• On Wednesday, Michael Lombardi said on Showtime's "Inside the NFL" that Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett "emerged" as the Lions #1 head coach candidate.  Lombardi added that Garrett has interest in the job because it will be possible to draft Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford.  Quite frankly, that sounds like an awful scenario for the Lions.  I'm against hiring Garrett and am especially against drafting Bradford.
  
  Thankfully, it appears that Garrett is not the front-runner for the Lions job after all.  Dave Birkett reported that what Lombardi said about Garrett is "not true," and even Lombardi posted this on Thursday: "I hear the order in Detroit today is Jim Schwartz of the Titans, Jason Garrett of the Cowboys and Leslie Frazier of the Vikings."  It seems like Martin Mayhew has kept things pretty close to the vest, so I wouldn't take too much away from reports about who is the front-runner for the job.  I don't think that will leak out until someone is actually hired.
  
• Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier will interview with the Lions today.
• Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan isn't thinking about possible job opportunities; he is focused on getting ready for the Ravens' next game.
• Rod Marinelli was in Houston on Thursday to interview for the Texans' defensive line job.

Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford has announced that he is going to enter the NFL Draft, and Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford will reportedly do the same thing following the conclusion of the Sooners' season tonight.  With Stafford and Bradford both set to go pro, the discussion over whether or not the Lions should draft one of them will really be taken to a new level.  DrewsLions already started the debate here on Pride of Detroit, but I want to get some numbers on what people think.

Below is a poll that asks a general question about the #1 overall pick.  Once we get closer to the draft I will post some specific polls, but let's just keep it general for now to get an idea of what everyone thinks should happen with the #1 overall pick.  Vote below and leave your thoughts in the comments.

• Contrary a report last week that Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett withdrew his name from the Lions' list of head coach candidates, he actually was interviewed by Detroit on Monday.  In fact, the interview went so well that he is reportedly the leading candidate for the job.  Personally, that is not what I wanted to hear.  Although Garrett's stock was on the rise a year ago, the Cowboys' offense was disappointing this past season.  I'd rather the Lions hire a defensive guy anyways, but out of all the candidates Garrett is near the bottom of my list.
• Dolphins assistant/secondary coach Todd Bowles was supposed to be interviewed by the Lions yesterday.  There is no confirmation that the interview took place, but I imagine we'll hear something in the next 24 hours or so. 
  
• The Lions are scheduled to interview Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier on Friday.
• As expected, Lions quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler has been hired by the University of Florida to coach QBs.
• Jason Hanson's uniform (jersey, pants, socks, and shoes) from the Colts game was donated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame since he set the all-time record for field goals of 50 or more yards during that game.  The ball he set the record with was also sent to the HOF. (HT: Tom Kowalski)
• Tom Kowalski took a look at the Lions' salary cap situation for 2009, and things are surprisingly looking promising.  At a minimum, the Lions should be around $28 million under the cap.  However, if some players with big salaries are released, that number could grow to as much as $39 million.  Kowalski speculates that Leigh Bodden will likely be released and Daunte Culpepper could be gone as well.  On top of that, it looks like many other players that are set to be free agents won't return, meaning an overhaul of the roster should thankfully happen.
• A Lions fan got a tattoo of the Lions logo with "0-16 2008" next to it.  I'd say that is taking things a bit too far.
• Former Lions defensive coordinator Joe Barry "would cherish" a new job.
• The Cowboys released Pacman Jones after allegations surfaced about his involvement in another shooting.  Roger Goodell needs to ban this idiot from the NFL for life right now.  It's going to happen eventually, so he might as well get it over with.
• The Cleveland Browns have agreed to hire former Jets coach Eric Mangini.

• Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier is going to interview with the Lions on Friday or Saturday.
• Dolphins assistant/secondary coach Todd Bowles is going to interview with the Lions today, and Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey is also expected to get an interview this week.
• Former Titans general manager Floyd Reese hasn't spoken with the Lions, not that that is the least bit surprising.  The Lions are looking for a personnel person to work with Tom Lewand and Martin Mayhew, but I highly doubt it will be a big name like Reese.
• Rod Marinelli now has an offer to be the Bears' defensive line coach.  Marinelli was recently in Seattle to talk about the Seahawks' defensive coordinator job, so Chicago may not be his only option.
• Matt Millen wouldn't trade any of the time he spent in Detroit as Lions general manager.

Good news, everyone!  Rob Parker has resigned from the Detroit News.  He was apparently demoted following the now infamous press conference after the Saints game and is now gone from the paper for good.

Detroit News sports columnist Rob Parker has resigned from the newspaper, the paper's managing editor told Journal-isms on Tuesday. Parker had been demoted to general assignment sports reporter, the Newspaper Guild disclosed, in the fallout from a news conference question to the coach of the Detroit Lions NFL team that drew criticism from management, readers and other sports journalists.

"He doesn't work here any more," Managing Editor Donald Nauss said. He said Parker resigned on Friday. Asked whether this followed a suspension of his column, Nauss said, "I can't talk about personnel matters."

It's pretty interesting that Parker's last column with the News was his horrific attempt at apologizing to Rod Marinelli.  Parker made the column more about himself than anything else and lied about his relationship with Marinelli in it.  That is pretty much the best sendoff possible for Parker, as he will be best remembered best for spreading lies and being a shoddy journalist.

Aside from the fact that Parker is gone, the good news now is that I can once again link to articles from the Detroit News.  I had boycotted them following Parker's actions after the Saints game, but now that he no longer works there, the boycott is over.

Since there have been so many changes since I originally posted this, below is an updated version of the Lions' list of head coach candidates.  I decided to go ahead and add Brian Billick to the list, even though there are conflicting reports about whether or not he is actually a candidate.  I tend to think he isn't, but I added him to the list anyways.  I did the same with Jim Harbaugh, though I don't want to believe he is actually a candidate.

Anyways, here is the updated version of the list:

• This is going to be a very busy week for the Lions.  With the teams Todd Bowles, Leslie Frazier, and Mike Mularkey coach for eliminated from the playoffs, all three can now interview with the Lions.  Bowles is scheduled to meet with the Lions on Wednesday according to an NFL.com report last week, but Dave Birkett, who talked with Bowles on Monday, reports that nothing has been set up just yet.  Bowles did mention that he is "very interested" in the job, so I imagine an interview will be scheduled for sometime this week.
• According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Lions are interested in Chargers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.  Unfortunately for Detroit, Rivera is not listening to any teams about potential jobs until the Chargers are eliminated from the playoffs.  He wants his focus to be solely on the Chargers, which I can't fault him for one bit.
• The National Football Post's Michael Lombardi said in his Monday column that the Lions are interested in Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh.  Harbaugh has been linked to the Raiders' opening before, but this is the first time his name has been thrown around with the Lions.  I would be 100% against Harbaugh becoming the Lions head coach based on the fact that he is only a college coach (and for his comments that bashed Michigan a couple years ago).  There are way too many candidates that are more qualified than Harbaugh to even give him a look.
  
• Lions quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler had nothing to say about the report that he will take a job with the University of Florida.  From what I've heard, this is already a done deal and both parties are just waiting to make it official until after Florida's game on Thursday.  Once the dust settles, Loeffler will be named the new quarterbacks coach of the Gators.
• According to SI's Peter King, no one in the NFL "can believe William Clay Ford didn't move to hire a new GM."
• Rod Marinelli was reportedly in Seattle on Monday to meet with Seahawks coach Jim Mora about a job.
• NBC confirmed that Matt Millen will be on the network's Super Bowl pre-game show.  God help us all.  I just want to relax and enjoy watching the Super Bowl.  Instead I'm going to fill up with anger and have to fight the urge of throwing my shoe at the TV screen every time Millen is on it.

• Lions quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler may be hired by the University of Florida sometime after the Gators' national title game on Thursday.  Loeffler worked for Michigan before joining the Lions this past season, and there was a report last month that he might end up heading to the University of Washington.  He definitely seems to want to be in college, so this doesn't come as a big surprise.
• Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray was interviewed by the Lions on Friday and said he was "surprised" to get an interview.  I don't really think Gray will end up getting hired by the Lions, but the Washington Post's Jason La Canfora brings up a good point that Gray could potentially become the Lions' defensive coordinator after a coach is hired.  Just because he may not get the head coaching job doesn't mean he would not be considered for the defensive coordinator position.
• Despite multiple reports that the Lions have contacted former Ravens coach Brian Billick, Tom Kowalski maintains that the Lions have done no such thing.  I'll hold off on adding Billick to the list of candidates until something more concrete comes out.
• ESPN's Chris Mortenson thinks Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey are two people to watch with regards to the Lions' search for a new head coach.  Mortenson thinks we should keep an eye on Mularkey because the Lions will probably draft a QB with the #1 overall pick, and Mularkey worked with rookie quarterback Matt Ryan this past season.
• The Free Press has a transcript of what Matt Millen said during an interview with NBC on Saturday.  I posted the most notable quotes already, but there is now a video of the interview (see below).
  
  
• Following the interview, Millen stayed behind the camera as an analyst for the rest of the day and apparently will do so the same thing for NBC at the Super Bowl.  I'm not the least bit surprised that Millen is back on TV, but I really can't take anything he says seriously.  Although he isn't a bad TV personality, his pathetic performance as a general manager has diminished any credibility he had as an analyst in my mind.
• Last Friday on the Dan Patrick Show, SI's Peter King apparently said that there was a 50% chance Bill Parcells would end up in Detroit and a 50% chance that he would end up staying in Miami.  King was talking about whether or not Parcells will opt out if new ownership takes over the Dolphins, and his comments really surprised me.  Parcells would only come to Detroit if he had control, and with the current situation being what it is, he wouldn't have very much control.  King's statement about the Lions' chances with Parcells certainly seemed odd, and it is now moot, as The Big Tuna is reportedly staying in Miami.
• Many expect Rod Marinelli to be hired by the Bears, but it now looks like he could end up landing in Seattle.
• The Patriots are reportedly going to put the franchise tag on quarterback Matt Cassel, who is scheduled to become a free agent after this season.

Eagles - 26 :: Vikings - 14

This was only a two-point game midway through the fourth quarter before Brian Westbrook basically sent the Eagles to the next round of the playoffs on one play.  Westbrook caught a pass on a screen type of play and took off.  He picked up some great blocks downfield and navigated his way into the end zone to score a 71-yard touchdown.  The TD put the Eagles on top 23-14 and put the Vikings in a huge hole, especially since their offense couldn't move the ball.

Adrian Peterson did his best to keep the Vikings in the game during the first half with a pair of touchdowns.  One came from 40 yards away and the other was from 3 yards out.  Peterson's first TD actually gave the Vikings the lead until David Akers nailed a field goal and Asante Samuel picked off Tarvaris Jackson and ran the interception back 44 yards for a touchdown.  At that point it looked like this game was going to become very one-sided, but Peterson scored on the proceeding drive to keep things close until the fourth quarter.

The Daily Norseman was happy with the Vikings' season despite the loss.

Well, the Vikings slugged it out with the Eagles for four quarters.  They let up one big play to the one guy that they couldn't afford to give up a big play to late, and did nothing offensively in the second half.

Overall, however, this was a pretty successful season for the Vikings.  They captured a division championship, fought hard in the first round of the post-season, and have a lot of things to build on going into 2009.

There are now no more NFC North teams left in the playoffs, as Minnesota was the only one to begin with.  The only other team that had a shot at the playoffs was Chicago, and they blew their chance in the last week of the season.  Given that, Around the NFC North is officially on vacation until next season.  Here's to a stronger division from top to bottom in 2009.