When he has a slip of the tongue, which is fairly often, Lions coach Gary
Moeller has been known to refer to his veteran players as "seniors" and
"upperclassmen."
|  | | Head coach Gary Moeller has gotten the Lions to loosen up and play more relaxed. |
Now, to the casual observer, this would be an indication that Moeller
hasn't truly divorced himself from his glory days as coach at the University
of Michigan, a five-year run that ended unceremoniously after an
alcohol-related incident at a Southfield, Mich., restaurant.
To the Lions, however, the first three games with Moeller calling the shots
have been anything but a step backward.
"You really want to play well for the guy," said safety Corwin Brown, who
also played well for Moeller at Michigan. "He still cares about us like we're
college kids. But you should take that as a compliment. It's that college
mentality, that passion for the game."
The college-type atmosphere Moeller has brought to the Lions might
eventually wear out in the business-like world of the NFL. But, for now
anyway, a little enthusiasm and passion are exactly what this historically
fractious team needs.
Detroit is 3-0 since coach Bobby Ross abruptly resigned on Nov. 6 and was
replaced by Moeller, formerly the team's assistant head coach and linebackers
coach. Of course, teams are always upbeat after midseason coaching changes,
especially when a no-nonsense taskmaster is replaced by an easy-going
players' coach. However, that doesn't mean they always win (see Bengals:
Cincinnati).
But under Moeller, the Lions are upbeat ... and they're winning. Indeed,
the Detroit players appear to be recharged and refocused after the driven
Ross flamed out following consecutive losses to the Colts and Dolphins.
The Lions had a 5-4 record at the time, but they were so listless and
lethargic in those two losses that Ross, a respected college and pro coach,
simply pulled the plug. Perhaps the best way to sum up Ross' departure is
this: He had grown weary of coaching the modern NFL player, and the modern NFL
player had grown weary of being coached by him.
But if the Lions had disconnected with Ross, then the elevation of Moeller
was a stroke of genius by an organization not known for its brilliance. Three
weeks later, the Lions are 8-4, and they're brimming with enthusiasm and
confidence heading into Thursday night's NFC Central Division showdown with
the Vikings (10-2) at Minneapolis.
"All I'm trying to do is get them emotionally involved," Moeller said,
"because I know emotion is the biggest part of the game. Everybody is going
to listen to me for awhile, and then they're going to turn me off."
Actually, Moeller has done much more than get the players to fire up their
emotional ovens. He has freed up the offense, instilled confidence in the
players and gotten them to play more relaxed. The uptight atmosphere that
permeated the team under the dispassionate, analytical Ross has dissipated.
If there is one difference, it is in the amount of interaction the head
coach has with individual players.
|
“ |
I like being with the kids (players). I like to get on 'em, and I like to love 'em up. ” |
|
|
— Gary Moeller, Lions head coach |
"I like being with the kids," Moeller said. "I like to get on 'em, and I
like to love 'em up."
Moeller believes the Lions' players are finally listening to one another and
believing in one another. He's made the team closer, more like a family,
which was not the case in the past, when the Lions more closely resembled a broken home.
"He's really got us believing in ourselves," wide receiver Johnny Morton
said.
Especially the offensive players. Moeller, best known as the man who
brought the forward pass to Michigan after he replaced Bo Schembechler, has
allowed offensive coordinator Sylvester Croom to call a more aggressive game
even though the best deep receiver, Germane Crowell, is still out with an
injury. He also let Croom restore the shotgun formation, which has given
quarterback Charlie Batch better protection and more time to throw.
The results began to show almost immediately. Batch has shaken a
season-long slump, and once-great wide receiver Herman Moore, a non-factor
under Ross, is again catching passes. In the last two games, the Lions are
averaging 32.5 points per game.
The defense, which has carried the team all season, has stepped it up a
notch or two as well. The Lions are tied for the league lead in turnovers
forced with 34, but their pass rush has been dramatically improved lately.
Pro Bowl end Robert Porcher, who seemingly lost his pass-rush ability
overnight, has looked like the Porcher of old in recent games.
Moeller, who is closing in on his 60th birthday, takes virtually no credit
for any of that.
"These guys are still doing things they were taught in camp by coach Ross,"
he said. "This is not all Gary Moeller, believe me. I'm knowledgeable enough
about football to know. ... I'm very thankful we're 3-0 and happy for how the
kids have responded. That's the thing I feel most proud about. But you know
Sly (Croom) is calling the plays. Pec (defensive coordinator Larry
Peccatiello) is running the defense. I just get in the way once in awhile and
chip in with a comment here and there. I think right now they're on a roll."
This being Detroit, that roll could end quickly. The Lions have never been
particularly adept at handling either success or failure, and Moeller's real
test is coming up.
After the game against the high-flying Vikings, the Lions play at Green
Bay, where they haven't won since 1991, and then have a third consecutive
road game against the Jets, an AFC playoff contender.
Those games are in stark contrast to the three the Lions have won under
Moeller. The Falcons and Patriots were hopelessly out of the playoff race
when they played Detroit, and the Giants can't beat any team with a winning
record except the Eagles.
Typically, Moeller sees the future not in Xs and Os, but in shades of red.
The Lions' immediate future won't depend on schemes and play-calling. It will
depend on how much of a family they've truly become, how much emotion they
can maintain.
"We'll find out the true character of this football team when someone
shoots that arrow in our heart," Moeller said. "It's easy to talk about
leadership, but you find out the real character in adversity, just like any
family does."
Brooks' change of scenery works out
Throughout the spring and summer, Aaron Brooks was buried on the Packers'
quarterback depth chart behind the indestructible Brett Favre and the
up-and-coming Matt Hasselbeck.
| |  | |
| Brooks |
As a result, the quiet, friendly kid with a big arm seemed to lose
interest. The Packers became concerned with his willingness to learn the
offense and practice diligently.
What a difference six months and a change of scenery can make.
Acquired by the Saints during training camp for a third-round draft pick,
Brooks was reunited with offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy, his quarterback
coach as a rookie last season in Green Bay. And when starting quarterback
Jeff Blake broke his foot two weeks ago, Brooks became the only man capable
of saving the Saints' best season ever.
So far, the reviews on Brooks are radically different in New Orleans than
they were in Green Bay. Oh, both teams were enamored of his size (6-foot-4),
speed (4.4 in the 40) and intelligence (anthropology major at Virginia). But
having an opportunity to play in New Orleans seems to have inspired Brooks to
work harder at his craft.
He looked very promising in closing out the Raiders' game after Blake went
down and then shocked the world with his poise and ability while leading the
Saints to a 31-24 victory over the defending champion Rams in St. Louis
Sunday.
"It's a credit to his preparation that he stepped in and didn't miss a
beat," McCarthy said. "He's really matured. He's always been athletic. It's
the product of being in the same system for two years, but he's really grown
up in just the last 10 days."
The Packers, who have an excellent track record in drafting quarterbacks
the last 10 years, took Brooks in the fourth round (131st pick overall) of
the 1999 draft. Selected ahead of Brooks in what could shape up as the best
quarterback draft ever were Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Donovan McNabb, Daunte
Culpepper and Cade McNown (all in the first 12 picks), Shawn King (second
round), Brock Huard (third round) and Joe Germaine (fourth round).
It's foolish to judge Brooks after only one NFL start, but if the early
returns are accurate, he could end up being much better than several of the
quarterbacks taken ahead of him.
"He's a guy that has everything it takes," McCarthy said. "He's athletic.
He has all the tools, and he's smart. On top of that, he really works hard."
Well, he does now, anyway.
Redskins' running game lost without Davis
Running back Stephen Davis is fourth in the NFL with 1,073 rushing yards
and tied for first with 10 rushing touchdowns, but for the Redskins, his
presence seems to go well beyond his numbers.
| |  | |
| Davis |
With Davis sitting out Washington's 23-20 loss to the Eagles due to a
fractured forearm, his replacements, Skip Hicks and Adrian Murrell, combined
for 36 yards on 17 carries. Poor numbers, to be sure, but it gets worse.
Twice in the second half, Washington couldn't punch it into the end zone
after getting first downs inside the 10-yard line. On those two drives, the
Redskins ran nine plays from inside the 6 and couldn't score. Five of the
plays were runs that lost a total of one yard.
"Who's to say that if I had been in there we would have had the same
results?" said Davis, who is due back for this week's showdown against the
Giants. "But deep down in my heart I think the results would have been a
little better."
Do you think?
Competition gets tough this year
Parity? What parity?
Going into the final four weeks of the season, the NFC has eight teams with
records over .500. Not only that, all eight are at least two games over .500.
The last time eight NFC teams finished with winning records was in 1991.
That was also the last year a 10-6 team failed to make the conference's
playoff field.
Imagine that. A year after only four NFC teams had winning records and two
8-8 teams made the playoffs, a 10-6 record might not be good enough to make
the postseason.
Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal writes a weekly NFC column every Thursday for ESPN.com.
| |
ALSO SEE
Theismann: Lions can't let Moss go off
Vikes, Lions battle in big NFC Central game
|
