MichiganCardinal

Lions 26 Panthers 20 OT

I’ve got a similar feeling about this game as I did the Jets game. Expectations are rising at perhaps an unfair rate. This is a very young team that was never expected to win 7/8 games in a given stretch this season. Yet, I feel like the “expectation” is that they win this game - even go 3-0 to finish - and people will be very upset if they lose. I will be disappointed if they lose, because I think it’s a game that they can win, but I’m also being realistic that this is an impressive stretch that may come with bumps in the road. Road games are hard to win in late December. This is practically playoff football for both of these teams. I do think we match up fairly well against Carolina in that we should be able to shut down their run game. I worry that Carolina is going to be ready to go to the pass game quickly though, and that Darnold will torch them just by making the quick simple throws that Wilson missed. Likewise, I worry we will struggle to move the ball in the air. If we can move it on the ground, we will be in business. But we scored 13 offensive points against the Jets, and 7 of those came on one 50+ yard play. Not going to predict this one yet. But I’m not as confident as I was when we played Jacksonville or Minnesota at home.

Whatever the over/under on how many of those words he actually wrote vs. people at OU wrote for him is… take the under. I’ve seen immature high school writing before, and that ain’t it. On the bright side for him, general douchery will fit right in no matter which school he chose from those options!

Never heard of the guy. Never meet the heroes you didn’t know exist I suppose.

While I’m sure this will not be fan-friendly in terms of price, I would anticipate it being much more conducive than whatever Direct TV was doing. Depending on the price point I’ll certainly consider it. Never would have considered Direct TV.

I'd like to see them just get him the ball more. He'll be lethal once him and Goff get on the same page, but that is going to take time - like, probably more time than we have left in this season. A whole offseason of working together will give those two some good chemistry, and I would expect Goff to make the throw he under-threw once they both get down the timing of a practical go route like that. They don't have to wait that long to see what he can do though. Give him the ball on an end-around, or on a screen. I want to see what he can do in space. He hasn't even been tackled yet that I can remember.

Speaking of Michigan 5* QBs.... Stumbled upon this on my timeline and it made me chuckle.

I think there is definitely something to this. He really leans into the whole "meat head" persona that's painted of him sometimes, whether it's on McAfee joking about being distracted by the wave or in press conferences wearing a helmet or saying he wants a pet lion in Ford Field... I think he's a very smart dude when it comes to football IQ, and I think Ben Johnson is taking a lot of credit for an offense that has a lot of Dan Campbell in it too. He's made some moves with his timeouts and 4th down elections that I probably wouldn't have, but he's not made any moves that have made me go "WTF ARE YOU DOING" like Schwartz when he threw the challenge flag illegally and cost us a TD against the Texans, or Caldwell when he guarded the sidelines against Aaron Rodgers on the Hail Mary, or Patricia anytime he opened his mouth.

Worrying to see Ragnow's foot re-appear yet again on that injury report. We are already so short of guys on the interior line. Have been since Big V went down in the preseason.

I think the Vikings are frauds. How many one-possession wins do you get before the NFL Gods order you to go 2-15 next season? Not to count chickens before they are hatched, but I would want to play them just because I think we are simply better than them. Doesn't mean we would win a road game in a playoff environment, but I think playing the Vikings would give us the best shot at getting that 30-year playoff win drought monkey off our back. From that point on, if they do advance, who cares? That's some serious house money. I'm not sure we are better than any of the 49ers, Cowboys, or Eagles, but any given Sunday; to be the best ya gotta beat the best; cut me, Mick; so on and so forth.

As the resident Switzerland of the board, I do feel compelled to stick up for TPFan a bit. Me and him got into it last year during one of our ass kickings after he was super negative. Afterwards we talked via PM and he’s a great guy who I’m sure would be an awesome beer buddy to catch a game with. These threads just get a little intense sometimes for all of us. 😅

To be fair, he's now 2nd favorite for Coach of the Year at +175, behind only Sirianni. He's got a good chance of winning it if we win these next three. He's getting a lot of credit nationally. I think it's just local that we are being hypercritical and focusing on negatives.... Which isn't just a Detroit thing, I'm sure there are posters in KC Message Boards criticizing Reid and Bienemy and Bills posters criticizing McDermott and Dorsey, especially in game threads. Can't make everybody happy and part of that job description is being in the crosshairs from opening kickoff to victory kneel on game days.

And if JJ stays for his senior season? Then it's still a problem because the 5* transfers and leaves nothing behind. I agree that finding JJ's replacement and ensuring that is a very good player is ultimately a high priority, I just don't think it's a huge deal if it's not solved in this class, or by Dante Moore specifically.

You don't really need a 5* QB behind JJ though do you? As long as JJ is healthy? Having both Cade and JJ was a luxury, not a necessity. Or even sustainable for that matter. All the same, I'm fairly certain neither Davis Warren or Alex Orji will be the starting QB for Michigan in 2024 or 2025 after JJ declares. Even if he declares without a high-level replacement ready to go, we've seen many teams sustain success with a quality transfer (even Moore himself possibly), which Michigan would assuredly have very little issue getting their pick of the litter if they continue doing what they are doing with JJ.

I don't know if it's fair to characterize it as a big miss if he never expressed interest in the program. Maybe he just liked the west coast more? Wanted to get out of B1G country? Was enticed by the possibility of joining the B1G, but wanted to play in better weather year-round? Had family or community reasons to go there, or not stay here? Plenty of possibilities outside of Michigan dropping the ball. You're not going to get every 5* athlete, even those in your own state. It's not as if he decided to go to MSU (who badly sought after him both originally and to flip) over Michigan. That would be a big miss. I would also characterize someone like CJ Carr as a miss, who went to a nearby rival despite huge connections to the program. That said, I agree that you have to get some high 4s and 5s to sustain this success. It's not all coaching. JJ was a 5, Edwards and Corum were high 4s. You don't go 13-0 without that trio, plus the nearly exclusively four-star offensive line. Not to make excuses, but I think this cycle was significantly impacted by the turnover in coaching staff that came from the surprise run last year, combined with Harbaugh's flirtations with the NFL, as well as Michigan's delay in joining the 21st Century of NIL money. A lot of that will be better this coming cycle. We already see that there has been an adaptation to at least some degree in the transfer portal. Alabama can recruit how Alabama does not because it's Nick Saban or Bill O'Brien in the living room (though I am sure that they are good at what they do), but because they win. There is a virtual guarantee that if I'm a recruit who goes to Alabama, I'm going to win a lot of games and seriously compete for a National Championship... Michigan is not Alabama, but when you go 25-2 over two years, and win back-to-back conference titles, and make back-to-back appearances in the playoff, you're going to turn some heads. Kids want to win wherever they go. And it's getting to the point where Harbaugh can point to the record and tell these kids, "come here if you want to win"... That, along with being on a more even footing with NIL, is what it will take to win over the 5-stars that Ohio State has been grabbing for the last two decades.

They changed the rule about volume a few seasons after that. If the Lions ever host a playoff game it’ll be roaring in there and they won’t stop it. I have a feeling the snowball thing was an empty threat though. How do you enforce that? I guess ultimately it’s on home game management, but that threat is just asking for Miami fans to start hurling snowballs. If one lands and Buffalo gets knocked 15 yards, you just helped your team way more than volume could have. I feel like it would be more appropriate to treat it like trash getting thrown on the field and clear the field, send the teams to the locker room if you have to and - importantly - stop selling beer during the stoppage. The fans throwing snow will get cold soon enough.

Murphy may rise as the process goes on. I've seen some rumblings of Carter having the dreaded character issues (though that's been disputed by others).

Probably. But the Jags were looking at Hutch or Thib until real late last year. I don't think there is a single prospect who the Lions shouldn't consider as being possibly there for their first pick.

How legit do we think James Houston is? Sits on the practice squad for 11 weeks, and then comes in and terrorizes the NFL in a way that hasn't been done by a rookie since friggin' Terrell Suggs. Part of it is absolutely that Hutch is getting doubled, but damn that is some raw talent we are seeing out of a 6th round pick... And to think that 31 teams could have signed him to their roster at any point before he was elevated. If we are fortunate enough to be sitting at #3 come April, and watch Young go #1 and the Bears trade back to a team that wants Stroud, or draft an offensive tackle... Do you select Anderson or Carter? Four weeks ago, I would have said (and did say here) that the obvious choice was Anderson... but the way Houston is playing, I'm not sure I want him as a rotational piece. It's an awesome problem to have if it materializes.

Aaron Rodgers is such a prick. It would bring me no greater joy than to see the Lions embarrass him in Lambeau to end his career.

How bout dem Lions!

Sure but a part of me will always get a little happier when I see Aaron Rodgers get sacked.

Game threads are like “Who’s Line is it Anyway” for four quarters of football. The rules are made up and the points don’t matter. I don’t hold anyone to their knee-jerk reactions for blood to be spilled. Pulling receipts from 1-6 sure is fun after going 6-1 across 7 though.

I’ve got Mike Valenti on line 2 for you

I think that division winners should get an auto-bid but I would be okay with not allowing them a home game if they finish with a record below .500. If the NFC South is won at 7-10, they still won their division. But let them go on the road to the #2 seed.