Lions Diary

I'm guessing the playoff talk will finally stop now. The Lions, as expected, lost to Green Bay 16-13 today. It was just another typical Lions football performance. Up 13-0 at the half, the Lions allowed the Packers 16 unaswered points in the second half. That wasn't Packer magic or Lambeau Field mystique, it was a crappy half of football from the Lions.

I said this about a month ago, but Joey Harrington is done here. Oh, he will still be on the roster due to salary cap implications, but unless he pulls off a huge, totally unexpected turnaround, his future lies elsewhere. It pains me to repeat this sentiment, as I was pro-Harrington even into September of this season. However, the kid that I thought had to most potential of any Lions quarterback in my lifetime, hasn't progressed. In fact, he appears to have regressed since his rookie year.

Today's game is just the latest example. Harrington completed five of twenty-two passes for forty-seven yards. Five pass completions? Five?!?! That's acceptable if you've only tossed eight or ten balls, but twenty-two?

I'll spot him the fact that the weather was not condusive to the passing game, but how do you explain away the last month? Even with the emergence of Kevin Jones, who rushed for 156 yards this afternoon, Harrington couldn't connect with his receivers. So much for the "Joey needs a running game to set-up the pass" theory.

Look, I hope I am 100% wrong. I hope with a healthy Charles Rogers and Roy Williams, plus Jones, Harrington will become a Pro Bowl player, but he's going to have to improve quite a bit for that to happen. Regardless, not only do I hope the Lions acquire a veteran quarterback this off-season, but I hope they draft one as well.

As for Jones, he is the Lions' offense right now. Jones will see lots of carries for the remainder of the year and should end up as the leading rusher amongst the rookie class. His progress has helped make his offensive line look better, although that's another position Matt Millen needs to address this summer. One or two new faces are a must on that line.

The defense was good enough to win today, but the offense could not get the job done. I, like the defense, wasted an effort on this contest. I watched the vast majority of it, only to be disappointed yet again. I keep hoping this franchise is just about to turn the corner, but they always seem to get sidetracked before ever reaching the corner.