The first half of the third preseason game is a barometer because you are not only trying to win, but you are playing your starters under real game conditions.

This year the Lions had the good fortune of facing the Super Bowl champs. Who could ask for a better barometer of how far Marinelli's message and Millen's born again talent evaluation skills had progressed?

Now, there is the short and the long version of the story.

The short version is that the Lions stink. In fact, they are pathetic and not even competitive vis-a-vis an upper echelon team. Given what we saw or heard, it is safe to say we will be drafting in the top 10 again.

The long version is that the secondary is just as poor as every objective observer had to believe it to be. The Stanley Wilson and Keith Smith have arrived spin was just the typical run of the mill pre-season grist to cover up the fact that Millen has over-invested in offense skill players in the draft and his talent evaluation skills are piss poor. Sure, they got some pressure on the QB and Shaun Rogers did not play. But although QB pressure is essential for all defenses, you still need a secondary to scoop up balls for any defense to work. I mean what did you think? That subtracting our best player in the secondary would make a weak unit better? Come on. Sure, Bly is not a perfect fit for the Marinelli system, but he can catch an errant ball. Wilson has proven to have hands of stone and frankly I am not convinced that Bly could not outtackle what is left, which is not even saying very much. Maybe Rogers will clog the middle and ratchet up the opposing QB's fear factor for more than five games this year, but frankly does anybody believe he can cover receivers? (If so, hopefully he is better than Dwayne White). In any case, the secondary is sieve and there is no real way to get that fixed now. You might take solace thinking that Peyton is the leagues best, but do not forget that Sorgi lit up the Lions even more. Which is what just about every other mediocre QB did last year.

On offense, I think the subtraction of Kitna was significant. I don't see how you could say otherwise. The QB position is the cog in a complex Martz offense. Now you are putting a European League journeyman with virtually no starting experience into the fire, with no experience in the system, and working with the players who he only plays with on a limited basis. Of course, the fact that O' Sullivan is our back up means that if Kitna goes down our offense is doomed. But when Kitna is in there I do not think there is any doubt that the Lions will be able to do things. Even O' Sullivan aired it out when he was not forcing things, and the Lions give us signs of running the ball decently, so you have to figure the offense is improved enough to be considered borderline dangerous. The problem is when you put it all together. When your opponent is like 100% on third and ten or more, what does the Greatest Show of Turf really matter? If your secondary is so bad that a bottom tier offense can move the ball through the air at will, even an NFL record setting offensive will not get you to .500.

I hate to say it, but if the third pre-season game is the barometer. . . Well, be afraid-very afraid. Psst! Ford, remember that promise about a meaningful game in November? Define meaningful.

Guild - Is that a piece that you wrote? or is it from another source?

Just off the top of my head, as I am sure you knew.

I was just wondering. If you're interested, maybe you can IM Pablo about writing some Lions articles for the website. Just a thought.....

Not bad but I think it would be fair to mention that the CB's were up against the best WR bunch in the NFL... no matter how much we might like to kid ourselves on that one. Also, with Kitna, would it of been as bad? Without I'm terrified as all heck right now, but with, our offense gets it done.

Given that this was the 3rd game of the preseason it was probably the first that either side truly game planned for. I know the Colts are good but that was embarrasing. The Lions secondary has so many holes to put into a game plan the OC's playing against Detroit each week must be drooling.