Backup Back At Practice
--LT Jeff Backus, who missed the first three weeks of camp with a torn pectoral muscle, returned to practice on Sunday. He has started 160 straight games for the Lions. "It's been eight months so I had to shake some rust and get my timing back," he said. "These guys have a three-week head start but I feel pretty good. I am ready to go."
--As training camp fights go, this was a heavyweight doozey. On a steamy Wednesday afternoon, DE Kyle Vanden Bosch and LT Corey Hilliard scuffled on three straight plays during team drills. On the third, they went at it. Both traded forearms. Hilliard's helmet came off and Vanden Bosch dropped him with an upper cut. "Things are going to get like that, with how intense we practice," said SS Erik Coleman. "This is my eighth year in the league and this is the hardest-working team I've ever been around. Every once in a while it's going to get hot and guys are going to get testy. Stuff like that will happen. It's all part of the game. We're all boys at the end of the day - just having fun."
That scuffle was one of about five last Wednesday. Coach Jim Schwartz finally cooled everyone off by making them run wind sprints the entire width of the practice field. "We had a little too much energy at practice and needed to expel it somehow so we ran for a little bit and then got back to work," Schwartz said. "Tempers flare during training camp and even if we're not doing two-a-days there's still such a thing as dog days of training camp and I guess that qualifies for where we are right now."
--ESPN analyst Cris Carter created quite a stir around Lions nation last week when he failed to put Calvin Johnson on his list of the top six receivers in the game today. He rankled the faithful even further with his reasoning - that Johnson doesn't run good routes or command a double team. The latter was puzzling since only one team last year played Johnson straight up -the Jets with Darrelle Rivas. "Man I wish I could get single coverage," Johnson said. "I hope people follow (Carter's) advice and give me that (single coverage) treatment. That would be wonderful." Johnson mostly downplayed Carter's comments and when asked who he thought was the best receiver today said, "I'm not going to go out and say I am No. 1. Of course that's where I want to be. It's always a work in progress for me and there are some great ones in the game right now. Every day I am just trying to get better."
--WR Nate Burleson, a long-time fan of Carter's and a former teammate of Randy Moss, took issue with Carter's comment that Johnson was "no Randy Moss." Said Burleson: "I feel like right now Calvin Johnson is definitely in the top five and arguably the best receiver in the game. His speed is incredible. He jumps a 45-inch vertical. He has huge hands. He can bench press 225 pounds as many times as linebackers. Tell me how many other receivers are willing to do that outside the field and then get on the practice field and catch a ball over the middle and run somebody over?"
--The Lions are most pleased with their quarterback efficiency thus far - and not just with starter Matthew Stafford. In the two exhibition games, the four quarterbacks - Stafford, Shaun Hill, Drew Stanton and Zac Robinson -- have completed 42 of 62 for 515 yards, with six touchdowns, no interceptions and a 125.4 passer rating. "We are getting outstanding play by all four of our quarterbacks," Schwartz said. "They were all making good decisions, taking care of the ball, making plays with their feet, getting rid of the ball and turning it over. I like where our quarterback play is going."
--Both QB Matthew Stafford and DE Kyle Vanden Bosch agreed to restructure their contracts to enable the Lions to sign four free agents. Stafford, by agreeing to shift $8.475 million into a signing bonus and taking a base salary of $525,000 this season helped the team gain another $6 million in salary cap space. Vanden Bosch also similarly restructured his deal, which saved the team another $2.5 million. "We have a great locker room with great guys who want to win," Stafford said. "If I can restructure a deal to help our team go out and get the guys we need to help us win, then I am all for it." The restructuring, which was done on Aug. 4, enabled the Lions to get under the $120.6 million salary cap, after signing free agent linebackers Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant, and cornerbacks Chris Houston and Eric Wright.
--Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan is a patient man, so he didn't snap at the question. But he could have. After a practice last week he was asked if he was concerned that Stafford had underthrown three receivers during team drills. ""A couple of those were timing plays, but when you underthrow a ball 65 yards in the air, that's pretty good," he said. "I thought he has looked great. His arm is still pretty lively."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Yep, it's three pages. Hit the ball. First page is 'Hit.' Second page is, 'The.' Third page is 'Ball.' That's it. It's a very simple concept. Very simple." -- DE Willie Young on the Lions' playbook for defensive linemen.
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