Monte Clark's time with Detroit

[74_75_78_79_]

A Lions era that I quite respect! The Forzano/Hudspeth years leading up not real bad either. I liked that '81 squad and for the longest time forgot that they didn't finish above-500. They beat both 'Catch'-particants that very year! I remember wanting them to beat Bucs at home in the finale only to lose hence finish 8-8. Even though Raiders certainly weren't what they were the year prior, Lions shutting them out with authority, 16-0, still impressive by me along with them giving Air-Coryell a real good game at the Murph and belting Levy/Delaney's Chiefs on Turkey Day albeit 8-4 KC beginning their free-fall to 9-7.

Is it just me or was that very '81 campaign actually better than their 9-7 campaigns? Each of them do have feathers-in-cap though, especially '83. Yes, Bradshaw was out, but to still beat that very Steeler team on Turkey Day, 45-3, nothing at all to ignore! And sweeping a quite respectable almost-playoff team in GB (Ditka's Bears too) nothing to sneeze at either; and then...giving Walsh/Joe Cool all they could handle at the 'Stick divisional round??

Yes, I guess Sims' career-ending injury in '84 basically ended Clark's time as well in Pontiac. A bad year in '84, but can someone explain 2-14 in '79?? Respectable enough first year at helm for Monte in '78 and then that? Don't know much about Danielson but was he that good a QB for Lions to completely falter due to his preseason injury?

And though this is years after Monte, what about Sims' attempted comeback in '89 (Barry Sanders...bad timing, huh)? What could have happened if management would have allowed for such a thing after all (who wears #20)? Fontes apparently had some interest in his possible return.

Thoughts?

[BD Sullivan]

Yes, I guess Sims' career-ending injury in '84 basically ended Clark's time as well in Pontiac. A bad year in '84, but can someone explain 2-14 in '79?? Respectable enough first year at helm for Monte in '78 and then that? Don't know much about Danielson but was he that good a QB for Lions to completely falter due to his preseason injury?

Danielson was effective enough and the backups they used were a rookie 9th round pick (Komlo); a mediocre vet who hadn't played since '77 (Hunter); an even-more mediocre vet who never played after '79 (Reed); and Jerry Golsteyn, who somehow played for three different teams besides the Lions.

[74_75_78_79_]

Easy to forget that the '85 Lions (Rogers now at helm) started out 5-3; and had a few QWs over Dallas, SF, Miami, and Jets - all four of them playoff teams. However, they'd falter to a 7-9 finish and stay a losing team until '91.

[CSKreager]

Easy to forget that the '85 Lions (Rogers now at helm) started out 5-3; and had a few QWs over Dallas, SF, Miami, and Jets - all four of them playoff teams. However, they'd falter to a 7-9 finish and stay a losing team until '91.

Their problem was home/road splits: 6-2 at home (including the aforementioned 4 wins vs. playoff teams), but 1-7 on the road (and that was their first game of the year against a meh Atlanta team).

Even if that team finished 9-7, they would have still missed the playoffs (Giants/49ers/Redskins- the teams in the WC scrum- had 10 wins)