Jon Kitna is a More Optimistic Man Than I

"I'll keep to myself what I think we actually will win. But it's more than 10 games."

That was Lions' quarterback Jon Kitna in a Thursday radio appearance on WDFN-AM Detroit. Yes, the same Jon Kitna who turned the ball over an NFL-leading 31 times last season. Now I know Kitna must be excited about being able to throw to Calvin Johnson, Roy Williams and Mike Furrey next season, but expecting Detroit to go from 3 to 10+ wins without a major roster overhaul, coaching change, or free agent signing seems mildly delusional at best.

Hitting 10 wins would constitute a 7 game improvement from our dismal 2006 season (I know, I should be a math major). The last time Detroit made such a large leap in one year was in 1980, after Detroit landed the number one pick in the draft and took a running back by the name of Billy Sims.


Billy Sims, NOT on the 2007 Lions

As for the Lions' greatest improvement under current GM Matt Millen? That would be our quantum leap from 3 victories in 2002 to a whopping 5 in 2003. Take into account the fact that Detroit traded away its best cornerback (Dre Bly) for a backup running back/insurance policy for Kevin Jones' foot (Tatum Bell) and did not draft a single projected starter with its three (three!) second-round picks this year, and you can consider me skeptical.


Kitna, Perhaps Losing the Last of His Marbles