14 Jan 11 Detroit Lions "Whatever you do, Lions fans, don't look at the schedule"

Rod Marinelli won;t quit on 0-4 Lions; ; article headline, ESPN.com, Oct. 6;D;oh!; ; Detroit Lions fans everywhereAn ugly realization must be settling in like an ugly Honolulu blue-and-silver cloud over Detroit after the Lions; worst performance yet in 2008 (and actually, their worst in quite a while, which is Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
really saying something): Namely, this team is grievously in danger of finishing 0-16. Now, all right, everybody knows breaking the hallowed mark of the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- who ended 0-14 -- is damn tough to do; after all, if last year;s Miami Dolphins (not to mention the 2001 Carolina Panthers) couldn;t top the Creamsicles of lore ... well, it;s pretty tough.On the other hand, admit that, no matter how bad you figured the Lions for two months ago, you couldn;t have conceived that they;d be this blitheringly brutal in getting outscored 147-66 ; and the games, outside of about 3 minutes of the Packer loss, haven;t even been as close as the 37-17 average score would imply.Back in June, this RealFootballer turned in a column rampantly speculating on the Lions; schedule for 2008. The piece included this bit on the first quarter of schedule:...the NFL schedule-makers appear to have been even crueler to the Lions for 2008. As a result, the Lions may again tease but the fade should come sooner.While not making any specific predictions on individual teams, few expect much from Atlanta, San Francisco and Chicago in 2008; the Lions play all three in the first four games. With a win over Green Bay in Detroit in Week 2, kicking off Week 6 with the Lions at 4-0 doesn;t feel improbable at all. Things veer sharply into the dangerous thereafter, though ...Guess the optimism vis-;-vis 4-0 was a poor bit of wishful prognostication ; hey, they were 6-2 at one point last season ; and now, the Lions' schedule looks, if anything, even more difficultReebok Baltimore Ravens #5 Joe Flacco Realtree camo Jersey
than it did in summer. Take a look:Week 6: at Minnesota. Let;s see, the 2-3 Vikings are coming off an invigorating last-minute win against the New Orleans Saints which may just have convinced the purple guys that the playoffs are possible; Detroit goes into Minny with its most deflating loss since, oh, last season;s 42-10 blowout in Week 13 at Minnesota. Oh, and Marinelli;s Kitties are 1-3 against the Vikings.Week 7: at Houston. Well, here;s an opportunity. Except that the Texans; 0-4 record is deceptive and includes an overtime loss to Jacksonville and a memorable choke job against Indianapolis that just wouldn;t be possible against Detroit. Additionally, the last time the Lions won away was in Week 8 of last season.Week 8: vs. Washington. Interceptions thrown by Jason Campbell in 2008: Zero. Interceptions notched by Detroit defense: Zero. Two questions: What do you think the over/under for Campbell interceptions in this game;ll be? And is it possible to total minus-1 interception? Surely, these Lions are in contention for that mark in this game.Week 9: at Chicago. Hey, maybe the Lions can get into double figures this time.Week 10: vs. Jacksonville. Hmmm, Jack del Rio vs. Rod Marinelli. Tough call there.Week 11: at Carolina. Do you realize the Lions are 3-15 in away games since 2006? And that, if everything goes according to the odds, they;ll be 3-18 coming into this game? To think Lane Kiffin;s already out of a job.Week 12: vs. Tampa Bay. Hmmm, Jon Gruden vs. Rod Marinelli. What a mental battle there.Week 13: vs. Tennessee. Hmmm, Jeff Fisher vs. Rod Marinelli on Thanksgiving in Detroit, a traditional game that the Lions have traditionally lost decisively since 2003; wow, can I use a lifeline, Regis?Trust me: It only gets worse after this, so we;ll stop here with the Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
Lions looking at an easy 0-13 and some of the worst yet to come. One wonders today why the domain name FireMarinelli.com remains property of GoDaddy.com; here;s to thinking that by December something will be there.Unless Detroit has, en masse, rightfully switched channels to Red Wings hockey and/or Pistons basketball. And who could blame them, really?