The Detroit Lions' ugly start to the season has inspired major changes to the coaching staff.

The team fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi on Monday, the team announced. The Lions also fired offensive line coaches Jeremiah Washburn and Terry Heffernan. Coach Jim Caldwell confirmed that Jim Bob Cooter will take over as offensive coordinator.

The grandson of Vince Lombardi, Joe arrived in Detroit without experience as an NFL coordinator. He spent seven seasons with the New Orleans, including five years as Drew Brees' quarterback coach. Lombardi's place in Detroit always felt like an awkward fit. He struggled to adapt a Saints-like offense in Detroit based on timing and precision. Matthew Stafford has never mastered the finer points of the position like Brees, and he regressed in an offense built around short passing.

The last straw for Lombardi came on Sunday when the Lions lost to the Minnesota Vikings to drop their record 1-6. Stafford and the team's offensive line has struggled to recognize where pressure is coming from all season.

Caldwell, who has an offensive background, has been under fire for not delivering on his promise to improve Stafford. Caldwell, who is a proven offensive coach from his days in Indianapolis and Baltimore, figures to take on a larger role constructing the offense. If he's going to get heat, he may as well do it with his style of offense, the story said. Caldwell was instrumental in Peyton Manning's career and getting the Colts to the Super Bowl in the 2009 season as their head coach. He was hired late in the 2013 season in Baltimore, turning the Ravens' offense around and helping Joe Flacco win a Super Bowl. With Lombardi as his offensive coordinator, he was unable to replicate that success in Detroit.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford took a beating against the Minnesota Vikings, absorbing 13 hits and seven sacks. He'll inevitably be sore, but at least nothing is broken.

Stafford required X-rays on his non-throwing hand after the game, but they came back negative.

"In regard to Matthew, I'm sure some of you will ask about his hand," coach Jim Caldwell said to open his Monday press conference. "His hand was X-rayed and it was negative."

Another game against the Minnesota Vikings, another trip to the X-ray room for Matthew Stafford.

The Detroit Lions quarterback injured his left hand in Sunday's 28-19 loss against Minnesota, and was forced to finish the game with a glove. He underwent X-rays a few minutes after the game.

Although he didn't have the results, he's optimistic he's OK heading into next week's game against the Kansas City Chiefs in London.

"I think it's fine," Stafford said. "We'll see."

Stafford also underwent X-rays on his ribs after the first game against Minnesota, a 26-16 loss back in Week 2. He took eight hits in that game, was sacked once and took two more blows while trying to get out of bounds.

Stafford says he's fine and he played through it but owners should pay attention to this situation leading up to Week 8.

It has not been a very fun season for the Lions, who fell to 0-5 Sunday when they were blown out by the Cardinals.

Lions Coach Jim Caldwell reiterated Monday that Matthew Stafford remains the team’s starting quarterback and doesn’t need to worry about being demoted.

“He’s never been on a short leash,” Caldwell told reporters. “And he won’t be in the future.”

The whole season seems that way. Caldwell is essentially saying that there’s lots of blame to go around. He called Sunday’s game “ugly” — it’s hard to disagree — and also said it was disappointing and embarrassing.

Stafford was benched Sunday after his third interception. That, though, seems like a situation in which everything was going wrong and it was best to get Stafford out of harm’s way the story suggested. Stafford and the Lions get a much friendlier matchup in Week 6 against the Bears.

The Detroit Lions benched starting quarterback Matthew Stafford for Dan Orlovsky after he threw his third interception in Sunday's meltdown against the Arizona Cardinals.

Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in 2009, was 20 of 32 passing for 188 yards at the time of his benching.

He threw an interception on the game's opening series, another on the Lions' first possession of the second quarter and was pulled after Patrick Peterson picked off a fourth-and-3 pass intended for Calvin Johnson on the Lions' opening drive of the second half.

Stafford had taken every Lions snap but two kneel-downs since the 2013 season, and had never been pulled in a game except for injury or competitive reasons in his seven-year career.

Both Lions coach Jim Caldwell and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi defended Stafford this week, with Lombardi saying, "I still don't think he's broken," a reference to comments he made after being hired as coordinator in January of 2014.

Stafford and Lombardi had a brief, non-animated exchange on the sideline after Stafford was benched. Stafford then stood alone near the 40-yard line while Orlovsky warmed up on the sideline. The Lions said Stafford was not pulled for injury reasons, the story said. It's interesting to note, the Lions signed Stafford to a three-year extension worth $41.7 million in the summer of 2013. But they can get out of the deal without owing Stafford any more money after this season. Stafford, who turns 28 in February, has no guaranteed money left on his deal, but he still would count $11 million against the salary cap if the Lions decide to go in another direction. His Week 6 status is in question at this point as the Lions host Chicago in an early afternoon game.