Julian Peterson News

So who's going to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday? If you ask the Lions, the results of the balloting will be closer than you think.

Rey Maualuga was the hard-hitting middle linebacker Lions fans coveted heading into the draft back in April, But Detroit passed on the USC thumper twice -- with the 20th and 33rd overall picks -- and instead drafted an outside linebacker from Wisconsin, DeAndre Levy, in the third round.

Some of the Lions' seven penalties were especially irksome in Sunday's 23-13 loss to the Bengals.

Weak secondary? What weak secondary? The Lions' defensive backs often bear most of the blame for allowing a league-worst 274.8 passing yards per game.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz made a couple of strategic decisions during the team's 23-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and neither worked out very well.

They got the monkey off their back in September. But there's still the elephant in the room.

The Detroit Lions didn't see much movement in the NFL power rankings after their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Win one, lose one. One step forward, one step back. After going .500 last week against Cleveland and Green Bay, the Lions stayed right where they were in SI.com's NFL power rankings: 29th, ahead of 1-10 Tampa Bay, St.

Q: Opening Comments: ML: "As we look forward to the Lions, the first thing I think you can see is their plan kind of unfolding.

If five different Detroit Lions fans were asked what Detroit's biggest need was, almost certainly, five different answers would be given.

Packers at Lions, noon, WHBQ Series record: Packers lead 87-64-7 Last meeting: Packers beat Lions, 26-0, Oct.

The Detroit Lions have allowed more points than any other team this season after nearly setting a modern era record for defensive ineptitude during their winless 2008.

And for an encore, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford likely will take a seat on the bench.

Following is a brief scouting report on the Detroit Lions based on interviews with several coaches and scouts whose teams have recently played them.

Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson played the game Sunday that Detroit Lions fans had been waiting all season to see.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz and Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini have come full circle.

The Lions put starting right guard Stephen Peterman on injured reserve Friday, ending his season, and he's expected to undergo ankle surgery next week.

Cleveland's Brady Quinn was 13-of-31 for 99 yards and two interceptions against Baltimore last week.

By Tony Moss, NFL Editor -- - Arriving this week at Ford Field? An opportunity for a measured degree of progress for the Detroit Lions.

How about a show of hands, Detroit? How many of you foolishly took the bait, believing that surreal first quarter of Lion excellence on both sides of the ball was proof that not only might the Lions actually win on the road, but dominate as well? File this latest edition of criminal eye slaughter under the category of 'Shouldn't You Have Known ...