Lions' progress can't be measured by record alone

So the Lions are 1-4 heading into their final game before the bye week.  But Detroit is a much better football team than its record shows.

In Week 1, the Lions lost to a still undefeated Saints team that is widely considered a Top 3 team in the league.  The next week, Detroit fell to the Vikings, another team that remains undefeated after five games.  The Lions were somewhat unexpectedly able to take care of business against a Redskins team in shambles, getting their first win since December 2007.  In the next two games, Detroit lost to 3-1 Chicago and the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

The bottom line?  The Lions have faced a very tough schedule and won the only game in which anyone gave them a chance.  They also have been forced to deal with injury issues, especially this past week against the Steelers.  If the Lions can stay healthy and continue to improve, they will start earning victories over the better teams in the league.  And it all starts this week in Green Bay.

--STANLEY KAY