Saying that our defense is a few DB's away from being elite is like saying that a Yugo without an engine is an engine away from being a race car. When your secondary is awful, the defense is far away from being elite.

Seriously. Lions have a great line but the back 7 outside of Levy is pretty bad.

Just thought I'd chime in and say that I hate the hire. His record at Indy WITHOUT Peyton Manning and his record at Wake Forrest tells the story. What has this man ever done on his own?

With that said, I hope he succeeds, but I'm doubtful.

It's easy to say, but unfortunately the same thing can be said for a lot of coaches that had success. What has Mike McCarthy done without Aaron Rodgers? What did Ken Whisenhunt do without Kurt Warner or Philip Rivers? What has Sean Payton done without Drew Brees?
If you're looking for a list of coaches that win perennially with bad QBs, I'm afraid that's a very short list. Generally, head coaches don't win anything on their own because they never touch a live football. I can't really remember the last time I saw a coach suit up and make the game-winning TD grab.
I'm not especially moved by this hire, but really nobody has a single reason to doubt him as the HC of the Lions. At least wait until the Lions lose a preseason game before everyone goes full-retard and diagnoses the coaching problem from mlive.

You never go full-retard

instead of a link to the coaching staff this is what detroit lions.com has

http://www.detroitlions.com/team/jim-caldwell.html


I could be wrong but I don't remember anything like that for Jim

The fan base was on board with the Schwartz hire, it didn't need to be sold. The Lions recognize the fan base isn't on board with this hire so they are trying to sell/justify it.

Thank you! Conversation about the playbook and staff Caldwell will be installing is more interesting that hearing all this bitching and complaining

Yes that was the point I was trying to make. Fans aren't happy

Having to sell fans on a coach doesn't bode well. Hopefully he proves us wrong.

Finally got a chance to listen to Caldwell's press conference. I'm 100% on board--very impressive guy.

I guess it's time for u to ditch your Tagline. Lol!!

Done!

Whisenhunt was so the first choice they had a plane already to go at 6 AM Monday to go get him and he told them not to send it.

On Monday Dungy was reportedly on the phone trying to convince the Lions to hire his buddy Caldwell.

So plan A was to hire Whisenhunt as it should have been. He took a dumpster fire of a franchise in the cardinals to a super bowl won one with steelers as an offensive coordinator and helped revive Rivers career. Pretty much the perfect candidate under the current circumstances.

I'm not sure Caldwell was plan B until Dungy pleased his case for him.

He was given a ready made team in Indy and went to a Super Bowl - but by year two you could already see the regression in the team.

The feeling in Indy among fans is simple GREAT GUY - HORRIBLE HEAD COACH.

Honestly - i think the Lions placed to much getting an offensive guy with Super Bowl credentials and over looked lots of guys who have far more potential as a head coach.

In the press conference, Lewand said they had two finalists--Whisenhunt and Caldwell. They were planning on bringing in Whisenhunt on Monday for an additional interview and to meet the Fords. Tennessee obviously got to him before that could happen, but in my opinion, they jumped the gun: there's word that Whiz got an unusually long deal with all money guaranteed, as well as extensive say over personnel. To be honest, this might have worked out for the best.

The Lions always do this all the time - "hey this was our guy all along" except this time there so was much smoke there was fire and they had to spin it as "yeah we wanted Whisenhunt but we wanted Caldwell just as much". Really? I don't remember them gassing up a plane to go pick up Caldwell.

If that was case why was Tony Dungy calling up the Lions on Monday to give the Lions his recommendation?