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

AdditionsSubtractions
QB Ty Detmer (Browns)G Jeff Hartings (Steelers)
G Matt Joyce (Cardinals)TE Walter Rasby (Redskins)
TE Pete Mitchell (Giants)G Mike Compton (Patriots)
G Brendan Stai (Jaguars)
CB Todd Lyght (Rams)

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

2001 Undrafted Free Agents of note
PlayerPositionCollege
Neo AogaQuarterback Azusa Pacific
Brad BohnKicker Utah State
Matt ChildersDefensive end USC
Eugene ClintonSafety Mississippi State
Keith CottrellPunter Florida State
Will CuthbertTackle Alabama
Versie GaddisWide receiver Indiana
Dennis GibbsCornerback Idaho
Toby GollidayDefensive tackleMississippi State
Anthony Herron Defensive end Iowa
Chidi Iwuoma Cornerback California
Khary JacksonTight end Oklahoma State
Ligarius Jennings Cornerback Tennessee State
Sly JohnsonWide receiver Miami (OH)
Loran KaiserDefensive tackle Nebraska
Dustin KroekerTackle Cal Poly
Josh Lovelady Guard Houston
Donald MalloySafety New Mexico State
Rich MazzaGuard Rutgers
Andre OffingLinebacker East Carolina
Jonathan OrdwayCornerback Boston College
Darnell RobinsonLinebacker Oregon State
Wayne RogersLinebackerHouston
Stephen TrejoFullback Arizona State
Eric WilsonDefensive tackle Michigan

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 roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

 Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

 Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 10 reserve, 4 practice squad

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueRecap
1September 9at Green Bay Packers L 6–280–1 Lambeau Field Recap
2 [A] 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 [A] January 6 Dallas Cowboys W 15–102–14Pontiac Silverdome Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
[7]

Game summaries

Week 1: at Green Bay Packers

Week 1: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions33006
Packers2107028

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: September 9
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. CDT
  • Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 59,523
  • Referee: Aster Sizemore
  • Box score
Game information

Week 2: at Cleveland Browns

Week 2: Detroit Lions at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Lions007714
Browns7710024

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: September 23
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C)
  • Game attendance: 73,168
  • Referee: Terry McAulay
  • TV: Fox
  • Box score
Game information

Quarterback Ty Detmer made his first start for the Lions, ending the game with seven interceptions. Despite this, the Lions' defense kept the game somewhat close, picking off Cleveland quarterback Tim Couch twice, including a 26-yard pick six by cornerback Terry Fair.

Week 4: vs. St. Louis Rams

Week 4: St. Louis Rams at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Rams71401435
Lions00000

at Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

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 rescheduled 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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