1. The firing of offensive coordinator Mike Martz, the designated scapegoat for the 1-7 collapse of 07.
2. Martz, asked why the Lions wouldnt admit he had actually been fired: I cant explain anything that they do. I cant.
3. His replacement, Jim Colletto, on his new job: Its not rocket science. You dont have to be a genius to figure these things out.
4. More housecleaning by trading
Shaun Rogers
and not signing Kevin Jones.
5. Picking up players like Gosder Cherilus, Kevin Smith and Cliff Avril in the draft, and Rod Marinelli saying: It might seem crazy, but Im looking at this team five or 10 years down the road, and it is filled with good young players from the draft. Im percolating coffee here. Im not making instant.
6. Raising ticket prices, so fans could save more money by not coming to Ford Field.
7. The 4-0 exhibition season, prompting the since57.com people to market Pre-Season Champions
T-shirts.
8. The perfect preseason and great practices prompting many pundits to look at all the early winnable games and predicting good things for the Lions.
9. Jon Kitna saying hed be disappointed again if the Lions didnt win 10 games. Actually, the Lions have won 10 games overall, in Marinellis three years as coach.
10. Tatum Bell upset hed been released caught by security cameras lifting replacement Rudi Johnsons luggage at the Allen Park training facility. Bell claiming: I aint no thief, and Johnson getting his bags back, minus some cash, credit cards and Perry Ellis under drawers.
11. Game 1: About 11 1/2 minutes into the regular season, the Lions trailed, 21-0, in one of those winnable games at Atlanta, with rookie Matt Ryan throwing for a 62-yard TD on his first pass and Michael Turner running for 220 yards.
12. The 34-21 loss and 0-1 record.
13. Marinelli saying: We had a bad day a bad day at the office, no doubt about it.
14. Gardner-White buying up the remaining tickets so Game 2, the home opener against Green Bay, wouldnt be blacked out.
15. Game 2: The Lions falling behind, 21-0, again in the first half, but actually coming back and taking a 25-24 lead in the fourth quarter before giving up an amazing 24 points in the final 5:17.
16. Kitna who some said might be the NFC Norths best quarterback saying Its on me after throwing three interceptions in that span, two returned for TDs.
17. The 48-25 loss and 0-2 record.
18. Marinelli: Is it hard to swallow? Yeah, its a big turkey going down my throat, a couple bones sticking in there. Ive got to spit the bones out and move forward.
19. Matt Millen saying: Stay the course. Its a little bump.
Its not like you have to panic. You dont have to make wholesale changes. You dont have to do all that stuff. Its all right there.
20. Game 3: The Lions falling behind, 21-3, in the first half to Martz and their former backup quarterback, J.T. OSullivan.
21. The 31-13 loss and 0-3 record.
22. Bill Ford Jr. saying: It was an embarrassment. The fans deserve better. And if I had the authority, I would have fired the general manager.
23. William Clay Ford waking up and releasing this statement: I have relieved Matt Millen of his duties effective immediately. I believe that this decision is in the best interest of this organization. I appreciate Matts efforts. Matt worked tirelessly during his tenure to win, and he would be the first one to tell you that you have to win in this league. It just didnt work out.
24. Didnt work out translating to a 31-84 record for Millens official tenure.
25. Millens wife telling ESPN she told her husband after the firing, Youre out of football prison now. (Wasnt that an old TV show, Matt Millen and Wife?)
26.
Roy Williams
, asked how the firing affected the Lions preparations for the next game: Hes in the front office. Its not like he was a quarterback or anything. So it wasnt a big deal.
27. Game 4: The Lions, granted a 24-hour extension, selling out the game, so local fans could watch them get mauled by the Bears on TV.
28. The 34-7 loss and 0-4 record.
29. Game 5: Kitna being left behind for the trip to Minnesota because of a bad back, even though he said he probably could have gone.
30. Dan Orlovsky providing a YouTube moment when he rolled right out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
31. The Vikings winning on a FG with nine seconds left, their drive helped by a bogus interference call against Leigh Bodden.
32. The 12-10 loss and 0-5 record.
33. The Lions finally trading Roy Williams, sending him to his beloved Dallas Cowboys for a bunch of draft choices, and placing Kitna on injured reserve, likely ending his Detroit career.
34. Interim GM Martin Mayhew, asked if the moves meant the Lions were now looking to the future, saying: If by the future you mean this Sunday, then it is about the future. And if by looking forward to Sunday at Houston he meant losing again, the Lions didnt disappoint.
35. The 28-21 loss and 0-6 record.
36. Foxs Jay Glazer reporting sources said Brett Favre had called buddy Matt Millen before the Packers game with inside info on their playbook. The Lions denying it, but Marinelli saying No comment. But if true, it might explain how defensive coordinator Joe Barrys guys held the Pack to 447 yards.
37. Game 7: The Lions failing to sell out the game against Washington, ending a streak of 51 straight sellouts dating to the Silverdome finale in 2001, and giving them their first local TV blackout at Ford Field. They would end up selling out only one of their remaining five home games, Thanksgiving against Tennessee.
38. The 25-17 loss and 0-7 record.
39. Marinelli explaining why he still thought the wins were coming: Because thats who I am. You are you. Youre negative. OK, so Im going to answer you: Because I believe in what were doing, and Im just going to keep doing it.
40. Roy Williams, coming back to town for a cameo appearance at the team Halloween party, dressing as Tatum Bell, wearing a bellhop uniform and briefs marked Rudi.
41. Colletto, explaining why Drew Stanton wasnt getting any playing time in the meaningless games: Im not going to embarrass the kid just to prove a point to somebody else.
42. The Lions explaining that was just a poor choice of words, but Stanton saying he was taken aback by them: Hes entitled to his opinion. So if he thinks that Id embarrass myself when I go out there, then thats what he believes. Ultimately, hes the offensive coordinator right now.
43. Game 8: The Lions falling behind, 10-0, at Chicago, but actually coming back and twice taking 10-point leads before losing them and Orlovsky to a broken thumb.
44. The 27-23 loss and 0-8 record.
45. Signing former Vikings star Daunte Culpepper, who had sort of been retired, and planning to start him the following Sunday against Jacksonville, three days after his first practice.
46. Game 9: Culpepper and Stanton sharing time against the Jaguars, with Stanton taking the edge in stats and completing his first NFL TD pass.
47. The 38-14 loss and 0-9 record. And Cincinnati winning that day, making the Lions the leagues last winless team.
48. Marinelli: Youre in this dark tunnel and youve got no way out. Youre waiting for light, and you see that light, what do you do? What do you do? You start digging and getting out.
Ive always believed you stay in the tunnel and you keep digging when you expect no light. You have the same faith when you expect no light. You have the same belief in what youre doing when you expect no light.
Its dark and Im going to dig through. My shovel is sharp and my pick is sharp and my will is outstanding.
49. Game 10: Blowing another 10-point lead at Carolina.
50. The 31-22 loss and 0-10 record.