detroit lions vs. st. louis rams the season begins consistency up front ...

MEDIA INFORMATION
Detroit<strong>lions</strong>.com -- Media.Detroit<strong>lions</strong>.com
Atop the list for Detroit are longtime Lions Backus and Raiola
with 176 and 156 starts, respectively, while Peterman (70), Cherilus
(55) and Sims (32) account for the rest.
The Lions off ensive line will have the same fi ve opening-day starters
on the line in three-consecutive seasons for the fi rst time since
1980-82 when the Lions started LT Karl Baldischeiler, LG Homer
Elias, C Amos Fowler, RG Russ Bolinger and RT Keith Dorne.
Backus on the value of continuity: “I think more than anything,
our starting fi ve’s been together for a few years now
which is huge. We’re comfortable with each other’s playing
style. We’re comfortable with the off ense and what we’re being
asked to do and the longer a group can play together and
the faster you can play, you understand what everybody’s doing
and where they’re going to be. It’s benefi cial to the team.”
The current mark of 489 is more than the rest of the NFC North
teams combined. The Chicago Bears have 162, the Green Bay
Packers have 104 and the Minnesota Vikings have 108 for a total
of 374 going into Week 1 of the regular season. Lions Off ensive
Line Coach George Yarno, now in his fourth season with the team,
believes such a feat is hard to come by in today’s NFL.
Yarno on consistency: “Consistency is something you strive
for, but you don’t get it the way the League is set up now.
We’ve been fortunate. We’ve had basically the same group the
whole time I’ve been here.”
For regular season starts, the Lions lead the second-highest
ranking team, the Atlanta Falcons (390) by 99 starts. The New
York Jets (369), Jacksonville Jaguars (321) and New York Giants
(305) are the only other teams with more than 300 total starts.
Sims on how continuity helps the line improve as a unit:
“It means a lot. You know, Dominic and Jeff have the majority
of those starts and we’re led by them. But it just means
everything that we all can come together. I’ve been here for
three years with these guys and being able to stay together
and perform and improve the way we have, it’s big.”
With the continued progress of RB Kevin Smith in the backfi eld
and the pending return of RB Mikel Leshoure, the Lions will look
to build upon their running game in 2012, something the off ensive
line will be a major factor in.
Peterman on communication: “It’s just good with the camaraderie.
There’s a lot of things that can happen from the time
you get the play to the time you get the ball snapped and being
with guys you know, guys you trust with the communication,
it’s easier to get things done. You only have a half a second to
get a call out before the play’s going on”
SECONDARY SPOTLIGHT
Early in training camp, S Louis Delmas had a knee procedure that
caused him to miss the remainder of the preseason. While the
absence of a playmaker and leader in the secondary was an early
blow to the Lions’ defense, it provided an opportunity for two
other veterans in S Erik Coleman and S John Wendling.
Both have made favorable impressions throughout the preseason
as Coleman has earned the starting strong safety position and
Wendling has proven to be a solid option if Delmas is unable to
play in Detroit’s home-opener.
Schwartz on assessing Coleman and Wendling: “Both of
those guys are pros. They execute the scheme very, very well.
They’re very good communicators. They’re veteran players;
they’re in the right spots. They make plays that come to them.
Both of them are very sure tacklers; both of them have done
a really nice job, not just in preseason games, but throughout
camp.”
OPENING ON TRACK
The Detroit Lions open the 2012 season as they host the St. Louis
Rams at Ford Field during the NFL’s Kickoff Weekend. With 43 victories,
The Lions have registered the fourth most wins in NFL history
on opening weekend. In home openers, the Lions have registered the
second-most wins in League history with 49.
NFL Leaders, Most Wins on Kickoff Weekend
Rk Tm W L T Pct.
1t Chi 52 35 5 .592
1t GB 52 36 3 .588
3 NYG 49 33 5 .592
4 Det 43 37 2 .537
5 Pit 40 33 4 .545
NFL Leaders, Most Wins in Home Opener
Rk Tm Wins
1 Chi 63
2t Det 49
2t GB 49
2t NYG 49
LINE CONTINUITY
The Lions 2012 projected starting off ensive line leads the NFL in
games started for their current team. The Lions starting fi ve have a
combined 489 regular season starts and fi ve playoff starts for a total
of 494. LT Jeff Backus leads the squad with 176 Lions regular season
starts. He has started every game since he was dra ed in 2001 and
he holds the franchise record for consecutive starts. C Dominic Raiola
ranks second with 156 starts and RG Stephen Peterman, RT Gosder
Cherilus, and LG Rob Sims come in with 70, 55, and 32 Lions starts,
respectively. All fi ve started in the Lions playoff game in 2011.
Including playoff starts, the Lions lead the second-highest ranking
team, the Atlanta Falcons (404), by 90 starts. The Lions and
Falcons are the only two NFL teams with more than 400 combined
starts coming from their projected 2012 Week 1 starting
off ensive lines.
The New York Jets (374), New York Giants (335) and Jacksonville
Jaguars (323) are the only other teams with more than 300
total starts.
The Lions line has more career starts for their current team than
the entire NFC West Division. The San Francisco 49ers (154), Arizona
Cardinals (88), Seattle Seahawks (74) and St. Louis Rams
(41) have a combined 357 regular season and playoff starts
from their projected opening week off ensive lines for their current
clubs.
The rest of the NFC North has a total of 395 starts from their
projected Week 1 starting off ensive line, 99 less than the Lions
alone.
As a projected lineup of Backus, Sims, Raiola, Peterman and
Cherilus for Week 1 <strong>vs</strong>. St. Louis, the off ensive line will start
together in the same positions for the third consecutive year.
The last time a Lions team has started the same off ensive line
combination for three consecutive years occurred from 1980-82
(LT Karl Baldischeiler, LG Homer Elias, C Amos Fowler, RG Russ
Bolinger and RT Keith Dorne).
Career Starts on O-Line with Current Team
Rk Team Regular Playoff Total
1 Det 489 5 494
2 Atl 390 14 404
3 NYJ 348 26 374
4 NYG 305 30 335
5 Jax 321 2 323
*Based on projected 2012 Week 1 starting lineups
**Does not include starts for other franchises
2012 PRONUNCIATION CHART
Cliff Avril .............................................................................................................A-vrill
Joique Bell ............................................................................................................JOIK
Jahvid Best .................................................................................................... JAH-vid
Nate Burleson ......................................................................................BURL-uh-sun
Gosder Cherilus ..............................................................GOS-der SHARE-uh-less
Louis Delmas ................................................................................................DEL-mus
Jonté Green .................................................................................................... jon-TAY
Doug Hogue........................................................................................................ Ho-ge
Mikel Leshoure ........................................................................................... LE-shore
DeAndre Levy...................................................................................................LEV-ee
Ronnell Lewis ............................................................................................. ron-NELL
Don Muhlbach .........................................................................................MULE-bach
Kassim Osgood .............................................................................................kuh-SIM
Dominic Raiola ...........................................................................................rye-OH-la
Riley Reiff ............................................................................................................ REEF
Amari Spievey ..................................................................... uh-MAR-ee spuh-VAY
Ndamukong Suh.....................................................................En-dom-ah-ken Soo
Stephen Tulloch ..........................................................................................TULL-uck
Keiland Williams .........................................................................................KEY-land
Tahir Whitehead .........................................................................................TAH-here