Morning links Friday 1-15-09

Team/NFL:

Mayhew discusses Sammie Hill: http://www.freep.com/article/20100115/SPORTS01/1150337/1049/Lions-GM-discusses-young-DT-Sammie-Hill

Leadership worth a new contract: http://oplions.blogspot.com/2010/01/leadership-worth-new-contract.html

Lions added talented youth in 2009: http://det.scout.com/2/937723.html

Jets show Lions a thing about progress: http://www.clickondetroit.com/parkersconfidential/22200809/detail.html

Lions 2010 schedule might hinder the rebuild: http://www.examiner.com/x-1330-Detroit-Lions-Examiner~y2010m1d12-Detroit-Lions-2010-schedule-might-hinder-the-rebuild

SN's all rookie team (Pettigrew and Delmas made it.): http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/article/2010-01-14/sporting-news-2009-nfl-all-rookie-team

Lions team report: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/lions/notes.htm

2009 Season in review - Lions: http://www.inquisitr.com/57190/2009-nfl-season-in-review-detroit-lions/

Lions expecting far more from Williams: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2010/01/14/lions-expecting-far-more-from-derrick-williams

Ranking the offensive coordinators (Linehan is ranked 28th): http://www.profootballweekly.com/2010/01/11/ranking-the-offensive-coordinators

Could Vick be an option for the Rams?: http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/8C70C404D9ECF4EA862576AC000FD865?OpenDocument

In 2000s, Ravens' Ray Lewis set the gold standard for defenses (Not Lions related, but earlier this week on the forum there was a discussion about who made the Ravens defense so good.): http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2010-01-13-all-decade-ilb-ray-lewis_N.htm

Draft:

Scout's 2010 draft prospect ranking (Notice that Clausen is ranked 3rd overall. I'm pointing this out because so many of you think Clausen isn't worthy of the #1 pick. That's obviously not true.): http://profootball.scout.com/a.z?s=127&p=9&c=12&yr=2010&nid=83&lnid=124&rc=4

Mock draft from Sporting News (this one has us taking Trent Williams.): http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AsoW1wwB8DpKvzFZQ3Egvz9DubYF?slug=tsn-mockdraftwithcollege&prov=tsn&type=lgns

Overload of underclassmen entering upcoming draft: http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/12696276/prepare-for-overload-of-underclassmen-in-upcoming-draft

Morning Lions Links Monday 1-5-10

Team/NFL articles:

Schwartz Press Conference Transcript: http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/Head-Coach-Jim-Schwartz-Press-Conference-Transcript/fb070d69-abd7-4c56-a303-493d348baca5

Offseason will be significant for Lions health: http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/Offseason-will-be-Significant-for-Lions-Health/bc1b30a9-cbea-425f-bb1a-f3804806d874

This does not qualify as better: http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/01/04/sports/columns/doc4b41d4675658e404261582.txt

More from Caputo on the Lions: http://patcaputo.blogspot.com/2010/01/couplethings-about-lions.html

Lions have terrible Season: http://www.clickondetroit.com/parkersconfidential/22117297/detail.html

Lions have nowhere to go but up: http://ourmidland.com/articles/2010/01/04/sports/2330821.txt

Fixing the Lions: http://blog.mlive.com/its-just-sports/2010/01/fixing_the_lions.html

Third and one - Lions: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_/id/8406/third-and-one-lions-16

Lions end another dismal season: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/sports/Lions+another+dismal+season/2402229/story.html

Schwartz focusing on wins: http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/01/05/sports/columns/doc4b43130b84db2103786642.txt

Lions notes: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/01/05/sports/doc4b4315da1f846304092559.txt

Blink of a second (from Kevin Smith's blog): http://www.smith34.com/blog.html

Netrat's thoughts on the game: http://thenetrat.blogspot.com/2010/01/game-16-2009-bears-home.html

Ranking the defensive coordinators (Cunningham is ranked 27th): http://www.profootballweekly.com/2010/01/04/ranking-the-defensive-coordinators

Prisco's Grades (Lions get a C-): http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/features/writers/prisco/grades/week17

32 teams, 32 sentences: http://football.realgm.com/src_feature_article/113/20100104/32_teams_32_sentences/

Picking the NFL's worst team (It's a simulation playoff for the worst team. The Lions end up being the worst team): http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904574638414002754326.html

2010 Opponents: http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8157a75c&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Lions Team Report: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/lions/notes.htm

NFC North Team Reports (Lions is written by Tom K): http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Trenches/entry/view/50271/nfl_team_reports:_nfc_north

MLive Articles:

Schwartz shifts focus to offseason: http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2010/01/lions_jim_schwartz_shifts_focu.html

6 FA Lions will be affected by uncapped year: http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2010/01/six_lions_free_agents_will_be.html

Lions sign Hefney of Blue Bombers: http://blog.mlive.com/highlightreel/2010/01/detroit_lions_sign_jonathan_he.html

Detroit News Lions Articles:

With 2nd year starting, Schwartz is now on the clock: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100104/OPINION03/1040394/1031/opinion03

Kid gloves must come off of Stafford: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100105/OPINION03/1050332/1126/SPORTS0101/Kid-gloves-must-come-off-Matthew-Stafford

Schwartz isn't ready to panic, but knows the Lions need more talent: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100105/SPORTS0101/1050352/1126/SPORTS0101/Jim-Schwartz-isn-t-ready-to-panic--but-knows-Lions-need-more-talent

Detroit Free Press Lions Articles:

Lions roster will see much change: http://www.freep.com/article/20100105/SPORTS01/1050314/1049/Lions-roster-will-see-much-change

Lions first priority should be bolstering offense: http://www.freep.com/article/20100105/COL22/1050353/1049/SPORTS01/Lions-first-priority-should-be-bolstering-offense

Looking ahead - who could the Lions draft: http://www.freep.com/article/20100105/SPORTS01/100105004/1049/SPORTS01/Looking-ahead-Who-could-the-Lions-draft?

Sims feels familiar gloom: http://www.freep.com/article/20100105/SPORTS01/1050333/1049/SPORTS01/Lions-LB-Ernie-Sims-feels-familiar-gloom

Lions glad to see offseason after another tough year: http://www.freep.com/article/20100105/SPORTS01/1050331/1049/SPORTS01/Lions-glad-to-see-off-season-after-another-tough-year

2010 Roster analysis: http://www.freep.com/article/20100105/SPORTS01/1050334/1049/SPORTS01/2010-roster-analysis

Power Rankings:

Profootball Weekly final Power Rankings (Lions ranked 31): http://www.profootballweekly.com/2010/01/05/final-regular-season-power-rankings

Gosselin's Power Rankings (Lions ranked 31): http://nflblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/01/rankings-after-week-17.html

Articles from opposing team's media:

Offseason starts for Bears, Lions: http://gnb.scout.com/2/935003.html

Lions barely improved after making NFL infamy: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-fbn-lions-wrapup,0,197028.story

Bears take out full page ad to apologize to fans (Now why can't the Lions do this? Not only do the Lions need to apologize for this season, but they should also apologize for the worst decade in pro sports history.): http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/sarah-spain/2010/01/bears-apologize-to-fans-in-media-then-tell-media-to-kindly-get-the-eff-out.html

Draft:

2010 Draft order: http://walterfootball.com/nfldraftorder2010.php

2010 Mock Draft Database: http://walterfootball.com/draftdata.php

2010 NFL draft underclassman: http://walterfootball.com/draft2010underclassmen.php

CBS Mock Drafts (Rang has us taking McCoy, Reuter has us taking Berry): http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock

Suh rammed into big daddy hype?: http://profootball.scout.com/2/933810.html

5 players the Rams could take with the #1 pick (Ram's perspective): http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/rams/story/9EA12C4B3DB9E1BC862576A100433074?OpenDocument

Video/Audio:

Todd McShay's top 5 draft picks (He thinks the Rams will take Suh and the Lions will take McCoy. I hope he's wrong and the Rams take a QB with the #1 pick.): http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4794900

Schwartz Press Conference Audio: http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/audio/Press-Conference-Audio-Jim-Schwartz-1-4-10/a7691cc5-ef87-4e33-8a7f-05da32b7b303

MLive Lions Home Page: http://www.mlive.com/lions/

Playoff Predictions

TPC - Ravens, Bengals, Dallas, Packers

JoeSchmidt - Pats, Jets, Cowboys, Packers

WestSideLion - Patriots, Jets, Dallas, Cards

djchewi - Ravens, Jets, Eagles, Packers