Tuesday, October 23, 2001
Winless Detroit has an assortment of problems
Face 3-3 Bengals Sunday
By LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer
PONTIAC, Mich. — The Detroit Lions are the NFL's only winless team and they're in danger of going 0-6 for the first time since 1955.
Fans searching for answers are not alone.
Players are having a hard time figuring out what's wrong, while coaches and management are saying there's not a simple answer.
“It's not just one thing,” team president Matt Millen said Monday. “It's never one thing. We seem to invent things along the way.”
The Lions found creative ways to lose to Tennessee 27-24 on Sunday.
They botched two field goals — one snap didn't make it off the ground, and the other kick was blocked and returned for a touchdown.
They also continued a season-long problem with eight penalties for 77 yards.
One of the infractions was for taunting, and it perhaps provided a snapshot of what is wrong with the Lions.
With the Lions ahead 14-6, Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair threw an incomplete pass behind Drew Bennett, which should have left the Titans with a third-and-9 from the Detroit 10.
But cornerback Terry Fair was flagged for taunting Bennett.
The Titans ended up settling for one of Joe Nedney's four field goals, but the flag on Fair was unsettling.
“We were just battling,” Fair said Monday. “I shouldn't have got in his face when he was laying on the ground because I put us in a bad position.
“But it's over. I'm not going to dwell on it.”
Coach Marty Mornhinweg wouldn't reveal how he planned to address the situation with Fair, but he clearly wasn't pleased.
A week after saying the Lions made a lot of stupid mistakes, he saw more of the same.
Tracy Scroggins was ejected for fighting, and Luther Elliss was ejected for pushing an official.
“Things can blow up when you do that,” Mornhinweg said. “We will pride ourselves on our poise and composure.”
Mornhinweg included himself with that thought.
The rookie coach was shocked to hear about reports that he ordered security to remove a fan from the stands after the fan screamed at Mornhinweg that he was “pathetic.”
“I would never ask a fan to get thrown out,” Mornhinweg said. “I have too many other things to think about.”
At the top of that list is how to juggle the lineup to make up for the mounting injuries.
Receiver Germane Crowell is having season-ending knee surgery and will join Herman Moore on the sideline during games.
Several other key players — such as defensive backs Bryant Westbrook and safety Kurt Schulz — also have been out with injuries.
Detroit was 9-7 last year, in large part because of its good fortune with turnovers. In its nine wins, Detroit had a plus-20 turnover margin, but was minus-9 in the seven losses.
In the Lions' five losses this year, they have committed 16 turnovers while taking the ball away from opponents just seven times.
Last year, the defense was stingy enough to overcome a lackluster offense.
This year, the defense started poorly and hasn't gotten better, while the offense seems to be picking up Mornhinweg's version of the West Coast Offense.
The defense has given up 28, 24, 35, 31 and 27 points this season.
The offense scored just 20 points in its first three games, but has scored 30 in its last two.
“The offense has started to click, and we haven't,” linebacker Allen Aldridge said.
Receiver Johnnie Morton said there's only one solution — patience.
“It's going to take time,” he said. “I know people don't want to hear that. But we've had a better record before, but have been worse off.”
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Winless Detroit has an assortment of problems
