We'll know more about how the Lions are progressing after the bye week. It's a great period to make adjustments, not something their past coaching staffs did well.
I don't know how they are going to handle the QB position if Matthew Stafford and Daunte Culpepper are still ailing. Drew Stanton starting? Ouch. Anybody have Drew Henson's phone number? Double ouch. Where have you gone Ryan Van Dyke?
Also, Martin Mayhew's "gossip" comments Sunday aside, there is major concern about Stafford's knee.
It's important the Lions come out of this season with a future. That future will get here a lot quicker if Stafford is able to get signficant playing time again this season. He was just starting to make progress.

Random Thoughts

- No, I don't think Michigan State is that good. But, yes, I do think the Spartans are capable of making a run at the Big Ten title. Name a Big Ten team that is really good? The Spartans' chances are as good as any if they beat Iowa Saturday. And it is a home game.

- We've seen it for eons, but it still never ceases to amaze me how Mariano Rivera throws the same 90 mph cut fastball time after time - and nobody can hit it.

- How about Brian Hoyer hitting 9-of-11 passes for 52 yards in his NFL debut Sunday for New England against Tennessee. Then again, the Titans' collapse has been unreal. 59-0? Are you kidding? There was point last season that team looked unbeatable. Shows you what injuries in the secondary can do in the NFL.

- Anybody complaining that A-Rod can't seem to pull the ball?

- I want to see an East Coast-West Coast World Series for two reasons:
1. At least there would be some games played in decent weather in LA.
2. If either LA/LA or Philly/New York are meeting, those regions would get insufferable in their own unique ways.

- I thought the Red Wings played their two best periods of hockey Saturday night against the Avalanche - and then just gave them back in the third period. Todd Bertuzzi played well for the first time this season. Chris Osgood wasn't very good in the third period, though. If he played better, that was a sure two points for the Red Wings.

- The Avs are an interesting team. Matt Duchene and Ryan O'Reilly from last June's draft are getting more than 14 minutes per game and playing well. Kyle "Hey, Where's My Ring" Quincey has kind of been the Avs' version of Nicklas Lidstrom on the blue line (25 minutes per game). Don't know if the Avs will be able to keep it up for the long run, though. Just don't see Craig Anderson maintaining a .935 save percentage. He's been outstanding.

- My column in Mionday's Oakland Press about the Lions http://tinyurl.com/yz84vga