Smith Looking Forward to Challenge
Posted by Tara Altman on December 11, 2009 – 8:16 pmIn last week’s match-up against Cincinnati, Lions’ running back Kevin Smith had a productive game, picking up 104 all-purpose yards (75 rushing, 29 receiving) and a touchdown.
This Sunday, going up against a Baltimore defense which ranks sixth overall in the NFL in defending the run, Smith is looking to add to last week’s performance going up against veteran middle linebacker Ray Lewis.
Smith: “Ray Lewis is what you call a football player. It’s a man’s sport and he is the definition of a man. I’m going to be honored to go out there and do my best against him and it’s a chance for me to play against a future hall of famer. They also have a great safety in Ed Reed and their defense in general is just a stout defense. They have that reputation of being a good run stopping defense and an overall top defense; so, I’m looking forward to the challenge and I’m very excited.”
In addition to picking up yardage on the ground, Smith will also look to be utilized as a weapon in the passing game, something that he’s been developing throughout the season.
Smith: “It’s fun to catch balls. You always have to appreciate the quarterback for throwing them to you, but it’s fun to have some receptions under your belt and get in the open field. It’s just good to be in space with the ball without really having to get a handoff. It’s pretty fun and I’m enjoying it and that’s another phase of my game that I’m working on and getting better at so that one day I’ll be that complete player.”
Posted in DetroitLions.com Blog | 7 Comments »
By don on Dec 12, 2009 | Reply
I really hope that you have a great game this Sunday Kevin. I hope that you can put another 100 to 150 or even 175 yrd game together this week. I know that the day will come when you start to make even more yards than that. Some 200 yrd games . It is possible for to do!
I know that you said something about building your legs maybe to much this off season I hope that,that is not true I would believe that building your legs would give you more power and make you faster.
It really bums me out if it didn’t help but hurt instead.
Well any way I hope that everything is OK and that you have a break out game. Good luck on Sunday andhave fun.
LIONS!
By Mike on Dec 13, 2009 | Reply
Last week against the Bengals, I thought Kevin had one of his best games – not from a numbers standpoint but from a performance standpoint. Everytime I saw him with the ball, he seemed to be running with more quickness or bounce or something that I can’t pinpoint. In any case it was a visible difference in his performance, and I’m getting excited about the future of this young Lions core.
By mick on Dec 14, 2009 | Reply
Did you people really think the Lions were going to win or make a game with Dante? With the obvious lack of talent around Culpepper this game would not be close. To compound matters, Calvin had a terrible game, which made the Dante experience a disaster. This goes to show you that the Lions need another go to receiver. With Brandon out, Dante had to look for Northcutt as his main target.
As I shared with you before the Lions need to draft more talent. The Lions first priority must be a DT. They must choose a DT who can help clog the run and put some pressure on the QB. Suh or McCoy or whoever. Until that need is fullfilled the lions will never have a good defense.
They desperately need to decide for their second pick whoever is left on the board who will make the biggest impact on the offensive side of the ball. A wide reciever Tate or Shipley, or a running back who can share snaps with Smith. This is where Mayhew must work his magic. To be honest with you they need both. Mayhew must obtain another high second pick if the talent is there. A running back might touch the ball more often unless the receiver will also run back punts and kickoffs. Their third and forth pick must be a CB and OG not necessarily in that order. I’m suprised how well at times the secondary and offensive line plays. The Lions need consistency and I believe that comes with better talent. Finally, the special teams needs help. Hanson is getting long in the tooth and is unable to kick it consistantly. He is having difficulty on both kickoffs and FG. The Lions need speed on kick coverage and of course people who will tackle.
In conclusion, yes the Lions quit against the Ravens. But, ultimately it comes down to talent. This is not going to happen overnight, we need to support Schwartz. Remember this team was 0-16 last season. The difficult thing about all of this is were all tired of waiting. Thats why the Lions desperately need to obtain more picks in the 2010 draft to speed up the rebuilding process.
By mick on Dec 14, 2009 | Reply
By the way, when I mentioned that the Lions lack talent I’m speaking of elite talent, you know, play makers. Anyone who has made it into the NFL has talent and has arrived where many tried and could not make the grade.
I don’t know if it’s the play calling but watch the Colts. A five yard pass goes for sixty yards after the catch. A fifteen yard pass up the middle goes for 70 yards. How many times do the Lions have the big play. Calvin Johnson and that’s it. I believe it has to do with elite talent. Ray Rice breaks one for 66 yards. Johnson breaks one for 70 yards. How many big runs do the Lions have?
On the defensive side of the ball who do we have that is making the big plays. Delmas on occasion. But he’s not having a year like Darren Sharper. Which of our defensive lineman will obtain 20 sacks this year? Well how about 10 sacks.
As you can see the Lions lack elite talent in most key positions whether on offense or defense. Until Mayhew fills most of those key positions I believe the Lions will continue to struggle.
By don on Dec 14, 2009 | Reply
This is not the coaches Fault! Not any of the coaches fault.
This is the Players fault!
Keven Smith,William James and Larry Foote and a few others were in that game and played to win.
Where were the other players?
There is something wrong with this TEAM.
Something Dirty, And I do not know what it is but there is something wrong.
YOU players flat out stunk the place up!
NO TEAM Loses like that if everything is on the up and up.
And this time it isn’t Fords fault either.
NO there is something else.
And no TEAM loses for 50 years if everything is on the up and up either.
Or rather than the TEAM the players should have to take a lie detector test.
And the refs should have to take lie detector tests also.
The LIONS ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY THE FBI TO FIND OUT WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS!
PEOPLE ARE SPENDING THIER MONEY TO WATCH THIS TEAM PLAY.AND THIS IS THE RETURN THAT THEY GET.
No TEAM plays that bad except for one. And that is the LIONS!
Same thing has been going on for 50 years.
Someone should be accountable!
By don on Dec 14, 2009 | Reply
Maybe the NFL as a whole should be investiagated.
All I know is that things like what happened yesterday don’t just happen. There is something wrong and it’s not just a bad TEAM or coaches or players on the same TEAM over and over and over and over. NO WAY!
For fifty years? YOU know what? The Fans in Detroit are great Fans! The greatest! Because after all the garbage that we have put up with,with this TEAM Losing year after year we are still here waiting for someone to fix it hoping that someone will and that our TEAM will finally get some wins and become a SuperBowl champion like it should have been years before now.
And here we are still hoping that the right thing will be done and that if there is something dirty going on that the league would do something about it or the Government.
Well, whatever the problem is I hope that it gets figured out so that we could watch some good pro Football instead of watching a TEAM that just turns out to look like a laughing stock once again.
LIONS!
By don on Dec 16, 2009 | Reply
This TEAM needs to be more carefull about who they talk to and what they say. so that certain people cannot use these things to try to destroy this TEAM.
Coach Schwartz is what I believe to be one of the best coaches in this League. And yet there are still people in this city that arent out for his best entrest.And I think that you know who they are.
This TEAM and these players should stand by this coach and see that he is treated in the best possible manner that he can be treated.
For a lot of us believe that he has the best entrest for this Team in his heart. And also for the players.
He cannot advance this TEAm without being very selective about who plays on the TEAM.
That is his job to find and maintain the right men for this job.
Coach Schwartz wants to win and is doing all he can to make that happen and isn’t trying to hurt anyone along the way. But, some people get hurt in the aftermath because of the nature of this business.
It is very hard to let people go when you like them but,he has to do what he has to do.
I am all for coach Schwartz and hope that all the players that come thru this city to play for our LIONS would do all they can to help him become a winner.
Some people in the media are trying to discredit coach Schwartz and that is dead wrong.
Please,players on this TEAM we fans have seen this media destroy this team and these coaches here year after year. Please do not let them do it to Jim.
Back him up and give him all that you have for the sake of this TEAM the LIONS!
I wrote some things the other day that I am not proud of and I do not want to think that way about the players in this league.However sometimes things look so bad that you start to wonder just what is going on?
Some things just do not seem right?
And it is us the Fans that have to live with it. And the players that are really trying to win.
Whatever is the problem I know that the players know what it is. So fix it please.and get on with winning.
LIONS!