Phillip Buchanon News

Detroit Lions quarterback Drew Stanton took the No. 1 reps today during the 30-minute portion of practice that the media is allowed to watch, -- the biggest indication so far that he'll be the starter on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.

Allen Park -- The Lions' quarterback shuffle got most of the attention in Sunday's loss to Arizona.

Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz said today he has not yet decided who will start at quarterback Sunday at San Francisco, and he left open the possibility that Matthew Stafford could return from his left shoulder injury.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz was livid again on the sideline Sunday. This time, it was the play of the offensive line, flagged for five first-half penalties, including four false starts.

Facing a third-and-2 on his own 38 with 12:08 left in the second quarter, Baltimore second-year quarterback Joe Flacco completed a short slant pass to former Michigan State receiver Derrick Mason at the Baltimore 49.

I now wish to retract that statement. That was an insult to cows, who would probably put up a better fight than the Lions did Sunday in the rain and gloom of M&T Bank Stadium .

Jim Schwartz won't call it quits anymore than he'll call his players quitters. And for a beleaguered fan base demanding accountability, the measured response from Detroit's head coach a day after an embarrassing 48-3 loss at Baltimore wasn't nearly enough.

The Ravens' defense provided the message early - and often. The Detroit Lions ' first three possessions ended after they failed to convert two third-and-1 and one third-and-2 situations in the first quarter, and those plays set the tone for the defense, which helped power the Ravens to a 48-3 thumping of the Lions on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium .

BALTIMORE - A cold, driving rain couldn't prevent the Baltimore Ravens and Ray Rice from enjoying a record-setting day.

A fourth-down conversion on a QB sneak by Joe Flacco kept alive an 11-play, 74-yard touchdown drive to start the second half and put this game out of reach.

Baltimore -- It was an elbow during training camp, but that didn't keep Dewayne White off the field.

Gunther Cunningham thinks his guys are starting to get it. 'We got obliterated early in the year, and it was because nobody knew what they were doing,' the Lions' defensive coordinator said.

It hasn't been a banner season for the Detroit Lions' defensive secondary. Through 12 games in 2009, the Lions' pass defense is ranked - let's see here ... add the four, carry the two, cubed, divide by 12 - DEAD LAST among 32 NFL teams.

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.

Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco is known for taking shots at opposing defenses in the week leading to the game, but he's playing nice with the Detroit Lions ahead of Sunday's game.

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.

The past two weeks the Bengals offense has been content to grind it out, eat up as much clock as possible and control the game on the ground.

Allen Park -- Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Ochocinco, the NFL's biggest showman, began his conference call with Detroit media Wednesday with a question: 'Are y'all really ready for me? Are you really, really ready for 85? Because you know I'm live.' But the better question: Are the Lions ready? 'The Lions?' Ochocinco asked, rhetorically? 'Do ...

One of the best football seasons in school history came to a halt Friday night for Cape Coral High.

Eric Mangini suggested Monday that the Lions faked injuries to slow the Browns' no-huddle offense during Detroit's 38-37 victory -- and Lions coach Jim Schwartz responded by saying Mangini was "way out of bounds" with his allegations.