Well here’s something you would have never expected a few years ago. According to local TV ratings, the Detroit Lions preseason opener Friday night against the Cleveland Browns was watched by more people than the Olympics and the Tigers game.

The game was No. 1 among Metro Detroit households with a 11.0 rating. In comparison, the Olympics received a 10.1 rating. The Tigers’ opening game to kick off a weekend series with the Texas Rangers received a 10.4 rating. Each rating point represents 17,000 households tuning in. The Lions game was the No. 1 program among men ages 18-49 (7.0 rating) and men ages 25-54 (9.3 rating).

This was apparently a 10-percent increase over last season’s opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

There’s always a lot of anticipation and expectations entering preseason and then the regular season. But because last year was the first time in a long time that those expectations were actually met, this year the excitement is apparently even higher.

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August 10, 2011

7:30 PM EST

Ford Field

Oh happy day! Football is back. Maybe not officially, officially. But when you go more than six months without the National Football League, preseason may as well be the Super Bowl. And it seems I’m not alone in that sentiment, considering tonight’s game against the Cleveland Browns is sold out.

The Lions are coming off one of the most active (and not in a good way) offseasons in recent memory and  and I imagine are just excited to put those troubles behind them and focus on football. And with the recent injuries for both teams — most notably Louis Delmas and Trent Richardson — I imagine they both will try to avoid further clogging up their injured list.

After a breakthrough, 10-win season last year, the Lions are hoping to build off that success and enter the preseason with the majority of their starting spots figured out. The Browns on the other hand, will be breaking in rookie quarterback, and former minor league pitcher. Brandon Weeden in hopes that he can do what Colt McCoy couldn’t.

Here are some things to watch for: » Continue reading “Preseason Game 1: Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions”

Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure is hopeful he’ll return to practice next week, after missing much of the first two weeks of training camp with a hamstring injury.

As expected, Leshoure will miss tomorrow’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns, but says he hopes to be back next week. If that happens, Leshoure will likely be able to participate in the Lions second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens.

“Hopefully,” Leshoure said. “I’m starting to run now. You never know how these days go, but I hope to get back on the field next week.”

Leshoure’s expectations were high after being drafted prior to the 2011 season, but an Achilles injury sidelined him for the entire year, and off the field issues this offseason have cast a dark shadow over his potential.

But with the future of Jahvid Best still questionable, Leshoure is still expected to make a huge impact this season if he can remain healthy.

Other news: » Continue reading “Mikel Leshoure Could Return to Lions Practice Next Week”

The Detroit Lions 2012 preseason schedule was announced this afternoon much to the delight of football fans everywhere — me included. Although I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a teensy bit more excited for Major League Baseball opening day tomorrow. I’m not sorry.

Nevertheless, this is exciting too. I promise.

For the second straight year, the Lions will play a preseason nationally televised game at Baltimore Friday, Aug. 17 on FOX. The rest of the schedule looks like this:

» Continue reading “Detroit Lions 2012 Preseason Schedule Released”

It’s that time of year again. The time of year that video game enthusiasts love and the rest of football nation dreads. It’s time to vote for the Madden 13 cover.

In case you don’t know, being on the front of Madden is both an honor and a curse — literally. It’s widely believed that players who appear on the cover will subsequently suffer a decline in performance the following season — a lot of the time resulting in an injury.

Last season, Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis appeared on the cover and then missed five games due to a hamstring injury and saw a decrease in performance as a result. You can see the full list of Madden curses here.

Well, much to the dismay of Detroit Lions fans, both Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson are in the pool to be voted as this year’s cover.

For this year’s Madden cover vote, ESPN is putting 64 players up against each other. There are two players from each team that will go head to head before the round of 32 is determined.

You can go here to vote. But I’m going to discourage everyone not to do so. Because I can definitely see Johnson winning something like this, and I’d rather not have the 2012 season hindered by a Johnson decline in performance — or God forbid an injury.

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I’m always the last person to know things. Although, in this particular situation, I could have been the first if I had payed a little better attention to things when they are happening.

Fortunately, my best friend — thanks, Brian — and all the other posts around the NFL made me aware of Nate Burleson’s LeBron James impression following his 4-yard touchdown catch in last Friday’s preseason win over the Cleveland Browns.

For those of you who haven’t seen it, you’re in luck — kind of. While I couldn’t find a YouTube video to post here, if you follow the link below you can see Burleson mimicking James’ chalk toss celebration after the touchdown.

The link: http://www.nfl.com/videos/auto/09000d5d821967a4/Nate-Burleson-4-yard-TD

“It was a LeBron thing,” Burleson explained today. “I wasn’t going to do it. See, I had a plan. I had two celebrations planned. I was going to catch the ball, get up, do the shot by (Michael) Jordan (against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1989 NBA playoffs) and the three pumps. I’ve got it all down. I’ve seen it like a million times.

“But then when I got in the end zone, I was waiting for the ref, and then when I looked at the crowd, the Dawg Pound went crazy. They were cussing me out, talking about my momma, so I was like forget that. Where’s the powder at. Voom.”

I guess there are worse people to mimic … and we all know Burleson is no stranger to touchdown celebrations. And regardless, he can do whatever he wants so long as he continues to make spectacular catches like that. » Continue reading “Nate ‘LeBron James’ Burleson, Everyone”

I’m not really sure what to say about this game other than … we won. I’d like to say in the end that’s all that matters (and in regular season I might agree with that statement) but in preseason, I’m not so sure. Despite a 30-28 win over the Cleveland Browns, last night’s game was nothing short of ugly. U-G-L-Y.

When all was said and done, there were 26 penalties in the game. The Lions finished with 14 of them — 125 total yards. ICK. Seems fitting for a game that started so terribly, I guess. On the Lions first possession, Jahvid Best fumbled, turning the ball over to Cleveland. And Best never returned to the game.

The Sloppy Joe had nothing on the Lions last night.

Unfortunately, the Browns capitalized on Best’s turnover. Colt McCoy finished the 7-play drive with a two-yard pass to Even Moore. The Lions would answer, however, with an eight-play, 75-yard drive of their own that ended in a four-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Nate Burleson.

It would be the first of two fantastic catches by Burleson in the game. The second, a 30-yard completion on their very next drive.  I’m thinking he enjoyed not having to share the spotlight with Calvin Johnson, who took the night off for precautionary measures.

Luckily for me, the camera scoped him out on the sidelines a few times. Going an entire game without seeing Megatron is a lot to ask, afterall.

A Jason Hanson field goal would put Detroit up 10-7 on their next possession. But the Browns would score two more touchdowns — including another TD pass to Moore.

But Detroit would tack on another field goal, entering halftime down 13-21. » Continue reading “Despite Sloppy Play, Second-Half Rally Lifts Lions Over Browns”

August 19, 2011

7:30 PM EST

Cleveland Browns Stadium

Last Friday seems so long ago. Too long, in fact. I went nearly seven months without any football at all, and now that it’s back, one week feels like an eternity.

Luckily, we only have to wait a few more hours for week two of preseason action to begin. The Lions are set to face the Cleveland Browns, who — like Detroit — are coming of a big win of their own in week one. The Browns beat the Green Bay Packers 27-17 last week and held Aaron Rodgers and the starting offense to just seven points.

Here are some things to watch for:

• The Browns offense is sparked by young quarterback Colt McCoy who seems to be developing well with the offense. McCoy turned some heads last week, leading the Browns on two scoring drives before he departed. He went 9-for-10 in pass completions for 135 total yards.

• The Lions run game was one of the lone rough spots in last Friday’s preseason opener. They rushed for just 70 yards on 33 carries. With the season-ending injury to Mikel Leshoure, the Lions are still testing the waters with back-up running backs. Jerome Harrison, Mike Bell and Aaron Brown are all contenders, though Brown was the only back of the three to finish with more than 10 yards in the game (21 yards on four carries). » Continue reading “Preseason Game 2: Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns”