CHICAGO -- The Lions head into Soldier Field on Sunday with something they haven't had in a long, long time: momentum.

It will be interesting to see how Calvin Johnson and company respond to a win after dealing with so many losses just a year ago. To get a read on how Lions fans are feeling heading into this NFC North battle, I e-mailed Sean Yuille, the editor of Pride of Detroit, a popular Lions blog. The following is our exchange ...

Nick Friedell: Is there a singular emotion that could describe how Lions fans feel after last Sunday's win?

Sean Yuille: I think more than anything, it was a combination of excitement and relief. The excitement stemmed from the fact that fans finally got a chance to celebrate a Lions' win for the first time since Dec. 23, 2007, and the relief was because the losing streak finally came to an end. Following the game, the players and Jim Schwartz talked about how they got the monkey off their back, but I think owner William Clay Ford was more accurate in saying that they finally got King Kong off their back.

NF: Did some fans think the losing streak was never going to end?

SY: I think most fans knew that the streak would end sometime this season, but it was tough to pinpoint a specific game. Before Brett Favre came back I thought the Vikings game in Week 2 was the Lions' best shot at a win until after the bye week, but in the days leading up to the Redskins game nearly all Lions fans had a good feeling. I still thought the Redskins would win simply because it seems like the Lions always find a way to lose, but I definitely thought it was the most winnable game until after the bye week.

NF: What do Lions fans think of facing Rod Marinelli this week?

SY: There were a couple articles out of Chicago trying to make this a storyline, but honestly it is an afterthought for Lions fans. No one on Pride of Detroit has talked about Rod Marinelli, and I think that is partly because we are still all focused on the Redskins win and because we all want to forget about the Marinelli era here in Detroit. Plus, Jim Schwartz is going up against Lovie Smith, not Rod Marinelli, as he is only a position coach.

NF: What was Marinelli's biggest downfall in Detroit?

SY: Obviously having Matt Millen as the general manager contributed to many of the Lions' problems, but for Rod Marinelli I don't know if he was ready to take on a head coaching job. There was some definite improvement when the Lions started 6-2 in 2007, but the second half of the season was the beginning of the end for him and the precursor to 0-16. Before this past Sunday, the Lions only had one win in over one and a half seasons if you go back to the middle of the '07 campaign, which is when everything collapsed and went downhill. More than anything, I believe Marinelli was too focused on the defense, specifically the defensive line. He pretty much let Mike Martz and Jim Colletto worry about the offense during his tenure, and his focus on the D-line made it seem like he didn't have the right mindset for a head coach. When you consider that the defense always stunk in the Marinelli era, it really makes that method of coaching seem even worse.

NF: Was he liked by most of the fan base?

SY: By the time he was fired all fans hated his coaching, but he was liked as a person for sure. Rod Marinelli is a nice guy with a big heart, and despite his coaching problems here in Detroit, everybody respected him as a person.

NF: What do they think of Jim Schwartz?

SY: Everybody loved Jim Schwartz from Day One, simply for his personality. He is the sort of guy you can sit down and have a beer with, which especially became evident when he was interviewed by a local rock radio station. Schwartz's love of music was already well known, but he literally spent over an hour chatting it up about 80s rock music and it seemed like he was one of the hosts of the show.

Adding to his personality is the fact that he understands the fans and is a man of the people. He has been to Red Wings' and Tigers' games, a race at Michigan International Speedway (where he hung out with Kid Rock), and he even went to a bar when he first got here to check out a Wings game, thinking he wouldn't be recognized. He has spoken about how he wants to win for the fans, and after the Lions did win on Sunday, he sent the players back out to the field to celebrate with the fans.

NF: How is he different than Marinelli?

SY: Schwartz seems to be much more ready to be a head coach. Although he obviously is concerned with the defense because he was a defensive coordinator, Schwartz has made sure to coach the Lions as an entire team. Also, during games, Schwartz already seems like he is more apt to make positive adjustments on the fly and in general is a better in-game coach than Marinelli was.

NF: How do Detroit fans feel about the progression of Matthew Stafford so far?

SY: He received a lot of criticism after the first two games and some people even called for him to be benched. I personally felt it was way too early to even think about changing the quarterback, mainly because Stafford is a rookie. Some people seemed to have forgotten that considering how quickly he became the starting QB, but I think most fans realize that he isn't going to become an all-pro player overnight. It will take some time for him to develop as a quarterback in the NFL, but we all got a look at his potential last week against the Redskins. Obviously, every game won't be as good as that one, but he has shown great promise that has fans extremely hopeful for the future.

NF: What are his biggest strengths/weaknesses that you've noticed up to this point?

SY: I will get the weakness out of the way since it's obvious: untimely interceptions. Stafford tries to force passes every once in a while, trying to make a play when he would be better off throwing the ball away. He did a much better job of not forcing passes against the Redskins, which is why he played so well and the Lions won.

As for his strengths, the biggest one is probably his arm. He can rocket passes downfield and zip them to receivers underneath. Receivers commented on how hard he throws it after his first practice, and although he puts touch on the ball when he needs to, he can throw the ball on a rope if he wants.

NF: If Kevin Smith doesn't play, do you think that will have a major impact on what they are trying to do?

SY: The Lions' gameplan each week is to run the ball and stop the run. One reason the Lions want to run the ball is to eat up up the clock and keep the game out of Matthew Stafford's hands as much as possible. Smith struggled in the first week of the season, improved against the Vikings, and was outstanding this past Sunday. He rushed for over 100 yards, and it could have been much more if he had not been injured in the third quarter. Losing him this week would be a big blow to the Lions' offense and their plan to pound the ball down Chicago's throat.

NF: Do Lions fans dislike the Bears more than any other team?

SY: I think Lions fans equally dislike all of the other teams in the NFC North. There is a unique rivalry with each, so it's tough to say if one team is more hated than another.

NF: What should Bears fans be most concerned about heading into Sunday?

SY: Bears fans should start to worry if Jay Cutler doesn't pick apart the Lions' secondary. Every opposing quarterback in the three games the Lions have played so far this season had a big day. Drew Brees set a career high in single-game passing touchdowns; Brett Favre only threw a few incompletions; and the Redskins moved the ball quite well through the air save one interception. If Cutler, for some reason, is unable to have his way with the secondary, then Bears fans should probably start worrying.

NF: What are Lions fans most worried about as the team gets ready to come to Chicago?

SY: I'm most worried about Kevin Smith's status for Sunday. If he doesn't play, the Lions' chances of winning greatly decrease, and although Maurice Morris is a competent replacement, Smith showed last week how great he can be.

NF: What is your prediction for Sunday's game?

SY: I think this will be a fairly close game that is decided in the fourth quarter. As much as I want to drink the Honolulu Blue Kool-Aid this week, I do think the Bears will win the game, probably by a field goal or a touchdown.

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