Halo

Motown is moving on ... finally.

Sources have told FOXSports.com that after much speculation and deliberation, the Lions have fired head coach Steve Mariucci.
The same sources said they believe defensive coordinator Dick Jauron would be the team's interim head coach, but that has not yet been confirmed.

It was widely reported on Friday that Mariucci's days in Detroit were numbered, but he managed to last the weekend.

The last straw for Lions management apparently was Detroit's embarrassing 27-7 loss to Atlanta on Thanksgiving Day. Playing before a national television audience, the Falcons took a 27-0 lead into the fourth quarter and were able to sit starting quarterback Michael Vick.

This was supposed to be the season Mariucci got the Lions back on track. Quarterback Joey Harrington was entering his fourth season in the league and the team was loaded with talent at the skill positions.

But after sharing the NFC North lead at 3-3, the Lions have dropped four of their last five games to fall out of the postseason hunt for the sixth straight season.

In his two-plus years in Detroit, Mariucci had a 15-28 record � a far cry from the 60-43 mark he had during six seasons in San Francisco.

Mariucci has two more seasons left on a five-year, $25-million contract signed when he was hired in 2003.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5117306