Offensive coordinator Jim Colletto made it pretty clear today that the Lions don't plan on using Drew Stanton in goal-line situations Sunday against Carolina. Last week, Stanton took two snaps inside the 5 on the Lions' first-quarter touchdown drive (he threw the 1-yard scoring pass to John Owens) because the Lions didn't want to overload starter Daunte Culpepper in their rush to get him ready five days after he signed.

Asked if Stanton will play against the Panthers, Colletto didn't rule it out, though it seems the plan is to give Culpepper all the work as long as the game stays close.

“We'll see how the game plays out,” Colletto said. “This is the first time Daunte's played on the road where he's in the silent-count problems and all that. We'll see how he adjusts to that and we'll let the game kind of dictate that. We won't do the goal line. We did the goal-line thing a week ago for a specific reason, we probably won't do that this time.”

As for how his two quarterbacks played last week, Colletto said Culpepper is getting “better and better little by little” and Stanton was “good” overall and “fair” in the fourth quarter.

“Both he and Daunte held the ball a little bit, a couple of times,” Colletto said. “And that happens when they don't play. Their first time out there in the speed of the game and making instant decisions, that happens to a lot of quarterbacks when they first start out, they hold the ball a little too long.”

• I said earlier this week the Lions are basically finishing training camp here as they head into the 10th game of the season. They're on their third starting quarterback, have started six different offensive lines and will have just four of 11 players from their Week 1 defense in the starting lineup Sunday. I don't know who's fault that is – Matt Millen and the front office for their talent evaluation, the coaches for their indecisiveness, or players for underperforming – but I do know that's a big reason the Lions are 0-9. “The team we're playing right now, it's remarkable,” Colletto said. “They haven't had a change in the starting lineup on defense in the whole season. That's really unique. We might be the other end of the coin.”

• Vegas is beginning to think the Lions will finish the season winless. BodogLife.com has set the line at 2-to-1 they finish 0-16. As for when they'll record their first win, Dec. 21 against the Saints is most likely according to the web site (11-to-4) followed by Dec. 7 against Minnesota (11-to-2). Games this week at Carolina, next week against Tampa and Dec. 14 at Indianapolis are all 6-to-1.

• Dominic Raiola probably will have to snap with his left hand if he's able to return from a broken right thumb next week as he hopes. That shouldn't be an issue when the quarterback is under center, but Colletto said Raiola hasn't mastered snapping lefty in the shotgun yet. “His left-handed shotgun snaps look like Hoyt Wilhelm's pitches,” Colletto said.

• Also on the injury front, Keith Smith, who's been perhaps the Lions' best cover man this year, will miss Sunday's game with a groin injury. Starting defensive ends Jared DeVries and Dewayne White and safety Dwight Smith also are out, and Mike Furrey is doubtful with lingering symptoms from a concussion. Quarterback Dan Orlovsky had his fractured right thumb re-examined Friday and will miss at least three more weeks.