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Panthers say they won't take Lions lightly
Detroit, 0-9, has lost several close games this season
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Published: November 16, 2008
CHARLOTTE - Is the Detroit Lions' 0-9 record deceptive?
The Carolina Panthers seem to think so. That has been the prevailing notion throughout the week as the Panthers have prepared for today's game at Bank of America Stadium.
The Panthers have won three straight and lead the NFC South at 7-2, -- but they know that they can't afford to take the league's only winless team lightly.
"You don't want to fall into that trap of looking at that 0-9 record," defensive end Julius Peppers said. "If you look at the tape, they've been in most games. They're playing good football, they're just not getting the wins. You've got to take them seriously and prepare for them like you would for anyone else."
The Lions were throttled by Jacksonville last week 38-14, but their previous four losses came by a total of 21 points.
"You don't want to be that team that gives them their first win," receiver Steve Smith said. "So you don't want to start off slow."
The Panthers have been in similar situations twice before this season and have won both, but in different fashion. They routed Kansas City 34-0 at home on Oct. 5, at a time when Kansas City was 1-3. Then last week, the offense struggled but the defense dominated in a 17-6 win at Oakland, which fell to 2-7.
"After last week, we know anything can happen," linebacker Jon Beason said. "Hopefully, as a team, we can play better. Detroit has been in every game. A mistake here, a mistake there that they don't make, they win the game. This week you look at it for what they are. They have great players at the receiver position, a good running back, so it's going to be a big challenge for us."
The Lions' offense ranks 28th in the NFL in total yards, 31st in rushing and 28th in scoring. But they have one of the league's top receivers in Calvin Johnson, who has caught 39 passes for 774 yards. He leads the league in average yards per catch. He was limited to two receptions last week against Jacksonville, but one was for 51 yards and the other was for 41.
Rookie Kevin Smith has been the leading rusher and had 96 yards on 23 carries last week against Jacksonville.
And the Lions feel they have upgraded their quarterback situation by signing veteran Duante Culpepper out of retirement, and he will start at quarterback today. Culpepper was 5 for 10 for 104 yards in his first game last week.
"They've had some quarterback issues, and that's never easy," Coach John Fox said. "I think their starting quarterback is going to have another week with the offense now.... We've watched the tape and there are phases of their team that are playing good. They play extremely hard."
The Lions' defense is also near the bottom of all the league statistics, ranking 31st in total yards (406.1 per game), rushing (161.2) and points allowed (30.8). That could mean a big day especially for running back DeAngelo Williams, who rushed for a career-high 140 yards last week at Oakland.
But Coach Rod Marinelli has been pleased with the improvement of the defense -- until last week.
"In the last month, the previous four games, I thought each week we were making good progress," Marinelli said in a teleconference with Charlotte-area media. "I believe it was lack of consistency (last week) when you look at the tape. There would be times when we played a defensive play and we would do it perfectly. Then we would have the same play, the same defense, and maybe not play it right. So that lack of consistency hurts us."
The thing that Marinelli likes most is his team's attitude despite the winless record.
"It's just a work in progress," he said. "They are very resilient. They come back in and they work at it. As a coach, it's really rewarding to come and see these guys, the time, the effort. This league is obviously about winning, and we haven't done that yet. But I just believe in them. It's a young team, it's full of energy, and we have a chance to keep working and developing it."
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