$.01--I have to start with my Lions, who finally snapped the losing streak dating back to 2007. What made it even sweeter was that the Lions actually played like the better team all day long and that the victory clearly was not some fluke or stroke of luck. These Lions were composed, prepared, and just the right amount of confident, reflected in the play of rookie QB Matt Stafford. I have to give a lot of credit to Jeff Backus, a perennial fan whipping boy that has been with the Lions since the beginning of the Matt Millen catastrophe. Backus has played extremely well this season and played as strong a game as he?s had during the victory. I see some pundits taking cracks at the Lions coming out and making a victory lap, mingling with the fans and celebrating with the faithful. My message to you blowhards: Unless you live in Michigan, with our 3rd world economy, crumbling infrastructure, and culture of hopelessness, you cannot understand what impact this victory has for us. Good things so seldom occur, and when the Lions rise up from the primordial ooze and give us reason to smile and feel some sunshine, you?d better believe we?re going to savor it. This group of players is acutely aware of the suffering--they?ve been a major contributing factor after all--and their sincere gratitude to the crowd means a lot to the city and the state. $.02--For a team playing under a brand-new (to them) coach, the Cleveland Browns sure play like a group that is sick of their head man and trying to get him fired. It?s already abundantly clear that the players have little confidence in themselves or the coaching staff, an absolutely lethal combination. Even though they had little chance of upsetting the rival Ravens, the effort the Browns players brought on Sunday was simply not professional. To say they quit would imply that they ever actually started. That comes one week after another embarrassing effort in Denver where the team clearly wasn?t prepared to play. Three games in, three bad losses in, and already the buzzards are circling more than just Hinckley, OH. Another game in the same vein and I wouldn?t have a problem with ownership pulling the plug on Eric Mangini after just four games. It?s that obvious he just isn?t the right coach for this team. It doesn?t help that Brady Quinn apparently isn?t what they wanted and needed him to be, either, but as a Cleveland native and long-time Lions fan, I know the difference between not being good enough and not trying. That falls squarely on the coaches. I?ve seen this before with Randy Wittman?s Cavaliers and Bill Callahan?s Raiders, among others. The coaching staff simply does not have the attention or the trust of the players. That?s not something that changes as the losses keep mounting. $.03--We do a kind of interactive chat on the NFL general board here at RealGM during the games, and much of the focus in the early games was on the Minnesota/San Francisco contest. The Vikings fans greatly outnumbered the Niners fans, and when the 49ers defense held strong with a little over two minutes left the tone turned distraught. I even went so far as to post, ?Can?t believe SF won this game?. Ahem. For anyone who still doubts that Brett Favre isn?t worth the August headaches, let this game serve as notice that you are wrong. No way does Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels or Gus Frerotte or about all but a handful of QBs pull that game out for the Vikings. I?ve maintained all along that Favre is more likely to lead the Vikings to wins like this, perhaps at the expense of a couple of losses, and this game had a playoff atmosphere to it. This is the type of emotional win that will cement the team?s trust in Favre, one that they can draw upon come January. Here?s hoping ESPN stops the idol worship before about Thursday, but I kind of doubt that. $.04--It?s still too early to anoint any of the 3-0 teams as playoff locks (see Buffalo, Denver, and Dallas last year all starting 3-0 and missing out), but it?s pretty clear that four of the 0-3 teams have zero chance of winning more than about four games apiece. The aforementioned Browns have been pathetic, but they have not been alone. Tampa Bay, St. Louis, and Kansas City will be lucky to combine for 10 wins this season. For all the talk about parity and how quickly teams can turn around from despair, the gap between the good teams and the bad teams has widened. There is a chasm of talent between these four teams and the rest of the league, one that won?t be filled quickly or easily for any of the bottom dwellers. All four have new coaches and GMs this year, so some of the losing was expected. But to be as far behind as they are is staggering, especially when you consider that the Denver Broncos are 3-0. Denver fits the same bill of overhaul and was widely panned as perhaps the weakest of all these teams. I can?t really explain the Broncos? unexpected success other than an overzealous negative impression of their talent that focused too much on what they lost rather than what they imported. $.05--I live some 500 miles from Pittsburgh in the heart of NFC North country, yet I can find you hundreds of Steelers fans here in West Michigan, including several good friends. They all want to know what?s wrong with their beloved team, as the reigning champs are 1-2 and looking way up at the Ravens. The obvious answer, and it?s not the wrong one either, is that the defense badly misses Troy Polamalu, who would have broken up the Kellen Davis TD pass in the loss to Chicago. His absence takes away the wild card factor that keeps offenses off balance. But there?s more to it than that. The offensive line is subpar, and I get the inkling Big Ben is tired of running for his life every single attempt. That giant bull?s-eye on Pittsburgh isn?t helping either. Relax guys, it?s still early and the running game showed a little life. But unquestionably there does appear to be a bit of a Super Bowl hangover, one that they need to chase away soon or else they?ll be further back on the anatomy than just the hair of the dog. $.06--Highlight of the week goes to Bears rookie wideout Johnny Knox for his amazingly elusive end zone scamper at Seattle. The open-field moves were as awesome as the Seahawks jerseys were gaudy. It was his only catch and only went for seven yards, but I haven?t seen that kind of slalom move since Eric Metcalf embarrassed two Bengals on MNF all those years ago. Bears fans have been overbearingly waiting for a viable receiver to emerge for Jay Cutler, and they have latched onto young Knox--for good reason. Although he?s not built like an NFL player--he?s a skinny 6? with little muscle tone--Knox has great quickness and great speed, which don?t always come packaged together. He also has reliable hands and clearly has Cutler?s trust. The Bears escaped with a nice road win, aided greatly by Seattle?s injury woes and Olindo Mare getting the shanks, and stayed in the hunt in the increasingly tough-looking NFC North, which just might be the best overall division in football. $.07--College time. If ever there was a season that exposed the ridiculous nature of preseason rankings, it?s this one. The networks go overboard talking about all the top-five upsets, with at least one team going down every week this year, including two this past week. I have long advocated no rankings be done before every team has played at least one conference game, which means the first polls should come out this week. It is abundantly clear that the preseason polls reflect nothing except the bias of some narrow-minded voters with little real clue about any teams other than the most recognizable. My initial Top 10 1. Alabama, for winning at Virginia Tech and destroying Arkansas 2. Texas, starting to hit their stride at a good time 3. Florida, which still hasn?t played a team that will finish in anyone?s top 80 4. LSU, after the most exciting goal line stand I?ve ever seen preserved the win over Mississippi State 5. Virginia Tech, easily the best of the 1-loss teams 6. Cincinnati, which has the best chance of any of the top seven of running the table 7. Ohio State, back to back shutouts and the best defensive line in the country 8. Oklahoma, playing well despite missing a lot of stars 9. Boise State, which should be embarrassed if they don?t run the table by at least 20 points per game 10. USC, even the Trojans must have a rebuilding year every so often $.08: Non-football thought of the week--I?m leaving the sports world entirely here. There is an event this week that leaves me quite conflicted on how to react. On Tuesday, Alice In Chains releases their first new album without deceased lead singer Layne Staley. Their music holds a very important place in my life, helping me through difficult times and providing the soundtrack for most of my college years. It means so much that my four-year old son is named Layne for a reason. Staley?s overdose death closed the chapter on not just this great band, but on that entire period of my life. Now they are back with a new singer that sounds a great deal like Layne Staley, and Jerry Cantrell still has the magic in his guitar and lyrics. It sounds awesome and I really want to embrace it, but part of me feels like some things should be left to rest. Would Beatles fans really have wanted Julian Lennon to team up with Paul, George, and Ringo and tour around like nothing ever happened? I can?t help but think of Lynyrd Skynyrd, which has been embarrassing itself for well over a decade trying to carry on after their tragedies. I don?t want one of my favorite bands to dishonor something so special to me and so many others in that manner. Tread carefully, Jerry. $.09--Four random NFL opinions: 1. Anyone throwing dirt on the Titans at 0-3 is a damned fool, though there are some serious problems in Nashville. Two weeks in a row the safeties have been lousy, and the left side of their OL hasn?t been much better. Jeff Fisher has been in this position before and made the playoffs, but it?s not going to be easy. 2. It?s time for Oakland to pull the plug on Jamarcus Russell. 41% completions and just 375 yards in three games, with a QB rating that isn?t even half of any other passer--that?s killing the Raiders. No way could Bruce Gradkowski be any worse. 3. The Bengals are one fluke play away from being 3-0, with wins in Green Bay and over the Steelers. The O-line has looked very strong, Cedric Benson is running free, and the defense is aggressively effective. Find some wood, Cincy fans, but this team finally looks and plays like a real legit team. 4. New Orleans flashed the defense this week, which is bad news for the rest of the NFC South. The 27-7 final belied a game that was very much a defensive struggle, precisely the type of game these Saints are supposed to lose. Buffalo has a pretty good offense, too. $.10: Scouting Report--Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota. 6?3.5?, 215, 4.5ish 40. Positives: Strongly built with good height. Very high football IQ. Exceptional hands, catches everything near him and secures it quickly. Great footwork on his routes. Not afraid to go across the middle, very tough (see Northwestern game). Great all-around athlete, drafted twice in MLB draft. Uses his hands and size very well. Quick off the line for a bigger guy. Very well liked and respected by his teammates and coaches, a natural leader by example. Very good student. Negatives: Average speed with no higher gear, though he hits top speed quickly. Needs lots of work on his blocking; he?s willing but uses lousy technique. Not much of a runner after the catch. Development has been hindered by playing baseball. Has accumulated a laundry list of injuries, none of them severe. NFL Comparison: Kevin Walter or a smaller Joe Jurevicius Forecast: Late 1st-early 2nd round who could really blossom by committing to football full-time. Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com Catch me every Monday at 5:05 ET, 2:05 PT with Papa Joe Chevalier at papajoetalk.com

They may not be headed for the postseason, but the Detroit Lions stole headlines in Week 3 of the NFL season by recording their first win since December of 2007. In case you missed any of this weekend?s action, we?re here to provide you with a rundown of each game. We also calculate each team?s Trench Counter*. N.Y. Jets 24, Tennessee 17 Team Trench Counter: Jets +0.2, Titans -0.2 The New York Jets (3-0) played great defense in the second half as they downed the Tennessee Titans (0-3). Mark Sanchez went 17-for-30 with 171 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while also scrambling four times for 10 yards and another score. New York?s defense shut down Tennessee in the first and fourth quarters, handing the Titans their third loss of the young season. They had three total losses in 2008. Sanchez?s top target was Jerricho Cotchery, who caught eight passes for 108 yards and a score. Tennessee took a 17-14 lead following a 9-yard touchdown pass from Kerry Collins to Nate Washington in the third quarter, but the Jets rallied to score the final 10 points of the game. Collins finished the afternoon with 170 yards, a score and two interceptions on 15-for-37 passing. Chris Johnson rushed 22 times for 97 yards in the loss. N.Y. Giants 24, Tampa Bay 0 Team Trench Counter: Giants +21.8, Buccaneers -21.8 The New York Giants (3-0) shut down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) and former backfield threat Derrick Ward at Raymond James Stadium. Eli Manning went 14-for-24 with 161 yards and two scores, while Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs dominated on the ground. Bradshaw had 104 yards on 14 attempts and Jacobs tallied 92 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. New York?s defense held Tampa Bay to just 86 net yards on the afternoon and intercepted Byron Leftwich for the game?s only turnover. Steve Smith was Manning?s top target, catching seven passes for 63 yards and a touchdown. No member of the Buccaneers? offense had more than 36 yards in the embarrassing defeat, quarterback Josh Johnson led the way with 36 yards on 4-for-10 passing. Leftwich, the starter, was pulled in the fourth quarter after going 7-for-16 with 22 yards and the aforementioned interception. Ward, starting against his former team, managed just 9 total yards on seven total touches. Green Bay 36, St. Louis 17 Team Trench Counter: Packers +17.8, Rams -17.8 The St. Louis Rams (0-3) hung around, but the Green Bay Packers (2-1) ran away with the game in the fourth quarter thanks to both the arm and legs of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers had 269 passing yards and two touchdowns in the win, while also rushing eight times for 36 yards and a third score. Ryan Grant just missed the 100-yard mark with 99 yards on 26 carries against St. Louis. Greg Jennings bounced back from a catch-less effort in Week 2 to post 103 receiving yards. Donald Driver and John Kuhn were the recipients of Rodgers? touchdown strikes. Rams starting quarterback Marc Bulger left the game in the first quarter with a shoulder injury following a sack. Kyle Boller came on and played respectably, finishing the game with 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 16-for-31 passing against Green Bay?s improving defense. Steven Jackson led the team?s offense with 163 total yards (117 rushing, 46 receiving). Fullback Daniel Fells was on the receiving end of both St. Louis touchdowns. Philadelphia 34, Kansas City 14 Team Trench Counter: Eagles +20, Chiefs -20 The Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) were without Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and Kevin Curtis, but still dominated the Kansas City Chiefs (0-3) at Lincoln Financial Field. Kevin Kolb went 24-for-34 with 327 yards and two touchdowns (three total) in relief of McNabb for the second straight week, while Michael Vick was 0-for-2 on his pass attempts. Rookie running back LeSean McCoy had 84 yards and a touchdown on the ground and Vick rushed once in his debut for seven yards. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson (149 yards and a touchdown) and tight end Brent Celek (104 yards and a score) were Kolb?s favorite targets. Kansas City was held to fewer than 200 yards of total offense by Philadelphia. Matt Cassel, who was sacked three times, went 14-for-18 with 90 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Larry Johnson had a rough afternoon, tallying just 38 yards on 19 carries and losing a fumble. Mark Bradley and Bobby Wade hooked up with Cassel on touchdown passes of 13 and 9 yards, respectively. New England 26, Atlanta 10 Team Trench Counter: Patriots +15.2, Falcons -15.2 It wasn?t pretty, but the New England Patriots (2-1) avoided a second straight loss with a gritty victory over the Atlanta Falcons (2-1). Tom Brady had 277 yards and a touchdown, while attempting more than forty passes for the third straight game. Fred Taylor had the best game of his young Patriots career, rushing 21 times for 105 yards and a score. After failing to score a touchdown against the Jets in Week 2, the Patriots reached the end zone twice in Foxboro. Matt Ryan, a former Boston College standout, had 199 passing yards on 17-for-28 passing against New England?s defense. Michael Turner scored Atlanta?s only touchdown on a 2-yard run in the second quarter, tying the game at 10 points apiece, but the Falcons wouldn?t score again. Michael Jenkins led the team in receiving with five catches for 78 yards as Tony Gonzalez (one catch for 16 yards) and Roddy White (four catches for 24 yards) were non-factors. Minnesota 27, San Francisco 24 Team Trench Counter: Vikings +3.8, 49ers -3.8 Brett Favre snatched a win away from the San Francisco 49ers (2-1) as the Minnesota Vikings (3-0) were victorious on a last-second touchdown strike. Favre found Greg Lewis in the back of the end zone on a 32-yard connection to give the Vikings a lead with just two seconds left on the clock. Favre had 302 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on the afternoon. Adrian Peterson didn?t reach the end zone, but did rush for 85 yards on 19 carries. The 49ers played valiantly without Frank Gore, who left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury. Rookie running back Glen Coffee entered the game for Gore and tallied 54 yards on 25 carries. Shaun Hill kept San Francisco in the game, going 15-for-25 with 195 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Hill?s strike to tight end Vernon Davis with 8:12 remaining gave the 49ers a 24-20 lead. Davis was the offensive star of the game at the Metrodome, catching seven passes for 96 yards and two scores. Jacksonville 31, Houston 24 Team Trench Counter: Jaguars +4.6, Texans -4.6 The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) surprisingly outgunned the Houston Texans (1-2) at Reliant Stadium. Maurice Jones-Drew dominated offensively, rushing for 119 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching four passes for 28 yards. David Garrard, who had 214 passing yards against Houston, scrambled five times for 29 yards and a score. Jones-Drew?s score at the beginning of the fourth quarter turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. Matt Schaub went 26-for-35 with 300 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. The Texans had a chance to tie the game near the end of regulation, but Chris Brown fumbled the ball in the red zone. Steve Slaton rushed for 76 yards on 12 carries, while Kevin Walter (seven catches for 96 yards), Owen Daniels (five catches for 38 yards) and Jacoby Jones (23 yards on two receptions) caught scores from Schaub. Detroit 19, Washington 14 Team Trench Counter: Lions +3.1, Redskins -3.1 The Detroit Lions (1-2) recorded their first win since Dec. 23, 2007 with a defeat of the Washington Redskins (1-2) at Ford Field. Matt Stafford, the first overall pick in April?s NFL Draft, had 241 yards and a touchdown as the Lions ended their 19-game losing streak. Kevin Smith rushed for 101 yards before leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury. Bryant Johnson was Detroit?s leading receiver. He hauled in four balls for 73 yards and a score. Jason Campbell had 340 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Detroit. He found Rock Cartwright for a 4-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that gave Washington some life, but they had dug themselves too big of a hole. The Redskins nearly abandoned their running game, rushing just 14 times for a total of 65 yards. Santana Moss exploded offensively with 10 catches for 178 yards and a touchdown, but ground was lost in the competitive NFC East. Baltimore 34, Cleveland 3 Team Trench Counter: Ravens +25.8, Browns -25.8 The Baltimore Ravens (3-0) remained undefeated with a sound defeat of the struggling Cleveland Browns (0-3). Joe Flacco had 342 yards and a touchdown, while Willis McGahee and Ray Rice combined to rush for 115 yards and three touchdowns. Derrick Mason, who nearly retired this summer, led Baltimore with five catches for 118 yards and a score. The Ravens? defense had two sacks and recorded four interceptions. Brady Quinn, who had just 34 yards and an interception, started the game, but was benched at halftime in favor of Derek Anderson, who finished with 92 yards and three picks on 11-for-19 passing. With Jamal Lewis out, Jerome Harrison led the Browns in rushing with 52 yards on 16 carries. Cleveland has just one offensive touchdown this season. Chicago 25, Seattle 19 Team Trench Counter: Bears +0.8, Seahawks -0.8 Jay Cutler connected with Devin Hester for a game-winning touchdown with 1:52 left to push the Chicago Bears (2-1) past the Seattle Seahawks (1-2). Cutler finished with 247 yards, three touchdowns and an interception on 21-for-27 passing at Qwest Field. Matt Forte rushed for 66 yards on 21 carries, while Hester (five catches for 76 yards), Greg Olsen (five receptions for 44 yards) and Johnny Knox (one catch for 7 yards) found the end zone through the air. Seneca Wallace, filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck, got the Seahawks out to a strong start with a 13-0 lead in the second quarter. However, from that point on Chicago would allow just six more points while putting 25 on the scoreboard. Julius Jones starred for Seattle, rushing for 96 yards and catching three passes for 36 yards and a score. Nate Burleson was Wallace?s top target. He hauled in nine receptions for 109 yards in defeat. New Orleans 27, Buffalo 7 Team Trench Counter: Saints +13.8, Bills -13.8 The New Orleans Saints (3-0) were slowed a bit offensively, but still handled the Buffalo Bills (1-2). Drew Brees had 172 yards and no touchdowns on 16-for-29 passing. That?s right; Brees didn?t throw for a score. Pierre Thomas dominated on the ground, running 14 times for 126 yards and two touchdowns. New Orleans? improved defense recorded four sacks and held Terrell Owens without a single reception. Trent Edwards went 20-for-35 with 156 yards and a touchdown, while punter Brian Moorman completed a 25-yard scoring strike to Ryan Denney on a trick play in the second quarter. Fred Jackson continued his strong play in relief of Marshawn Lynch with 71 rushes on 18 carries. Josh Reed led Buffalo in receiving with six catches for 60 yards in the loss. San Diego 23, Miami 13 Team Trench Counter: Chargers +8.2, Dolphins -8.2 Philip Rivers threw for 303 yards and ran in a 5-yard score to help lead the San Diego Chargers (2-1) past the Miami Dolphins (0-3) at Qualcomm Stadium. With LaDainian Tomlinson out for the second straight week, San Diego struggled to move the ball on the ground. Darren Sproles had just 41 yards on 18 carries. Vincent Jackson led the Chargers in receiving with five receptions for 120 yards. Malcolm Floyd (two catches for 65 yards) and Antonio Gates (five grabs for 64 yards) also displayed great chemistry with Rivers. The Dolphins were slowed on offense all afternoon, but the loss of starting quarterback Chad Pennington to a shoulder injury was a huge blow. After Pennington went 8-for-12 with 54 yards, Chad Henne came on to go 10-for-19 with 92 yards and an interception. Ronnie Brown rushed for 75 yards and Ricky Williams had 55 yards and a score, but Miami didn?t find the end zone until very late in the fourth quarter when the outcome was already determined. Denver 23, Oakland 3 Team Trench Counter: Broncos +24.3, Raiders-24.3 The Denver Broncos (3-0) completely shut down the struggling Oakland Raiders (1-3) offensively on Sunday, limiting them to just 137 total net yards. Kyle Orton went 13-for-23 with 157 yards and a touchdown, a 2-yard connection with Brandon Marshall in the first quarter. Rookie running back Knowshon Moreno rushed for 90 yards and a score, while veteran Correll Buckhalter notched 108 yards on 14 carries. JaMarcus Russell was largely ineffective yet again, going 12-for-21 with 61 yards and two interceptions in the loss. Oakland?s lone scoring play came on a 48-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski in the second quarter. Darren McFadden gained 45 yards on the ground, but he fumbled three times (losing the ball once). Cincinnati 23, Pittsburgh 20 Team Trench Counter: Bengals +1, Steelers -1 The Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to shock the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2). Carson Palmer went 20-for-37 with 183 yards and a touchdown, while Cedric Benson rushed for 76 yards and a score on 16 carries. Chad Ochocinco led Cincinnati in receiving with five catches for 54 yards and Andre Caldwell had six receptions for 52 yards and a score. Had it not been for Brandon Stokley?s tip-touchdown catch in Week 1, the Bengals would be 3-0. Ben Roethlisberger had 276 yards, one touchdown and an interception in Pittsburgh?s second-straight loss. Roethlisberger also rushed for a 1-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Steelers excelled on the ground for the first time this season, but it ultimately didn?t matter. Willie Parker had 93 yards for 25 carries and also hauled in two passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. Rookie wide receiver Mike Wallace led Pittsburgh in receiving with seven catches for 102 yards. Indianapolis 31, Arizona 10 Team Trench Counter: Colts +16.9, Cardinals -16.9 The Arizona Cardinals (1-2) took an early 3-0 lead, but the Indianapolis Colts (3-0) scored 21 points in the second quarter to grab control in Sunday night's game. Peyton Manning had 379 passing yards, four touchdowns and an interception, and the combination of Joseph Addai and Donald Brown tallied 103 rushing yards. Reggie Wayne (seven catches for 126 yards), Pierre Garcon (three receptions for 64 yards), Dallas Clark (seven grabs of 62 yards) and Addai were the recipients of Manning's touchdown strikes. Kurt Warner was pressured by the Colts' defense all night long, especially in the second half when the Cardinals were forced to throw the ball in an attempt to catch up. Warner had 332 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions on 30-for-52 passing at University of Phoenix Stadium. Tim Hightower was the team's leading rusher with 22 yards on nine carries. Steve Breaston led Arizona in receiving with seven catches for 94 yards. Anquan Boldin had six receptions for 83 yards and a score, while Larry Fitzgerald managed to grab seven balls for 76 yards in defeat. *Explaining The Trench Counter

The Lions defeated the Redskins 19-14 on Sunday to end their 19-game losing streak. Detroit hadn't won a game since Dec. 23, 2007 and their skid matched the second longest in NFL history. Matt Stafford, the first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, went 21-for-36 with 241 yards and a touchdown in the victory.

Lions coach Jim Schwartz says that Daunte Culpepper is far from done as a quarterback in the NFL. Detroit tabbed first overall pick Matthew Stafford as their starting quarterback heading into the season, but Schwartz likes what he sees in the veteran. "I don't know that there's a player on the team or even in the league that I respect more than Daunte Culpepper. From what he's gone through in his career, being on the top and then having a major injury and then sort of bouncing around to being almost out of the league to coming back the way he did speaks to what kind of man he is and speaks to what kind of pride he has," Schwartz told the Star Tribune. Culpepper will be a free agent after the season and Schwartz appeared to indicate that he believes the quarterback will get a chance elsewhere. "He was too heavy last year. He knows that. It gave a bad impression of him. He wanted to put that behind him. He lost over 30 pounds in the offseason. He showed tremendous commitment. He's been incredibly upbeat. He's healthy again," Schwartz added. "I think we've all seen a lot of rebirths at quarterback. The Kurt Warners, the Kerry Collins, Rich Gannon, there's been a million of them. I think when it's all said and done, Daunte Culpepper will be there with those guys. He's going to be a starting quarterback in this league. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see him back leading a team again."

Former Lions wide receiver Carlos Rogers has been arrested on a drunken-driving charge. Rogers, 28, was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after he refused a Breathalyzer test, according to police. He was arraigned Thursday on charges of operating while intoxicated and operating without a valid license. Rogers, the second overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, served a 30-day jail sentence earlier this year after violating probation in a domestic violence case.

Rookie quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez both began their NFL careers as starters on Sunday. Sanchez, who was taken with the fifth pick in April's NFL Draft by the Jets, and Stafford, the first overall selection by the Lions, will forever be linked as members of the 2009 class. On Sunday, Sanchez gained an early advantage on Stafford, becoming the first to threw a touchdown pass in the NFL. The former USC Trojan hooked up with receiver Chansi Stuckey on a 30-yard scoring pass with 3:21 left in the second quarter of New York's opening game against Houston.

The Lions formally sued Charles Rogers for $6.1 million Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Detroit. The franchise won an arbitration case last year against Rogers. An arbitrator ruled that Rogers defaulted on his contract in 2005 when he served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

Daunte Culpepper is no doubt disappointed by Detroit's decision to name rookie Matt Stafford their starting quarterback. Lions coach Jim Schwartz claims that Culpepper is back to the top of his game, perhaps trying to inflate his value. "I want to say this: Daunte Culpepper is back," Schwartz told the Detroit Free-Press. "There's no doubt in my mind -- I don't think there's any doubt around the league. He's gonna be back as a starting quarterback at some time in this league." When asked if the Lions would consider trading Culpepper, who is scheduled to make $4 million in salary and bonus money, Schwartz deflected rumors, saying: "We're very happy with where we are quarterback-wise. I think (quarterback) is going to be a strength on our team, and I don't think we're in a position of getting rid of good players."

Matthew Stafford has won the Detroit Lions starting quarterback job over Daunte Culpepper. "I've had a lot of very tough decisions in the last few days ? guys making the 53-man roster or not making it ? but none more difficult than at quarterback," said Jim Schwartz. "We announced to our team this morning that Matt Stafford is going to be our starting quarterback." Schwartz felt Stafford and Culpepper played well in training camp and the preseason, as did third-stringer Drew Stanton before sustaining a knee injury. "I'm very, very comfortable with the quarterback position here, not just one and two, but also three," Schwartz said. "What made this decision difficult was that I think we can win with Daunte Culpepper, I think we can with Matt Stafford, and I think we can win with Drew Stanton." One of the factors that helped Schwartz make his decision was the 21-year-old rookie's chemistry with Detroit's biggest offensive weapon, Calvin Johnson. "I think he had 15 snaps in the preseason with Calvin, and you could already see what was possible there," Schwartz said. "The big plays were always there."

The Lions have traded quarterback Kevin O'Connell to the Jets, according to two league sources. Detroit claimed O'Connell off waivers from New England earlier this week.