NFL notebook
Protesting the Lions in Detroit Some fans in Detroit are planning to protest the dismal state of the William Clay Ford-owned and Matt Millen-led Lions in their home finale – for the second straight year.
Last season, about 500 people marched, chanting “Fire Mil-len!, before the Lions hosted the Cincinnati Bengals, and many wore orange during the game.
On Sunday against Chicago, another protest has been initiated by disgruntled fans. With 8:57 left in the second quarter, those interested in showing their displeasure with Ford and Millen are asked to walk out of their seats and to later walk out of the stadium.
“They pay 60 or 80 bucks for a ticket, so they can do what they want with it,” Detroit tackle Jeff Backus said. “It’s their right to do that. We’re not putting a good product on the field, so if that’s the way they want to react to it, then so be it.”
The Lions (2-12) are tied with Oakland for the worst record in the league and are an NFL-worst 23-71 since 2001, when Millen took control of the once-mediocre franchise. If Detroit loses to the Bears and at Dallas next week, its six-season total of losses will trail only Tampa Bay’s 74 setbacks from 1983-88 in league history.
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The Bengals are going to be more attentive to Chad Johnson’s cramping problems.
The Pro Bowl receiver got fluids intravenously Monday night during the third quarter of a 34-16 loss at Indianapolis. Johnson has gotten leg cramps throughout his career, and regularly gets fluids at halftime.
This time, he missed an important part of a pivotal game.
“They chose not to give him an IV at halftime this time,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “Again, we make sure we do that when the timing is better.”
Johnson’s diet has been questioned – a week ago, he was halfway finished with a double-decker hamburger from a fast-food restaurant when he stopped to do interviews. Lewis is content that Johnson is watching what he eats.
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MVC: MOST VALUABLE COACH: Which NFL coach gives his team the most value for its expenditure?
According to Forbes magazine, it’s Bill Cowher.
The Steelers coach, whose teams have made the playoffs in 10 of his 14 seasons and won the Super Bowl in February, has averaged $2 million a year in salary since being hired in 1992. Forbes says that “even based on his current $4 million income, he’d rank as one of the league’s best investments.”
Others good investments are Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, New England’s Bill Belichick, Denver’s Mike Shanahan and Chicago’s Lovie Smith.
The worst investments?
Try Joe Gibbs, who makes $5 million a year with Washington; Bill Parcells, who has a four-year, $17 million deal in Dallas; Tom Coughlin, who is paid $3 million by the New York Giants; and Dennis Green of the Arizona Cardinals. Green, who in his third year with the team is making $2.5 million a year, hasn’t gotten the Cardinals close to a playoff berth.
YOUNG AT HEART: Bryant Young can’t imagine finishing his NFL career with anyone but the San Francisco 49ers. He just doesn’t know if he’s finished yet.
The defensive lineman hasn’t decided whether he’ll return for a 14th season with the club that drafted him in 1994, right before winning the last of San Francisco’s five league championships. His teammates and coaches are imploring their longest-tenured player to come back – and after his second straight resurgent season, Young seems likely to heed their pleas.
“I haven’t thought about how long it’s going to be, or playing with another team,” Young said. “I just haven’t given it a whole ton of thought … (but) yeah, I’m going to finish my career here.”
Young is second on the 49ers with five sacks this season while mostly playing left defensive end. His move to end after a career spent inside has been a huge success for coach Mike Nolan, who wants to ink Young to a new deal to replace the final two years of his current contract, which were voided when Young reached certain performance highs.
“He certainly has the skill level to play,” Nolan said. “What I would like to see is B.Y. want to do it again. I’m anticipating us having some youth on that side of the ball, and veteran leadership is imperative to young players getting better. If that can work out, it would be good for both parties.”
Young expects to decide his fate in January, but didn’t set a deadline.
NO SPIT GUY: Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall will go up against an elite receiver for the second straight week. Don’t expect Carolina’s Steve Smith to spit in his face, as Terrell Owens of Dallas did last week.
“I don’t play the spitting game. There are some games you don’t play,” Smith said. “I don’t know the circumstances. I wasn’t there and I’m not interested in finding out.”
But Smith and Hall have talked trash in the past. Before the season opener, Hall claimed the Panthers didn’t try to go downfield to Smith last season because he was covering him. Smith responded by saying Hall is insecure.
The matchup never happened because Smith sat out the game with a strained hamstring. The two will play against each other on Sunday, five days after both were selected to the Pro Bowl.
Smith congratulated Hall – sort of – on the Pro Bowl selection.
“He’s having a pretty good year, but if you have a job you’ve had a pretty good year,” Smith said.