Thursday Notes: Lions Sign Billy Cundiff as Camp Breaks

by Sean Yuille on Aug 27, 2009 4:16 AM EDT in Notes Comment 14 comments

Training camp is now technically over. Players are no longer required to stay in a hotel, and there is no longer a curfew. Practice still continues on, but the players' living arrangements are a bit different now (if they choose to leave the hotel).
With Jason Hanson out until at least the start of the regular season and Swayze Waters suffering the effects of a tight hamstring, the Lions decided to sign kicker Billy Cundiff on Wednesday. (Waters was released to make room on the roster.) Cundiff began his career as a starter for the Cowboys and has been on a few teams since then. He hasn't played in an actual game since 2006, and I hope he doesn't get to end that drought in a Lions uniform. It's nothing against him, I just want Hanson to be healthy enough to return for the season opener.
Receiver Dane Looker did a great job of filling in at kicker the last couple of days. He made a kick from 48 yards out yesterday before missing a couple attempts from 53 yards away. Like I said once before on this site, kicking is a lot harder than it looks, so I have an immense amount of respect for what Looker did. Yes, he was a backup kicker in high school, but it's not easy to suddenly start kicking again. For me, I maxed out somewhere between 30-35 yards recently, so nailing one from 48 is a great feat.
Louis Delmas helped cause a brawl during yesterday's practice after he laid out Aveion Cason similar to the way he hit Aaron Brown last week. Jim Schwartz again made sure Delmas realized that in practice you don't need to be laying such big hits on teammates. While Delmas does need to be a bit more careful, I love his physicality.
Ernie Sims was out for the second straight day with an oblique muscle pull.
Anthony Henry was also again missing from practice.
Kevin Smith left practice after Jordon Dizon's knee collided with his thigh.
On the positive side, Calvin Johnson and Bryant Johnson will likely play on Saturday against Indianapolis. Brandon Pettigrew may play as well, but don't expect to see Dennis Northcutt.
Gunther Cunningham is "flat pissed off" with the defense's recent tackling.
Louis Delmas originally didn't answer the Lions when they called on draft day because he thought it was a college teammate since a 313 area code showed up on his caller ID.

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I hope Delmas has a chance to lay out some big hits in the future

and not just in practice.

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on Aug 27, 2009 4:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Saturday, those Indy receivers better watch out.

When the LEGAL side-effects of a substance, cause more harm to the person, than the side effect of the substance its self, we have an injustice.
- Jimmy Carter

by BIGWalt2990 on Aug 27, 2009 7:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I remember reading...............

That someone on the staff at Western Michigan was quoted, before the draft, as saying “Louis Delmas will be the next Ronnie Lott.” I thought that was hysterical, given we haven’t had a decent safety, or a Pro Bowl safety since Bennie Blades. However, it looks like this guy from WMU may have been right.

Also – REALLY excited to see Pettigrew vs. the Colts. I hope he can be a Pro Bowl player (remember David Sloan had that one great year in the early 1990’s but we haven’t had a real tight end ever since either, similar to safety)

by NYCLionsfan on Aug 28, 2009 9:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Someone better at reading film can comment

But it looks like everyone in the linebackers or secondary (other than Hicks and Robinson) was blocked out of the play. I can’t tell the numbers exactly but it looks like Fluellen and Hill had a stunt rush on the left and both of them didn’t exactly sprint at the runner after he passed (Fluellen a lot closer as Hill was way out of the play). Also, one could argue that DeWayne White (I think) on the right end spot didn’t exactly sprint back at the runner also.

That’s all I could see from youtube but there are more skilled tape watchers than I around here for sure.

by HoorayForEverything on Aug 27, 2009 9:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You are rigth about Fluellen adn Hill.....

……..However Cohen did a much much better job and fighting off blockers…..thats why he will end up a starter…..Hill is young and raw and it is expected…..However I do expect more out of Fluellen but cohen will start at this point next to grady.

by BennieBladesFan on Aug 27, 2009 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He was a back up kicker in high school?

Or he was the kicker in the high school… 48 yards is REALLY good for a high school kicker, unless you’re a top prospect.

by ZWC11 on Aug 27, 2009 11:09 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Pretty sure I read he was a backup

My guess is that he had good distance for a high schooler, and after years of working out in the NFL, got stronger.

Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions Blog

by Sean Yuille on Aug 27, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guntherrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

love this guy

Kevin Smith let em kno, Ernie Sims Break em, Calvin Johnson you already Kno
2009 Detroit Lions 6-10 to 8-8

by DetroitLions 4 life on Aug 27, 2009 5:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Give It Time

We used to like him with the Chiefs too…until we realized that every time his defense had problems he always found someone or something else to point the finger at, even when he was the one clearly responsible (e.g. his management of the linebacking corps last season). The guy hasn’t been good since he worked with Marty Schottenheimer back in the 90s.

You’ll know he’s in trouble once you start hearing him go on and on about how many hours he works, after which he’ll start throwing his players under the bus.

Predictions for 2009

1. Todd Haley's going to struggle with managing his staff in his rookie year as head coach.
2. The Lions will draft Matt Stafford, the Rams will draft Jason Smith, and the Chiefs will draft either Aaron Curry or Eugene Monroe.
3. Maurice Carthon will be the most hated man on the Chiefs' coaching staff within two years.
4. Larry Johnson has already played his last meaningful game for the Kansas City Chiefs. He's gone before the 2009 season starts.
5. Larry Johnson will gain 0 yards rushing for the 2009 Kansas City Chiefs.
6. The Chiefs will go 7-9 in 2009, good for 2nd in the AFC West.
7. Ryan Succop will not perform better in 2009 than Connor Barth did in 2008.

by UCrawford on Aug 27, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey man...

J. Charles + or – 1000 yards from scrimage? I am thinking about keeping him as a 11th rounder for the furture..but not if this year will be a total waste…i cant afford it!

http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/

by CapitolLions on Aug 27, 2009 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You guys also

had management that refused to do anything he asked, a head coach that was soft and didn’t allow him to run his defense, and a really young defense with no good veteran presence sooooooooo…… yea that doesn’t apply to our situation at all. And before Herm the weak sperm you had Dick Vermiel and everyone knows he could honestly care less about the defense so they didn’t worry about trying to bring in any good players. With a strong head coach and being allowed to get whatever players he wants and do whatever he wants with the D it will be waaaaay different here in the D.

by toled0lions on Aug 28, 2009 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree...

I think the difference maker is a head coach who has been a dcordinator so he’ll know what it takes to get the job done and not force a philosphy on Gun and our defense has some building blocks imo that the Chiefs haven’t had. Although, only time will tell and for all we know Gun could get fired after this year, we’ve seen it all before.

by lions_sucker on Aug 28, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Gunther

is now my favorite coach on the team. It’s about time someone takes a stand against the horrendous tackling we have seen for the past decade. I say if they don’t wrap up and tackle or throw their arms at the runners body and just fall over trying to pretend like your tackling ( I couldn’t even count how many guys I saw do that last year. It looked so pathetic.) cut ‘em immediately. Don’t even wait til the end of the game. That has been by far the biggest problem with this team over at least the past 2 years. It sounds harsh but they are getting paid Millions to do one thing. Stop the other team and if they won’t even try and do that then they don’t deserve to be in Detroit. Let some other team put up with that I don’t think we should anymore.

by toled0lions on Aug 28, 2009 12:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs