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While Donovan McNabb’s benching was the main story after the Detroit/Washington game — For Sex Cannon Rex? Really? — Calvin Johnson was the story during the game. Granted, Johnson had some help from Ndamukong Suh, among others, but his nine catch, three touchdown, 101 yard day was so dominant, it’s hard not to think of Johnson’s name when discussing the best receivers in the NFL, and watching him drag DeAngelo Hall into the end zone was an awesome display of athleticism.

Plus, it was a perfect way to pay Hall back for that first quarter interception on a pass intended for Johnson. It’s safe to say Johnson got the last laugh:

Johnson’s other touchdowns are in the video as well, but the strength he displayed on his first was, simply put, beast-like.

When discussing Johnson with friends, I often make a comparison to Shawn Kemp playing wide receiver. His athleticism was apparent in college. However, I’m not sure if that’s enough praise. It may be time to add “the best receiver in the NFL” title as well.

…Of the NFL’s rules committee. By now, you’ve seen, heard and undoubtedly offered opinion about the Detroit Lions and their chance to beat the Chicago Bears — on the road, no less — and Calvin Johnson’s pass catch in the end zone that, well, wasn’t. It seems like a spirit/letter of the law discussion, one that gets obfuscated by comments like this:

He fell down and the ball came out. You got to secure it. It’s that simple.

Yes, after his two feet, followed by the legs, behind, and the rest of Johnson’s body — the left side, anyway — hit the ground while he had the ball in his possession. However, because he didn’t hold onto the ball while he was getting up, it’s was ruled as not being a catch, regardless of how many other criteria of catching the ball Johnson met.

While other, more knowledgeable football fans have pointed out it was a good call, but a bad rule, something in the The Big Lead’s post stood out to me:

Item 3: End Zone Catches. If a player catches the ball while in the end zone, both feet must be completely on the ground before losing possession, or the pass is incomplete.

As indicated, Johnson’s feet, legs and the rest of his body hit the ground — completely — before the ball on the ground incident. Perhaps I’m reading the above quote wrong, but it sounds like Johnson complied with the rules of an end zone catch. At least to me, anyway. Whatever the case, it wasn’t ruled a catch, and all of the Monday morning analysis in the world isn’t going to change that.

Sounds like yet another situation the NFL will be addressing in the offseason, while they are deciding whether or not to lock their players out. I guess the silver lining is, if/when football comes back after the money split is sorted out, they should have this rule clarified, if not outright fixed.

Perhaps by then, what our eyes tell us — it was a catch, as was Louis Murphy’s last season — will indeed by true.

So that’s what 0-16 looks like? As expected, Lions head coach Rod Marinelli was let go this morning as Detroit hopes to rebuild what’s left of its football team.

The thing is, what, exactly, do Lions need to be competitive again? There’s talent on the offense with Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson but they need so much more. A Matt Ryan-type quarterback would be a godsend — that is, a rookie quarterback that can come in and play — as would any defensive studs that fall into their lap. Of course, hiring the right staff can’t hurt either. Just ask Matt Millen, who was no doubt watching yesterday when the fruits of his labor blossomed in such memorable fashion.