MichiganCardinal

Can't take us out of field goal range, absolutely need to throw that away there.

Excellent work by the red zone defense and Dan Campbell holding them to 3 here.

Interesting decision to accept that penalty. They were anticipating them going for it on 4/1, which is probably correct.

They're missing Anzalone badly on this drive.

I haven't had any issues, but I'll predict that price hike too.

So is Christian Mahogany. Passed Awosika on the depth chart?

Good thing we are leaving the roster assembly to Brad.

Hard not to see the parallels between Ditka and Campbell. Other than Campbell being an actually decent human being of course.

Detroit 31 Indianapolis 23 A return to single-digit margins.

If true, it's an indictment on the Giants. More likely, it's a fluff piece and the "sources" are Jones' agents. "Oh yeah, Jordan, phone's been ringing off the hook! I'm probably missing calls from the 07 Patriots and 72 Dolphins right now just by calling you and describing just how much incredible interest there is!"

I believe it's a reoccurrence of the hammy that's been bothering him. I don't think it's been announced as season ending, but reading the tea leaves of him being seemingly passed up by Vildor on the depth chart, my thinking is that they decided to shut him down for a few weeks to make room for the (better) Moseley. He'll be eligible to return in Week 16 against the Bears.

Brock Wright also had 7 receptions for 71 yards and 1 TD his entire college career. Brad Holmes saw that and said, "you..... I like you." 53 receptions for 487 yards and 9 TDs as a pro. And counting!

Only the Giants will be stuck paying him. No one is picking up that contract on waivers. On the open market, I would expect a team like the Raiders, Titans, Cowboys, or Saints to pick him up and give him a five-week tryout for 2025.

Don't forget Jack Fox.

I'll drop some pessimism in the chat. Michigan fans are a lot of things, but patient isn't one of them. I'm worried for the kid, if he does indeed start as a true freshman, when he has a really bad game. The jump from high school football, even a powerhouse like Belleville, to D1 college B1G football, is immense. The players are way bigger, way faster, way stronger, and way smarter. The expectations are unfathomable to a 17-year-old, especially when you're getting that kind of fat check. And right now, there won't be a lot of talent around him. He went 11/23 for 188 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs in his last game at Belleville. If he does that against Oklahoma in September, a lot of crazies who went and recruited him at his first round playoff game are going to (unjustifiably) lose their minds. He's going to need a resiliency and mental focus that cannot be taught. I also feel for Jadyn Davis, who was told all year "we aren't going to use you even though we could use you, because we need you next year!" only to have the rug yanked out from under him. The best thing for the program would be for Davis and Underwood to be treated like Ewers and Manning, or even McNamara and McCarthy... But I doubt they get that kind of organizational patience after dropping eight figures on a 17-year-old. It's a good thing for the Michigan football program, don't get me wrong. It means they've entered the Brave New World of college football, for better or worse. This is nothing short of an absolute statement that they're prepared to go punch for punch with Ohio State and the SEC in a way they never have before. Gone are the days of Brady Hoke's 3*s going up against the Ohio State machine. But I don't think this is "Jim Harbaugh is coming to Michigan" news that destines the program for National Championship contention. Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, Miami, Nebraska, and Texas A&M are all schools who will write blank checks for their own Bryce Underwood, get top ten ratings on the recruitment sites, get a meaningless preseason top ten ranking, and routinely fall flat on their face en route to an 8-4 season, or worse. They've all been in the depths of college football purgatory for a long time. You've got to develop these high school phenoms, and you've got to assemble a team, not just individually really talented puzzle pieces.

While WCF was good for very little, at least he knew how to put a roof on the building.

Campbell was caught off guard today with a question about his dogs in his presser. But honestly gave a really sweet response. I think I queued it right, but start at about 1:14 if not. Love having this dude as our coach. For context:

Both are not likely to return. They'll never say never with NFL athletes, but I will... Davenport (torn triceps) definitely not. Barnes (torn MCL and PCL) would take something of a miracle. He (Barnes) has ditched crutches and is with the team rehabbing as of last week, but reading between the lines he's actually behind Hutchinson in terms of rehab. I think Hutch returns for the Super Bowl - maybe even the NFC Championship Game - before either of these guys return. To add a name though, John Cominsky tore his MCL in July, way before it was cool for our defensive linemen to suffer season ending injuries. It sounds as if he is still in line to return for the playoffs, if not a little bit sooner.

Given that it’s Monday Night, I expect the Lions may have an opportunity to clinch at least the Division that day too.

I think they go 3-2 in their next five, and then lose to both the Packers and the Lions to end the season. In that scenario, they would enter Week 17 at 11-4, very much still in the race. They're a good team in a brutal division.

Looking at the remaining schedules: Lions: @Colts, vBears, vPackers, vBills, @Bears, @49ers, vVikings [Expected Finish: 13-4 to 16-1] Packers: v49ers, vDolphins, @Lions, @Seahawks, vSaints, @Vikings, vBears [Expected Finish: 10-7 to 13-4] Vikings: @Bears, vCardinals, vFalcons, vBears, @Seahawks, vPackers, @Lions [Expected Finish: 10-7 to 13-4] Eagles: @Rams, @Ravens, vPanthers, vSteelers, @Commanders, vCowboys, vGiants [Expected Finish: 11-5 to to 14-3] There's probably a world where the Lions go 2-3 in the final stretch of Packers, Bills, Bears, 49ers, and Vikings. It feels unlikely the way they've been playing, but I think that's the only way they get caught, either for the one-seed or for the division. The Eagles don't have an easy finish either, playing the Rams, Ravens, Steelers, and Commanders across the next five weeks. They could easily go 2-3 themselves in that stretch. The Vikings probably have the easiest schedule of the bunch, but the way they're trending I don't think there is a single gimme in there. If I had to predict today, I would say: 1 - Lions (15-2) 2 - Eagles (13-4) 3 - Falcons (10-7) 4 - Cardinals (10-7) 5 - Packers (12-5) 6 - Vikings (11-6) 7 - 49ers (10-7) Eagles knock off the 49ers (possibly into a rebuild), Kirk Cousins knocks off the Vikings, and the Packers beat the Cardinals, setting up a Lions/Packers Divisional Round game at Ford Field.

Lucky for us he doesn’t really have a role in this backfield right now. Curious to see how they use Moseley though.

9-1 is the best start in Lions franchise history dating back to the inaugural 1934 edition of the Detroit Lions, fresh off the move from Portsmouth. That 1934 squad, led by head coach Potsy Clark and QB Dutch Clark (no relation), started 10-0, not allowing a point on defense for the first seven games. They ultimately fell to a disappointing 10-3 finish, losing twice in the last three games to the undefeated Chicago Bears. In true Bears fashion though, they lost the NFL Championship 30-13 to the New York Giants. Some things never change.

Zac Taylor's seat is warming up.