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After the Lions' 38-14 loss to Jacksonville, here are three (mostly) indisputable facts I feel relatively sure about:

1. The decision to start a quarterback -- any quarterback -- less than a week after signing him out of retirement needs to reflect on somebody. Was it general manager Martin Mayhew's call? Coach Rod Marinelli's? Owner William Clay Ford? But following that route, especially when there is a healthy alternative on the roster, screams of dart-throwing. The Lions are trying anything, even if it makes no sense. Daunte Culpepper didn't lose Sunday's game, but the Lions put him in an unwinnable situation.

2. Suggesting the Culpepper decision had recent precedent, as Marinelli tried to do, twists reality. Yes, Vinny Testaverde started last season in similar fashion for Carolina. But the Panthers didn't have the options Detroit did. Testaverde started because Jake Delhomme and David Carr were injured. The only other quarterback on the roster was undrafted rookie Matt Moore, who had been on the roster for a month. The Lions had the choice between Culpepper and a healthy Drew Stanton, who has been with the team since 2007. Stanton might not be ready to start, but he has to be a better option than a player who doesn't know the offense.

3. As David Birkett of the Oakland Press points out, the Lions' biggest problem is not at quarterback but on defense. Sunday, they gave up five consecutive touchdown drives to the Jaguars. The seas were parting on a regular basis. Now there are significant injuries to defensive ends Dewayne White and Jared DeVries. Normally, you would assume that's bad news. With this team, does it really matter who is playing?

And here is one question I'm still asking:

Is this a tease, or have the Lions really committed to rookie tailback Kevin Smith? Coaches have switched between Smith and veteran Rudi Johnson for much of the season, but Sunday they gave the ball to Smith 23 times. Given the state of the franchise, it has been hard to understand the wisdom of using a veteran at any position when there is an option of playing a promising rookie. Is the job Smith's the rest of the way? You never know.