Area For Improvement

Here seems to be a good place to start improving from last year. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]










[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]AP File PhotoDetroit Lions Kyle Vanden Bosch is flagged after a late hit on Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

ALLEN PARK -- With 21 returning starters, many are wondering the
biggest area where the Detroit Lions can improve. Whether talking to an
offensive or defensive player, the most common answer has been cutting
down on the penalties.


"Jim (Schwartz) has harped on that," center Dominic Raiola said. "I
think penalties was our biggest Achilles' heel from last year. That's
just another way this team can mature and grow. It will get our defense
off the field faster and keep big plays on the field for our offense if
we cut down on those penalties."


The Lions were flagged 147 times last season, third most in the NFL
behind only Oakland and Seattle. Those penalties cost Detroit more than
1,000 yards and stalled 29 drives.


Detroit was particularly stung by 15-yard infractions. The Lions were
nabbed 36 times for roughing the passer, unnecessary roughness, horse
collar tackles, grabbing the face mask, chop blocks and other similar
violations.
Opponents have taken notice of the Lions' lack of
discipline on the field. In an interview with the NFL Network last
month, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] for a full season.


Below is a list of most frequently flagged Detroit Lions penalties from the 2011 season.


Penalty -- Times Flagged -- Yards Penalized
Offensive holding -- 22 -- 170
False Start -- 21 -- 96
Defensive offside -- 10 -- 26
Defensive pass interference -- 8 -- 90
Offensive pass interference -- 8 -- 59
Neutral zone infraction -- 7 -- 34
Encroachment -- 7 -- 25
Roughing the passer -- 6 -- 75
Face mask -- 6 -- 73
Unnecessary roughness -- 6 -- 70
Illegal use of the hands -- 6/40

good point on the penalties. i hope that the zebras stay out all year and then die altogether. they are the natural enemy of the lion and hate us, thereby cheating us time and again. i thought that i would be the first to point that out this season.

it was a catch!

Maybe the replacement refs won't know what a Lion is.