Thursday,
October 5, 2006
Millen, Do You Watch NFL
Games?
By
Ryan Kohler
TLF Staff Writer
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Daniel Mears/The
Detroit News |
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After the Lions lost another
close game this past Sunday, this time to the
Rams after putting up almost forty points and
almost making Roy Williams nonsense about
leaving forty points on the field look more like
fact then fiction, a lot of fans started flaming
the staff. Specifically, Donnie Henderson and
Rod Marinelli for the job they are doing, or
lack there of with the defense. While I do
believe this staff can and will straighten the
Lions out over time, they have one major problem
facing them, and will always be daunting over
them…Matt Millen and his complete incompetence.
I can only name one other general manager of an
NFL team who could be considered as bad as
Millen. His name was Terry Bradway, and he is
formerly of the New York Jets. But he was smart
enough to step down and let the assistant
general manager, Mike Tannenbaum, take over. Why
should you, as Lions fans care about any of
this? Because after four years of incompetence
with Terry Bradway and Herm Edwards, the Jets
are looking like they are on their way back up
to respectability, while the Lions are still
fighting for a high draft pick.
Take a look at the drafts Bradway has had,
versus Matt Millen’s picks. Starting as an
overall look, the Jets have what can be
considered the rock of that defense, Jonathan
Vilma, playing the inside line backer slot in
the new 3-4 Eric Mangini has installed. Vilma is
the only Bradway pick to go to a Pro Bowl. Just
like Shaun Rogers is the only Millen pick to go
to a Pro Bowl. One rookie, for each team, to the
Pro Bowl, in four years, is not a good
percentage. Also, it’s four years, not five,
because this would be year five.
Bradway’s first pick for the Jets in 2001, with
Al Groh as head coach, was Santana Moss.
Considering the game he had today in Washington,
that was a pretty solid pick. Too bad he is no
longer with the team. Because they had to trade
him to get Laverneus Coles back, because they
didn’t want to meet the offer the Redskins gave
him as a restricted free agent. I wonder if he
regrets that decision? That looks like a wasted
pick to me. Coles was selected in the third
round in the previous year’s draft. They’re next
pick went to Lamont Jordan, who was the supposed
heir apparent to Curtis Martin. Instead, the
Jets re-upped with Martin, and Jordan ended up
signing with the Raiders.
As of right now, the Jets are using a battalion
of running backs to make the running game work.
Jordan’s first year with the Raiders, he had
over 1000 yards, and he also had 9 touchdowns.
Throw in the 500 receiving yards and two
touchdowns; I’d say that was a pretty good year.
Especially since Martin was on injured reserve
last year after only 700 yards rushing and five
touchdowns. Out of the next three picks, Kareem
McKenzie is the starting right tackle for the
Giants, and the Jets had to scramble to find a
replacement for him, when, once again, they did
not want to spend the money to bring him back.
At the time, I wanted McKenzie to come to
Detroit, since tackle was a position of need.
They also tapped CB Jaime Henderson (no longer
with the team) and DT James Reed, now with the
Chiefs.
Compare that to Millen’s first draft of Jeff
Backus, Shaun Rogers, Dominic Raiola, Scotty
Anderson, Mike McMahon, and Jason Glenn. Out of
all them, Backus, Rogers, and Raiola (much to
the chagrin of a few posters on TLF) are still
starting. I think we could upgrade at center and
tackle, and move Backus to guard to help
solidify a weak spot on the line, the left guard
slot. But, as it is right now, we do have
(depending on your opinion) three solid starters
out of that draft. Scotty Anderson no longer
plays in the NFL. Mike McMahon was just released
by the Vikings at the end of the preseason.
Jason Glenn is now on his fourth NFL team, and
could be considered a journeyman special teamer.
Both teams had from their first draft three
solid starting caliber players, Moss, Jordan,
and McKenzie for the Jets, Raiola, Backus, and
Rogers for the Lions. We know the draft is a
crapshoot, but for the first year for both
general managers, things looked pretty good.
In year two, the Jets drafted DE Bryan Thomas, S
John McGraw, TE Chris Baker, DT Alan Harper, and
G Jonathan Goodwin. Bryan Thomas ahs been a
first round bust as far as I’m concerned. Never
showing the ability to rush the passer and
record sacks on a consistent basis, the sole
reason he was drafted. He is now starting at the
outside linebacker slot in the new defense. John
McGraw was traded to the Lions, and as we saw
the past few weeks, he is the nickel corner and
he sucks at it. Good depth at safety, but
obviously don’t ask him to cover anyone. Chris
Baker has quietly become a favorite target of
the quarterback in New York, but a season ending
injury ended that run last year, but his year he
is quietly being a nice red zone target for
them. The Jets ended up trading Doug Jolley to
the Bucs because of Baker’s emergence. Alan
Harper as a late round pick has never developed
to be anything more then a rotational guy at
defensive tackle, or nose tackle now. Jonathan
Goodwin now plays for the Saints as a back up,
after starting ten games with the Jets.
Millen’s second year yielded the Great Joey
Harrington, the Amazing Kalimba Edwards, the
Awesome Andre Goodman, the Explosive John
Taylor, the Reliable John Owens, Shutdown
Specialist Chris Cash, and the Flash, Luke
Staley, Hardcore Matt Murphy, and the Wall,
Victor Rogers. Joey Harrington is now the back
up quarterback for the Dolphins. What’s even
better is the report that Cleo Lemon had looked
better in training camp then Joey. Kalimba
Edwards was rewarded for being a situational
pass rusher with a new three-year deal. He
deserved every penny of that deal, after
recording an astounding 86 tackles, and an
amazing 20 sacks in four years. The sarcasm
cannot get any heavier folks. Andre Goodman
plays for the Dolphins, not a starter. Chris
Cash was on injured reserve last year for the
Falcons, and has not played in a game yet this
year. John Taylor, John Owens, Matt Murphy, and
Luke Staley are all out of the NFL. Victor
Rogers was released this year and is currently
without a team. So Millen’s amazing draft skills
netted the Lions…an overpaid defensive end. Way
to go Millen. Maybe you’ll get a contract
extension in the next year or two!
In year three, the Jets drafted (and traded up
to get) DT Dewayne Robertson, OLB Victor Hobson,
FB BJ Askew, S Derek Pagel, DE Matt Walters, QB
Brooks Bollinger, and G Dave Yovanovits. Dewayne
Robertson never became the big time defensive
tackle the Jets envisioned, and is only about as
good as your average starting defensive tackle.
Victor Hobson has never started a game for the
Jets, but has missed all of 4 games in his 3
(entering 4) years with the team. Good depth,
not much for a starter. BJ Askew (when I was
listening to the game on the ride home from
work) was being used all over the place for the
Jets, motions, blocking, whatever. This kid is a
good solid fullback for them who can do a lot of
things for them. Derek Pagel, Matt Walters, and
Dave Yovanovits are out of the NFL. Brooks
Bollinger has never had the chance to learn, and
is still considered a project by any team in the
NFL. Which is too bad. I think any young
quarterback has the ability to succeed in the
NFL if they are given the chance to develop.
When they’re not, then you don’t know what you
have. But explain to me how some teams can find
quarterbacks over and over, and trade them off
for picks (Green Bay comes to mind) and others
can’t even find ONE starter?
As for the Lions draft, Charles Rogers, Boss
Bailey, Cory Redding, Artose Pinner, Terrance
Holt, James Davis, David Kircus, Ben Johnson,
Brandon Drumm, and Travis Anglin. I can tell you
right now, I don’t think Drumm, Anglin, or
Johnson are in the NFL anymore. Kircus is
currently the slot receiver for Denver (number
three on the depth chart), Davis was cut after
the preseason, Holt is a back up safety, Pinner
now plays the same role for the Vikings as he
did for the Lions -- depth. Cory Redding has
shown he can be good depth, and not much more.
Boss Bailey can’t stay healthy, and is now
shifted into the middle linebacker spot. And
Charles Rogers is still looking for a team after
being suspended for drug problems and being
injured for breaking his collarbone twice.
Year four, the Jets nabbed LB Jonathan Vilma,
spent a 2nd round pick to acquire Justin
McCareins, CB Derrick Strait, WR Jericho
Cotchery, OT Adrian Jones, SS Erik Coleman, T
Marko Cavka, LB Darrel McClover, Trevor Johnson,
Derrick Ward, and Rashad Washington. Vilma we
all know is a stud. Strait was traded for Lee
Suggs…But Suggs failed the physical and Strait
is depth for the Jets at CB. Cotchery is coming
into his own since supplanting McCareins as the
#2 receiver for the Jets (301 yards and 0
touchdowns in his first two years, 219 yards and
2 touchdowns after week 3 in his third year),
Adrian Jones has slowly gotten better at the
right tackle slot, Erik Coleman has become a
fixture at strong safety, being reliable in
coverage and run support. Marko Cavka, Darrell
McClover, and Trevor Johnson are no longer in
the NFL. Derrick Ward is a special teamer for
the Giants, and Rashad Washington is depth for
the Jets.
For the Lions, they drafted Roy Williams, Kevin
Jones, Teddy Lehman, Keith Smith, Alex Lewis,
and Kelly Butler. Roy Williams and Kevin Jones,
at least to me, have looked good so far this
year in the new offense, and have flashed their
potential in the past. Lehman is injured, and on
the PUP right now, and might end up on IR for
the second straight year. We know nothing about
our biggest corner, Keith Smith, because the
Lions won’t play him. Alex Lewis has shown some
potential at linebacker, even if he is just a
back up to give the starters a breather, the kid
is fast and always near the ball. Kelly Butler
is now playing for the Browns after starting at
right tackle for the Lions. Butler was the Lions
version of Adrian Jones, someone who needed
coaching and time to get better.
Year five, which would be last year, the jury is
still out on. However, we still need this as an
assessment. The Jets tapped K Mike Nugent, NT
Sione Pouha, FS Kerry Rhodes, CB Andre Maddox,
RB Cedric Houston, and WR Harry Williams. The
last I heard was that the Jets brought in a few
free agent kickers to compete with Nugent in
order for Nugent to get his act together. Nugent
was their top pick, in the second round, because
the genius Bradway and Herm Edwards thought they
were only a kicker away from the playoffs. While
the jury is still out on Pouha, Maddox, and
Williams is currently without an NFL team.
Cedric Houston started to show that he deserved
more carries going into the Indianapolis game,
but his reputation of being an injury prone back
in college caught up with him, and he left the
game with a knee injury. Kerry Rhodes has shown
flashes of potential at free safety, and with a
little more fine-tuning, the Jets could have a
nice tandem at the safety positions.
The Lions drafted Mike Williams, Shaun Cody,
Stanley Wilson, Dan Orlovsky, Bill Swancutt, and
John Goddard. While you can’t really put too
much stock into these picks yet (just like the
Jets picks) Mike Williams has been inactive,
overweight, and late a lot. Shaun Cody plays a
position that takes a while to master (like
Pouha), Wilson has barely seen the field, Dan
Orlovsky was fighting for the #2 QB slot,
Goddard was cut last year and Swancutt played in
only eight games last year, also see the Cody
reference.
So out of all these picks between the Jets and
Lions, not counting this year, and leaving the
door open for debate on last year, the Lions
have a total of (whether we like it or not)
seven starters, 20 busts (busts include players
not with the team), and one guy for depth
(Edwards.) The Jets have 15 busts (including
players that left for another team), and 11
starters. The Jets COULD have been better, had
they not let Coles go, and kept Moss, and kept
McKenzie, and Jordan.
Through all of this, take into account free
agency. The Jets have gone into free agency
sparingly, signing guys like Andre Dyson this
year, Eric Barton (GREAT signing), Derrick
Blaylock, Ty Law, Pete Kendall, David Barrett,
and trading for McCareins, Patrick Ramsay, and
Kevan Barlow. Andre Dyson still has a few things
to prove to Jet fans, McCareins was overpaid
for, Derrick Blaylock was signed to be a
returner but has now been shifted to help with
the running game, Ty Law was pretty good for
them last year, but he bolted this year. Pete
Kendall is still good at his age. Ramsay was
supposed to push Pennington for the starting
position, and it never happened.
The Lions have dipped a bit more into free
agency then the Jets, and their free agent
acquisitions have been Dre Bly (GREAT signing)
Damian Woody (solid pick up) Marcus Pollard,
Fernando Bryant, Jamar Fletcher, Dan Campbell,
Mike Furrey, Rick DeMulling, Ross Verba, Barry
Stokes, Rex Tucker, Jon Kitna, Josh McCown, Jeff
Garcia, Kevin Johnson, Corey Bradford, Az Hakim,
Bill Schroeder, Mikhael Ricks, Lamont Warren,
Shawn Bryson, RW McQuarters, Kenoy Kennedy,
Brian Walker, Brock Marion, Bracy Walker, Earl
Holmes and Wali Rainer. Looking at all of these
free agent pick ups, Bly was a great pick up,
and Woody has been solid for us. Pollard has
been a let down, Bryant hasn’t performed to the
level we all expected, and Fletcher is toast.
Jeff Garcia, Kevin Johnson, Corey Bradford, Az
Hakim (twice) Bill Schroeder, Mikael Ricks,
Lamont Warren, Brian Walker, Wali Rainer, and
Brock Marion never panned out (that is being
nice.) The jury is still out on Verba, Stokes,
Tucker, Kitna, McCown, Furrey, and Campbell.
Kennedy has locked down the strong safety spot;
Bryson is good depth at fullback and halfback.
McQuarters was a good special teamer, and OK in
the nickel (he wanted too much to come back
anyway.) Holmes was a solid middle linebacker
for us, but his age and lack of speed started to
show.
Out of all this, it brings me to the comparison
of this year. This year the Jets offensive line
has looked good. The defense has played tough.
Amidst all this, they are doing it with a
quarterback people thought was washed up after
two shoulder injuries, and the lack of a true #1
running back. They still don’t have a good
enough defensive tackle/nose tackle to keep guys
off of Barton and Vilma, and they’re still
making plays. They need better outside
linebackers, but that has been disguised very
well. Barrett has quietly been a solid corner
for them, but they lack a true #1 corner. But
after all of this, the team is still rolling
along and looking good in year one of a rookie
head coach, the youngest head coach in the
league.
The Lions still have the same problems they have
had when Matt Millen came into town. They still
need to get better in the secondary. We haven’t
gone too far from the Todd Lyght, Bryant
Westbrook, Terry Fair days. We still need
pressure from the defensive ends. We haven’t had
a good linebacker since Stephen Boyd, and he had
to end his career due to back problems. We still
need to make the offensive line better. I think
with this staff we can do some good things. But
not if we keep running around in circles with
these draft picks, and free agent signings that
don’t help us.
A big problem with the Rams game today was
Jackson seemed to get yards at will. Torry Holt
and Isaac Bruce owned the field in terms of
catching the ball and making plays when needed.
Marc Bulger was on his feet all day (except
once.) The same problems we had when The
General/Gary Moeller was the coach, are the same
problems we had when Marty and Mooch were the
coaches, and are still the same problems now. No
offensive line, no pressure from the defensive
line, and we’re very weak in the secondary and
linebacker positions.
After all this, Bradway resigned this past
February. Mike Tannenbaum (the Jets version of
Tom Lewand) took over and with his first draft
assessed the biggest need for the team,
offensive line. Mangold and Ferguson, even
though they are rookies, have looked very good
in terms of keeping Pennington on his feet, and
healthy. The running game has done well, even if
they use a platoon of four different guys. The
defense is staying off the field, and is able to
cover up their weaknesses by staying alert and
fresh all game. The Jets are looking at a real
quick turn around, a Wild Card berth is out of
the question, but not by much. Next year, expect
them to compete.
Where are the Lions? Winless. They still look
the same as they have the past five years, just
with a new staff. If the Jets can make one move
to better their team (getting Bradway to resign
and letting Tannenbaum take over) immediately,
shouldn’t the Lions do the same thing and push
Millen out the door? Maybe then the Lions could
have a turnaround in two years by….Drafting
players that fit needs! What a concept! I mean
really, would the Lions be any better with
Demarcus Ware, Shawn Merriman, Alex Barron, or
David Pollack, instead of Mike Williams, the
third wide receiver drafted in the first round
by the Lions in a row? I think the evidence
speaks for itself. When you have a bad track
record, you should lose your job.
Millen has a bad track record and is holding the
Lions back. Blame the Fords if you want, but
Woody Johnson didn’t make the move to get
Bradway out.
