Detroit Lions Football Team

Fun bunch, these Detroit Lions. The owner stops by long enough to call his team lousy. The No. 1 draft choice has just returned from undergoing emotional and personal counseling. And one more injury and Blue Cross might suggest that the team find a nice HMO somewhere. The Lions are 2-9 and reeling. They know this because the Kansas City Chiefs, previously 1-9, celebrated Thanksgiving Day with a rare victory--over them.

THE NFC MINNESOTA VIKINGS at NEW YORK GIANTS * Time: Saturday, 9:30 a.m. * TV: Channel 7 * Radio: KNX 1070-AM * Records: Vikings 9-7, Giants 10-5-1 * The Line: Giants by 4 * Vikings by the numbers (with NFL ranking): Offense--334.6 (8th) Passing--207.1 (14th) Rushing--127.6 (6th) Defense--355.4 (29th) vs. Pass--231.5 (29th) vs. Rush--123.9 (23rd) * Giants by the numbers (with NFL ranking): Offense--282.1 (27th) Passing--157.8 (28th) Rushing--124.3 (6th) Defense--316.7 (18th) vs. Pass--226.

The spirit of paralyzed lineman Mike Utley was with the Detroit Lions right to the end of the game. One by one, as they trudged off the field at RFK Stadium, the defeated Lions gave the "thumbs-up" sign that Utley used to galvanize the club. And Redskin fans began giving the sign back to the Lions. "I was really touched by that," said rookie guard Roman Fortin, who is Utley's best friend on the team. "It just shows that the spirit Mike has shown has had an effect on everybody."

Quarterback Rodney Peete agreed to contract terms with the Detroit Lions, but the signing was delayed while the Lions tried to reach Richard Diehl, the surgeon who performed Peete's Achilles' tendon surgery last season. "It's standard operating procedure," the Lions' Chuck Schmidt said. "Normally, the surgery is done by our team doctor, but that didn't happen in this case. We just want to touch base with the doctor, but he was tied up with patients."

Chuck Long has agreed to a trade to the Rams, who will give him a chance to become the backup quarterback to Jim Everett. An official announcement is expected today, pending final paper work. Under NFL rules, players without contracts cannot be traded, so the Detroit Lions, for whom Long played last season, must sign him before trading him to the Rams. The Lions reportedly will receive a mid-round draft choice in return.

Detroit Lions quarterback Chuck Long has agreed to a trade to the Rams that will make him a backup to former Big Ten Conference rival Jim Everett. An official announcement from the Rams is expected today, pending some final paper work. Under NFL rules, players without contracts cannot be traded, so the Lions must first sign Long and then trade his contract to the Rams. The specifics already have been worked out, according to Long's agent, Jack Mills.

After watching the Chicago Bears demolish Phil Simms and the champion New York Giants the night before, Chuck Long bounced into the Detroit Lions' clubhouse Tuesday morning with a question. "We are going on strike, aren't we?" the quarterback asked. Everybody laughed. If there is no players' strike, the Lions will play the Bears next week, after meeting the Raiders at the Coliseum Sunday.

The Rams had a luncheon date Monday with Charger guard David Richards, and while Jack Faulkner, the team's administrator of pro personnel, waited at a restaurant near Rams Park, Richards was in Detroit signing a three-year deal for $5.1 million to play for the Lions. "I waited 45 minutes at the restaurant and then called Richards' home," Faulkner said. "His wife said he was in Detroit. I had talked to him Saturday and he indicated he would still be here. "Oh, well."

Lawrence Phillips says he's back in the NFL to stay and Barry Sanders says he's gone for good. Who do you think will gain the most yards this year? If you believe Detroit Lion running back Barry Sanders has retired, surrendered the chance to pass Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher and become a couch potato at 31, you are as gullible as Bill Walsh, who has bought into Phillips' revitalization with the San Francisco 49ers. Sanders doesn't like Detroit Coach Bobby Ross.