Patriots - bad. Lions - same old

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were having a rough go of it in the first half of their exhibiton game against the Detroit Lions. Despite his legendary status, Brady looked totally out of sync in the passing game.

Perhaps it's understandable. After all, his once super-stud tight end Aaron Hernandez currently sits in jail on a murder charge, and the "little engine that could" Wes Welker departed via free agency to Denver. (A receiver going from Tom Brady to Peyton Manning throwing the football their way, with a couple million dollar raise to boot? Yes, things have been good in Wes Welker's world lately). For that matter, pretty much the entire Patriots team is undergoing a radical turnover. But the Patriots have been there, done that. Under coach Bill Belichick's guidance, few would doubt they will rebound quickly.

To be fair, the Lions have their own share of problems. Megatron Calvin Johnson was sitting out the game, but few would also doubt he won't be ready to go for the regular season.

But the Lions' problems are far deeper. Highly touted (at least in the Detroit area) safety Louis Delmas is still a big question mark. Delmas had surgery on his left leg last August. It wasn't like he'd suffered a devastating knee injury, ala Adrian Petersen of the Minnesota Vikings a while back. No, his procedure was for "persistent tendinitis". Thing is, it's a whole year later and he still can't even practice everyday, let alone what might happen when things get harder, faster, and more brutal in regular season games. Yes, Delmas is known as a team leader. He's vocal, works as hard as he can, and is a fan/media favorite. But if he can't get nor stay healthy enough to play on a regular basis, there will come a time when he'll have to be considered a "bust". No matter how much of an inspiration he may be while rooting his teammates on, a team just can't keep paying a guy millions of dollars a year if he can't play.

The same could be said of receiver Ryan Broyles. In the last two years, he's had major surgery on both knees. He's not ready to go yet either. The chances of him holding up through an entire season with linebackers, corners, and safeties whacking away at him? Not good.

And just when we thought Ndahmukong Suh had outgrown (though yours truly remains far from totally convinced) his stomping, neck-wringing, and other cheap shots -- along comes Lions' defensive lineman Willie Young.

After Tom Brady and the Patriots were backed up close to their own end zone, Brady went back to pass. Long after he threw the ball, Willie Young gave Brady a shove, grabbed his jersey, and taunted him while putting a finger in his face. All this after the ball had already fallen incomplete, and 8 yards deep in the end zone. Needless to say, flags flew. There's dumb, there's stupid, and then there's the total goon category. And yes, this is the same guy that got caught both holding and for yet another personal foul in the last game -- on a PUNT -- to his own team. Incredible. Move over Suh. You've got a protege. Evidently, head coach Jim Schwartz and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham either don't understand what's going on, don't care, or have no idea how to make their players act like professionals. Regardless of whatever talent he may or may not have -- this guy's gotta go. No other team would tolerate such nonsense.

Not to be outdone in the Lions' on-going archives of futility , Lions's tight end Tony Scheffler experienced contact while running a pass route. The ball fell incomplete and Scheffler immediately started waving his hands for a penalty flag. He finally got one. Against himself. Offensive interference. But hey, fellow tight end Brandon Pettigrew actually had a couple balls thrown his way and didn't drop them. Praise the lord.

It's sure looking like 38 year-old journeyman place kicker David Akers will make the roster. That means 28 year-old "kickalicious" sensation Havard Rugland would have to go. Noted scribes have pooh-poohed the idea of Rugland beating out Akers. When the game is on the line, who would you rather have kicking for you, they say. An experienced vet, or some You Tube sensation. Good question. Akers just missed a 30 yard field goal, a chip shot by NFL standards, while kickalicious has previously pounded field goals dead-center through the uprights from 50 yards -- with plenty of leg to spare. Given the 10 year age difference, and the probability Rugland would sign a contract for considerably less money than Akers -- who would YOU want as your kicker going forward indeed?

Yet one has to remember, it's the Detroit Lions. From their long-time owner William Clay Ford on down -- they've always seemed to live in their own little world.

As opposed to the Patriots, the Lions have been there, done that too, only on the opposite end of the spectrum. This is Schwartz's fifth year, and his team looks no more disciplined and organized than when he first took over the rag-tag 0-16 squad.

And methinks the rest of the NFL teams, along with late-night talk-show hosts, hope they stay just as they are.