It doesn't matter if it's a zero-victory season or a two-victory season, the Detroit Lions are a bad team, columnist Drew Sharp says today in the Detroit Free Press.

And the Lions know it, Sharp writes:

"Those who've suffered the longest, Jeff Backus and Dominic Raiola, didn't talk with reporters following the 37-23 loss to Chicago. It was as though they couldn't bear spinning the same false optimism of a better tomorrow when they might be having more difficulty believing that themselves today."

We have more links on the Lions and other pro sports teams below.

MORE LIONS: • Detroit News columnist Bob Wojnowski says only in Detroit is a 2-14 season considered improvement.

• MLive.com's Tom Kowalski writes that we'll see a different side to Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz now that he's through his first season as a head coach.

DETROIT PISTONS: • Pistons guard Richard Hamilton is in a shooting slump and coming off a 2-for-13 night against Chicago. Pistons coach John Kuester says he hasn't lost any confidence in the veteran, MLive.com reports.

DETROIT RED WINGS: • Goalie Jimmy Howard is just one reason the Detroit Red Wings defense looks better, Ansar Khan writes for MLive.com.

NFL: • That didn't take long. Jim Zorn was fired as coach of the Washington Redskins on Sunday, and he deserved better treatment, Washington Post columnist Tracee Hamilton writes.

• Don't sweat the broken ribs and broken finger, former Michigan and current New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady says. He feels fine now, Pro Football Talk reports.

• Peter King, writing in his Monday Morning QB column at SI.com, breaks down the final weekend of the regular season and the upcoming playoffs.