Lions' problems deeper than QB position

The decision to go to Joey Harrington over Mike McMahon for the problem plagued Detroit Lions' game against the Chicago Bears on Sunday was one that should've been expected.

Harrington was all but given the starting quarterback position the day he was drafted, then even more so when they gave him the starting position for life after the third week of last season.

The starting position for life status almost ran out last Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, as Harrington was yanked following a 5 for 13, 30 yards, two interception outing in less than two quarters, which resulted in McMahon being put in the game.

Then, the athletic McMahon did his best to play equally as bad, going 5 for 20 for 50 yards, an interception and a fumble on a scramble.

The Lions problems are deeper than their two young quarterbacks, however. With their third string man, Ty Detmer, they aren't even comfortable playing him at all. (They got him from Cleveland for a fourth round pick in the 2001 preseason because he knew the West Coast offense and could serve as a coach in some ways.)

So, if they don't want to play him and he serves as a coach, then why don't they just hire him on as a coach and get a third stringer that is serviceable? They sent Jim Harbaugh into retirement when they traded for Detmer, and Harbaugh is now also a coach with the Oakland Raiders.

Another Lions problem is that they have no running game, nor do they seem to want to find one.

Starting running back James Stewart was injured in their last preseason game adjacent Buffalo. They acquired longtime Denver back Olandis Gary from Buffalo in a trade and he hasn't done much of anything.

Rookie Avon Coburne and Shawn Bryson also have lit the world on fire with dry ice. The rookie debut of Artrose Pinner, who was the 2002 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, is on hold because of an injury also.

Then their top receiver, rookie Charles Rogers, was hurt in a bye-week practice drill with the secondary.

Reportedly, both the receiving corps and secondary of the Lions got so confrontational in that drill, that it was only a matter of time before someone got hurt.

Third year receiver Scottie Anderson burnt rookie cornerback Roderick Babers and then tossed the ball into the woods and told him to fetch.

That's good to know that a player like Anderson who barely made a team in the preseason that has won six games can be so humble.

Moments later top Lions defender, cornerback Dre Bly, and Rogers were matched up in the drill that resulted in Rogers shoulder injury putting him out for 4-6 weeks.

Prior to Rogers' injury, fellow rookie receivers Anquan Boldin of Arizona and Andre Johnson of Houston have been much more productive at that spot for their teams than Rogers. Those two guys were drafted after -- Rogers was taken second overall, Johnson third overall and Boldin in the second round.

There also were questions about Rogers' physical strength, and possibility of being injury prone when they drafted him, and some questioned if taking him over Johnson was a good idea.

The defense has been brutal, mainly because of the cornerback spots and their injuries.

Second year cornerbacks Chris Cash and Andre Goodman both are out for the year, not as if either were going to be shut-down type corners anyway based on their performances so far.

However, they were able to sign three guys without jobs prior to signing with the Lions: Babers a rookie cut from the NY Giants, 38 year old Otis Smith cut from the New England, and Alex Molden cut from the Washington.

Injuries, injuries and more injuries on this team have been another problem, but this is a team in which injuries probably wouldn't matter anyway. They would still be just as bad.

Luther Ellis won't be able to play this year because their punter, John Jett, is out with an injury, and to sign a punter, Ellis lost his spot on the 53-man roster.

Punt and kick return specialist Eddie Drummond hasn't been able to play because of a high ankle sprain. The loss of Drummond has really hurt the Lions because neither receiver Az Hakim, or anyone else on the team has proven they can do the job.

Then there's Lions' president Matt Millen.

It's taken this long to mention his name, surprisingly, but Millen is a buffoon. Not only did he not make an attempt to land Bill Parcels, but he also didn't try to get prize free agents Larvenous Coles, Lawyer Milloy, Rodney Harrison or Takeo Spikes.

He did get Bly, who has four interceptions, one for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

However, that has been Millen's only successful free agent in his three years since he came to Detroit.

Millen has brought in two coaches, Marty Morhinweg and Steve Mariucci. Both of them run the West Coast offense, an offense that is highly complicated to learn and requires specific personal, which basically means that the team needs good players to succeed.

Both coaches haven't had much success trying to run the ball, nor have they really attempted to run the ball.

Unlike, Jon Gruden in Tampa, who didn't have West Coast type personal or ultra-talented players on his offense, they made adjustments that would get the most out their personal.

Millen repeatedly blames injuries for the team's lack of success, but even when they are healthy, this team has not done much of anything, except make you wonder how Ford Field is sold out every week.

Two years ago the Carolina Panthers were 1-15 just like the Lions, yet the Panthers have turned it around and have won nearly as many games this year as the Lions have in three years under Millen's tenure.

If they lose twice to Chicago in the next three weeks, hopefully, the Millen era will end.