2001 Detroit Lions season

Last updated

2001 Detroit Lions season
Owner William Clay Ford Sr.
General manager Matt Millen
Head coach Marty Mornhinweg
Home field Pontiac Silverdome
Results
Record2–14
Division place5th NFC Central
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers DE Robert Porcher
AP All-Pros None
Uniform
NFC-Throwback-Uniform-DET.PNG

The 2001 Detroit Lions season was the franchise's 72nd season in the National Football League (NFL). Marty Mornhinweg was named the 21st head coach in franchise history on January 21, 2001, [1] after owner William Clay Ford Sr. controversially fired 2000 interim coach Gary Moeller. [2]

Contents

The season began with much optimism, with the Lions hoping to improve on their 9–7 record from 2000; however, the Lions were extremely disappointing and had the worst start to an NFL season since the 1986 Indianapolis Colts began 0–13. They were widely believed to be likely to suffer the NFL’s first 0–16 season [3] before they defeated the Minnesota Vikings. Prior to that, they had lost an NFL record nine consecutive games by eight points or less. [3]

Seven seasons later, the Lions went 0–16 after a week 17 loss to the Green Bay Packers. [4]

This was the final season that the Lions played at the Pontiac Silverdome before moving to Ford Field the following season, as well as the final season for the NFC Central Division, which would dissolve following the NFL's realignment in 2002, although all NFC Central teams except the Tampa Bay Buccaneers formed the new NFC North Division.

The Lions closed the Silverdome by defeating the Dallas Cowboys 15–10 in the regular season finale. Coincidentally, the Cowboys defeated the Lions 36–10 in the first regular season game at the Silverdome (then known as Pontiac Metropolitan Stadium) in 1975.

This would also be the first season under new general manager Matt Millen, as he would be the team's general manager for the next six seasons and first 3 games of the 2008 season. This would start a stage of futility for the Lions, as they would fail to post a winning record with Millen as general manager.

Offseason

NFL Draft

2001 Detroit Lions draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
118 Jeff Backus   Offensive tackle Michigan
250 Dominic Raiola   Center Nebraska
261 Shaun Rogers  *  Defensive tackle Texas
5148 Scotty Anderson   Wide receiver Grambling State
5149 Mike McMahon   Quarterback Rutgers
6173 Jason Glenn   Linebacker Texas A&M
      Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

[5]

Undrafted free agents

2002 Undrafted Free Agents of note
PlayerPositionCollege
Josh Lovelady Guard Houston

Staff

2001 Detroit Lions staff

Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Jason Arapoff
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Malcolm Blacken

[6]

Roster

2001 Detroit Lions final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad


Rookies in italics
53 active, 9 inactive, 4 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 9at Green Bay Packers L 6–280–1 Lambeau Field Recap
2 [upper-alpha 1] September 23at Cleveland Browns L 14–240–2 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap
3 Bye
4October 8 St. Louis Rams L 0–350–3 Pontiac Silverdome Recap
5October 14at Minnesota Vikings L 26–310–4 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Recap
6October 21 Tennessee Titans L 24–270–5Pontiac Silverdome Recap
7October 28 Cincinnati Bengals L 27–310–6Pontiac Silverdome Recap
8November 4at San Francisco 49ers L 13–210–7 3Com Park Recap
9November 11 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–200–8Pontiac Silverdome Recap
10November 18at Arizona Cardinals L 38–450–9 Sun Devil Stadium Recap
11 November 22 Green Bay Packers L 27–290–10Pontiac Silverdome Recap
12December 2at Chicago Bears L 10–130–11 Soldier Field Recap
13December 9at Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 12–150–12 Raymond James Stadium Recap
14December 16 Minnesota Vikings W 27–241–12Pontiac Silverdome Recap
15December 23at Pittsburgh Steelers L 14–471–13 Heinz Field Recap
16December 30 Chicago Bears L 0–241–14Pontiac Silverdome Recap
17 [upper-alpha 1] January 6 Dallas Cowboys W 15–102–14Pontiac Silverdome Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
[7]

Standings

NFC Central
WLTPCTPFPASTK
(2) Chicago Bears 1330.813338203W4
(4) Green Bay Packers 1240.750390266W3
(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 970.563324280L1
Minnesota Vikings 5110.313290390L4
Detroit Lions 2140.125270424W1

Notes

  1. 1 2 The Lions were originally scheduled to host the Dallas Cowboys during Week 2 of the original NFL schedule (September 16) at Pontiac Silverdome. However, due to the September 11 attacks, the game was re-scheduled to Week 17.

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References

  1. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, ISBN   0-7611-2480-2, p.117
  2. ↑ "Mornhinweg Hired To Coach the Lions." New York Times, January 25, 2001. Retrieved on July 14, 2009.
  3. 1 2 “Infamy Awaits the Lions” in The Free Lance Star , Sunday December 16, 2001; p. C11
  4. ↑ "Bloomberg Politics - Bloomberg". Bloomberg News .
  5. ↑ "2001 Detroit Lions Draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Administration and Coaching Staff". 2001 Detroit Lions Media Guide. pp. 4–32.
  7. ↑ "2001 Detroit Lions Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com .
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