Lions Report: Notes, Quotes
--Coach Jim Schwartz typically doesn't criticize players publicly, but he tore into linebacker Julian Peterson pretty good.
After deactivating a healthy Peterson for the season finale after he'd started the previous 15 games, Schwartz said, "We went with the 45 players we thought we best prepared to win this game and he wasn't one of them."
Ouch.
GM Martin Mayhew has already informed Peterson that he won't be back with the team next season.
--When the Lions were 2-10, Pro Bowl WR Calvin Johnson expressed his frustration, saying that he wanted to play on a winning team and if the Lions weren't winning games when his contract was up in 2012, he would look to leave. Johnson was all smiles after the Lions won the last four, as was Mayhew.
"I have a great relationship with Calvin," he said. "We get along great and I have no problem with anything he said. I think we all feel that way. Who wants to be somewhere for 10 years and never win? Not me."
--The last thing the Lions want or need right now is a labor dispute to interrupt this little wave of momentum they have built these last four weeks. And if you ask WR Nate Burleson, a lockout is virtually assured.
"Yes, there will be a lockout," he said. "Time will tell how long. I think there will be a lockout and it'll be interesting to see how guys train and where they train at. There are a lot of things up in the air right now."
Left tackle Jeff Backus does not want to hear that.
"I want to play football next year," Backus said. "I am at the tail end of my career. I don't want to miss a football season. We need to make sure we do what's best for the players but at the end of the day, I want to play football."
--Speaking of Backus, he became the first offensive lineman in history to start the first 160 games of his career. "I am not going to lie, it's always been a goal of mine to help my team win every week," he said. "I am proud of it. It's cool to look at my stat sheet and see 16 games started for 10 straight years. But I don't sit there and let it consume me. I don't consider myself an NFL ironman, just a guy who comes out and does his job every week."
--Coach Jim Schwartz typically doesn't criticize players publicly, but he tore into linebacker Julian Peterson pretty good. After deactivating a healthy Peterson for the season finale after he'd started the previous 15 games, Schwartz said, "We went with the 45 players we thought we best prepared to win this game and he wasn't one of them." Ouch. General manager Martin Mayhew has already informed Peterson that he won't be back with the team next season.
--When the Lions were 2-10, Pro Bowl WR Calvin Johnson expressed his frustration, saying that he wanted to play on a winning team and if the Lions weren't winning games when his contract was up in 2012, he would look to leave. Johnson was all smiles after the Lions won the last four, as was Mayhew. "I have a great relationship with Calvin," he said. "We get along great and I have no problem with anything he said. I think we all feel that way. Who wants to be somewhere for 10 years and never win? Not me."
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I have a lot of work to do. We won six games. I don't care where you've come from, six games is six games and we've got to win more than that." -- GM Martin Mayhew, when asked to assess his job performance.
Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
