MichiganCardinal

The NFL actually collects the gate from the game. So the Lions are "only" collecting the extra stuff - concessions, merchandise, parking, etc. - and still paying out the same number of expenses from the game. I believe I've heard that NFL teams generally actually make less overall from playoff games than from regular season games. That said, as was mentioned, the economic impact to the surrounding area is immense. Judging by the bars I went to after the game on Sunday, it wouldn't surprise me if tens of millions was generated to the local area.

I don't want to put the cart too far ahead of the horse.... Tampa first.... but having watched the Green Bay/Dallas highlights, Love is a concern. I'm not ready to say he's the next big thing in the lineage of Favre and Rodgers, but if he consistently plays how he did against Dallas, he will be. I genuinely like our matchup against San Francisco. They're very good, but they would have a tougher time exploiting our weaknesses.

I agree. All told, I think the two worst playoff teams in the NFC (and maybe the NFL) played last night. It's just how the seeding shook out this year. Add in the Lions being at home, hungry, and having what I think is far better coaching, and I like the Lions a lot. Probably to cover 6 as well. But I don't want to overlook the Bucs.

It would be a mistake to say "Lions beat Tampa 20-6 in week five, Lions were missing many key pieces, Lions now have those key pieces, therefore the Lions will easily win" Neither of these teams are what they were back then. Baker missed some wide open throws in week five to guys who would have gone for 6. It could have easily been a 20-20 game headed to OT. Based off of last night, Baker might make those throws this Sunday. Rachaad White went for 72 yards last night against the Eagles good defensive line. He went for 26 against the Lions. For the Lions, they basically won the game in week five without running the ball. The leading rusher was Craig Reynolds, who went 10 carries for 15 yards. I doubt they shut down a healthy Gibbs and Montgomery in the same fashion. Another week, another team with good receivers set to exploit the Lions porous secondary. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin might be getting older, but I'm sure they'll have a delicious late Sunday lunch on Vildor.

It all depends. Knowing Campbell, almost certainly not. Not knowing how this happened with the Eagles though, it's harder to say. Here, there are a lot of rumblings about how this went down, but it's not publicly known. If it was in fact the case that Sirianni lost control of the locker room, which subsequently led to problems on the field? Then it needs to be determined whether it is fixable. If it's not, and you run it back with him anyway? 2024-2025 is going to be a lost year where they go 5-12 and fire him around week 10, despite a roster that is built to win now. The internal postmortem will be what determines his fate.

NFC East is the first division in the NFL eliminated from contention. NFC North has the most teams remaining. Packers were the only wildcard team to beat their division champ pairing.

vs. Setting: 01/21/2023 3:00pm on NBC Site: Ford Field in Detroit, MI Weather: Climate Controlled Opening Spread: Lions -6 All-Time Series Record: Lions lead, 32-29 Last Meeting: 10/15/2023, Lions won 20-6 #4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-8) Head Coach: Todd Bowles (6th Season: 41-57, 1-1 in Playoffs) Projected Starting QB: Baker Mayfield (6th Season: 40-46, 2-1 in Playoffs) Last Week: 32-9 W v. Philadelphia Eagles (11-7) Your #3 Detroit Lions (13-5) Head Coach: Dan Campbell (3rd Season: 24-26-1, 1-0 in Playoffs) Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (8th Season: 66-50-1, 3-3 in Playoffs) Last Week: 24-23 W v. Los Angeles Rams (10-8) Elsewhere in the NFL Saturday: #4 Houston Texans @ #1 Baltimore Ravens (4:30pm on ESPN/ABC), #7 Green Bay Packers @ #1 San Francisco 49ers (8:00pm on FOX) Sunday: #3 Kansas City Chiefs @ #2 Buffalo Bills (6:30pm on CBS)

The 2021 Cardinals come to mind. They were 10-2 at their height, got kneecapped by the one-win Lions, and have never been the same. They got embarrassed in the playoffs by the Rams in that game where Kyler Murray looked like Grade A dog poopoo. 19/34, 137 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs

I agree. He's been better than I expected to be honest. I would still take Gibbs and LaPorta.

Same here. LaPorta has looked like he could possibly be the next Kelce or Gronkowski within two years. There's nothing to say that Carter been a problem in the locker room, or his effort has been poor with the Eagles, so I don't want to unfairly speculate... but he's in a locker room that's rumored to be in turmoil and will have lost 6 of their last 7 to end the season. Gibbs and LaPorta aren't.

I'm sure he got that all the time after the big wins in LA.

Nick Sirianni takes three points off the board and predictably doesn't get the 1st down.

The Valenti Show would beg to differ. Don't mention Jalen Carter or Jordan Davis in a ten-mile radius of them if you don't want drool on your shoes.

Recalling that Tampa game, there were multiple misfires by Baker Mayfield on receivers downfield who had gained a few yards of separation and would have gone for 6. Score more than 20 this time.

Is it Sirianni or is it Howie Roseman? The Eagles and Lions are interesting case studies on character and locker room dynamics. Maybe this could have happened to the Lions too, but I don't think so. This complete collapse is interesting when you consider that they've consistently prioritized talent over character/locker room dynamics when other teams have passed on players.

When the pick came up I thought it would either be Campbell or Kancey. I think they'll both be good. For his part, Campbell finished with 95 tackles on the season, second only to Anzalone on the Lions and second among rookies only to Ivan Pace on the Vikings. Solid upward trajectory for a rookie too, 39 tackles through the first nine weeks and 56 in the second half of the season.

Lmao Eagles. Good thing you went for two earlier.

I think we matchup better against the Bucs, but that we should beat either of these teams. I actually think the Rams would beat either of these teams.

Please refer to the MotownForums.com Commandments Thou shall not defend Matt Patricia

I remember him flipping the bird to lions fans once. It’s nice to recall these memories as the distant past.

I don't think it's crazy to think that next year's NFC North may be similar to this year's AFC North. Four good to great teams. Gonna be a hard division in the years to come.

He's not wrong. That's a poorly placed ball by Stafford that put Higbee in a precarious position where he couldn't brace for impact.

I think he's just pissed he lost, in a lot of pain, and wants to get through this interview as quickly as possible so he can get to an ice bath and a bed. I really don't think he was dismissing the fans. He's been around the game long enough to understand that it's not personal. Kelly on the other hand........... well, she has been silent on social media so far.

I think McVay has eaten his humble pie about the whole situation. Winning his Super Bowl certainly helped. Harder for Stafford to be gracious coming off the field in obvious pain after a brutal season-ending loss. Next year when he comes to Detroit for the regular season he will likely be applauded loudly and appreciated for what he did while he was here.

The Rams lost by one and didn't go for it on 4th down a single time in the second half. It doesn't inherently mean the Rams were too conservative, but it is a yellow flag. They had 4th and 11 on their own 38 (punt), 4th and 8 on the Lions 9 (FG), 4th and 8 on the Lions 11 (FG), and 4th and 14 on the Lions 44. The last one is probably the only one that sticks out as should have gone for it.