Welcome back to another NFL season.  Last year, the Lions shocked a lot of people by actually fielding a competitive team.  Who knew it could be done?  Some thought it might be illegal and contacted the league to make sure that the Lions wouldn't be docked draft picks for such a blatant contradiction to tradition.

The Lions boasted a 10-6 record and actually made the playoffs for the first time in over ten years.  Again, national pundits said things like, "What?  I didn't think they still played football there."

And after all that, this off season some national writers said things like "Super Bowl Contenders" and "legitimate."  It was like we Lions fans were living on Mars.  It just didn't seem real.

So the Lions showed us...and promptly built up seven different arrests for DUI, drug possession and other offenses, causing these same pundits to call the Lions "uncontrolled" and "undisciplined:" and that now they were just "pretenders."

So now, the season has started and the first preseason game has been played and the Lions lost.

Why?  Because they were "undisciplined"?  "Uncontrolled"?

Nope, it was because they were actually worrying more about evaluating players than they were about the final score.  In fact, they were playing liked they were actually priming themselves up for the season...how weird is that?

Stafford didn't look all that sharp.  He threw a pick and had a long pass to Calvin Johnson that was completed, but Johnson had to slow down to make the catch, allowing the defensive back to catch up and make the tackle on what should have been an easy score and not just a thirty yard gain.

The defense managed to put some nice pressure on the Browns' QB's, but Suh threw in a late hit that would have gotten him fifteen yards in the regular season with real referees.

Rookie corner back Bill Bently started and after a shaky first series looked really good.

And then, in the fourth quarter, the nobodies, who will be packing groceries and selling insurance next month,  gave up a late field goal and the lead.

Did it mean anything?  Nope.  It meant just as much as the 4-0 preseason that the Lions had before going 0-16.

Hey NFL, why don't you just admit that nobody knows how or when or maybe even why to call a holding penalty?  It's a farce.  The only logical thing to do is either drop it as a penalty or admit that the NFL and the referees have a free hand in determining who they want to win any game played.

Seriously, the refs cannot EVER call it consistently.

In the playoffs this year the the lack of holding calls has been prominent, especially in a league that has mostly forsaken the run game for the passing game.  If teams are passing upwards of 50 times a game, where are all the holding calls?  How are we watching legitimately fair games played by the rules if the refs are cherry-picking when they call "Holding?"  It begs the question, "Are these games on the level?"

Over the last 20-30 years the league has consistently done everything in it's power to increase scoring and the excitement of the passing game...so why don't they just go that extra step, quit the charade and just strike "Holding" from the rule books?  They're not calling it anyway, and they're certainly not calling it fairly...so why allow there to be any lingering doubt over the legitimacy of the game?

Striking holding will allow for much more fervent and effective protection of the million dollar QB assets that the league has also blitzkrieg'ed rule after rule to protect.  Furthermore, it'll allow for more time in the pocket, allowing for more completed passes, and more scoring...the Holy Grail for TV ratings and a large percentage of fans.

The way it is called now is not fair, if you're not going to be fair, be not fair to everybody...that's somehow...kind of...fair? 

Frankly, throwing out holding will penalize teams that have been built on defense, which will further the road down offense only football...which is really what the league seems to want.  Maybe someday soon the league will get rid of defense all together and...then get rid of the offensive lineman, because obviously you won't need them anymore...just quarterbacks and receivers...but they can get rid of receivers too if they just put targets out on the field...then it'll just be quarterbacks...and the scoring will go crazy and...yeah...you're right, that's stupid...but then so is only calling a very debilitating penalty when the refs feel like it.

I hate Tom Brady.  He's incredibly handsome, hangs out with all the Hollywood elite, married a supermodel, had a kid with another, wasn't drafted until the sixth round, has won three Super Bowls. The only thing that would make his story any more Cinderella-esque would be if he gave it all up after winning tonight and went to bag groceries and changed his name to "Kurt Warner."

I'm not especially fond of Peyton's little brother either.

And Bill Belichik is as appealing and likeable as Emperor Palpatine eating babies.  He's so loveable that he cut a poor guy the morning of the Super Bowl after the poor dupe had the Patriots logo shaved into the back of his head....

So what else is there to watch this biggest football Sunday of the year?  Other than an unhealthy, sick and demented desire to see Brady broken into six pieces and buried under the halftime platform where Madonna can dance on his bloody bones...

Well, there's Wes Welker...the mighty mite that just keeps catching passes, racking up yards and scoring touchdowns...another one of those "great stories" that litter the Boston boys PR machine.

The Giants have this Welker-clone guy named Victor Cruz...another no name from nowhere who almost singlehandedly lifted the G-Men to these high and lofty heights.

But if you're not interested in having to hear about any more of these sappy, bad script stories...just concentrate on the Giants D-Line and try hard to imagine that they're wearing the Honolulu Blue and Silver.  Imagine that the Lions are being built upon the D-Line and defense.

And much more importantly, watch the cheerleaders....watch them as they cheer behind the plays as they cut to them in between million dollar commercials and stupidly stick ads on top of their pretty faces and gorgeous...uniforms...

And hope that someday soon the Ford's will change their stubborn minds about putting a dance team on the sidelines at Ford Field.  Hope...imagine...dream...

Martin Mayhew and Jim Schwartz have espoused to a long term team building plan which will never subjugate team needs to overt talent.  This is the primary reason that Nick Fairly wears a Lion on his helmet and Prince Amukamara does not. 

As the Lions went into the draft last year, they had an incredibly glaring need at cornerback...there were two "sure-fire" shutdown corners in last year's draft, Amukamara and Patrick Peterson.  The Lions had to hold their breath until their pick hoping that one of the two would miraculously fall to them...To their great relief Amukamara was there when the Lions came up on the clock...but so was Nick Fairly...whom the Lions had higher on their boards, even though he would strengthen a position that was arguably the strongest on the team...and yet still they skipped out on Amukamara and put in the card for Fairly...

So now we he head toward another draft and it would seem a little farfetched that they won't continue with the BPA scenario. Watching the Senior Bowl this past weekend, let's hope that miraculously DE Quinton Coples will fall through the cracks based on some nonsense about "work ethic" or "possible character issues."

DE Quinton Coples: Coples is tall and rangy and fast.  He looked out of place at the Senior Bowl...he looked more like he should be in the ProBowl.  He is the prototype for the new powerful, "Julius Peppers-type" end that will grow into the rage in the league.  Guys like Osi Umenyiora and Peppers and Justin Tuck...He is a worthy top of the first round talent.

LB Zach Brown: Brown is a bit on the lighter side, but incredibly fast and quick in short areas.  However, he looked a little out of control.  He missed several tackles and overran quite a few plays.  The Lions are in dire need of fast disciplined linebackers who will be sound in their assignments.  Now it is up to the scouts and the coaching staff to find out in interviews if he can be coached out of the tendencies he showed in Mobile.

CB Janoris Jenkins: Jenkins is tall and fast and great cover corner.  He would be a great pick for the Lions at 23 if he falls there...that is if he is well past his past poor decision-making.  The same poor judgement that got him kicked out of Florida and netted him two marijuana possession chargers.  Marijuana + Lions = Not gonna happen again...

OT Mike Adams: Adams missed most of his senior season due to injuries, but he came to play at Senior Bowl week.  He played very well against Coples and everyone else.  He had a great game and from reports a great week.  If Adams falls to 23, the Lions should take a little time to consider if they want to pick up the successor to Backus now.

OT Zebrie Sanders: Sanders, according to reports, had a great week, but that didn't show in the game.  He looked slow and will most likely, at best, be a starting RT in the NFL.  I'd be surprised to see the Lions take a run at Sanders, unless he shows incredible abilities at the Combine and his personal workouts, he appears to be a downgrade from Gosder Cherilus.

CB Brandon Boykin: Boykin looked fast, but small.  He appeared to be an adequate nickel back...I wouldn't take him in the first round.

Why do they even play the ProBowl?

I watched...five minutes...maybe...of the ProBowl...and if I could, I'd sue the NFL to somehow try and get those minutes back.  The game is a farce.  There is no pass rush...nobody wants to put forth any effort at all.  I don't care who won.  It wasn't a game...

The game would be much better served if they just brought back all sorts of positional competitions and then just ran 7 on 7 drills for the game.  Seriously, there'd be more drama and excitement if it was "Who's the strongest man in the NFL?" or "Who's the most accurate quarterback?"  or "Who's the fastest man in the NFL?"

For every NFL team not heading to Indianapolis to play a football game next week, all organizational attentions will be focuses on the Senior Bowl this weekend in preparation for the upcoming NFL Draft in April.

So Let's take a good luck at where the Lions will need to shore up this offseason.  Now, due to the upcoming contracts of Cliff Avril and renegotiations with Calvin Johnson, the Lions will not have a lot of extra cash to spare in free agency.  Most of their help will probably be centralized around the draft.  When four players take up close to 40% of your salary cap, your options become pretty limited.  So, as much as the Lions would like, and even as much as it would seem logical for them to go after Tennessee Titans and former Jim Schwartz protege Courtland Finnegan...I just don't see them having the green to be able to lure the smaller, overly physical former probowler to motown.

Instead, the Lions will most likely have to address their needs almost exclusively through the draft.

Let's look at all of the positions and see where they need the most help.

QB:  One might think that with Matthew Stafford in the fold the Lions would have absolutely no interest in drafting or signing another quarterback...but behind Stafford, things are starting to look a little shaky.  Both second stringer Shaun Hill and third stringer Drew Stanton are potential vacancies as both are eligible for free agency.  Yes, Stafford battled through his first entire season last year, but he's still only done that once...he could go down again and the Lions will need a capable backup.

RB: A very strong argument could be made that the Lions don't have a single RB on their roster that can be counted on.  Mikel Leshoure, last year's second round pick, missed the entire season with a ruptured achilles heel.  Jahvid Best was put on IR halfway through the season with concussions--an issue that doesn't usually just go away.  Kevin Smith filled in admirably, but was bogged down with injuries at times...just like the rest of his career.  In my opinion, the Lions will be rolling the dice if they do not try to upgrade this position.

WR: Calvin Johnson will have to his contract extended.  He is the closest thing the Lions have had to a "Barry Sanders-type" presence since #20 ran off on a plane to London so long ago.  Nate Burleson is a great #2, but he may actually fall to #3 as Titus Young improved by leaps and bounds as the season continued.  The Lions may need to look for a kick returner to fill out the group, but this is not a huge pressing need at the moment.

TE: Tony Scheffler and Brandon Pettigrew are both great and Will Heller as a blocking tight end isn't too shabby either.  This is a strong position on the team.  No needs here.

OT: Here is where things start to get a little iffy on the offensive side of the ball.  Jeff Backus will be 34 and was taken out in the playoff loss with a biceps injury that has required surgery.  Gosder Cherilous did fairly well this season, but is maddeningly inconsistent.  The backups at these positions are probably best kept as backups, not starters.  OT is a need position.  But we say that every year and the Lions never listen.

G: Rob Simms and Stephen Peterson are both signed for next season and while it might be a good idea to try and upgrade, because the Lions running game was pretty pathetic last year, the cap and other needs may put the Lions in a position to have to let this slide for another year.

C: Dominic Raiola is also getting up there in age.  He was drafted the same year as Backus.  He is smallish and has been a victim to a lot of larger DT's over the years.  This is a position that the Lions might want to look at finding an eventual successor for Raiola.

DT: Ndamukong Suh, Corey Williams, Nick Fairly and Sam Hill are a pretty fearsome quartet to rotate over the two DT spots.  This is the strongest position on the team...which is just the way Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew have always wanted it to be from the beginning.

DE: Cliff Avril is an unrestricted free agent who is going to garner a lot of attention after piling up 11 sacks this season.  Will he be worth the cash?  Kyle VandenBosch is an unquestioned leader in the locker room who is signed for next year, but at 34 he maybe losing a step.  Willie Young showed he could be very disruptive, but also very streaky--if the Lions cannot afford Avril, Young might be next in line to take his spot.  With the Lions love of the pass rush, it would not surprise me to see them take another DL in April.

LB: The Lions tried pretty hard to upgrade the middle of their defense last offseason, but the results were a little up and down.  They signed Justin Durant, Stephen Tulloch (on a one year deal) and moved DeAndre Levy outside...and even with the Lions great strength in the DL they were still one of the worst defenders against the run in the NFL.  That could be a lot of things...it could be inherent to the "Wide 9" scheme they use, it could be that the DL is nowhere near as good as everybody thinks it is...or it could be the LB's just weren't good enough.  Don't be surprised if the Lions take on the attitude that it was the linebackers.

CB: 480 yards and 6 TD's to Matt Flynn?  Do I need to say more?  Chris Houston, Eric Wright and Alphonso Smith...and Aaron Berry...the Lions just did a wretched job of covering.  Wright was only signed to a one year contract, so he might not be back and the Lions might be OK with that.  I'm sure they'd love to be able to sign Finnegan, but the cap probably won't allow it.  This is an area that MUST be addressed this offseason.

S: Louis Delmas is an incredible talent...when he's on the field...which hasn't been nearly enough.  Amari Spievey continues to improve, but he is not a natural safety and he's not fast enough to be a corner.  Here's another position that needs to be addressed, but it might have to wait in line behind all of the other Lions needs.

Lastly, let me say something, the Philadelphia Eagles managed to make the playoffs for most of the last decade behind Andy Reid's continued drafting of OL and DB's...now there are a lot of ways to build a playoff team and you can argue that those teams made it more on the arm and legs of Donavon McNabb than anything else (they didn't even have any WR's) , but that's also one way to do it and Donavon rarely got hurt and the Eagles always had one of the best defenses in the league.  Just sayin...

Now, at the senior bowl and for the draft, try to pay particular attention to the following guys.

1. Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia, 5-9, 183, 4.35 Boykin, a smallish cornerback at only 5-9, 183 lbs maybe the best corner available when the Lions pick at 23.  In the Lions defense the corners have to be exceptionally physical and able to play the bump and run.   At the Senior Bowl practices, Boykin showed great natural instincts covering receivers and great speed. Most important, Boykin seemed a natural at playing physical against much bigger receivers.  It's possible, because of his height, he might drop to the top of the second where the Lions have a history of moving up and grabbing guys.

2. Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama, 5-10, 191, 4.35 Jenkins was kicked off the Florida campus for multiple team violations and also has two marijuana possessions on his rap sheet along with some other criminal activity.  At the JUCO Northern Alabama, so far he's kept his nose clean and stayed out of trouble.  If Jenkins did have all of the personal character questions, he'd be up there in the arguments of best corner on the board.  The Lions will take a look at him...but I have a feeling the ghosts of Charles Rogers will probably put Jenkins in the "out of bounds" category...unless he drops to the bottom of the second round...

3. Alphonso Dennard, CB, Nebraska, 5-10, 205, 4.45  Dennard pulled out of the Senior Bowl after a minor injury, but he is the most sound and physical corner at the game.  He is the prototype for the kind of corner the Lions would like to get, but he'll probably be gone before the Lions can get on the clock.

Let me start off by saying that I hated all four teams in the NFL Championship round equally.  I had no care of whether or not I'd be able to root against Jim Harbaugh, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, or Joe Flacco.  Couldn't care less...but I still noticed something that really irked me about these games.

I saw a grand total of one...one in two games...holding calls.  Not that I didn't see A LOT of times where it could have been called without question.

Now, there is a lot of belief that in the playoffs you simply "let them play" and maybe I'm down with that...but what that really does is completely change the rules.  It completely nullifies the strength of a lot of teams.  Teams have traditionally been built "from the inside out" with a huge emphasis on the defensive line...like the Lions have been built...and it drives me crazy to see hold after hold after hold not called...Why?  Because--please, please, please--when the the Lions start becoming perennial contenders, they will be one of the most hurt by officials looking the other way.

Furthermore, it takes away from the integrity of the game.  They say holding can be called on every play...it's a judgement call by the officials...meaning the game is pretty much being played at their discretion. 

Seriously, down the stretch, the Lions DL was mugged so many times, I think Cliff Avril had to file a police report.

And it's not just holding...there are other plays from this past weekend that drew my ire. 

For instance in the Bal-NE game, Baltimore wideout Torrey Smith took a pass down the sideline, tried to stiff arm a defender and dove more than five yards to hold the ball out over the goal line for the score.  Because it was a scoring play, it was automatically under review.

So the world got to watch, replay after replay of the play and what did they see...although no announcer ever made any comment whatsoever...Torrey Smith facemasking the defender.  In fact, the blatant facemask made the play even more impressive, because Smith grabbed that facemask so hard that he actually dragged the defender with him as he flew through the air! 

Why do I bring this up?  Other than because I am so outraged that the call was so utterly blown, but during the season, Lions WR Nate Burleson was called for doing the exact same thing...big play reversed...for the Lions...If Torrey Smith has a lion on the side of his helmet, the whole play gets called back, who cares if he scored or not.

Consistency is my big issue.  Sure it's easy to complain about the refs on any given Sunday, but do they have to make it so incredibly easy? 

Another example, the SF-NY game had tons of awesome hard hitting...tons of completely illegal--according to the rules--head to head contacts...No calls...And don't think that I'm against the hitting...I don't think it should be called.  It's football for heaven's sake, it's all about hard hitting...but if you put in the rules and you're going to penalize some teams you have to penalize them all.  It's supposed to be a level playing field.

Is it because it was in the playoffs, or was it because there were four successfully established franchises playing in the games? The rules shouldn't change from week to week for ratings or for anything else.