MichiganCardinal

Lucky for the Saints the Jags suck too

If Reynolds is out I’m expecting the backfield to be Gibbs and Kalif Raymond… I agree that Gibbs can’t be out between the tackles guy too often. If he’s going to the outside and being smart about avoiding too much contact I think his touches can increase a bit from where they were.

Brian Kelly killed a kid.

I guess it was better than watching the garbage that the Chargers and Cowboys were providing on the field.

I hope I'm wrong but it just feels like it has the makings of a let-down game. Coming with everyone on the bandwagon, people saying we are #1 in the Power Rankings... Going on the road to a good Baltimore team with a very good coach.... Banged up, particularly in the running game.... Abnormal weather is expected... Almost reminds me of the week between the Jets and Panthers games last season. We've seen that as good as Dan Campbell coached teams are, they are prone to one or two games where they just come out flat (Eagles and Bengals in 2021, Patriots and Panthers in 2022). That dates back even to his days as an interim head coach in Miami (won games 44-26 and 38-10, lost one 36-7). Again, I hope I'm wrong.

I thought the whole thing was bizarre. Why was ESPN so hyper focused on her to start with? It’s a lose-lose for the Chargers, you’re basically saying “no she wasn’t planted, we just had one rabid fan and that was so out of the norm that it became a story!”

You know it’s bad when they show an enthusiastic fan in your home stadium and are immediately accused by half of social media that she was planted by the NFL.

I thought his route on the ball that got under thrown was even more impressive. There’s stopping on a dime and there is what he did. Dean was running another five yards before he even noticed.

I'm a little worried about our prospects for this game if we are missing both Gibbs and Montgomery. We got nothing going against Tampa on the ground when Monty left. We made it through the second half without him (thanks in part to our defense holding Tampa to 6 points), but I'm not sure how sustainable a one-dimensional offense is for us. As good as he's been, we probably can't reasonably expect Goff to throw the ball 60 times against the Baltimore pass defense. It's supposed to be a windy weekend in Baltimore too, which won't help. Gusts at game time around 25mph. At full strength, these would be ideal game conditions for our offense. Without our running backs though, it complicates things. We will need to get creative in the screen game or reverse game, getting the ball into the hands of ASB and Jamo any way we can. The Lions shouldn't have much issue with Gus Edwards or Justice Hill, but Lamar is the most effective mobile QB in the league. If they can manage to contain him, and make it a mano e mano between Goff and Jackson's arms in the short to intermediate game, I like our chances. You probably won't hold them to six points though like you did Tampa.

I think to come out with a directive that players should attempt to avoid putting their weight on the back of the legs of an offensive player while making a tackle is fine. Punitively though, make it a warning and then a fine, not yet another extremely subjective 15-yard penalty in the game official’s tool belt.

I don’t really understand what their alternative solution is. If a guy gets caught from behind, is the defender supposed to just hold him there in position until someone else can tackle him from the front? He’s still defenseless in that scenario. Jump on top and get carried for a ride? That’s not tackling. Or are they supposed to clip them, and just make the tackle low from behind? That’s likely more dangerous that the hip drop. I’m not surprised that tackles from behind are more injurious than tackles from the front, but I think any further rule change there would require substantial change in the way football is played.

“Sir this is a Wendy’s”

I agree. I think that’s fair.

1, 2, 3, and 4 are the divisional winners; 5, 6, and 7 are wildcards. 1 - bye 7@2 6@3 5@4

I wouldn't say "case closed" on LaPorta, but I do think it's far more likely than not he is a sustainable fixture to the offense than that he busts. It's much more common for a rookie skill position player to look mediocre at the outset and improve as time goes on than for one to look like the next great player at his position and not pan out.

Who needs your first-born anyway?

It’s funny, two years ago I couldn’t find people to go with me to the worst of the worst games. People were bailing last minute to some, I went by myself to one or two. This year, I’ve been approached by multiple people, some of whom I barely know let alone would go to a game with, like “hey we should go to a game sometime!” or “if you’re ever selling let me know!” To which I say,

Foreseeable to anyone who watched him play those first few weeks. Have to avoid that contact in this league if you want to keep playing.

I have a feeling Ben Johnson would work wonders with that LA Chargers' offense.

Cowboys-Chargers is a battle of which coach can out-lose the other. Cowboys butchered the clock at the end of the first half and were gifted their 3 points by a stupid Chargers penalty. Meanwhile, Staley didn't challenge a very questionable spot on 3rd down and then inexplicably called a pass on 4th and a foot (instead of a high percentage run or a game-tying kick) that predictably failed.

Mike McCarthy is a bum and the Cowboys won't scare me until he's gone.

I’d like to expand my season ticket arsenal next year if there are tickets to be had. I love my seventh row lower bowl seats for rabid fan time. Monday Night, playoff game, bringing the fellow rabid fan, that’ll be the spot. If I’m bringing my mom though, or I’m going to a preseason game, I think I’d rather have a club level seat. Nicer seats (physical seats not location wise), more casual spot for viewing while still an awesome view. And if I pick up two in the club level I can always sell or gift the other two I don’t use.

I generally find it hard to complain or harshly comment about much, offensive or defensive, when we are 5-1. That said, I think evaluating an NFL offenses play-calling based on a binary of "run" vs. "pass" on any given down is probably a vast oversimplification. The goal of every drive is to score but that doesn't mean that the goal of a 2nd and 9 run play from the -26 is a 74-yard touchdown run.

I think I was concerned a little last year when he was set to possibly leave because it didn't seem we had an obvious heir apparent. I don't think that will be an issue this year if (when) he leaves. If I had to levy a guess today, I would put money on Tanner Engstrand being groomed for the role this year. He's gone from TE Coach to Passing Game Coordinator, which is the same progression Ben Johnson took before being named OC. It could be Scottie Montgomery or Steve Heiden though too. In any event, I'm sure they'll be prepared, and I agree that the Lions success on both sides of the ball, but particularly on offense, is in large part thanks to Campbell.

My power rankings haven't changed substantially since the last time I did them, but comparing the Lions to other teams in the NFL, the only team I see that we really don't matchup well with are the Dolphins and a fully healthy Bengals team... maybe the Bills too. The top tier of the NFC (49ers, Eagles, and Lions) all played tough defensive matchups this week and were forced to play off-brand football. All three of those teams like to play bully ball, using their elite offensive line to impose their will on the ground, only going to the air to catch the opponent napping and change the pace. When the 49ers were forced to go to the air this week because of injury combined with the Browns defensive line, they struggled and ultimately lost. When the Eagles were forced to go to the air this week because of the Jets defensive line, Hurts threw three interceptions and they ultimately lost. When the Lions were forced to go to the air this week because of injury and a stout Tampa defense, they didn't miss a beat and still won by two scores. That's not to say we are Super Bowl bound or anything (though... maybe!), but both the 49ers and Eagles would almost certainly have to play a different brand of football against us. Ground and pound likely isn't going to go well against our defensive line, and they will need to rely on Purdy and Hurts to play a brand of football they usually don't need to. I like Goff's ability to go with the flow better and win the game with his arm, based off of what we saw yesterday. The Dolphins are the only team in that upper echelon of the NFL that really relies on the pass first and can stretch the field vertically at will. I think Tua (if he makes it through the full season) would have the potential to make the throws Baker missed yesterday, exploiting Will Harris and Jerry Jacobs with Tyreek Hill in ways that hasn't been done to this point. The Bengals, with a healthy Burrow, could probably do the same. At least one of Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase would give us fits if their offensive line gave Burrow enough time to find them. The Bills probably have the capacity to do this too, but they sure seem to be on the same track they have been the last few years, where it just feels like there is more untapped... I'm glad none of those three would be on the schedule until February.