THE SIDELINES : Mouse Davis to Leave Detroit

Mouse Davis, hired by Coach Wayne Fontes to orchestrate the Detroit Lions’ run-and-shoot offense, says he is leaving Detroit.

Fontes said during a meeting with Davis that he is planning to switch to a tight end-oriented offense, Davis said Thursday.

“He said, ‘You can stay if you want to,’ but that would be kind of ridiculous,” Davis said.

Another of the conductors for Detroit’s run-and-shoot, June Jones, left last week for a job with Atlanta.

Fontes has said he plans some offensive changes, particularly in light of mid-season criticism last year that running back Barry Sanders was carrying the ball too little. Sanders still led the NFL in rushing with 1,304 yards.

Davis’s only regret is Fontes didn’t give the offense more time. “Because I think we did a good job, I don’t have any bad feelings,” Davis said. “I’m disappointed because we didn’t get a chance to finish the job we started out to do.”