. I'd try the unknown.

Which means the time to play Drew Stanton is near. As in next week. The Lions HAVE to find out if Stanton has the ability to be a NFL QB, if only as a favor to whomever takes over next season.

4. Roy Williams has already left town mentally. He showed up both his coaches and his QB's with his constant on field histrionics, making him look, to put it bluntly, like an asshole. Making Williams look even worse was the fact he continued to bitch and moan, even though he himself dropped passes, and was as much to blame for the loss as anyone.

It was a total prick move on Williams' part. Personally, I would have benched the asshole diva on general principle.

The Lions HAVE to explore a trade, as Williams will not be wearing the Honolulu Blue and Silver in 2009.

5. Seriously, Marinelli has to go. He's nothing more than a punch line.

Why did Rod Marinelli cross the road? He had to go pound the rock.

When Rod Marinelli sits around the house, he pounds the rock.

Knock knock. Who's there? Rod Marinelli. Rod Marinelli who? Let me in, I have to pound the rock.

How many Detroit coaches does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Two. One to screw it in while Marinelli pounds the rock.

Like I said, a punch line.

Just shut up, Roy

The always on the beat Killer Kowalski tells us that mouthy Lions wide out Roy Williams spewed this wonderful gem...

"If I had executed last week, I would've had 300 yards receiving. Look at the film," Williams said. "It would've been 300 yards easy, no question."

Even better, Roy goes on...

Want me to explain them to you? Let me explain it to you.

Please do Roy, I have my calculator ready. You ended the game with 106 yards, plus...

The one where Kitna stretched out the ball and got sacked on the backside, it was just a one-man route and I ran past (Sam) Madison.

You don't say how long the route was, so I'll be on the safe side, and say...20 yards. 126 so far.

Here's Roy Williams not catching a pass while on his way
to not having 300 receiving yards...

There was another one where Kit underthrew it and I tried to catch it. If I catch that one, that's another 50-some yards.

OK, that's 50 more, and we're up to 176 yards.

And the one he threw on the sideline, the one I had to stop for and tap my feet down and fall backwards? If he throws that on a rope, I'm down the sideline for another 75 yards.

75 yards? If you say so, Roy. 251 yards.

Then I had those two (fade) routes when I blew the (blitz adjustment). Those were 60- and 70-yarders.

Damn Roy, you were running wild!

It was an easy 300 yards.

300 my ass! Willie "Flipper" Anderson holds the NFL record for most receiving yards in a game with 336 in 1989. Not anymore, as that's 381 imaginary yards, a NEW IMAGINARY NFL RECORD!

Congratulations Roy! I hope you have your sights on setting new imaginary records for catches and yards in a season! My fingers are crossed...