Tag: Detroit Lions (Page 37 of 45)

Daunte Culpepper might start for Lions on Sunday

From near retirement to starting NFL quarterback again, Daunte Culpepper is back ladies and gentlemen. With Dan Orlovsky expected to miss some time with a hand injury, Culepper could start for the Detroit Lions this Sunday when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Daunte Culpepper“It was a terrific workout — you could see the explosion in the arm, the movement of the feet, all those things were good,” coach Rod Marinelli said. “You look at it and you say it’s a great opportunity to add a really good veteran player to your football team.”

Culpepper, 31, announced his unofficial retirement from the NFL in early September, unable to find a suitable opportunity after abbreviated stints in Miami and Oakland the past two seasons. But two weeks ago, he changed his mind after talking to the Lions, among other teams.

I don’t care how much “explosion” he had in his arm or “movement” in his feet – if the Jaguars lose to one-knee Culpepper on Sunday a week after losing to Ryan Fitzpatrick and the previously winless Cincinnati Bengals, than head coach Jack Del Rio deserves his walking papers. Culpepper was a disaster in Miami and Oakland and should be nothing short of horrible behind what could only be deemed as the offensive line in football.

Kyle Orton likely to miss one month

Rex GrossmanThe Chicago Tribune is reporting that Kyle Orton will likely miss one month with a high ankle sprain after he was carted off the field during the Bears’ 27-23 win over the Lions on Sunday.

He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday. He suffered the injury at the end of the first half of Sunday’s 27-23 win over the Detroit Lions.

While trying to run for a first down, Orton was tackled by Cory Redding then appeared to get his ankle banged by end Dewayne White, who cleaned up on the play. Orton attempted to stand up but fell back to the ground. He was carted off the field with 26 seconds left before halftime.

Being out a month could keep Orton from facing Tennessee, Green Bay, St. Louis and Minnesota. Rex Grossman replaced Orton against the Lions and scored the game-winning, 1-yard touchdown.

Let me see if I can take a stab at how things will play out next week in Chicago when the Bears host the Titans:

1. Rex Grossman throws 40-yard touchdown pass to Marty Booker in the first quarter. Fans go nuts, Rex supporters unleash 37 I-told-you-so comments in a one-minute span. Bears go into halftime up 17-16 and everyone is thinking massive upset.

2. Grossman throws pass off his back foot and is intercepted by Michael Griffin. A low smattering of boos fill Solider Field, but there’s still hope.

3. Grossman stripped in the pocket because he can’t feel the pressure. Titans recover, go up by 10 late in third.

4. Grossman throws his second pick of the day why throwing across his body. Titans put the game away in the fourth quarter and now boos are raining down like fire and brimstone from the sky. Grossman haters are now throwing Grossman supporters off the top deck of the UFO-looking Solider Field.

Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Kyle Orton suffers ankle injury in Bears win over Lions

Kyle OrtonChicago quarterback Kyle Orton was carted off the field at the end of the second quarter in the Bears’ 27-23 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Lions’ defensive end Dewayne White fell on Orton on a scramble and the signal caller’s ankle snapped back awkwardly on the play.

It’s uncertain at this point how long Orton will be out, but the replays didn’t look good. Rex Grossman took over in the second half and threw for 58 yards and a touchdown while also running for a score as well. He wasn’t overly impressive, but he did rally Chicago from a 10-point deficit and allowed them to avoid embarrassment in losing to a winless Detroit team.

If Orton is out for an extended period of time, it would be a huge blow to the Bears’ postseason hopes. Grossman is a liability every time he drops back to pass and while he has shown signs of being an NFL-caliber quarterback, he’s just way too inconsistent to be counted on to lead Chicago to the playoffs, especially with the amount of injuries this team has on defense.

Speaking of Detroit, if they’re looking for a positive, Dan Orlovsky did throw for almost 300 yards and two touchdowns. Of course he did it against a banged up Bears’ secondary and did throw two costly picks but hey, the Lions have to take good news where they can get it.

NFL News and Notes: Reggie Wayne misses second practice

Reggie Wayne– For the second straight day, Colts’ wideout Reggie Wayne missed practice due to a knee injury. If he doesn’t practice Friday, there’s a good chance he won’t play against New England Sunday night. (Rotoworld.com)

– Steven Jackson’s status for Week 9 is still up in the air after being “limited” in practice on Thursday. Jackson is battling a quad injury. (Belleville News-Democrat)

– Cowboys’ TE Jason Witten will be a game-time decision this Sunday in New York. He did not practice on Thursday as he continues to nurse a rib injury. (DallasCowboys.com)

– Rookie Darren McFadden apparently has turf toe on both of his feet and isn’t expected to play Sunday against the Falcons. (ESPN)

– It might not be this week, but the Lions are expected to give Drew Stanton a shot at quarterback sometime this season according to beat writer Tom Kowalski. (Mlive.com)

Media Link Dump: Wednesday

Here’s what sports columnists are saying around the country on a variety of topics:

Bud Selig– Mike Celizic writes that Bud Selig is not cut out to be MLB’s commissioner. (NBC Sports)

– Joe Henderson wonders aloud if this year’s World Series could get any worse. (St. Petersburg Times)

– Hugh Falk lays out Part 1 of his blue print on how to fix the BCS. (RealClearSports.com)

– Johnette Howard writes that Jerry Jones is running the Dallas Cowboys into the ground. (Newsday)

– Bill Simmons hands out his predictions for the 2008-09 NBA Season. (ESPN.com)

– Cedric Golden says that the San Antonio Spurs’ title window has already closed. (Austin American-Statesman)

– Dave Kriger notes that a fixed site for future World Series would make more sense. (Rocky Mountain News)

– Drew Sharp says the Lions should start second-year quarterback Drew Stanton on Sunday. (Detroit Free Press)

– Peter King notes that we should expect the NFL Replay Rule to be tweaked. (Sports Illustrated)

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