ALLEN PARK -- He doesn't have any NFL victories yet, but Detroit Lions running back Kevin mith is still clinging to his sense of humor -- and hope for the future.

When asked about hitting his first 100-rushing game on Sunday, Smith said, "Having 100 yards was OK but every back on the field had 100 yards."

Grand Rapids Press columnist Brian VanOchten joined Bill Simonson inside the "GR Press Box" to talk about the Detroit Lions' latest loss, 31-22 to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday and the possible future of coach Rod Marinelli.

"I think there are a few guys on that team that may have given up on him," VanOchten said. "But, for the most part, the players love this guy, they love playing for him because he is the rah-rah guy. He's not going to go south on his guys. There's a certain nobility in that. Problem is, as everyone can see, it doesn't produce any results."

Calvin Johnson, one of the few reasons for optimism on the Detroit Lions roster, has suffered a thigh injury and will be limited in practice this week, according to insider Tom Kowalski. He tells WDFN's Stoney and Wojo that this doesn't help the team's offensive situation ahead of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"That really hurts them because they needed those two [quarterback Daunte Culpepper and Calvin Johnson] to get on the same page with some of the things they were doing," says Kowalski. "It's not going to help the Lions if Calvin Johnson misses a lot of practice this week."

Detroit Lions head coach Rod Marinelli, at his press conference today, defended his decision to punt the ball with 4:28 left in the game. The Lions, who trailed by nine points at the time, had a fourth-and-four situation at their own 26-yard line. Here are some excerpts from Marinelli's presser:

After having time to reflect on it, do you still think you made the right decision to punt late in the game?

Lions coach Rod Marinelli looked poised to lead the Lions to their first win of the season in the first half on Sunday.

But in the second half, Lions insider Tom Kowalski said Marinelli's game plan began to fall apart and suddenly all was lost - yet again.

AP PhotoLions quarterback Daunte Culpepper (11) loses the ball as he attempts to score on a two-point conversion during the second half.

STORIES

• Panthers' running game keeps Lions winless

• Lions' Marinelli on 0-10: 'Have I failed? Yes'

• Grading the Lions: Turnovers trouble for offense

• Extra points: Hanson still bright spot for Lions

COLUMNS

• Kowalski: Time running out on Marinelli's tenure with Lions

• VanOchten: Culpepper still looking to have fun as Lions' QB

MULTIMEDIA & MORE

• Kowalski on WDFN: Marinelli froze with game on the line

• Photos: Carolina Panthers 31, Detroit Lions 22

• Live blog recap: Carolina Panthers 31, Detroit Lions 22 | Box score

AP PhotoCarolina's Jonathan Stewart (28) celebrates after a touchdown run in the second quarter against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- When you can't keep a firm grip on either the football or the opposing ballcarriers, it's going to make for a tough day. And so it was with the Detroit Lions yet again.

The Lions turned the ball over four times on offense and, on defense, several missed tackles led to a 264-yard rushing day by the Carolina Panthers, who beat Detroit 31-22. The Panthers now are 8-2 while the Lions remain the NFL's only winless team at 0-10.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Detroit Lions coach Rod Marinelli seems to get the same question every week: "How can he have any hope for this team?'' And he keeps giving the same answer. His response Sunday, though, appeared to be a little more testy than usual.

After the Lions lost 31-22 to the Carolina Panthers and dropped to 0-10 this season -- the only winless club in the NFL -- Marinelli was asked how he could remain encouraged.

"I've got unbelievable encouragement. Why? Because I believe in these players,'' said Marinelli, who was then asked "How?'' by a reporter.

AP PhotoIt appears Detroit Lions rookie Kevin Smith has a bright future ahead of him, but coach Rod Marinelli might not be around to see it.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- You get the feeling that time is just arriving for several of the Detroit Lions key young players -- guys such as Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith, Gosder Cherilus, Daniel Bullocks and Cliff Avril -- but that time has almost run out on coach Rod Marinelli.

After Sunday's 31-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Lions are 0-10. Dating back to last season, they are 1-17. It's the worst 18-game stretch in the club's 75-year history.

Going on and on about how horrible the Lions are is beyond redundant and tiresome. However, when you look beyond the collective not-quite-good-enough roster, there definitely are signs the Lions have some pretty good pieces to build around in the offseason.

AP PhotoDetroit's Daunte Culpepper had two interceptions, include one late in the fourth quarter.

Grading the Detroit Lions on their 31-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday:

OFFENSE: D
Two turnovers -- Michael Gaines' fumble and Daunte Culpepper's fourth-quarter interception -- were lethal, but the Lions did put 22 points on the host Panthers. Carolina's defense went into the game ranked No. 2 in points allowed.

Rookie Kevin Smith got his first 100-yard game (112 yards on 24 carries for an impressive 4.7-yard average). The Lions also did a good job of moving the chains and eating minutes -- they had three drives of more than 6:46 and won the time of possession battle by more than eight minutes. The turnovers, though, ruined an otherwise solid performance.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Free agent Daunte Culpepper left behind an undefeated team making a deep postseason run to join a hapless franchise that's in real danger of standing alone as the biggest laughingstock in professional sports and becoming the infamous response to a Trivial Pursuit question.

Any regrets?

One, perhaps.

The best and worst from the Detroit Lions' 31-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday:

HIGHLIGHTS
• Oh, what a relief! The imperfect Lions almost fumbled their stranglehold on the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL draft. No sense in messing that up.

• Ageless placekicker Jason Hanson tied his own franchise record with a 56-yard field goal in the second quarter. It is the longest field goal on the road or outdoors in team history, and also boosts him into seventh place on the NFL's all-time scoring list.