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

SCOTT LINEHAN
OFFENSIVE
COORDINATOR
Year with Lions: 4
Years in NFL: 11
Linehan begins his fourth season as the Lions’ offensive
coordinator a er joining the club in 2009. He is now entering his 11th
season as a NFL coach, going on 23 years of coaching experience.
LIONS COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
Last season, Detroit’s off ense established new franchise standards
while breaking team records in total yards (6,337), yards per game
(396.1) and net passing yards (4,814). The Lions fi nished fi h in the
NFL in total off ense and fourth in passing off ense.
The team’s fi h overall ranking in total off ense in 2011 was the
Lions highest since it fi nished second in the NFL in 1997. By ranking
fourth in passing off ense, it is the highest for the team since it
was second in the NFL in 1995.
The Lions 474 points scored during the 2011 regular season are the
most in team history, breaking the team record (436) set in 1995.
Linehan’s work with QB Matthew Stafford began to show
dividends in 2011 as he set franchise passing records for yards
(5,038), touchdowns (41), completions (421) and attempts (663).
Staff ord also established the team’s all-time best single-season
completion percentage (63.5) and passer rating (97.2). Based on
NFL qualifi er of minimum 244 attempts.
Staff ord’s numbers also ranked among the best in NFL history:
4th quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a single
season; 5th most yards (5,038); 7th most touchdowns (41); 5th
most completions (421) and 3rd most attempts (663).
Staff ord was one of three NFL quarterbacks, along with Saints
QB Drew Brees and Patriots QB Tom Brady, to fi nish 2011 in the
top fi ve of all six major passing categories: 3rd in yards (5,038);
3rd in touchdown passes (41); 5th in quarterback rating (97.2):
5th in completion-percentage (63.5); 1st in attempts (663); 2nd
in completions (421).
In 2010, the Lions were one of just seven teams to improve at least
nine positions in total off ense from 2009, as they went from 26th
to 17th. In the passing game, they were one of just three teams
to improve their ranking by nine spots (21 in 2009 to 12 in 2010).
Detroit had the third-most improved scoring off ense in the NFL,
scoring 100 more points than they did in 2009, which accounted
for an average of 6.3 more points per game.
The Lions had the fourth-most improved off ense in the NFL in
2010, gaining 639 more yards than they did in 2009 (39.9 more
yards per game).
The Detroit off ense was the third-most improved unit in Red
Zone touchdowns with 12 more touchdowns in 2010 than 2009.
That equates to a 17.2 percent diff erence, which made the Lions’
off ense the second-most improved unit in Red Zone touchdown
percentage as well.
Detroit had the fi h-highest increase of Red Zone possessions
in the League. The Lions had 45 red zone possessions in 2010
compared to 36 in 2009.
In 2009, his fi rst season directing the Lions off ense, Linehan
focused on implementing a versatile off ensive attack along with
the maturation of the team’s young, talented off ensive playmakers.
Working directly with the team’s quarterbacks, Linehan was
instrumental in the growth of rookie quarterback Matthew Staff ord,
who became one of the youngest players to ever start the season at
quarterback in the NFL. Staff ord steadily progressed with each outing
until injuries slowed him down toward the end of the year. Staff ord
fi nished the season ranking near the top of almost every franchise
rookie passing record, including fi rst in touchdown passes (13) and
second in yards (2,267), completions (201) and completion percentage
(54.1) despite starting only ten games.
Linehan joined the Lions coaching staff a er spending three
seasons (2006-08) as the head coach of the St. Louis Rams.
As a fi rst-time NFL head coach, Linehan quickly put his stamp on
the Rams in 2006 via the ground game, giving the ball to RB Stephen
Jackson 346 times in 2006 – the most by a St. Louis player in 20
seasons. Jackson fi nished the year with 1,528 rushing yards (3rd,
NFC), 105 fi rst downs (1st, NFC) and 2,334 all-purpose yards (1st,
EXECUTIVES & COACHING
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NFL), earning his fi rst-career Pro Bowl appearance. Jackson averaged
21.0 carries per game over Linehan’s three-year span with the Rams
compared with 16.9 carries per game in 2005 and established himself
as one of the NFL’s big running threats.
Other Rams saw career bests under Linehan. QB Marc Bulger
passed for a career-best 4,301 yards in 2006, setting franchise records
with a 1.4 interception percentage and 588 passing attempts. His 370
completions for 24 touchdowns were also second in Rams’ history.
That season, WR Torry Holt and WR Isaac Bruce fi nished with 1,188
and 1,098 yards, respectively, combining for 167 pass receptions.
In addition to his three seasons as a NFL head coach, Linehan
brings four years of league experience as an off ensive coordinator.
He spent the 2005 season with the Miami Dolphins, improving the
team’s total off ense from 4,960 yards (29th, NFL) in 2004 to 5,198
yards (14th, NFL) in 2005 and bettering the run game from 402 rush
attempts (31st, NFL) in 2004 to 444 (12th, NFL) in 2005.
That year, the Dolphins’ two primary running backs – Ronnie Brown
and Ricky Williams – combined for 1,650 rushing yards and 10 rushing
touchdowns. WR Chris Chambers earned his fi rst-career Pro Bowl
appearance under Linehan, fi nishing with 82 catches for 1,118 yards
and 11 touchdowns, marking his only 1,000-yard season.
Linehan broke into the League as an offensive coordinator/
quarterbacks coach with the Minnesota Vikings in 2002, helping the
franchise to some of its best off ensive seasons to date, ranking second,
fi rst and fourth from 2002-04. During his tenure, the Vikings compiled
a franchise-best 36 consecutive games of 300-yards-or-more of total
off ense (2002-04) and, in 2004, compiled a franchise-best fi ve games
of 400-yards-or more of total off ense.
In Vikings history, his off enses also rank fi rst and second in total
yards (6,339 yards, 2004; 6,294 yards, 2003), fi rst and second in fi rst
downs (351, 2004; 350, 2002), second and third in touchdowns (51,
2003; 50, 2004), second in points (416, 2003), fi rst in passing fi rst
downs (225, 2004), fi rst in rushing touchdowns (26, 2002) and second
and third in rushing yards (2,507 yards, 2002; 2,343 yards, 2003).
Minnesota’s top off ensive players had some of their best years
under Linehan, including QB Daunte Culpepper and WR Randy Moss,
who each had career years while he was with the Vikings. Moss became
the team’s featured ‘big man’ in 2002 a er the departure of WR Cris
Carter, starting 45 games over that span and garnering two Pro Bowl
selections (2002, 2003) under Linehan.
Moss finished with 106 catches for 1,347 yards and seven
touchdowns in 2002 while his 111 receptions for 1,632 yards in 2003
remain personal bests. He also tied a career high in 2003 with 17
touchdowns, a personal best he held until he brought in 23 in 2007
with New England.
Culpepper also had some of his best seasons with Linehan calling
the plays, including a career year in 2004. That year, his second Pro
Bowl season, Culpepper fi nished with a passer rating of 110.9 for the
fourth-highest in NFL history and his 69.2 completion percentage
(379-of-548), league-leading 4,717 passing yards, 8.6 yards per play
average and 39 touchdowns still mark career bests.
Linehan was able to eff ectively utilize the Culpepper-Moss tandem
over his three seasons with the Vikings, bettering the team’s total
points to 390, 416 and 405, respectively, a er Minnesota scored 290
points in 2001. He maintained the team’s solid performance through
the air, as the off ense ranked 9th, 4th and 2nd, respectively, throughout
his three seasons.
But even with the dynamic passing game, Linehan also made
signifi cant improvements to the team’s running game. Prior to his
arrival in 2001, the Vikings fi nished 25th in the league with 376 rushing
plays for 1,609 yards (4.3 average). In 2002, Linehan helped the Vikings
to the league’s top ground game, fi nishing with 473 rushing plays for
2,507 yards (5.3 average).
That year, Minnesota’s running game was led by Michael Bennett,
who earned his fi rst Pro Bowl selection following the 2002 season. He
fi nished the year 11th in the NFL in rushing with a career-best 1,296
yards – his only 1,000-yard performance to date – on 255 attempts.
In 2003, Linehan utilized a trio of runners – Moe Williams, Onterio