OFFENSIVE LINE: Starters - LT Jeff Backus, LG Ross Verba, C Dominic Raiola, RG Damien Woody, RT Rex Tucker. Backups - G Frank Davis, T Jonathan Scott, T Clint Stickdorn, G Stephen Peterman, G/T Barry Stokes, G Rick DeMulling, C Dave Pearson, G Blaine Saipaia.
The Lions gambled that they could get a season out of three free agents with a history of injuries and lost, big time. Verba, Tucker and Stokes all finished the season on injured reserve with a grand total of 23 starts among them, including 11 by Stokes. And if that wasn't bad enough, even the backups were beset with injuries, leaving the Lions with a patchwork line that included Davis, an undrafted free agent, Peterman, a player signed off the practice squad, and Stickdorn, who had been cut from the practice squad earlier in the season, at the end of the season. Backus and Raiola played reasonably well but the revolving door lineup at the other three positions left the Lions ineffective in every way. They could not pass protect well (Kitna was sacked a league-high 63 times) and their run-blocking was good for an average of only 3.7 yards per carry with the least-productive ground game in the NFL. The offensive line will get major attention in the off-season.