Monday Notes: Schwartz, Lions Front Office Head to Senior Bowl

by Sean Yuille on Jan 19, 2009 3:53 AM EST in Notes Comment 14 comments

The Super Bowl will feature a surprising matchup between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers. If the Arizona Cardinals, a franchise that has experienced quite a bit of mediocrity over the years, can get to the Super Bowl, it shows that any team can. All it takes is some talent and great coaching. Let's hope the Lions have both of those things in place in the coming years
The Lions front office and new head coach Jim Schwartz are going to make their way down to Mobile, Alabama, for Senior Bowl practice this week. Although most of the top players in the draft pool aren't going to play in the Senior Bowl, Schwartz is going to use his time in Mobile to network with coaches as he attempts to fill out his staff.
First things first, he will look for an offensive and defensive coordinator. There have been a couple names tossed around for offensive coordinator, but nothing seems concrete just yet. For the defensive coordinator position, though, it is looking like the Chiefs' Gunther Cunningham could be the top candidate for the job.
Julius Peppers isn't going to return to Carolina because he wants to play in a 3-4 defense. The Lions are considering switching to a 3-4, and I can't think of a better way to make that switch than by signing someone like Peppers.
The Free Press has a photo gallery of Schwartz's first press conference as Lions head coach from last Friday.
The front office is actually on the same page as the head coach? About freaking time.
Mark Sanchez doesn't seem to fear the possibility of being drafted by the Lions.
The Rams hired Steve Spagnuolo to be their next head coach, and it looks like Rex Ryan will be the new head coach of the Jets.
I have added DrewsLions to Pride of Detroit as an author. He wrote many great FanPosts these past few months, so I figured I might as well let him write on the front page from now on.

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The List?

Looks like you can cross the Cardinals off THE LIST*

I think that leaves:

Lions
Saints
Jaguars
Texans

Jaguars and Texans can be excused, since they’ve only existed for 14 and 7 seasons, respectively.

*I think you know what list I’m talking about.

by circles1129 on Jan 19, 2009 9:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think you forgot the...

…Browns.

by TonyDC on Jan 19, 2009 10:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

You're right

I did forget the Browns. I like to think Cleveland is a rather forgettable place, though.

So, the Lions, Saints, and Browns [historically] stand in a league of their own.

by circles1129 on Jan 19, 2009 11:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I will admit...

I read this some place else. But was surpised that they have not been to or won a Super Bowl. Considering thier history (Jim Brown, uhhhhh, I guess that’s it).

by TonyDC on Jan 19, 2009 1:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Browns

Technically, the new Browns have only been around since, what, 1999? So they kinda get a pass too.

by explosivo2k2 on Jan 19, 2009 12:03 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think the first Browns team and the second one are considered the same franchise

The NFL just deactivated them and considered the Ravens an expansion team to keep the Browns’ history in Cleveland.

Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Jan 19, 2009 1:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But the reality is, all of the old Browns players and staff moved to Baltimore, while the Browns had an expansion draft and the number 1 pick. That’s an expansion team to me. They had to reboot everything!

The records and everything may say that it’s the same franchise, but for all intents and purposes, it’s not.

by explosivo2k2 on Jan 19, 2009 2:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the browns were around for over 30 years of the Super bowl era before Art Modell became public enemy #1 in Cleveland,, and granted, they came a lot closer than the Lions to sniffing a Super Bowl (think “The Fumble” and “the drive” and other Elway induced heartbreaks), but they certainly count as a franchise that has been around and failed to get to the big game.

by ahtrap on Jan 19, 2009 2:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who knows if Peppers has any interest in Detroit, but we might have NFC North competition in terms of a 3-4 defense…the Packers just hired Dom Capers (formerly a Texans head coach, which I find ironic because after Mike Sherman was fired by the packers, he went down south and became an assistant with the Texans) as their defensive coordinator, and he runs a 3-4/hybrid system.

by ahtrap on Jan 19, 2009 2:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Guntherball . . .

First, congrats to DrewsLions—I didn’t realize he wasn’t already officially an author here; he does good work.

Second, what do you think about Gunther Cunningham, Sean? Historically he’s been known as a vicious, aggressive DC who attacks the run and blitzes relentlessly on third down. But lately, his defenses in KC have been pretty tepid. Most of the sentiment of Chiefs fans seems to be either “FIRE GUNTHER NOW” or "hey, we’ve got terrible players and most of them are injured!

http://thelionsinwinter.blogspot.com

by ty@thelionsinwinter on Jan 19, 2009 9:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I really don't have much knowledge of Gunther

If things get more serious I’ll hit up our KC site to get some info.

Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Jan 19, 2009 10:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

ty, your last sentence was telling the tale of Lions excuses for the last decade. Good Job, dude. “We’ve got crappy players, and everyone else is injured!” just paraphrasing, but we’ve heard it all before. On another note, I’ve read other posts here that the Lions hired Schwartz because they got someone on the cheap. 4 yrs. 11.5 mil. But Spags got the same deal from St. Louis, and Rex got the same deal from the Jets. Seems to be the going rate for an unproven but excellent D-Cooridinator this year. Someday, they’ll all play each other. Spags vs. Schwartz in 09. Lions would’ve beat the Rams this past year. With all those draft choices, they’ll have more talent next season.

by dylan415 on Jan 19, 2009 10:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Seriously!

That was my exact reaction too. 75% of Chiefs fans say ‘fire him’, the others say ‘he didn’t have much to work with/it’s Herm’s fault/give him another year’, which sounds like every Lions debate ever. At this point I’m not feeling too enthused.

http://thelionsinwinter.blogspot.com

by ty@thelionsinwinter on Jan 19, 2009 11:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't be so quick to call wisenhunt a good coach

He doesn’t exactly have a very good W-L record so far, and his team dealt with hardship in the middle of the season incredibly hard, giving up 3 or 4 massive blowout losses. The team has done a good job in the playoffs, and capitalized on their chances, but beating a Rookie QB, 6-Turnover Delhomme, and Donavon McNabb in an NFC title game aren’t the best indicators of coaching genius.

Also, someone is going to point out Joe Flacco. Thats 1. 1 does not make a trend. If one makes a trend, then Calvin Johnson means Matt Millen was a good GM.

by tricks318 on Jan 20, 2009 1:48 AM EST reply actions 0 recs