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Two INTs, only 8 completions for Culpepper
BY CARLOS MONARREZ • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • November 24, 2008
As Daunte Culpepper dressed in the locker room Sunday after the Lions' loss to Tampa Bay, reporters closed in on the quarterback. A team staff person asked reporters to hold their questions until Culpepper was done putting on his three-piece suit.
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Culpepper slipped on his vest, looked at a cameraman and smiled.
"You can film me getting dressed," he said.
Why not? It was one of few times Culpepper looked good all day at Ford Field.
The three-time Pro Bowler started his third game for the Lions since ending his retirement and threw two interceptions, connected on only eight of 20 passes and turned in a 37.7 rating -- his worst since 2005. Coach Rod Marinelli said Culpepper has become more familiar with the offense each week, but Culpepper had his worst game so far.
"The game of football, you always have ups and downs. Everybody knows that," said Culpepper, who has thrown for two touchdowns and five interceptions. "We've just got to be able to play out when we get out in front of somebody, know what it takes to go ahead and bury them and just continue to move forward."
Culpepper helped the Lions to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter with two big passes to Calvin Johnson, including a 15-yard TD pass. But Culpepper connected with Johnson only once more.
"They were double-covering him and triple-covering him the rest of the game," Culpepper said. "Like I said, I got to give that defense some credit. Those guys studied us. They knew the things that we like to do to get him the ball. We just got to figure out different ways to get him the ball."
With the defense blanketing Johnson, Culpepper turned to Shaun McDonald -- and paid a price. Cornerback Ronde Barber stepped in front of passes twice that led to touchdowns, including his own 65-yard return in the third that capped a 35-0 run.
"Ronde, both times he made a decision and he jumped both of the routes and made plays," Culpepper said. "I wish I could have them back. I can't."
After the second interception, with the Lions trailing, 35-17, Marinelli benched Culpepper and inserted Drew Stanton because he said "it was a good chance to maybe give us a spark."
Marinelli said Culpepper would remain the starter. Stanton left in the fourth with a concussion, and Marinelli said Dan Orlovsky's broken thumb has not improved.
"It's easy to say I took a step back because of the interceptions," Culpepper said. "But I don't know. I have to see the film. For us to come out and go down in the first quarter and do some positive things, I think that's always something to build on. We've just got to keep building.
"There's no way anybody around here should be like, 'Hey, it's over.' No, it's never over. We've just got to keep building and keep working."
Contact CARLOS MONARREZ at 313-222-6697 or cmonarrez@freepress.com.
BY CARLOS MONARREZ • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • November 24, 2008
As Daunte Culpepper dressed in the locker room Sunday after the Lions' loss to Tampa Bay, reporters closed in on the quarterback. A team staff person asked reporters to hold their questions until Culpepper was done putting on his three-piece suit.
Advertisement
Culpepper slipped on his vest, looked at a cameraman and smiled.
"You can film me getting dressed," he said.
Why not? It was one of few times Culpepper looked good all day at Ford Field.
The three-time Pro Bowler started his third game for the Lions since ending his retirement and threw two interceptions, connected on only eight of 20 passes and turned in a 37.7 rating -- his worst since 2005. Coach Rod Marinelli said Culpepper has become more familiar with the offense each week, but Culpepper had his worst game so far.
"The game of football, you always have ups and downs. Everybody knows that," said Culpepper, who has thrown for two touchdowns and five interceptions. "We've just got to be able to play out when we get out in front of somebody, know what it takes to go ahead and bury them and just continue to move forward."
Culpepper helped the Lions to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter with two big passes to Calvin Johnson, including a 15-yard TD pass. But Culpepper connected with Johnson only once more.
"They were double-covering him and triple-covering him the rest of the game," Culpepper said. "Like I said, I got to give that defense some credit. Those guys studied us. They knew the things that we like to do to get him the ball. We just got to figure out different ways to get him the ball."
With the defense blanketing Johnson, Culpepper turned to Shaun McDonald -- and paid a price. Cornerback Ronde Barber stepped in front of passes twice that led to touchdowns, including his own 65-yard return in the third that capped a 35-0 run.
"Ronde, both times he made a decision and he jumped both of the routes and made plays," Culpepper said. "I wish I could have them back. I can't."
After the second interception, with the Lions trailing, 35-17, Marinelli benched Culpepper and inserted Drew Stanton because he said "it was a good chance to maybe give us a spark."
Marinelli said Culpepper would remain the starter. Stanton left in the fourth with a concussion, and Marinelli said Dan Orlovsky's broken thumb has not improved.
"It's easy to say I took a step back because of the interceptions," Culpepper said. "But I don't know. I have to see the film. For us to come out and go down in the first quarter and do some positive things, I think that's always something to build on. We've just got to keep building.
"There's no way anybody around here should be like, 'Hey, it's over.' No, it's never over. We've just got to keep building and keep working."
Contact CARLOS MONARREZ at 313-222-6697 or cmonarrez@freepress.com.