KnoxP

19 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

 

Yeah, he got tripped up and his momentum carried him to JG’s lower leg. Still got to call it, same as head to head contact, no space for intention or judgement. Glad it didn’t end up w/injury.

52 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I agree. I also think we should take some time and enjoy this though. Best team in the North by what feels like a fairly wide margin, probably the youngest very good team in the NFL, and not only a legitimate Super Bowl threat, but also a threat to make this success sustainable. Even when the Lions were good in recent past years, it felt like it was talent they had lucked into (Stafford, Calvin, and Suh), surrounded by band aids and patchwork. This feels like a real team.

And the Packers are 2-5.  

Agree! Nothing so far for me to bitch about. I think we have a legit shot at a #1 seed. Who'd have thought?

My speculation: 

Remaining schedule for us and others=strong odds we get 2 maybe even 1 seed. That alone increases our chance for a good playoff run w/current team. No need to give a higher pick for what was available. Future draft intact. Enter DPJ.

I understand this assumes all things keep happening as they have, which yes, is a gamble. Trading is also a gamble. 

As a 50+ year fan, I’m loving 6-2. I am not about to start griping about how this game demonstrates cause for concern against “good” teams…consensus is we’re ahead of schedule…I am loving this! Way too much good happening.

4 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Campbell’s hallmark has been his aggressiveness. The Baltimore staff took it right away. Baltimore was the aggressor and the Lions — coaches and players — were on their heels all game  

Baltimore won the coin toss, took the ball, challenged the Lions defense to keep up with Lamar’s versatility and they couldn’t do it. 

Great point.  

If they do something...it should be a move to create more consistent pressure/pass rush.  As good as Hutch is, he still gets shutout and we don't have another body that can pickup.  Having a rush on both sides of the line will help other areas of the D.  Give almost ANY NFL QB time and he will complete passes.   

3 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

It's that 2nd down play calling man. They average like -200 yards on 2nd down.

!not creative enough!

14 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

...What I've always wondered is why they don't drill RBs to take snaps so  short yardage plays could all be direct snap...

Speculative answer...it might be it tells the D exactly what the play is?  My quick guess...

3 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

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'm not so much worried about letdown, although its a real phenomenon. We have to be prepared that the good thing is the NFL is taking notice that the Lions are a good team, and the bad thing is the NFL is taking notice that the Lions are a good team.

When you are 5-1 and 13-3 over the last 16, you get publicity and recognition and a fired up opponent (which MCDC says he welcomes) who wants to take you down to show they are better. There's a report out that a Balt. reporter cited Lions as 6-1 in a interview with Lamar Jackson and he noticed. This does not happen when you are 1-6.

I still think we have good talent and can still succeed this new reality, I just can't expect a W every week.

10 hours ago, number20 said:

Jesus. How much coke did Stephen A snort before doing this

Unfortunately all of this sports coverage on these network shows has become a series of 'performances', posturing in front of the big screen, and yelling. Have you ever seen Orlovsky and Ryan Clark breakdown plays? It's painful.

For me watchable only in small doses.

12 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I love that because it means we are good. I hate it because it means there is nowhere to go but down.

Suits your profile image to a "T". Ha!

2 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

To sum it up we all like to score on every possession but against any NFL defense a defense like the Bucs that just isnt realistic, sometimes you have to be methodical and play the long game and that's what the Lions did yesterday. 

This...

Thanks Randy!  Expectations of chunk yardage every play or every drive resulting in a TD is foolishness.  5-1 and no complaints here.

nevermind

2 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

I think Tampa has a pretty good roster and the only reason I didnt give them a chance this year was their qb play but if (big if) Mayfield continues to perform at or near the level he has been playing at there is no reason they can't be a 9+ win team, especially given their division. 

 

This will be a good test for both. Can Lions continue momentum on the road and can TB beat a good team.  TB run game is underwhelming so I'm not too worried about this. Mayfield seems to be directing toward Evans and Godwin most.

Could be an every week statement: If we can get pressure, a couple sacks and push Mayfield around we should be good to go.

On 10/9/2023 at 2:48 PM, KnoxP said:

I am hostage to the networks and any appearance on a national broadcast/Thu, SNF or MNF.  Also in my area, with no NFC home team, it seems the local Fox affiliate is smitten with Philadelphia. I'll be surprised if I get this TB game.  Ugh.

And on to streaming it is...thanks for the couple pieces of advice!

45 minutes ago, number20 said:

True, Jacobs and Harris have played out of their minds... against Desmond Ridder, Jordan Love, and Bryce Young. I don't know if their secondary situation is sustainable. They could use a depth piece at corner

I'm all for depth...our DL/Hutch are really helping the DB's by getting pressures up front.

I am hostage to the networks and any appearance on a national broadcast/Thu,SNF or MNF.  Also in my area, with no NFC home team, it seems the local Fox affiliate is smitten with Philadelphia. I'll be surprised if I get this TB game.  Ugh.

37 minutes ago, number20 said:

I go back farther and older than that. You'll never catch me Buddha

1st game: Lower deck RF bleachers at Tiger Stadium, Chuck Hughes game. Did I catch you? 😉

Coincidental how that photo shows Butkus...

3 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

and I go back to my original point - I don't see that you can argue it's necessarily favorable to either O or D if the period whistle is late. Why wouldn't the offensive lineman be as likely to let down in anticipation of no play as the D men? You either stay ready to play or you don't. That kind of lapse can happen to any player on either side of the ball. Maybe it happened to the Lions, maybe the execution was good enough the Lions would have given it up on that play if the play had been run 2 minutes earlier in the qtr. The Lions could have as easily given up the yards on the 1st play of the next qtr. I think there is a little bit of fan paranoia that anything that happens out of order has to have been detrimental to my team.

Agreed! Players got to be ready and ON. Only thing that changes that is the whistle.

13 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

So:
Technically there is no subjectivity in the GAME clock. When it hits zero the period is done.

In practice, though, there is subjectivity in the GAME clock because, just like the play clock, the officials can't be looking at that and the play at the same time. If the official doesn't blow the whistle before the play is snapped, then the period isn't done. (Remember of course that the play just needs to START before 0:00, it could theoretically go on for many seconds later. So the ref can't just blow the whistle when s/he see 0:00 because the play might be in progress.)

Technically...that appears to be the case, given the 'expert' opinion heard about it. There must be a responsible ref to do this, and my guess it is NOT the play clock guy, seeing as how many plays can get off in hurry-up mode. 

In practice...ref's got to be 100% committed to making the call-no hesitation. For both game and play clock. "Subjectivity" has no place in either case. See the clock expired, quick look, no snap WHISTLE and FLAG.  Sure there will be close calls and griping.  Removing any delay worst case is snap and whistle occur at same time and if that's true it's late.

In both this GB game and the Balt/Justin Tucker 66y doink game the ref must have been anticipating the snap will occur before the clock expires and when he realizes it has not, that moment of hesitation causes late snaps and no flags. Unless, as many suggest, the refs are attempting to rig a Det. loss.  As convenient as that reasoning is, I don't quite buy it.

Subjectivity gets us Jawann Taylor lining up in the backfield and moving early. 🤬

1 minute ago, RedRamage said:

Listening to Campbell press conference (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTvVF0Ivg-U) and he was asked first about Jamo and it wasn't a ringing endorsement.

"We just gotta see where he's at with Football. This will be his first week back and uh, so we'll take it every day *shrug*. See how he does."

Now what does that mean? Well, like with just about everything else you could read multiple ways: It could be a case of not expecting anything substantial from Jamo anymore so it's like... "meh... we're getting back a 2nd string player... it's nice, but no big deal."

Or it could be a case of "We all thought we had a few more weeks to flesh out the plan for Jamo coming back and we're caught a little unprepared right now." Still, even if this is the case I'm a little surprised there is more excitement from Campbell about him coming back.

 

I'd say there's truth to that as it is stated.  Like you I also imagine he is tempering expectations/pressure...being careful to not say too much...motivating Jamo...lot's going on there beyond the simple words.

40 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

I don't think Goff it's terrible accurate on long throws. He's absolutely had some very nice long throws but most of those have involved busted coverage where the receiver had space to maneuver unabated to make the catch.

That said, many of the Williams highlights from college weren't long bombs but short or medium throws where he caught the ball than out ran defenders for big YAC. 

Thanks for that perspective. I was thinking more along the lines of airing it out/bombs..."go deep" like we used to say as kids.  But that's not always necessary if the throw is accurate/on time.

47 minutes ago, number20 said:

I tend to agree. I haven't been all that impressed with him either. I don't understand why the national media fawns over him so much for someone who's done absolutely nothing so far ("wait until they get Jameson Williams back!", "Jameson Williams will has been reinstated!", etceee, etceee)

We all see explosive potential. We are hungry to see more already knowing the Lions offense is talented without him. Add to that the instant hot take nature of media...

My also question (assuming no further significant set backs). Can Goff get him the ball downfield. The TD in the MN game he had to wait on, if I recall.

3 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

I don't think so. Note my final line of the way too wordy post: "That makes me uneasy."

I'm uneasy... I'm not thinking Jamo is a flop. I'm not ready to give up on him. I'm not say it was a bad trade/pick/whatever. I'm saying I'm uneasy. I hope that over the next couple of weeks my uneasy put behind me. We'll see.

We need evidence/larger sample size, and at this point that is clearly lacking.  I get it while also trying to be patient as the coaches tend to move slower with younger players until they build that trust.

14 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Dan Campbell knows how Sean Payton used to use Alvin Kamara when he wa with him in New Orleans. Whatever play designs Payton drew up for Kamara is exactly what we should be doing with Gibbs. As mentioned already, he should be featured in lots of screens and bubble screens, play action where Montgomery is in the backfield and he's lined up out wide, two back sets to confuse the defense, and lots of motion. Just making him a Montgomery like substitution to run draws and dives up the middle isn't utilizing all of his abilities.

…and that may be what opposing D’s are scheming to defend? Just wondering…and also waiting for him to explode like we haven’t seen yet.