FanHouse Phillip Buchanon

Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews." We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.

Without playing a game, the Detroit Lions have matched their 2008 regular season win total. Naturally, this is an embarrassing fact, and one that Lions fans are probably sick of hearing. However, it also serves to show how easy it will be for head coach Jim Schwartz to be hailed as a genius this season. The Lions will win a game (or more!) in 2009, and Schwartz has done some things in the offseason to point this franchise in a positive direction. It's time now for the players to see the benefits of their hard work during the spring and summer.

Following a historic 0-16 season, the Detroit Lions have undergone a franchise makeover -- both on and off the field. Martin Mayhew has taken over for the maligned Matt Millen and Jim Schwartz is now the head coach. They have made myriad changes via trade, free agency and the draft.

Thus, they look toward training camp with a new motto. Detroit is "The Land of Opportunity." The meaning to the phrase is that Schwartz and Mayhew have instilled a new philosophy, which they are calling "no starters, no depth chart." The theory is that nothing is set in stone and anyone can win a job in training camp (though I'm guessing Calvin Johnson is quite safe as the starting WR1).

What possess a man to leave one team that finished third in its division for another that didn't win a game the previous year?

Well, we asked cornerback Phillip Buchanon the other day why he left the Bucs, who finished third in the NFC South, for the Lions, and his answer was simple.

"I did want to stay in Florida," Buchanon said. "Tampa was going in a different direction and I truly feel like I'm still a starter, and Detroit was one of the teams that was actually there. There were a few other teams, but Tampa was taking their time and I didn't want to wait. You either want me or you don't."

Baby steps, kids, baby steps. Detroit finished 0-16 last season, so it's not like new head coach Jim Schwartz can wave a magic wand and fix what ails the franchise. As Ryan Wilson pointed out, it's not like the Lions have done anything sensational this offseason -- but they are quietly improving.

How much? Well, enough that I can say this and not feel like a complete idiot: Detroit's secondary might be decent in 2009. Detroit already added Anthony Henry and nickel-guy Eric King this offseason, and now the Tampa Tribune reports that former Buccaneer Phillip Buchanon has agreed to terms with the Lions.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Following a disastrous end to the 2009 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have gone through some pretty significant changes. Gone are head coach Jon Gruden, general manager Bruce Allen and starting quarterback Jeff Garcia.

That's what happens when you haven't won a playoff game since 2002 and closed out your season on a four-game losing streak.

Despite the possibility of tornado's, and a steady monsoon-like rain throughout the day, the Buccaneers and Saints managed to score 43 points as Tampa Bay kept pace with Carolina in the NFC South, pulling out a huge 23-20 win.

The win improves Tampa Bay to 9-3 on the season, and sets up a huge contest with Carolina next Monday, in a game that very well could decide the NFC South title.

So, while Drew Brees finished the day 25-of-47 for 297 yards and a pair of scores, he also threw three interceptions, including a brutal pick over the middle, in a tie game, with just over two minutes to play in regulation. Jermaine Phillips picked off the Brees pass, returning it 13 yards to the New Orleans 17-yard line.

Three plays later, Matt Bryant booted a 37-yard field goal for the eventual game-winning score.

The Saints final possession ended when Brees threw his third pick of the day, this time when Phillip Buchanon stepped in front of a pass intended for Lance Moore.

While Brees was tossing interceptions, he received absolutely no help from his running game, as the Buccaneers dominant (and extremely underrated) run defense held the Saints to just 44 yards on 18 carries. Their longest run of the afternoon was nine yards.

Tonight, the Cowboys and Texans will battle for the all-mighty and magical Governor's Cup. It's the big silver trophy awarded to the Texas team that wins their yearly matchup. I'm pictured with it and a large gentlemen who works for the Texans.

Though tonight's game is just a preseason game, the third pretend game is one that knowledgeable fans watch closely because the starters are left in the game longer.

Three Things to Watch From the Cowboy Perspective: (From my semi-reasonable Cowboy fan friend, Michael Whitehead, founder of sofantasyfootball.com, a terrific site to find thoughtful fantasy football information).

1. The Secondary. The biggest problem Dallas has had in recent history is the secondary. What has looked like sure wins has turned into disappointing losses in the second half of too many games. Pay particularly close attention to Adam "Pacman" Jones, as he will get the start, and will have a true test against Andre Johnson. Rookie Mike Jenkins, who started the previous two games will be used in nickel situations, an area that Dallas has truly struggled in for the past two seasons.

I can't speak for Redskins fans but as a Texans fan, I find it very difficult to listen to former Houston GM Charley Casserly act as a draft analyst. It strikes me a bit like getting parenting lessons from Britney Spears.

His latest gig is being a professor at George Mason University, teaching students on how to get a job and keep it. The advice is pretty sound--finding a job, paying your dues, impressing bosses, finding mentors, volunteering to do harder jobs. Of course, he missed one of his steps that the Houston media would probably point out right away--put blame on other people in case things don't work out.

For young job seekers, I would suggest it is also important to look older and more responsible than you are when you are looking for your first job. And just looking at Casserly, never ever get gray in your helmet hair as you get older and make sure Wikipedia doesn't know your age. Having non-stop BS skills is a plus, and always sound confident in what you are saying, even when you don't know what the hades you are talking about. "See, that's the way we do it in the NFL see....."

All GM's make mistakes on players. But you would hope that those GM's would learn from some of those mistakes. One of the biggest problems I had about Casserly is that he completely discounted the value of middle round picks in building a team in the modern salary cap era. The Texans are still paying for that mistake in the lack of depth on their team.

The Houston Texans have been pretty low key in free agency, mostly because they: 1. aren't one player away; 2. don't have a ton of money to spend; 3. usually make bad free agent acquisitions and trades (see e.g. Anthony Weaver, Ahman Green, Phillip Buchanon).

At SI.com, they are reporting unidentified "league source" suggesting that recently released Atlanta running back Warrick Dunn might be interested in the Cowboys, Texans or Broncos. The Texans are reportedly wanting him to have a visit, as they are not interested in re-signing running back Ron Dayne. I can't see Dunn as a Texan unless he really wants to be reunited with offensive line guru Alex Gibbs, and doesn't sign for much.

How many running backs can you sign with their best years behind them?

For the most part, the Texans have spent this free agency period shoring up weaknesses with not terribly splashy acquisitions: former Dallas CB Jacques Reeves, former Seattle linebacker Kevin Bentley (seen in above HT.com video or video transcript here), and re-signing Andre Davis.

First I want to say thank you to the Houston Texans website staff for being blog-friendly and fixing their embeds so they don't autoplay. The above HoustonTexans.com video is of Texans secondary coach, Jon Hoke talking about the secondary players in this year's draft, and what the Texans are looking for when scouting free agents and potential draft picks. If you just want to read the interview, check out this link.

Reports say that the Texans are looking in free agency at Dallas CB Jacques Reeves and Dolphins Rex Hadnot as a center/guard. I don't believe taking Reeves would preclude getting a cornerback in the draft because the Texans need tons of secondary help.