MichiganCardinal

He also expects Montgomery back for the Divisional Round.

He does not expect Barnes or Davis to be back this season. Emphasized that Hutchinson "suffered a season-ending injury," but that if anybody could come back from it it's him.

"Better news on Zeitler and Arnold, can't guarantee that they're playing, but much better news than they appeared when they were playing... O'Connor is not as positive." - Campbell in his presser just now.

It's not like he was very good though. Will Levis is a bust, Skoronski is a good pass blocker but a liability in the run game, which is not good enough as a #8 overall pick, and JC Latham hasn't looked special as a rookie. T'Vondre Sweat has looked good, but that's not enough to really inspire confidence... He's been even worse in free agency. Four years and $92 million to 30-year-old Calvin Ridley? Three years and $24 million to Tony Pollard? He spent like a contender and then got the worst record in the league. Most GMs don't get the chance to select two franchise QBs. If he's going to screw up the first one with Will Levis, and you don't have full confidence in him to get the 1st overall pick right, it's probably the right move. Honestly, they should have fired him last year and kept Vrabel.

I already admitted I was dead wrong about his extension, does he have to rub it in?? (Even if he doesn't have to, I hope he continues to).

Meanwhile the Lions finish the regular season as the beneficiary of one pass interference penalty, for five yards. Assuming this resource is correct, that's the fewest by both number and yards since the 2018 Jets (also 1 DPI for 5 yards).

I get the feeling that a lot of politicking and give and take goes on behind the scenes regarding scheduling. Like the Lions got screwed on the bye week this season, but they haven't played an international game since 2015, and have never once have had to forfeit a home game gate to play an international game. Meanwhile, each of the other three NFC North teams had an international game this year, and both the Bears and Vikings had to sacrifice a home game for it. It's overly simplistic, but I can kind of see them favoring teams that go international with a "better" bye week. Though the Vikings got a week six bye, so not much better. The bye week schedule generally doesn't make a ton of sense in any event. This year it was four teams in week five, four teams in week six, two in week seven, zero in week eight, two in week nine, four in week ten, four in week eleven, six in week twelve, zero in week thirteen, and six in week fourteen. I'm sure it has to do with scheduling and television contracts, but it would seem to me a lot easier if you just scheduled them by division. AFC/NFC East are off in week seven, AFC/NFC North are off in week eight, AFC/NFC South are off in week nine, AFC/NFC West are off in week ten. But they don't pay me to think, so what do I know.

I haven’t forgotten that radio crew’s call of Brett Favre choking away a playoff game. “This is not Detroit, this is the Super Bowl!” Well you just got to see Detroit, and you can’t beat them either in a game that matters!

35-9 in the regular season, 37-10 counting the postseason.

So who would we most like to play? No team is going to be easy. Rams: well coached, dangerous team whose number we have had of late. We are more talented, but you can't be sloppy or they'll take advantage of it. Feels like Stafford is the best QB of the bunch as well, who may be able to capitalize if Arnold is out or limited. I imagine the Lions would be favored by 3ish. Vikings: it's hard to imagine they would play as poorly as they did yesterday in a rematch. That said, I would still be fairly confident in a rematch. Outside the weird Houston game, the Lions offense turned the ball over 10 times in 16 games. Three of those went to the Vikings in two games. Feels like if the offense is clicking, and they cut out the turnovers, they win this game a 3rd time. Lions are probably favored by 6ish. Commanders: the real wildcard of the wildcard teams. They're a good team with a young mobile QB. Not a ton of playoff experience, but they're playing loose and think they can beat anybody. I expect that they would use the Bills tape and try to have Daniels replicate Allen's success. How would he do in a rabid Ford Field environment though? Depending on how they won against Tampa, I expect the Lions would be favored by 7ish. Packers: who knows? I hate this team. They play out of their mind against Detroit and take everything we have to beat on Thursday Night, and then go and lay an egg on midfield in a huge game against Minnesota. I could totally see them beating Philadelphia, just how they shocked Dallas last year. But which Packers team would we get? I'd probably rather avoid them, but I still think the Lions win this one, and I wouldn't mind an early exit for Philadelphia. Lions would probably be favored by 3 or 4ish. I think my preferences before seeing the wildcard round are (1) Vikings, (2) Commanders, (3) Packers, (4) Rams. Subject to change.

I use Justin Rogers. He posts it pretty quickly after the game.

I don't think Hutch gives him the option. He's going out there, Dan Campbell's only choice is whether he wants to get a penalty for too many men by sending out 11 other guys too. I actually think there is a non-zero chance he is activated for the NFC Championship Game, assuming he's medically cleared. I would rather Hutch be activated for that game on a 25-50% snap count, get his legs under him, and have the potential for him to be 100% in the Super Bowl, than have a depth player like Chris Smith active (who recorded 8 snaps last night).

Before the game yesterday, I was invited to participate in a focus group of season ticket holders with one of the executives. He had a fancy title but ultimately was a guy who wears a suit to a football game. It was a cool experience, most of it was asking us about their sponsors and partners, what we notice and what we don't. Asking the group "do you know who the official mortgage provider is?", "what about who sponsors Hometown Heroes?", etc. I think they use it to price their partnerships. Like, increasing the price of Hometown Heroes and telling corporations "98% of our focus group recognizes the sponsor of this event" The one thing that stuck out to me though was questions about the name of Ford Field. He asked us our thoughts about the name, and how we would feel if the name changed. He didn't say this, but their initial 25-year naming agreement from 2002 is up in 2027, and I would bet they're getting significant offers to rename the stadium. The room was in consensus that having the staples of Ford Field and Comerica Park (and LCA to a lesser extent because it's new) is important. I brought up the White Sox stadium and how that's changed so many times I don't even know the name anymore. It was an interesting insight on the inner workings.

Like Campbell told the team after the NFCCG last year, "this may have been our only shot. Do I think that? No. Do I believe that? No -- however, I know how hard it is to get here. I'm well aware. And it's going to be twice as hard to get back to this point next year, than it was this year. That's the reality." Despite the audience, that wasn't a message to last year's team, it was a message to this year's team. You can't squander an opportunity and expect to just run it back the next year. That's what they have right now, a massive opportunity. Win two home games and you're going to the Super Bowl. Don't squander it.

Generally speaking, I think Holmes drafts not for that coming season, but for what the team will look like in 2-3 seasons. Whereas generally he uses free agency and trading to address immediate needs. It's why he takes guys like Vaki, Manu, and Rakestraw in the draft, trades for a guy like CDIII, and signs a guy like Zeitler. On offense, Mahagony seems to have the inside lane to replace one of Glasgow and Zeitler, once it's needed. Knock on all the wood, but Ragnow has had a very healthy season after battling that nagging turf toe all of last year. I'm not at all worried about his longevity right now. So that said, you probably need one guard and maybe one tackle, depending on how well Gio Manu develops, which none of us know. Beyond the line, you maybe need to think about replacing Montgomery in the coming years, though Vaki may be primed to do so. You need to make a decision on Jamo as well. If Jamo is extended, you're pretty well set at WR for the foreseeable future. You could probably stand to improve on Tim Patrick, but there's no urgency or real "need" there. Run it back with Tim Patrick, find the next Tim Patrick, whatever, they'll figure something out, like they've done between DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds. I think the slightly more likely direction is still on defense, and specifically the line. The line is anchored by McNeill and Hutch, and you have DJ Reader and Za'Darius Smtih for next season, but Reader will be 31 and Smith 33 next season, in addition to McNeill rehabbing an ACL. Z's snap counts and usage also indicates that there isn't a lot of trust there on run defense, and the youth there in Brodric Martin hasn't showed the development that a lot of us were hoping for (not writing him off, just saying he's not ready). I do think they give Levi a second contract, which is crazy to have said a year ago, but overall that's probably the unit with the most question marks looking to 2026 and 2027, that could also use a rookie's immediate boost. I've been pounding the drum for a few seasons, but I think finding an A-tier edge rusher to line up across from Hutch could take the defense from being top-ten to top-three in the league. I think the linebackers are set, and may be among the best in the league next year, as long as Glenn stays or the replacement picks up where he's leaving off. Carlton Davis will probably, though not necessarily, walk this offseason. They might pick up a free agent replacement, but you have Amik and Rakestraw still here, so there's not a ton of urgency there either, and in any event your safeties are the best in the league. This is a really good team. Now and in the future. It's a fun time to be a fan.

On the bright side they'll go into week one of next season not having lost a game on the road since the 2024 NFC Championship Game, or in the regular season since Brad Allen imagined Dan Skipper reporting in Dallas. And they'll be very well battle tested again for the very likely playoff run. Kind of a lackluster home schedule from an entertainment standpoint. Divisional games are always good and the Steelers will be fun. But Browns, Giants, Bucs again, and having to exist in the same building as Cowboys fans for a couple hours won't have me breaking down the door to get in.

It's nice to not have this even be in the corner of our minds here in January, but for the majority of the NFL, they are looking ahead to maybe one day being the next Detroit Lions. Tennessee Titans (3-14) Cleveland Browns (3-14) New York Giants (3-14) New England Patriots (4-13) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13) Las Vegas Raiders (4-13) New York Jets (5-12) Carolina Panthers (5-12) New Orleans Saints (5-12) Chicago Bears (5-12) San Francisco 49ers (6-11) Dallas Cowboys (7-10) Miami Dolphins (8-9) Indianapolis Colts (8-9) Atlanta Falcons (8-9) Arizona Cardinals (8-9) Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) Seattle Seahawks (10-7) I love that the Bears had an awful season even by their standards - lost 11 straight games at one point - fired a coordinator, then fired a coach, are working hard to ruin another rookie QB...... and barely have a top 10 pick to show for it.

Coaching Carousel Predictions: New York Jets: Mike McCarthy Chicago Bears: Joe Brady New Orleans Saints: Aaron Glenn Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Flores New England Patriots: Mike Vrabel Dallas Cowboys: Kellen Moore

Lawrence should demand a trade if he wants to still have a chance at a halfway decent NFL career.

I'll do predictions later this week, but on the AFC side I see five teams that could legitimately beat any of the other teams in the AFC on any given Sunday. The Chiefs are the Chiefs, but the Bills, Ravens, Chargers, and Broncos are all really good teams that have the capability of taking over a game. It would surprise me to see the Steelers turn it around the way they've collapsed backwards into the playoffs, but you can't even fully count them out with Mike Tomlin as their coach. I think the NFC is a little less congested. It feels like it'll either be the Lions or Eagles, but it's not as if teams like the Rams, Vikings, Packers, and even Commanders aren't standing there ready to take advantage if either of those teams pull a Cowboys.

Elsewhere in the NFC Sunday: #7 Green Bay Packers @ #2 Philadelphia Eagles (4:30pm on FOX), #6 Washington Commanders @ #3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:00pm on NBC) Monday: #5 Minnesota Vikings @ #4 Los Angeles Rams (8:00pm on ESPN) And Over in the AFC Saturday: #5 Los Angeles Chargers @ #4 Houston Texans (4:30pm on CBS), #6 Pittsburgh Steelers @ #3 Baltimore Ravens (8:00pm on Prime) Sunday: #7 Denver Broncos @ #2 Buffalo Bills (1:00pm on CBS) BYE: #1 Kansas City Chiefs

For all the good a bye week brings, how much do you want to bet Dan Campbell has them practicing in pads on Wednesday? I bet he goes as physical - if not more physical - than a normal game week.

This was the first playoff atmosphere that it felt like really made a difference. Stafford and Mayfield both persevered through the noise at Ford Field. Darnold did not. He was rattled by the atmosphere. Which is awesome.

Washington reminds me a lot of Tampa from last year. Not the most talent in the world, but a good squad capable of winning a playoff game. Capable of winning more than one playoff game, if you let them. Detroit would probably enter that game a touchdown favorite, similar to Tampa last year. They’re probably my preferred opponent out of LA, Minnesota, Green Bay, and them.

It’s like they all said “finally, a game that matters!”