Detroit, MI -- On the heels of his controversial decision to give up the ball despite winning the overtime coin toss -- a move which cost his team a win against NFC North rival Chicago Bears -- Detroit Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg made another questionable strategic call on Sunday: he challenged, then declined, his own team's last second, game-winning touchdown versus the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, instead opting tor overtime.

The result? An immediate 23-20 loss.

''I felt pretty good about going into the extra fifteen [minute overtime period],'' Mornhinweg told a group of visibly stunned reporters who had asked why he had challenged the touchdown, a 55-yard "hail Mary" pass from Joey Harrington to Germane Crowell that clinched the game as time expired. "I felt that after just having given up a hail mary to lose the game, the Patriots would be emotionally deflated going into O.T, and we could take advantage of that."

"Plus," he added, "the wind was blowing like a typhoon out there. Again."

When reminded that the Ford Field (right) is, in fact, a dome, with absolutely no wind factor whatsoever, Mornhinweg shrugged. "Hey, I'm no scientist, I'm a football coach, and, jeez, I knew that we had them right where we wanted them. That's why I chose to shock them into submission by forcing an unnecessary overtime period, and starting it off with that squib kick."

Mornhinweg was referring to Jason Hanson's 7-yard pooch kick that went directly to shocked Patriots' special teamer Patrick Pass, who rumbled all the way to the Lions' 11-yard line before being dragged down by Hanson alone, as the ten other Lions stood and watched. On the very next play, kicker Adam Vinatieri connected on a 29-yard chip shot field goal, ending the 13-second overtime period and sealing the Lions tenth loss.

This latest defeat raised yet another round of questions concerning Mornhinweg's ability to lead an NFL team.

''Sure, with hindsight, we can second-guess the decision," said Detroit Free Press reporter, Don Lane. "But seriously, was he [Mornhinweg] drunk, or maybe on medication? First, he challenges that his own receiver [Crowell] didn't have both feet inbounds, even though he was standing in the middle of the end zone holding the ball over his head. Then, when that failed, he challenges that the Lions – his own team, I remind you again -- had 23 guys on the field, when it was clear they had the legal eleven. I think after that the refs just said, 'Screw it, let him get his own ass fired,' and ruled for overtime."

Lane continued: "He's [Mornhinweg] clearly gone insane. I….I mean...I don't know what to…will this interminably horrific season ever end? Have the people of Detroit done something to anger the Lord?"

Lane then walked off, shaking his head and sipping from a flask of cheap bourbon.

When asked about Mornhinweg's latest strategic blunder, President and General Manager Matt Millen defended the decision to start overtime by giving the Patriots tposession on the Lions' 11-yard line. "One hail Mary was scored on that side of the field already -- you know, the pass that initially won the game for us, which we of course declined -- so we figured we'd have them start too close to throw another hail Mary. Plus, we thought it best to take our chances with a kicker [Vinatieri] who hasn't missed a single clutch field goal since he came into the league."

Millen was then asked if he wished that Mornhinweg had accepted the game-winning touchdown, which, most experts believed, would have avoided overtime entirely.

"No," he answered, making a concerted effort not to look anyone directly in the eye. "I still believe that deciding not to accept the miraculous last-second victory and opting for sure defeat in overtime was the right call. I have faith in Marty, and, together, we’ll be running this team for years to come."

Hearing this, one reporter pulled out a .45-caliber pistol, yelled "Not if I see you in Hell first!" and aimed the gun at Millen, but was immediately restrained by his fellow scribes and dragged out of the media room screaming obscenities.

''Hey, you guys were excited, and the fans were excited,'' Millen said after the would-be assassin was bodily removed. "They wanted to see more football, and an extra thirteen seconds of losing overtime was the perfect way to give it to them."

"That's Lions football," he added.