MichiganCardinal

Wasn't really meant to be an appreciation post. I don't know Biff Poggi from Adam. If he's not a good human being, I don't know that. I know he's hedge fund rich, so he's got that going against him. At least he hasn't killed a kid like Brian Kelly. I hope he lands on his feet just like I would hope Wink lands on his feet. Or any random person suddenly out of a job. I just thought the Twitter crucification was over the top for a guy who ostensibly was calling a spade a spade in front of a microphone. The part I bolded is definitely fair criticism. Standing on shore and watching the bubbles rise from a sunk ship while claiming "I knew it was going down" is a self-indictment if you can't also point to concrete steps you took to better things. AFAIK, he didn't.

vs. Setting: 01/04/2026 4:25pm EST on FOX Site: Soldier Field in Chicago, IL Weather: 35° High / 28° Low, 8% chance of rain/snow, 10mph wind Opening Spread: Bears -2.5 All-Time Series Record: Bears lead, 105-81-5 Last Meeting: 09/14/2025, Lions won 52-21 Chicago Bears (11-5) Head Coach: Ben Johnson (1st Season: 11-5) Projected Starting QB: Caleb Williams (2nd Season: 16-17) Last Game: 42-38 L @ San Francisco 49ers (12-4) Your Detroit Lions (8-8) Head Coach: Dan Campbell (5th Season: 47-36-1) Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (10th Season: 89-60-1) Last Game: 23-10 L @ Minnesota Vikings (8-8) Elsewhere in the NFL Saturday: Panthers @ Buccaneers (4:30pm), Seahawks @ 49ers (8pm) Primetime: Ravens @ Steelers (SNF) 1:00pm: Browns @ Bengals, Packers @ Vikings, Colts @ Texans, Cowboys @ Giants, Saints @ Falcons, Titans @ Jaguars 4:25pm: Chargers @ Broncos, Chiefs @ Raiders, Commanders @ Eagles, Jets @ Bills, Dolphins @ Patriots, Cardinals @ Rams MotownForums burying the 2025-2026 Detroit Lions season. (2025, colorized).

The Lions previously called on Maxx Crosby and the Raiders weren't interested. I have to imagine they will call again and see if anything has changed. The media reports sure make it sound like they have. If the Raiders fire Carroll and allow Spytek to blow it up, that's the piece that would fetch a pretty penny. I would send two 1sts and AQM for Crosby in a similar deal that got Parsons to Green Bay.

I don’t see him as going rogue as much as I see him telling the truth. I take him to be a straight shooter. They named him interim for the bowl, that comes with a media circuit, he was asked hard questions, he answered with the hard truth. Play Where’s Waldo with The Regents and Warde, except it’s a transcript of Poggi’s comments and the game is Where’s the Lie. If there was some media narrative line he was supposed to toe, he’s probably not the guy for the job. And all of that aside it’s not like Michigan was likely to do better than Whittingham (at least not from the moment Alabama came back against Oklahoma). Poggi has said all the right things since not getting the job. I’m sure he won’t be on Whittingham’s staff, but I hope he lands on his feet.

Eh. Whether they end 2-4 or 1-5 in the division, you don’t deserve to be in. And they’d get back handed by any of the NFC West opponents they might play.

I think the whole “Michigan Man” thing was a byproduct of the Rich Rod failures. It wasn’t so much “hire someone from Michigan” as it was “hire someone who knows how to play Big Ten football” Leave it to Dave Brandon to have that lead him to San Diego State University.

I laughed.

He’s caught six touchdowns as a rookie WR4. I think that’s pretty darn good. He and Titus Young are the only two in Lions history to do that. ASB had five. As long as he’s not a head case like Titus, I think we found the X receiver we’ve all wanted.

Looks to be officially official. I like it. He’s old, but even If he can just give us five years and stabilize the program, he’ll be a great hire. Also good news for Underwood.

I think we need to temper our expectations on what can be expected of a draft class in their rookie seasons. TeSlaa was fantastic for a rookie WR. In a perfect world, Ratledge probably learns for a year as a backup. He was forced into being the best IOL on the team. Disappointment regarding Williams is understandable, he was the 1st round pick. But you had the luxury of Reader and didn’t need to rush him. If you compare TeSlaa to ASB, Williams to Alim, and Ratledge to Sewell, apples to apples in rookie seasons, I think they all look just fine. The secondary is more of an indictment on the 2024 draft, but when your top two draft picks have season ending surgery, you’re going to have a bad time.

That decision was clearly an indictment on Glasgow, not an elevation of Egukuan.

Utah also just signed that massive private equity deal while Michigan has at least temporarily killed a similar deal in the Big Ten. I wouldn't discount the impact that has on his thinking.

I agree. I don’t think they’re that far away. The 2023 Eagles lost six of seven to end the season before winning it all in 2024. The 2018 Niners went 4-12 before going to the Super Bowl in 2019. There are more examples. Good organizations have bad years. They bounce back. I really don’t think this team is the 2024 Commanders. What guys like Jared, ASB, Gibbs, Hutch, Alim, etc. have done is not a flash in the pan. They’re talented. The team needs screws tightened and fat trimmed. It needs a real OC. ”When you knock us down we’ll get back up, smile, and it’ll take two shots to knock us back down.” (Paraphrasing). This is a new test, but I think Campbell and Holmes have earned the fans faith to try to get it done.

My favorite part of the 2023 line was that it felt like they had six starting linemen, because of Glasgow’s versatility off the bench. There were times this year it felt like a one man staff.

Finishing last is fine. Jets, Titans, and Cardinals next season. The window is not closed. I think that’s silly.

Tom Kennedy, Shane Zylstra, Anthony Firkser, Giovanni Ricci, Dan Skipper, Kayode Awosika, Graham Glasgow, Kingsley Eguakun, Tyrus Wheat, Nick Whiteside, Avonte Maddox, Daniel Thomas, Daniel Thomas, Jalen Mills, Arthur Maulet. Get em all out.

**** John Morton too.

There are like 15 players that should never see a jersey again.

Pitiful all around.

My favorite stat is that the Vikings have -7 yards passing.

I’m assuming Sewell is hurt hurt. He never goes down.

Rodrigo getting embarrassed

Kingsley Egukuan is not an NFL caliber player

Going for it on 4th and 8 would be reckless. That’s (yet another) on the refs there was no false start.

Feels like this will be a blowout but I have no idea who will win. 41-7 one way or the other.