Rod Marinelli must have really wanted to be a NFL coach real bad to take the Detroit Lions job.  You already start behind the 8 ball when Matt Millen is the one calling the shots in the draft and free agency.  Poor Marinelli didn’t have a chance.  The offense was exciting at times but the defense was awful all season long.  Sure, their were injuries on that side of the ball but there wasn’t that much talent on the defense even when everyone was healthy.  I think the Lions were depending on Marinelli (a long time defensive co-ordinator) to make something out of nothing.  The future looks gloomy for Marinelli but it’s not all his fault.  The Lions were 3-13 (18.8%) in his rookie season.