The Road to 0-16 the Marinelli years

1/18/2006 Lions hire Rod Marinelli as the Head Coach

Rod Marinelli went 10-38 as the Head Coach

We can go 0-16 together

3/14/2006 Lions re-sign DE Kalimba Edwards

Edwards struggling in Detroit

He signed a 5 year $20 million contract with $8 mil guaranteed. New defensive coordinator Donnie Henderson recruited Edwards to stay after being courted by the Cleveland Browns. In 2005, Edwards recorded 7 of his 20 career sacks. He will only record 6 more sacks in his final 24 games. with Lions.

4/29/2006 Lions draft OLB Ernie Sims

After the failure of 2nd round picks Boss Bailey (51 starts 7 sacks 2 int) and Ted Lehman (16 starts 1 sack 2 int), the Lions reach for the small LB Ernie Sims at pick #9. A great athlete who ran 4.5 and had 41" VJ at the combine but possessed zero instincts for the ball. He signed a 5 year $15.73 million contract. He played 59 games with 2.5 sacks 1 int 2 FR. After Mayhew traded him for Tony Scheffler, The Eagles cut him loose after a terrible 2010. He played for the 2-14 Colts in 2011.

8/24/2006 Lions D-Line Coach Joe Cullen arrested

Jon Kitna throws Coach Cullen under the bus

Cullen was arrested for DUI, indicent exposure and obscene conduct for driving naked thru a Wendy's.

9/1/2006 D-Line Coach Joe Cullen arrested

Cullen was suspended for one game

He was arrested driving in Dearborn with lights off the wrong way on a street. He blew .12.

Cullen was fired from Mississippi in early 2005 after an arrest for public drunkenness in a restaurant.

1/2/2007 Lions fire DC Donnie Henderson and Hire Joe Barry

2008, Barry's defensive gave up 517 points

3/2/2007 Lions trade CB Dre Bly to Denver for OT George Foster and RB Tatum Bell.

Foster

Bell

Two-time pro bowl CB Dre Bly the only DB Millen ever drafted or signed that was a legit NFL player was traded for two guys who did nothing for Detroit. Foster started 12 games and struggled. Bell played 5 games rushing for 182 yards a td and lossed fumble. He is best known for stealing his replacements Rudi Johhnson's bags in 2008.

4/28/2007 Lions draft QB Drew Stanton, DE Ikaika Alama-Francis and S Gerald Alexander in the 2nd round.

Alama-Francis



Drew Stanton

The Lions came into the draft with the # 2 pick and a boat load of picks. Millen traded back to select Stanton @ #43 pick. Stanton started 4 games winning 2 throwing 5td and 9 picks. The Lions traded up to the # 58 pick for DE Alama-Francis. A walk-on at Hawaii with zero high school football experience and a torn pec. He played 19 games had 2 sacks before being released. S Gerald Alexander played 17 games had 2 ints and Adrian Peterson broke his neck. He was traded by Mayhew to the Jags for Dennis Northcutt. 6 Players drafted in between Stanton and Alexander have been to the pro bowl. We get nothing.

1/3/2008 Lions Fire OC Mike Martz and hire Jim Colletto

2007 the Lions had the 4th ranked passing offense

Marinelli fired Martz and replaced him with Jim Colletto. In 2008 the Lions offense ranked 27th averaging 16.8 ppg.

Jim Colletto

2/28/2008 Lions sign S Dwight Smith

Smith carted off after 0 picks and 41 tackles

He signed a 2 year $5 million contract. A former Buc with a super bowl ring, he struggled at Minnesota and had trouble off the field. He was released at the end of the season. Add him to the names of Greg Blue, Idrees Bashir, Daniel Bullocks, Kenoy Kennedy, Bracy Walker, Terrence Holt, Jon McGraw that started at S on the road to 0-16.

3/1/2008 Lions trade DT Shaun Rogers to the Browns for CB Leigh Bodden and a 3rd round pick (Andre Fluellen)

Bodden had 1 pick in 15 starts

Rogers had grown to be fat and a cancer in Detroit but Millen botched this trade. He picked up Chuck Darby to replace Rogers and signed Bodden to a crazy contract. (4 years $27 mil $2 mil signing bonus $8.6 million bonus in March of 2009) He was released by Mayhew instead of paying the bonus. He would still be with the Lions if we did.

3/14/2008 Lions sign CB Brian Kelly from the Bucs.

Part of the Tampa crew

Part of the Tampa 2 collection. Kelly signed a 3 year contract but was released December 9. He was paid $3.25 million to play 11 games and make 26 tackles and defend 1 pass. He was actually replaced on passing downs during the Jags game. I have never seen a starting corner replaced on passing downs before that. Travis Fisher, Keith Smith, Stanley Wilson, Chris Cash, Andre Goodman, RW McQuarters, Doug Evans and Otis Smith all started games at CB on the road to 0-16.

10/14/2008 Lions place QB Jon Kitna on IR and trade WR Roy Williams and 7th to Dallas for a 1st, 3rd and 6th (Pettigrew, Derrick Williams, Aaron Brown)

Kitna was shelved for a sore back for Dan Orlvosky and Drew Stanton. Martin Mayhew had taken over for the fired Millen  and probably did not like Kitna giving up in the Vikings game. Kitna was traded to Dallas for CB Anthony Henry (who sucked).

The Roy Williams trade was piece of the road to 0-16. Without Kitna and Williams the Lions had to rely on a poor QB, Calvin Johnson and Shaun McDonald. Roy was lazy and was on his last legs but could have helped win a game in 2008.

114/2008 Lions sign QB Daunte Culpepper

Mayhew tells Culpepper, we will start Matt Stafford

Culpepper was finished going 0-10 in Detroit. I guess when picking between Drew Stanton, Drew Henson and Culpepper there is no good choice. 

The road was long. I'm glad it is over.