The Detroit Lions will look to make one last effort to get their third win of the season when the Chicago Bears come to Ford Field this Sunday. The game was sold out and the Lions will be on television one last time in 2009. For some reason, I am expecting there will be a whole lot of Bear fans in the stands.
Jim Schwartz has not said whether he will start Stanton or Culpepper at quarterback this Sunday. It is believed by the media that Culpepper will get the call. Last week he gave Stanton his first start of his career and it was a dismal performance. Not that Culpepper has looked any good since Stafford went down. This is a prime example of one of Schwartz' major failings. All he cares about is winning one more game. Not a person alive will think any different of the Lions or Schwartz if the Lions win three games rather than two games. The win does nothing for the Lions. Winning the last game of the season does not give the players any confidence in the next year. Daunte Culpepper's contract is up and he will be a free agent next year. The Lions are not going to resign him if he plays well this one game. So what does it help to play him? Drew Stanton on the other hand is a different story. Stanton is signed through next year, so he will likely still be a back-up next year. He has only started one game in his career. Yes it was bad, but isn't it possible he was just overwhelmed in his first start? Likely that is not the case, but it is possible. What if Stanton started and he actually played well? A young QB with a decent arm and plays well in only his second start? Do you think he might fetch the Lions a mid to late round draft pick then? As I said. It is all highly unlikely, but so long as the possibility is there, you should take the chance and start him. Starting Culpepper gives the Lions nothing in return.
Schwartz has said that he will play whoever he feels gives the Lions the best chance to win. He has said straight out that he will not play a player just to see what he has got. He does not look to the future. He ONLY looks toward the next game. That is a very bad thing. If the Lions had a winning team, then maybe that would make sense. The Lions are once again one of the worst teams in the NFL. The future us what needs to be considered far more importantly than one last game in a losing season. But Jim Schwartz does not care about the future of the team. He only cares about the last game when the Lions are 2-14. This is why he will once again start Maurice Morris and not even look at what Aaron Brown might do with a heavier work load. Even though Morris reverted to his true form and only gained 37 yards on the ground last week. Even though he only averaged 2.7 yards per carry. In a bad week for Morris, Schwartz only gave Aaron Brown one carry. For the most part, even though Brown has been nothing but average as a return man, he has done the most with what few chances he has had as a running back. He has a good yards per carry average and has a few decent runs. It makes absolutely no sense to continue to play a veteran who is nothing better than average and not even look at a rookie running back who has a lot of speed.
As disappointing as the Lions offense is bound to be yet again with Schwartz ridiculous decisions to play average veterans over rookies with possible talent, the Lions defense is another story.
Rookie linebacker, DeAndre Levy will once again play the middle position and make all of the defensive play calls. I read one article on MLive, that talked about Levy's ability as a leader on the team. In a practice when a defensive lineman was jawing at the offensive players after a good defensive play, Levy grabbed the veteran by the pads behind his neck and told him to shut up and listen for the play call and be ready. This is not something a rookie does very often in the NFL and it shows a lot for this young linebackers leadership ability.
Rookie Free Safety, Louis Delmas has been calling all of the secondary plays for the last couple of games. He has backed up the responsibility of calling plays with very good quality play of his own. He has been one of the few bright spots in another disappointing Lions season and is second on the team in tackles behind veteran linebacker Larry Foote.
The Chicago Bears have not been playing the best of football in recent weeks. Last weeks overtime win was their first game scoring more than 14 points in over a month. If the Lions offense was not such a mess at this time, I would say the Lions could actually win this game. The Lions offense is bad though and however much better the defense has been playing lately, you cant win if you cant score.
Bears 23
Lions 17
Showing posts with label 2009 Pregame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2009 Pregame. Show all posts
12/25/09
Lions vs 49ers - Pregame Week 16
Throughout the year there have been some fans who griped about the Lions never giving quarterback Drew Stanton a chance. This weekend those fans will finally get to see why he has never gotten a start before. Against the San Francisco 49ers, Drew Stanton will get his first start as the Detroit Lions quarterback.
Do not expect too much from him. As I pointed out in another article, on a team as bad as the Lions and behind an offensive line as bad as what the Lions put on the field, no QB can be expected to play well in his first couple starts. Here in the 16th week of the NFL season, Stanton is getting his first week of practice with the 1st stringers. To make things even more difficult, he will be facing a very good San Francisco defense.
Maurice Morris had a strong game last week against the Cardinals. In almost 8 full seasons, it was the best game of his career, so it is not expected to happen again. Unfortunately, it was still good enough and the timing was perfect to cement him as the Lions starter, which will keep the Lions from giving Aaron Brown a chance. With his speed, I have not been able to understand why the Lions wont give him a chance to see what he can do with any real work load.Recently someone told me he was too small. If 6'1" and 208 pounds is too small then why is the 5'11" 216 pound Morris big enough? Personally I would much rather have break away speed than an extra measly 8 pounds on a running back.
The Detroit Lions yielded 110 yards and a touchdown to Chris Wells. They gave up 166 yards and a TD to Ray Rice. What should we expect Frank Gore to do?
The Lions defense actually played fairly well at times last week against the Cardinals. Believe it or not, this might not have been a fluke. It was the first game in which rookie Louis Delmas called the plays for the defense and it was the first game in which the Lions had a decently aggressive blitzing game. If they play as aggressive this week and Delmas does as good of a job calling the defense, they may just surprise the 49ers.
After last weekend, the Lions moved into the 2nd pick overall in the 2010 draft. Though most people expect the Rams to take the super defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, there are plenty who believe the Rams will not pass up on a much needed franchise quarterback. As things stand right now, I would give the Lions a 20% chance of getting Suh. It would not totally surprise me if the Lions won this week and ruined that 20% chance.
Although it wouldn't surprise me if the Lions won this week, I still cannot call for the win. For the Lions to win, it would mean their offense scoring more than their defense gives up. If the Lions defense gives up 17 points, I fear it would be too much.
49ers - 27
Lions - 13
Do not expect too much from him. As I pointed out in another article, on a team as bad as the Lions and behind an offensive line as bad as what the Lions put on the field, no QB can be expected to play well in his first couple starts. Here in the 16th week of the NFL season, Stanton is getting his first week of practice with the 1st stringers. To make things even more difficult, he will be facing a very good San Francisco defense.
Maurice Morris had a strong game last week against the Cardinals. In almost 8 full seasons, it was the best game of his career, so it is not expected to happen again. Unfortunately, it was still good enough and the timing was perfect to cement him as the Lions starter, which will keep the Lions from giving Aaron Brown a chance. With his speed, I have not been able to understand why the Lions wont give him a chance to see what he can do with any real work load.Recently someone told me he was too small. If 6'1" and 208 pounds is too small then why is the 5'11" 216 pound Morris big enough? Personally I would much rather have break away speed than an extra measly 8 pounds on a running back.
The Detroit Lions yielded 110 yards and a touchdown to Chris Wells. They gave up 166 yards and a TD to Ray Rice. What should we expect Frank Gore to do?
The Lions defense actually played fairly well at times last week against the Cardinals. Believe it or not, this might not have been a fluke. It was the first game in which rookie Louis Delmas called the plays for the defense and it was the first game in which the Lions had a decently aggressive blitzing game. If they play as aggressive this week and Delmas does as good of a job calling the defense, they may just surprise the 49ers.
After last weekend, the Lions moved into the 2nd pick overall in the 2010 draft. Though most people expect the Rams to take the super defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, there are plenty who believe the Rams will not pass up on a much needed franchise quarterback. As things stand right now, I would give the Lions a 20% chance of getting Suh. It would not totally surprise me if the Lions won this week and ruined that 20% chance.
Although it wouldn't surprise me if the Lions won this week, I still cannot call for the win. For the Lions to win, it would mean their offense scoring more than their defense gives up. If the Lions defense gives up 17 points, I fear it would be too much.
49ers - 27
Lions - 13
12/19/09
Lions vs Cardinals - Pregame Week-15
Arizona Cardinals - Great, experienced quarterback, very good running backs, three great receivers and a very good defense.
Detroit Lions - Injured rookie quarterback, one good receiver who has a bum knee, injured running back, horrid offensive line and an even more horrid defense.
Who do you pick to win?
Arz - 41
Det - 13
Seriously, if you actually are willing to bet on the Lions in this game, you should check yourself in right now. Do so before you spend the money on that bet. If you are self admitted, you always have the option of leaving at your own timing.
I would love to sit here and write how the Lions would have a chance if they did this or that. Let us face the facts this week. It does not matter what the Lions do, they will not beat the Cardinals! If they blew up the hotel the whole Arizona team was staying in, they still wont win. Likely Arizona would send up the best scab team they can scrounge up in short order and still beat the Lions by a touchdown.
Take my advice. Listen to the game on the radio, cheer them on and be glad when they lose because you will know they didn't make the draft prospects any worse.
Detroit Lions - Injured rookie quarterback, one good receiver who has a bum knee, injured running back, horrid offensive line and an even more horrid defense.
Who do you pick to win?
Arz - 41
Det - 13
Seriously, if you actually are willing to bet on the Lions in this game, you should check yourself in right now. Do so before you spend the money on that bet. If you are self admitted, you always have the option of leaving at your own timing.
I would love to sit here and write how the Lions would have a chance if they did this or that. Let us face the facts this week. It does not matter what the Lions do, they will not beat the Cardinals! If they blew up the hotel the whole Arizona team was staying in, they still wont win. Likely Arizona would send up the best scab team they can scrounge up in short order and still beat the Lions by a touchdown.
Take my advice. Listen to the game on the radio, cheer them on and be glad when they lose because you will know they didn't make the draft prospects any worse.
12/12/09
Lions vs Ravens - Pregame Week-14
Daunte Culpepper will have his chance to audition for his future this Sunday as he replaces the injured Matthew Stafford at quarterback for the Detroit Lions.
The best thing the Lions offense could do is to throw a lot of quick slants. Plays that are designed to get rid of the ball fast and hit the receiver moving forward. However, likely they will stick to their usual plans. The same plays they have called through several quarterbacks, multiple coaches and decades of losing seasons. Screens, dumps and simple plays that hit a receiver or running back while standing still, waiting for the defender to come for the hit as he gets the ball. Along with those, the other pass plays will mostly be plays that take a deep drop and wait for the play to develop while the offensive line desperately flails at defenders running by them. The worst part is that that is not what they really need to worry about. The Lions defense is far worse than their offense.
Joe Flacco is not having the season he had last year. Even so, he has only had three games with a completion percentage of less than 60%. What will he do against a Lions defense that often allows average quarterbacks to complete over 70%? How are the Lions defense going to stop Ray Rice when he has run well against much better defenses?
Could this be the week the Lions actually live by the blitz? Could they finally realize that they get burnt often when they play the lousy zone defense and rush with four linemen? Flacco is one quarterback they could rattle with the blitz. Get to Rice in the backfield before he gets any speed going and they might have a chance. Likely the Lions will play the same defensive style we have watched every year since I have been a fan. Rarely blitzing, soft zones and allowing teams to consistently move the ball.
Ever watch a good team play? Ever get upset that a team holds their opponent to a minimum all game long then in the waining minutes they change to the zone defense and allow a team to move the ball down field? The difference is that the good teams only get stupid and go to the soft "Bend but don't break" defense at the end of the games when they just don't want to give up the big play. The Lions live by it!
I honestly believe that if the Lions played aggressive football this week, they could actually beat the Ravens. I truly believe it is a good match-up for them if they blitzed and called aggressive plays. That would be against the Ford style Lions though.
Ravens 24
Lions 13
The best thing the Lions offense could do is to throw a lot of quick slants. Plays that are designed to get rid of the ball fast and hit the receiver moving forward. However, likely they will stick to their usual plans. The same plays they have called through several quarterbacks, multiple coaches and decades of losing seasons. Screens, dumps and simple plays that hit a receiver or running back while standing still, waiting for the defender to come for the hit as he gets the ball. Along with those, the other pass plays will mostly be plays that take a deep drop and wait for the play to develop while the offensive line desperately flails at defenders running by them. The worst part is that that is not what they really need to worry about. The Lions defense is far worse than their offense.
Joe Flacco is not having the season he had last year. Even so, he has only had three games with a completion percentage of less than 60%. What will he do against a Lions defense that often allows average quarterbacks to complete over 70%? How are the Lions defense going to stop Ray Rice when he has run well against much better defenses?
Could this be the week the Lions actually live by the blitz? Could they finally realize that they get burnt often when they play the lousy zone defense and rush with four linemen? Flacco is one quarterback they could rattle with the blitz. Get to Rice in the backfield before he gets any speed going and they might have a chance. Likely the Lions will play the same defensive style we have watched every year since I have been a fan. Rarely blitzing, soft zones and allowing teams to consistently move the ball.
Ever watch a good team play? Ever get upset that a team holds their opponent to a minimum all game long then in the waining minutes they change to the zone defense and allow a team to move the ball down field? The difference is that the good teams only get stupid and go to the soft "Bend but don't break" defense at the end of the games when they just don't want to give up the big play. The Lions live by it!
I honestly believe that if the Lions played aggressive football this week, they could actually beat the Ravens. I truly believe it is a good match-up for them if they blitzed and called aggressive plays. That would be against the Ford style Lions though.
Ravens 24
Lions 13
12/5/09
Lions vs Bengals - Pregame Week-13
Sometimes I get overly upset with the Detroit Lions. I love the Lions and there is not many things I would wish for more than for the Lions to have that magical season. Today one of those few things smacked me in the face. My dad had his fifth heart attack.
Before I go on, I will say now that he is doing okay, but it still hits you with a lot of scary thoughts. Other than the obvious that you have to wonder how many more he can handle before its the last one, there are many other fears. My Mothers livelihood, how my brothers would take it, etc...
The problem is that he is retirement age and has to work to survive. Yet it is that work in a machine shop every day that could kill him. My career is dead and my wife and I are barely surviving as it is, so we cannot do anything for them. Hell, we are worried enough about even buying my wife's kids some Christmas presents which is a whole different set of stress!
I know we are not the worst off in Michigan, or any other state, but it always hurts more when it is you going through the problems. One thing I realized is that between my dad's health and my own financial struggles, the Lions problems just don't seem so bothersome.
Sunday the Detroit Lions will play the Cincinnati Bengals and quite frankly, they don't have more than a miracle prayers chance for a win. The Lions have been stomped on by all but two teams this season. One of the teams they beat were the Browns and they just barely got away with a win against them.
There has been some ongoing questioning about whether Louis Delmas will talk any trash to Chad Ochocinco. I really hope not. I truly hope that he is smart enough to leave his mouth at home. First off, there is nobody on the Lions who should talk trash to anyone. They have not won enough to gain that right! Louis Delmas talking trash to anyone on the Bengals is near to Roy Williams giving the first down signal when the team is down by three touchdowns! Secondly, the Lions really do not need to give a good receiver any more incentive. The Lions have not stopped a passing game yet in 2009 and in fact, most receivers have made the Lions look like amateurs. Do they really need to give a very good receiver a reason to play hard?
The Bengals defense has been very solid this year. Far better than most anyone expected before the season started. The Lions offense is actually worse than I thought they would be and I did not expect too much. Stafford has yet to put together any kind of string of good games. Only once has he played well two games in a row. Kevin Smith being slow to begin with, is a joke behind the Lions offensive line. Pettigrew is done for the season and Calvin Johnson is banged up.
Bengals - 34
Lions - 17
The worst part about the Lions season right now is that the fans don't seem to care as much as they once did. As always the Lions have gone against sound judgement in most all of their moves and they have no right to wonder why they are not selling tickets.
Before I go on, I will say now that he is doing okay, but it still hits you with a lot of scary thoughts. Other than the obvious that you have to wonder how many more he can handle before its the last one, there are many other fears. My Mothers livelihood, how my brothers would take it, etc...
The problem is that he is retirement age and has to work to survive. Yet it is that work in a machine shop every day that could kill him. My career is dead and my wife and I are barely surviving as it is, so we cannot do anything for them. Hell, we are worried enough about even buying my wife's kids some Christmas presents which is a whole different set of stress!
I know we are not the worst off in Michigan, or any other state, but it always hurts more when it is you going through the problems. One thing I realized is that between my dad's health and my own financial struggles, the Lions problems just don't seem so bothersome.
Sunday the Detroit Lions will play the Cincinnati Bengals and quite frankly, they don't have more than a miracle prayers chance for a win. The Lions have been stomped on by all but two teams this season. One of the teams they beat were the Browns and they just barely got away with a win against them.
There has been some ongoing questioning about whether Louis Delmas will talk any trash to Chad Ochocinco. I really hope not. I truly hope that he is smart enough to leave his mouth at home. First off, there is nobody on the Lions who should talk trash to anyone. They have not won enough to gain that right! Louis Delmas talking trash to anyone on the Bengals is near to Roy Williams giving the first down signal when the team is down by three touchdowns! Secondly, the Lions really do not need to give a good receiver any more incentive. The Lions have not stopped a passing game yet in 2009 and in fact, most receivers have made the Lions look like amateurs. Do they really need to give a very good receiver a reason to play hard?
The Bengals defense has been very solid this year. Far better than most anyone expected before the season started. The Lions offense is actually worse than I thought they would be and I did not expect too much. Stafford has yet to put together any kind of string of good games. Only once has he played well two games in a row. Kevin Smith being slow to begin with, is a joke behind the Lions offensive line. Pettigrew is done for the season and Calvin Johnson is banged up.
Bengals - 34
Lions - 17
The worst part about the Lions season right now is that the fans don't seem to care as much as they once did. As always the Lions have gone against sound judgement in most all of their moves and they have no right to wonder why they are not selling tickets.
11/25/09
Lions vs Packers - Pregame Week-12
If I was a very accurate writer, but a very lazy one, I could sum this game up in one sentence. "The Packers have one of the best passing games and the Lions cant stop the worst passing games."
Then of course I would have to follow it up with my prediction of the score.
Packers - 31
Lions - 17
If Green Bay had a decent offensive line and they weren't so injury plagued, I would add another 14 to that score. Keep in mind that the Lions allowed the Browns who did not even have a touchdown pass to a receiver throw three to receivers in the first quarter. Aaron Rodgers and company is far above the Browns.
The Packers make a living off of a quick passing game. Rodgers job is not to sit back in the pocket waiting for the play to develop. He takes the snap, makes a quick read and lets it fly. They know their offensive line is one of the worst in the NFL and they off set that with their play calling.
It doesn't matter what Green Bay does, the Detroit Lions need to blitz if they even want to make this one respectable. Read these words very closely now... THE LIONS CANNOT COVER! The only way to slow down the pass when you cannot cover is to blitz and blitz a lot. If you don't blitz, you force your defense to cover for a longer time. If you blitz, you will get beat and probably quite often, but you have a chance to get to Rodgers sometimes and disrupt some plays. The Lions do not have the chance if they do not blitz.
Stafford looked good last week (from what I know since it was blacked out), he will have to be as good again. The packers defense is hurting and the Lions need to take advantage of that.
Kevin Smith is just too slow. He is the kind of back that needs to be behind a line the busts open some big holes so he can continuously gain positive yards. The Lions do not have that kind of line, though they may be able to against Green Bays injury plagued defense. If they cannot control the line of scrimmage, they need to use Aaron Brown much more often. It seems to me that in the running game, he has had as many exciting runs as Kevin Smith has on far fewer carries. Especially when they pitch it to him on the outside.
The game will be on television this Thursday after selling the game out. Enjoy it if you can, they likely will not sell another one out this season.
I am so glad I have Aaron Rodgers in my ESPN fantasy football teams. I'm expecting a big week.
Then of course I would have to follow it up with my prediction of the score.
Packers - 31
Lions - 17
If Green Bay had a decent offensive line and they weren't so injury plagued, I would add another 14 to that score. Keep in mind that the Lions allowed the Browns who did not even have a touchdown pass to a receiver throw three to receivers in the first quarter. Aaron Rodgers and company is far above the Browns.
The Packers make a living off of a quick passing game. Rodgers job is not to sit back in the pocket waiting for the play to develop. He takes the snap, makes a quick read and lets it fly. They know their offensive line is one of the worst in the NFL and they off set that with their play calling.
It doesn't matter what Green Bay does, the Detroit Lions need to blitz if they even want to make this one respectable. Read these words very closely now... THE LIONS CANNOT COVER! The only way to slow down the pass when you cannot cover is to blitz and blitz a lot. If you don't blitz, you force your defense to cover for a longer time. If you blitz, you will get beat and probably quite often, but you have a chance to get to Rodgers sometimes and disrupt some plays. The Lions do not have the chance if they do not blitz.
Stafford looked good last week (from what I know since it was blacked out), he will have to be as good again. The packers defense is hurting and the Lions need to take advantage of that.
Kevin Smith is just too slow. He is the kind of back that needs to be behind a line the busts open some big holes so he can continuously gain positive yards. The Lions do not have that kind of line, though they may be able to against Green Bays injury plagued defense. If they cannot control the line of scrimmage, they need to use Aaron Brown much more often. It seems to me that in the running game, he has had as many exciting runs as Kevin Smith has on far fewer carries. Especially when they pitch it to him on the outside.
The game will be on television this Thursday after selling the game out. Enjoy it if you can, they likely will not sell another one out this season.
I am so glad I have Aaron Rodgers in my ESPN fantasy football teams. I'm expecting a big week.
11/22/09
Lions vs Browns - Pregame Week-11
Could it be possible that the Lions are up against a team that is actually worse than they are? Both teams are currently 1-8 and at the bottom of the NFL. The Lions have a better offense than Cleveland does, but the Browns have a better defense than the Lions do.
The Browns have only faced two teams that are below .500 and one of those, Buffalo, they beat. The Lions have faced 4 teams under .500 and only beat one of them. The Rams only win for the season came against the Lions.
The Lions can pass the ball a little, sometimes, kind of. They sure can't run though. Doesn't it seem like it has been almost a decade since the Lions actually had a threat at running back? It has been about a dozen years since the Lions have had some semblance of a decent offensive line.
Seriously though, this is one game the Lions have to win. If they do not beat the Browns, they will probably not even get another chance at a victory this season. Cleveland is the last bad team the Lions will play this year. They need this win to be able to actually say they are improved over last season. If they lose to Cleveland, the win against Washington will be considered a complete fluke. If the Lions lose this week, they will very likely end the season at 1-15 which would make it 1-31 for the last two years.
Yet, a part of me hopes they lose. Outside of Stafford having a real bad injury, there is simply no way the Lions will draft a quarterback in the coming draft. From everything I could find, there are no true studs in running back coming out of college this next season. Does anyone think the Lions would dare to actually draft a receiver with their first round pick again? I would bet they do not draft a receiver in the first round so long as they have Calvin Johnson healthy. So they will not draft a quarterback, running back or receiver in the first round and likely will not take a tight end either. In other words, the way I see it, the Lions will actually be forced to draft a good offensive lineman or a great defensive player.
In most mock draft boards at this early stage, the #1 player is DT-Ndamukong Suh. This guy has size, athleticism, quickness and a non-stop motor. He is the type of defensive tackle who will draw a double team and still cause problems. This is a player the Lions absolutely need to have a good defense. If the Lions win against the Browns, they likely will not get him.
For once the Lions just might be forced to draft the positions they should have addressed a decade ago. The only way I think the Lions will mess that up is by beating the Browns. That reason alone is why I will pick the Lions to win.
Lions - 20
Browns - 17
The Browns have only faced two teams that are below .500 and one of those, Buffalo, they beat. The Lions have faced 4 teams under .500 and only beat one of them. The Rams only win for the season came against the Lions.
The Lions can pass the ball a little, sometimes, kind of. They sure can't run though. Doesn't it seem like it has been almost a decade since the Lions actually had a threat at running back? It has been about a dozen years since the Lions have had some semblance of a decent offensive line.
Seriously though, this is one game the Lions have to win. If they do not beat the Browns, they will probably not even get another chance at a victory this season. Cleveland is the last bad team the Lions will play this year. They need this win to be able to actually say they are improved over last season. If they lose to Cleveland, the win against Washington will be considered a complete fluke. If the Lions lose this week, they will very likely end the season at 1-15 which would make it 1-31 for the last two years.
Yet, a part of me hopes they lose. Outside of Stafford having a real bad injury, there is simply no way the Lions will draft a quarterback in the coming draft. From everything I could find, there are no true studs in running back coming out of college this next season. Does anyone think the Lions would dare to actually draft a receiver with their first round pick again? I would bet they do not draft a receiver in the first round so long as they have Calvin Johnson healthy. So they will not draft a quarterback, running back or receiver in the first round and likely will not take a tight end either. In other words, the way I see it, the Lions will actually be forced to draft a good offensive lineman or a great defensive player.
In most mock draft boards at this early stage, the #1 player is DT-Ndamukong Suh. This guy has size, athleticism, quickness and a non-stop motor. He is the type of defensive tackle who will draw a double team and still cause problems. This is a player the Lions absolutely need to have a good defense. If the Lions win against the Browns, they likely will not get him.
For once the Lions just might be forced to draft the positions they should have addressed a decade ago. The only way I think the Lions will mess that up is by beating the Browns. That reason alone is why I will pick the Lions to win.
Lions - 20
Browns - 17
11/13/09
Lions vs Vikings - Pregame Week-10
The 2009 NFL season is 9 weeks old. Including the bye-week, the Lions have now played 8 games. Within those 8 games, they have already fallen 6 games out of first place, behind this weeks opponent, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have lost as many games as the Lions have won. That is One!
When the Vikings have the ball: Opposing quarterbacks have been completing nearly 75% of their passes every week against the Lions. In their first meeting, Brett Favre completed 85% of his passes. In my entire life I have never seen a defense so bad against the pass. Yes that includes last years Lions. The Lions can almost stop the run this season but even with a good game they will only slow Adrian Peterson down. Larry Foote and Louis Delmas are the only players I am seeing attack the ball. Too often players will come to a stop and shuffle their feet while waiting for the runner to make the move. This often leads to tackling after the first down is made.
When the Lions have the ball: The offensive line has moments of looking okay on run blocking, but it often gets absolutely no push up the middle. Kevin Smith is banged up and simply too slow. Matthew Stafford rarely shows he can put any touch on a pass, is very inaccurate and not reading defenses very well. The Lions best receiver in Calvin Johnson has a banged up knee. These are not good points when facing a strong Minnesota Defense. They are not good points when facing any defense for that fact.
Intangibles: Too often the Lions best play comes in the first quarter. Far too often the other teams make adjustments and the Lions don't. Until the Coaches figure out how to make some adjustments, the Lions will continue to get worse as games go on.
I have never liked Brett Favre. As great as he was, I still feel he was overrated. When pressured, he makes bad mistakes. I cannot tell you how much it bothers me to watch him rip the Lions apart because they cannot put any pressure on him. It is going to be a very long three hours Sunday.
Det = 13
Min = 34
When the Vikings have the ball: Opposing quarterbacks have been completing nearly 75% of their passes every week against the Lions. In their first meeting, Brett Favre completed 85% of his passes. In my entire life I have never seen a defense so bad against the pass. Yes that includes last years Lions. The Lions can almost stop the run this season but even with a good game they will only slow Adrian Peterson down. Larry Foote and Louis Delmas are the only players I am seeing attack the ball. Too often players will come to a stop and shuffle their feet while waiting for the runner to make the move. This often leads to tackling after the first down is made.
When the Lions have the ball: The offensive line has moments of looking okay on run blocking, but it often gets absolutely no push up the middle. Kevin Smith is banged up and simply too slow. Matthew Stafford rarely shows he can put any touch on a pass, is very inaccurate and not reading defenses very well. The Lions best receiver in Calvin Johnson has a banged up knee. These are not good points when facing a strong Minnesota Defense. They are not good points when facing any defense for that fact.
Intangibles: Too often the Lions best play comes in the first quarter. Far too often the other teams make adjustments and the Lions don't. Until the Coaches figure out how to make some adjustments, the Lions will continue to get worse as games go on.
I have never liked Brett Favre. As great as he was, I still feel he was overrated. When pressured, he makes bad mistakes. I cannot tell you how much it bothers me to watch him rip the Lions apart because they cannot put any pressure on him. It is going to be a very long three hours Sunday.
Det = 13
Min = 34
10/30/09
Lions vs Rams - Pregame Week-8
This coming weekend is easily the most important week of the Detroit Lions 2009 season. The 1-5 Lions are facing off against the 0-7 Rams. It is the only game this season in which the Lions are actually favored to win.
As bad as the Lions have played, the Rams have been worse. The game is a home game for the Lions. It looks very promising that Matthew Stafford will play this week. It is possible to see Calvin Johnson play again. If the Lions should find a way to lose this game, the fans will be near riotous rebellion. The "Sell the Lions" signs will come out. "Forget Millen, Fire Ford" T-shirts will fly off the shelf. (If I can come up with the money to have them made they will.) The Lions should win this week, but with their losing history and the fact the fans have stopped believing enough to sell out games, if the Lions lose it would be disastrous.
The Detroit Lions absolutely have to win this week against the Rams!
The Positives: ... The Rams have one aspect of their offense that is worth mentioning. Steve Jackson! The strong point of the Lions defense, if there is a strong point, is the run stopping. They are far from a great run defense. In fact, they really aren't even a good run defense. But stopping the run is at least something they can do sometimes when they put their minds to it. They have yet to show they can stop a pass from any quarterback. The Rams passing offense is actually nearly as bad as the Lions pass defense. So the one dimensional Rams offense will face the one dimensional Lions defense that is actually suited to stop them.
The Rams defense is actually the equal to the Lions defense. Horrible! The Lions offense, believe it or not, is much better than the Rams offense. If Calvin Johnson should play, the odds of the Lions winning will skyrocket.
The Negatives: .... I will be up front with you. I am not expecting Calvin Johnson to actually play. I think he is still another week away from being ready. Without him, Stafford will be forced to read the defense a lot more and that could hurt the Lions. Without Calvin Johnson, the Rams will not fear the pass nearly as much and be more liable to bring 8 men up in the box to stop Kevin Smith.
I question if the Lions defense can even stop the putrid passing game of the St.Louis Rams. If they cannot, it will be a long day for the Lions and the season will be heading for a major crash landing.
What I would Like to See: .... I would love to see constant blitzing against a bad Rams offense. I would absolutely love to see a few plays calling for Brandon Pettigrew to be hit on deeper routes. I would like to see Stafford make more use of the hard count to draw penalties. I would like to see a little more imagination in the play calling. (Lately it has been reminiscent of last season.) I would like to actually see the offensive line blow open a couple decent holes for Kevin Smith. I would really love to actually see the game!
Food for thought: .... Isn't it funny that the only win the Lions have had since 2007 was blacked out so the fans could not see it happen? Now they play the Rams and actually have a decent chance of winning... and it is blacked out again! How long will it be before the fans actually get to watch a win?
As bad as the Lions have played, the Rams have been worse. The game is a home game for the Lions. It looks very promising that Matthew Stafford will play this week. It is possible to see Calvin Johnson play again. If the Lions should find a way to lose this game, the fans will be near riotous rebellion. The "Sell the Lions" signs will come out. "Forget Millen, Fire Ford" T-shirts will fly off the shelf. (If I can come up with the money to have them made they will.) The Lions should win this week, but with their losing history and the fact the fans have stopped believing enough to sell out games, if the Lions lose it would be disastrous.
The Detroit Lions absolutely have to win this week against the Rams!
The Positives: ... The Rams have one aspect of their offense that is worth mentioning. Steve Jackson! The strong point of the Lions defense, if there is a strong point, is the run stopping. They are far from a great run defense. In fact, they really aren't even a good run defense. But stopping the run is at least something they can do sometimes when they put their minds to it. They have yet to show they can stop a pass from any quarterback. The Rams passing offense is actually nearly as bad as the Lions pass defense. So the one dimensional Rams offense will face the one dimensional Lions defense that is actually suited to stop them.
The Rams defense is actually the equal to the Lions defense. Horrible! The Lions offense, believe it or not, is much better than the Rams offense. If Calvin Johnson should play, the odds of the Lions winning will skyrocket.
The Negatives: .... I will be up front with you. I am not expecting Calvin Johnson to actually play. I think he is still another week away from being ready. Without him, Stafford will be forced to read the defense a lot more and that could hurt the Lions. Without Calvin Johnson, the Rams will not fear the pass nearly as much and be more liable to bring 8 men up in the box to stop Kevin Smith.
I question if the Lions defense can even stop the putrid passing game of the St.Louis Rams. If they cannot, it will be a long day for the Lions and the season will be heading for a major crash landing.
What I would Like to See: .... I would love to see constant blitzing against a bad Rams offense. I would absolutely love to see a few plays calling for Brandon Pettigrew to be hit on deeper routes. I would like to see Stafford make more use of the hard count to draw penalties. I would like to see a little more imagination in the play calling. (Lately it has been reminiscent of last season.) I would like to actually see the offensive line blow open a couple decent holes for Kevin Smith. I would really love to actually see the game!
Food for thought: .... Isn't it funny that the only win the Lions have had since 2007 was blacked out so the fans could not see it happen? Now they play the Rams and actually have a decent chance of winning... and it is blacked out again! How long will it be before the fans actually get to watch a win?
10/18/09
Lions vs Packers - Pregame Week-6
Once again Jim Schwartz is hiding the answer to which quarterback will play come game time. Even though Matthew Stafford did not practice Friday and missed 4 of the 5 practices this week, Schwartz recently moved him up to probable and said he will be a game time decision.
In my personal opinion, this is nothing more than an amateurish move by Schwartz. If he starts Stafford when he has only practiced once this week, it would be a completely idiotic move. A good coach would have a hard time starting a veteran quarterback if he hasn't practiced. To start a rookie with no practice? Idiotic! So I don't believe for a moment that Stafford will start. In this case, for Schwartz to try to make it look like he might play Stafford is amateurish. If I am not about to fall for that, I really doubt the Green Bay Packers brass is going to.
One more week it looks like Culpepper will start for the Lions and once again it looks like he might be without his top receiver Calvin Johnson. I don't know about you, but I doubt there is a player in the locker room whom Culpepper wouldn't trade to get Calvin Johnson back. Once again, Daunte will need to count on Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson to pick up the slack.
The Lions almost beat the Steelers last week, so they should have a chance to beat the Packers right? Here are the facts people. The Lions defense is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete an astounding 73% of their passes. They have given up an average of 3 passing touchdowns per game and have less than one interception per game. Though the defense has given up some big gains to running backs, they have also shown signs of stopping the run at times. They have not come close to even slowing down the passing game. Green Bay relies on the pass far more than the run.
Once again, I will say it. The Lions best hopes of stopping the Packers is to blitz Aaron Rodgers. If they do not, Rodgers will tear the Lions defense up. The Packers offensive line has major problems right now as they allowed 8 sacks in their last game. The Packers are excellent at getting rid of the ball quickly to defeat the blitz, but the Lions would be better off giving up a lot of five yard passes and hitting their quarterback than to be giving up a lot of 15 yard passes because we give him all day. The Detroit defense will just have to count on the fact that it is unlikely the refs could make a bad call on hitting the QB in the legs two weeks in a row.
All in all however, the Lions chances of winning this one are slim. No, I mean slimmer than most weeks.
Packers - 41
Lions --- 20
In my personal opinion, this is nothing more than an amateurish move by Schwartz. If he starts Stafford when he has only practiced once this week, it would be a completely idiotic move. A good coach would have a hard time starting a veteran quarterback if he hasn't practiced. To start a rookie with no practice? Idiotic! So I don't believe for a moment that Stafford will start. In this case, for Schwartz to try to make it look like he might play Stafford is amateurish. If I am not about to fall for that, I really doubt the Green Bay Packers brass is going to.
One more week it looks like Culpepper will start for the Lions and once again it looks like he might be without his top receiver Calvin Johnson. I don't know about you, but I doubt there is a player in the locker room whom Culpepper wouldn't trade to get Calvin Johnson back. Once again, Daunte will need to count on Dennis Northcutt and Bryant Johnson to pick up the slack.
The Lions almost beat the Steelers last week, so they should have a chance to beat the Packers right? Here are the facts people. The Lions defense is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete an astounding 73% of their passes. They have given up an average of 3 passing touchdowns per game and have less than one interception per game. Though the defense has given up some big gains to running backs, they have also shown signs of stopping the run at times. They have not come close to even slowing down the passing game. Green Bay relies on the pass far more than the run.
Once again, I will say it. The Lions best hopes of stopping the Packers is to blitz Aaron Rodgers. If they do not, Rodgers will tear the Lions defense up. The Packers offensive line has major problems right now as they allowed 8 sacks in their last game. The Packers are excellent at getting rid of the ball quickly to defeat the blitz, but the Lions would be better off giving up a lot of five yard passes and hitting their quarterback than to be giving up a lot of 15 yard passes because we give him all day. The Detroit defense will just have to count on the fact that it is unlikely the refs could make a bad call on hitting the QB in the legs two weeks in a row.
All in all however, the Lions chances of winning this one are slim. No, I mean slimmer than most weeks.
Packers - 41
Lions --- 20
10/10/09
Lions vs Steelers - Pregame Week-5
Though no word is out whether Detroit Lions quarterback, Matthew Stafford is playing or not, I do not expect him to be ready. So Daunte Culpepper with only a week of first team snaps will have to face the toughest defense the Lions have yet to face.
When the Lions have the ball...
With Culpepper not having much regular season action, we can expect the already aggressive Steelers defense to step it up a notch. They will show us why the better defenses like to blitz. The Lions will need to counter this by using a lot of quick dumps to Kevin Smith and Brandon Pettigrew. This will not be enough. They will need to use a lot of quick slants as well, but that is something the Lions have a history of staying away from. If they use the quick slant more than two times I will be shocked. Until they force the Steelers defense to back off a little, there will not be enough time for plays to develop and that will keep Calvin Johnson from playing a big part.
When Steelers have the ball....
Mendenhall showed last week why they drafted him and the world expects him to light up the Lions defense. He will likely break away for one long one, but other than that, the Lions will hold him down for the most part. The Lions have shown they can stop the run this year. It is the pass that still seems to be beyond the Detroit defense's comprehension. Roethlisburger is one of the best at avoiding pressure and the only way the Lions will get to him is to blitz. Last week the Lions blitzed around eight times in the first half and not one of the longer gains came from being burnt on the blitz. The Lions have shown this year that they will be burnt far more often while NOT blitzing than when they are blitzing. Somehow I doubt they have learned that lesson yet though.
Things to watch....
Pay attention to the Lions special teams this week. They signed the hard hitting rookie Zach Follett from the practice squad in hopes of injecting some life into the special teams. This guy can light someone up. If he gets a hard hit on the returner early, it could add life to some of the other players as well.
It will be interesting to see if Culpepper will take some chances down field if he gets the time to throw. In the preseason he gained the reputation for not taking chances down field. I think he was a victim of play calling and if given the chance he will want to prove his worth.
If the Steelers do blitz a lot, it would not surprise me to see the Lions use Aaron Brown more to counter the pressure. His speed on the draw plays and screens could force the Steelers defense to back off quicker than Kevin Smiths hard running style would.
Look at the stands. Many expect the stadium to be nearly 40% Steelers fans. I would expect more in the lines of 30% but it will be enough to see virtual seas of black and yellow.
The Lions are looking improved over last season. There are vast improvements in run defense and offensive rushing. They are in no way ready to beat a Pittsburgh Steelers team.
Steelers - 30
Lions ---- 20
When the Lions have the ball...
With Culpepper not having much regular season action, we can expect the already aggressive Steelers defense to step it up a notch. They will show us why the better defenses like to blitz. The Lions will need to counter this by using a lot of quick dumps to Kevin Smith and Brandon Pettigrew. This will not be enough. They will need to use a lot of quick slants as well, but that is something the Lions have a history of staying away from. If they use the quick slant more than two times I will be shocked. Until they force the Steelers defense to back off a little, there will not be enough time for plays to develop and that will keep Calvin Johnson from playing a big part.
When Steelers have the ball....
Mendenhall showed last week why they drafted him and the world expects him to light up the Lions defense. He will likely break away for one long one, but other than that, the Lions will hold him down for the most part. The Lions have shown they can stop the run this year. It is the pass that still seems to be beyond the Detroit defense's comprehension. Roethlisburger is one of the best at avoiding pressure and the only way the Lions will get to him is to blitz. Last week the Lions blitzed around eight times in the first half and not one of the longer gains came from being burnt on the blitz. The Lions have shown this year that they will be burnt far more often while NOT blitzing than when they are blitzing. Somehow I doubt they have learned that lesson yet though.
Things to watch....
Pay attention to the Lions special teams this week. They signed the hard hitting rookie Zach Follett from the practice squad in hopes of injecting some life into the special teams. This guy can light someone up. If he gets a hard hit on the returner early, it could add life to some of the other players as well.
It will be interesting to see if Culpepper will take some chances down field if he gets the time to throw. In the preseason he gained the reputation for not taking chances down field. I think he was a victim of play calling and if given the chance he will want to prove his worth.
If the Steelers do blitz a lot, it would not surprise me to see the Lions use Aaron Brown more to counter the pressure. His speed on the draw plays and screens could force the Steelers defense to back off quicker than Kevin Smiths hard running style would.
Look at the stands. Many expect the stadium to be nearly 40% Steelers fans. I would expect more in the lines of 30% but it will be enough to see virtual seas of black and yellow.
The Lions are looking improved over last season. There are vast improvements in run defense and offensive rushing. They are in no way ready to beat a Pittsburgh Steelers team.
Steelers - 30
Lions ---- 20
10/3/09
Lions vs Bears - Pregame Week-4
After a win against the Washington Redskins, our beloved Detroit Lions travel to Chicago to face the Bears on hostile territory.
In the early going, Detroit's running game has actually been better than the Bears has. Forte, one of last years top rushers, as well as being one of the top receiving backs in the NFL, has had a very slow start. With four less carries, than Forte, Kevin Smith has 54 more yards. Unfortunately for the Lions Kevin Smith is not healthy this week.
Kevin Smith did take part in practice but Schwartz has said he will be a game time decision. If Smith cannot handle the load on his shoulder, we can expect to see more of Maurice Morris again this week. Personally I believe that there would be a higher upside to playing Aaron Brown with his better top end speed, but I would not expect to see a lot of him either way.
However much any fan may like or dislike Matthew StafFORD, any intelligent human being would have to admit that at this point of their careers, Cutler is leaps and bounds better. It will take one of StafFORD's better weeks to beat the Bears Sunday. He started right last Sunday when he hit Bryant Johnson early and often. He will need to do the same again to force the defense to leave Calvin Johnson a little more open. Any time Johnson is one on one with any defender though, StafFORD needs to go his way.
The Lions defense will be hard pressed to stop the Bears. As good as the Lions have looked in stopping the run at times, they have not done so well against the pass. Even though Forte has had a slow start, they will have to keep a close eye on him. The Lions defense will have to worry about keeping Forte reigned in while trying to stop the speedy receivers whom Cutler will be throwing to.
With Forte starting off slow this year, the Lions will have to take advantage of that. They will have to make sure they disrupt the passing game to keep Cutler from hitting Hester deep too often. It is in my humble opinion that this would be the optimal week for the Lions defense to come hard with the blitz. Until Forte shows he can make us pay for blitzing, the Lions have to get to Cutler quickly and they need to get to him early. They cannot afford to allow Cutler to get into any kind of groove.
I didn't believe the Lions would beat Washington last week, but in all due respect, the Redskins have not looked good this season. The Bears will not play as sloppy and I do not think the Lions will play as well against them. Until I actually see the aggressive side of Cunningham for myself, I will not believe he will come with a lot of blitzing. Higher confidence or not, the Lions don't really match-up to the Bears.
Chicago Bears 24
Detroit Lions 16
In the early going, Detroit's running game has actually been better than the Bears has. Forte, one of last years top rushers, as well as being one of the top receiving backs in the NFL, has had a very slow start. With four less carries, than Forte, Kevin Smith has 54 more yards. Unfortunately for the Lions Kevin Smith is not healthy this week.
Kevin Smith did take part in practice but Schwartz has said he will be a game time decision. If Smith cannot handle the load on his shoulder, we can expect to see more of Maurice Morris again this week. Personally I believe that there would be a higher upside to playing Aaron Brown with his better top end speed, but I would not expect to see a lot of him either way.
However much any fan may like or dislike Matthew StafFORD, any intelligent human being would have to admit that at this point of their careers, Cutler is leaps and bounds better. It will take one of StafFORD's better weeks to beat the Bears Sunday. He started right last Sunday when he hit Bryant Johnson early and often. He will need to do the same again to force the defense to leave Calvin Johnson a little more open. Any time Johnson is one on one with any defender though, StafFORD needs to go his way.
The Lions defense will be hard pressed to stop the Bears. As good as the Lions have looked in stopping the run at times, they have not done so well against the pass. Even though Forte has had a slow start, they will have to keep a close eye on him. The Lions defense will have to worry about keeping Forte reigned in while trying to stop the speedy receivers whom Cutler will be throwing to.
With Forte starting off slow this year, the Lions will have to take advantage of that. They will have to make sure they disrupt the passing game to keep Cutler from hitting Hester deep too often. It is in my humble opinion that this would be the optimal week for the Lions defense to come hard with the blitz. Until Forte shows he can make us pay for blitzing, the Lions have to get to Cutler quickly and they need to get to him early. They cannot afford to allow Cutler to get into any kind of groove.
I didn't believe the Lions would beat Washington last week, but in all due respect, the Redskins have not looked good this season. The Bears will not play as sloppy and I do not think the Lions will play as well against them. Until I actually see the aggressive side of Cunningham for myself, I will not believe he will come with a lot of blitzing. Higher confidence or not, the Lions don't really match-up to the Bears.
Chicago Bears 24
Detroit Lions 16
9/25/09
Lions vs Redskins - Pregame Week-3
Against the Vikings, the Lions showed some defensive improvement, but it was not enough to warrant any hopes of the Lions beating the Redskins in the third week. At 0-2, I see no reason to think the Lions will not just continue to add to the second number of that record.
Many would argue that StafFORD is bound to break out with a decent game sooner or later. The Redskins are not having a real good start to the season. This would seem an opportunity for the Lions to break into the win column. I say to stop and consider it before you think that.
In the first two games, StafFORD has not had a lot of pressure. Only being sacked three times in the first two games, he is on pace for only 24 sacks for the season. Yet the rookie has played like he had players in his face every down. Now he faces the Washington Redskins with Albert Haynesworth in the middle. The Lions are ill equipped to handle a dominant defensive tackle and I would expect StafFORD to finally get a taste of real NFL pressure. With added pressure on him, it can only be expected to see the rookie make more mistakes, so another two interceptions is not that much of a reach.
The Lions best hope of beating the Redskins is with their defense. They need to stop Clinton Portis and pressure Jason Campbell. This week, it is paramount that the Lions put aside their timid defensive scheme and blitz, a lot! Their biggest hope for a win is to force some turnovers and give StafFORD a short field to work with.
Until Gunther Cunningham stands up and shows us the aggressive scheme he has touted, I cannot believe he will. I believe that he might want to but William Clay Ford reins him in as he has done with the last half dozen defensive coordinators. Until Cunningham brings the blitz more than a couple times in a half, I have to believe the Lions will continue to play a timid defensive scheme. As long as they do that, they will have no hope of stopping offenses.
Washington Redskins 17
Detroit Lions 9
Many would argue that StafFORD is bound to break out with a decent game sooner or later. The Redskins are not having a real good start to the season. This would seem an opportunity for the Lions to break into the win column. I say to stop and consider it before you think that.
In the first two games, StafFORD has not had a lot of pressure. Only being sacked three times in the first two games, he is on pace for only 24 sacks for the season. Yet the rookie has played like he had players in his face every down. Now he faces the Washington Redskins with Albert Haynesworth in the middle. The Lions are ill equipped to handle a dominant defensive tackle and I would expect StafFORD to finally get a taste of real NFL pressure. With added pressure on him, it can only be expected to see the rookie make more mistakes, so another two interceptions is not that much of a reach.
The Lions best hope of beating the Redskins is with their defense. They need to stop Clinton Portis and pressure Jason Campbell. This week, it is paramount that the Lions put aside their timid defensive scheme and blitz, a lot! Their biggest hope for a win is to force some turnovers and give StafFORD a short field to work with.
Until Gunther Cunningham stands up and shows us the aggressive scheme he has touted, I cannot believe he will. I believe that he might want to but William Clay Ford reins him in as he has done with the last half dozen defensive coordinators. Until Cunningham brings the blitz more than a couple times in a half, I have to believe the Lions will continue to play a timid defensive scheme. As long as they do that, they will have no hope of stopping offenses.
Washington Redskins 17
Detroit Lions 9
9/19/09
Detroit Lions Pregame vs Minnesota
Believe it or not, the Detroit Lions actually have a chance to beat the Vikings. It is a small chance but there is the chance, if they play their cards right.
First of all is Adrian Peterson. Everyone knows you will only hold him down if your whole defense happens to have a great week. Everyone also knows the chances of that with the Lions are pretty slim. So Peterson is going to get his yards anyway. He will likely break off a couple long ones and score a couple of times. What the Lions cannot afford to do however, is let Brett Favre have his way with them.
If you can't stop the running game, it is imperative to at least stop the passing game. The only way the Lions can stop Favre is to get a lot of pressure on him. And yes that does mean the blitz! If the Lions can shut down Favre, then that leaves them with only one player to deal with on the Vikings offense and in my book, even if that player is Adrian Peterson, your chances are much higher for success than if both the running back and the quarterback have big days.
When the Lions have the ball, they need to be a little more imaginative. The Lions offense just is not good enough to play straight up front and beat their opponent. They need to put the Vikings defense back on its heels wondering what will come next. They need to use the screens to Kevin Smith (with blockers) more often to help Stafford out a little. A couple of different End Arounds and Reverses can go a long way to helping a struggling offense.
Another very important factor is the offensive line. They need to get off the ball and push the line of scrimmage forward this week. The Lions offensive line was absolutely dominated in week-1 and they cannot allow that to happen again. The problem is that the Lions are not powerful enough in the middle of the offensive line. This is why the Lions need to run through the tackles and not the center and guards. Dominic Raiola, though he is pretty good in pass protection, just doesn't have the strength to get a push up the middle.
Most important this week is that Matt Stafford needs to play like a starter. Schwartz named him the starter because he was supposed to be ready and give the Lions a better chance to succeed. Personally I do not believe this but that is neither here nor there. He is the starter and now he needs to show he can do it. He cannot continue to throw into triple coverage as he did in week-1.
The final thing the Lions need to do to have a chance to beat the Vikings, is to feed some Nitrous Oxide into the visitors locker room. I said it was a slim chance they could win!
Vikings 34 - Lions 20
Stafford will only throw one interception this week.
First of all is Adrian Peterson. Everyone knows you will only hold him down if your whole defense happens to have a great week. Everyone also knows the chances of that with the Lions are pretty slim. So Peterson is going to get his yards anyway. He will likely break off a couple long ones and score a couple of times. What the Lions cannot afford to do however, is let Brett Favre have his way with them.
If you can't stop the running game, it is imperative to at least stop the passing game. The only way the Lions can stop Favre is to get a lot of pressure on him. And yes that does mean the blitz! If the Lions can shut down Favre, then that leaves them with only one player to deal with on the Vikings offense and in my book, even if that player is Adrian Peterson, your chances are much higher for success than if both the running back and the quarterback have big days.
When the Lions have the ball, they need to be a little more imaginative. The Lions offense just is not good enough to play straight up front and beat their opponent. They need to put the Vikings defense back on its heels wondering what will come next. They need to use the screens to Kevin Smith (with blockers) more often to help Stafford out a little. A couple of different End Arounds and Reverses can go a long way to helping a struggling offense.
Another very important factor is the offensive line. They need to get off the ball and push the line of scrimmage forward this week. The Lions offensive line was absolutely dominated in week-1 and they cannot allow that to happen again. The problem is that the Lions are not powerful enough in the middle of the offensive line. This is why the Lions need to run through the tackles and not the center and guards. Dominic Raiola, though he is pretty good in pass protection, just doesn't have the strength to get a push up the middle.
Most important this week is that Matt Stafford needs to play like a starter. Schwartz named him the starter because he was supposed to be ready and give the Lions a better chance to succeed. Personally I do not believe this but that is neither here nor there. He is the starter and now he needs to show he can do it. He cannot continue to throw into triple coverage as he did in week-1.
The final thing the Lions need to do to have a chance to beat the Vikings, is to feed some Nitrous Oxide into the visitors locker room. I said it was a slim chance they could win!
Vikings 34 - Lions 20
Stafford will only throw one interception this week.
9/12/09
Lions vs Saints - Pregame
Half the city of Detroit is excited to see Matthew Stafford start his first game. The other half is just excited to see their beloved Lions. The question on everyone's mind is, how will they fare against the New Orleans Saints?
When the Detroit Lions have the ball
The offensive line will be crucial, not only in protecting the rookie quarterback, but more so in the running game. Kevin Smith is not the scamp back that will bounce around and find his own holes. His progress will depend heavily on the men in front to get some push and open holes. In the preseason the offensive line looked good in the running game, but this is not the preseason anymore.
The Saints defense will pay most attention to Calvin Johnson, so Matthew Stafford needs to look to Bryant Johnson, Dennis Northcutt and Brandon Pettigrew early. If he hits his secondary receivers and Kevin Smith gets some openings, the Saints will be force to leave Calvin in one on one coverage and then Stafford will hit him deep.
Stafford will quickly find that the speed of the game will be another notch faster than it was in the preseason. It will take him time to adjust and by the time he does, it may be too late.
When Saints have the ball
Gunther Cunningham has said the Lions ran a very vanilla defense in the preseason. He plans on coming after Brees with the whole scheme and a lot of new looks on the blitz. It will be critical for the Lions to get to Brees fast. The Saints have one of the best passing games in the NFL and the Lions new defensive backs come with big question marks. The weak point on the Lions defense is the defensive line and its lack of ability to push the pocket. The Lions will have to blitz and blitz a lot.
The good thing is I believe the Lions defense is much improved in stopping the running game. The extremely fast running back might still find the occasional break down and take one the length of the field, but for the most part the Lions don't seem like they will give up 5 yards every carry.
Conclusion
If the Lions can get to Brees early and often, they may have a chance to be in the game in the fourth quarter. After that, anything can happen. Unfortunately, Brees is too good to hold back for long and he will break loose for some long passes against the Lions. Matthew Stafford will be a bit shell shocked in his first game and we might see something close to his third preseason game where he threw the ball over everyone's heads.
Final Score
Saints - 27
Lions - 17
When the Detroit Lions have the ball
The offensive line will be crucial, not only in protecting the rookie quarterback, but more so in the running game. Kevin Smith is not the scamp back that will bounce around and find his own holes. His progress will depend heavily on the men in front to get some push and open holes. In the preseason the offensive line looked good in the running game, but this is not the preseason anymore.
The Saints defense will pay most attention to Calvin Johnson, so Matthew Stafford needs to look to Bryant Johnson, Dennis Northcutt and Brandon Pettigrew early. If he hits his secondary receivers and Kevin Smith gets some openings, the Saints will be force to leave Calvin in one on one coverage and then Stafford will hit him deep.
Stafford will quickly find that the speed of the game will be another notch faster than it was in the preseason. It will take him time to adjust and by the time he does, it may be too late.
When Saints have the ball
Gunther Cunningham has said the Lions ran a very vanilla defense in the preseason. He plans on coming after Brees with the whole scheme and a lot of new looks on the blitz. It will be critical for the Lions to get to Brees fast. The Saints have one of the best passing games in the NFL and the Lions new defensive backs come with big question marks. The weak point on the Lions defense is the defensive line and its lack of ability to push the pocket. The Lions will have to blitz and blitz a lot.
The good thing is I believe the Lions defense is much improved in stopping the running game. The extremely fast running back might still find the occasional break down and take one the length of the field, but for the most part the Lions don't seem like they will give up 5 yards every carry.
Conclusion
If the Lions can get to Brees early and often, they may have a chance to be in the game in the fourth quarter. After that, anything can happen. Unfortunately, Brees is too good to hold back for long and he will break loose for some long passes against the Lions. Matthew Stafford will be a bit shell shocked in his first game and we might see something close to his third preseason game where he threw the ball over everyone's heads.
Final Score
Saints - 27
Lions - 17
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