DETROIT – The Detroit Lions are in one of the most unique situations ever seen in the NFL at this point of a season. Only four games into the season, they are desperate to make some moves but their hands are tied. 
Owner William Ford, with the coaxing of his son, Junior, made a long overdue move after week three when he fired wannabe NFL exec, Matt Millen. Millen has packed up and is gone but like week-old fish, his stench remains.
That stench comes in the form of Coach Rod Marinelli and the athletes Millen has compiled over his historic record run of failure and there lies the unfixable problem.
After the 34-7 slaughter by their rival Chicago Bears at Ford Field on Sunday, Lions fans were reminded that nothing has or will change until yet another total overhaul is done.
Marinelli needs to go, there is absolutely no doubt about that, but no one on the Lions coaching staff is qualified or capable of stepping in for the remainder of the season. Do you feel that rope getting tighter on your hands, Mr. Ford?
Mike Martz, who’s San Francisco 49ers took it to the Lions in week three of the season, had head coaching and Super Bowl experience with the St. Louis Rams and could have moved up. But he, like many of the past Millen-hires have been fired and have moved on to greener pastures. Whether another NFL team, the broadcast booth or even the moon, most anywhere offers greener pastures than this Lions organization.
Marinelli and the Lions are stuck in a stressful situation that may last until the New Year. This is the NFL and the playbooks are complicated. (if you doubt that, take a look at Sunday’s lowlight of Roy Williams slanting in and Kitna throwing to the sideline.) Bringing in an entire new coaching staff simply cannot be done. When coaches get fired midseason, a current coaching staff member steps in.
Joe Barry, defensive coordinator and benefiter of Detroit’s nepotism program, has managed and created the worst defense in the NFL over the past two seasons. 
He’s not doing his job so obviously he cannot step up into his father-in-law’s position. (see our NFL section for “Lions Nepotism Article”)
Besides Millen, Barry may be the biggest cause of this year’s implosion. If he had half of a conscience, he would refuse his paycheck and step down.
Offensive coordinator, Joe Colletto is in the same boat as Barry, looks lost and incompetent and his squad has contributed greatly to the Lions 0-4 record, so who can this organization turn to? Line coach, Joe Cullen, the coach who was busted for driving through a Wendy’s naked?
The remainder of this season is not going to be any sort of roller-coaster ride for Lions fans, it’s going to be a steady nose-dive; all downhill from here, coasters have a few quick jaunts uphill.
There’s a great chance the Lions and their fans are stuck with Marinelli, but there’s always hope for a No. 1 overall pick and the good news is, this time it will not be Millen making it.
In the meantime, Lions fans should try their best to survive Millen’s leftover stench and this horrible coaching staff. Then they can begin next season with a new coaching staff, dozens of new players, a new GM and chant, “Maybe this is the year.”
Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax
