Mr.TaterSalad

Sure, I would love it if Hamas unconditionally surrendered. That works for me, but of course we know that won't happen. So in the meantime, what do we do as the US government? Do you believe we should keep sending military aid over to Israel without conditions placed on that aid? Sending aid over knowing that Bibi won't support a two-state solution when the IDF is through with its campaign. And if we should keep sending Israel military aid without conditions, how high do we let the death toll get before we start placing conditions on that aid?

Well great, Bibi is going to do what he wants. And in response to Bibi, how high is the United States going to let the death toll get in Gaza before we put conditions on military aid to Israel? 20,000? 30,000? 40,000? 50,000? 100,000? Think I'm being snarky or sarcastic with those numbers, just look at what we did in Iraq, to Iraqi civilians. That shock and awe, bomb them to rubble, then fight them door-to-door approach is exactly what the IDF is following here. And the death toll will continue to escalate quickly, just as it did in cities like Baghdad and Fallujah.

So I talked to my mom about this whole situation last night at dinner with her. My mom is your run of the mill Democrat. She always votes in every election and always votes for Democrats. She's progressive, but not socialist or DSA. More in the Warren lane of the party. She consumes her news primarily from MSNBC, the Today Show, Meet the Press, This Week on ABC, 60 Minutes, Time Magazine, and through articles online. She doesn't read or get content from any of the super lefty news sites like Democracy Now, the Intercept, Jacobin, Counter Punch, Salon, etc. She's not on Twitter ever and rarely on Facebook. Keep in mind that her first husband and his family, not my father, were Palestinian and Arab-American. I asked her what she thought about the situation, trying to limit my opinion and bias as best I could, to gauge how she truly feels as a run of the mill, mid-70s, white democratic women. She believes all of the following . . . 1. What Hamas did on October 7th was wrong, barbaric, and was a terrorist attack that should be strongly condemned. 2. Isreal has a right to fight back against Hamas but they have gone too far and are becoming an occupying force like the United States was in Iraq. 3. Israeli settlements are a significant concern that don't get the attention and condemnation they should. 4. Isreal is bordering on a genocide and needs to pull out of Gaza to allow humanitarian relief to come in. 5. While Hamas is cowardly and uses human shields she believes that the Isreali government is not being discriminate enough with their bombing campaigns. She's also upset at them bombing southern Gaza now after declaring that a safe haven weeks ago. 6. She doesn't understand why Joe Biden won't call for a ceasefire and why we give aid with out condition to Isreal. 7. She'll vote for Joe Biden but feels he has handled this situation poorly and with not enough regard for Palestinian life. She is saddened at the massive loss of life and feels that Biden won't call for Isreal to back down. She feels this is the worst moment of his presidency far and a way. I asked her if she thought this was a failure on Biden's part and she said a fairly stern yes to that question. 8. She understands why people call this a genocide and are angry at Biden but that in the end, Trump would make the situation far worse. She feels Biden is trapped in a box but could do more all at the same time. As a progressive, but not leftist, older, suburban white woman, I think that mom is fairly representative of a big portion of the average democratic voting block. She thinks Biden is increasingly on the wrong side of his party on this one and needs to show more concern overall to the Palestinian cause. She said dating back from the years she was married to her first husband Esa, whose family was Palestinian, opened her eyes up to their side of the story more than normal.

I like Ben Johnson a whole heckuva a lot. He has been far and away the best Offensive Coordinator we have had since I've been alive. I believe this Jared Goff and this offense have and will continue to thrive most of the time under Johnson's playcalling and leadership. So this isn't a slam Ben Johnson post. But he isn't immune from criticism either. I've noted earlier in the season, in previous gameday threads, a bit of my frustration for them surrendering early downs on occasion by running in second and long. By going for a more conservative run play or a pass that doesn't or barley reaches the chains instead of stretching it out vertical a bit more. I don't think this is quite the problem some people seem to think it is. All and all, I agree with a large majority of what Ben Johnson calls and gives this offense to work with. He's done an outstanding job at times and at minimum been a good play caller all around. You mentioned though that they need to figure out how to spread the ball around more to other weapons. Isn't that on Ben Johnson though, at least to a point? Him not getting Jamo more touches and worked into this offense in different ways? Johnson is designing and calling plays for where he wants the ball to go. Jamo doesn't seem to be getting a lot of looks. Maybe there is still a trust issue with the coaching staff, maybe timing with Goff, maybe Goff doesn't feel he has adequate time in the pocket lately to allow plays to develop and Jamo to go deeper. We were also told and lead to believe Gibbs would be an offensive weapon, not just a strict bell cow RB 1. A guy who is moved all around the field, set in motion, and lined up out wide. Isn't it on Johnson too for not lining Gibbs out wide or in the slot more often? I guess there have been 3 games this year where Johnson did line Gibbs up out wide and they targeted him at least 6 or more times. Isn't it on Johnson for not utilizing more two back sets with him and Montgomery in the game at the same time? What is the snap count where we see two back looks where both Gibbs and Montgomery are in on the same play? It doesn't have to be both men in the backfield, but put Montgomery in and send Gibbs in motion or line him up out wide. And to the apparent fact, at least according to what the Pride of Detroit guys said on their podcast, isn't it on Johnson that the Lions have the 4th fewest passing attempts on early downs?

They were talking about it more in the context of the Bears game and recent games I believe, not the totality of the season. To add to this, they also mentioned the Lions apparently have the 4th fewest passing attempts on early downs. Which to some, highlights a more conservative nature and playcalling approach. In the end though, all is not lost and the sky is not falling. This has still a 9 win team after all. This is still a team that has yet to lose back-to-back games this season. This is still a statical top 5-10 offense in the league. This pillars of a good team are still there and I do expect them to bounce back quickly next week and shake it off, even if it seems like many of us are fretting and doubting this team and coaching staff a lot these past few weeks.

I was listening to the Pride of Detroit Lions podcast today and they brought a good point that is similar to what TP always bitches about. This offense uses 1st down and 2nd down in hopes to make 3rd down more manageable so that it's easier to get the 1st down then. They don't seem to like to be aggressive and go for the 1st down shot on 1st down itself. Things have to be more methodical and conservative to help set up 3rd down. They were expressing their frustration with the lack of creative playcalling on early downs and the inability to stretch thy field with Gibbs, Jaymo, etc. Goff and Ben Johnson seem far more comfortable, to the point of detriment at times, going dink and dunk and making 3rd downs manageable as opposed going for the kill shots and stretching it out on early downs. This isn't them or anyone saying Goff can't go deep, but a point I think that I agree with and one that lines up with a lot of TPs complaints.

I'm a huge fan of almost anything A24 Films puts out. I watched Good Time over the weekend and really enjoyed it.

I guess Tommy DeVito had the makings of a varsity athlete.

That's a pretty big advantage to have when one team can threaten to have a ref clipped if he makes the wrong call or reverses a TD call.

I just looked him up and lol at what he was wearing. Yeah Tommy, we got it all straightened out. Our friend the cheesehead, he won't be bothering you anymore. I took care of that thing for you and sliced the cheese.

Yeah, that's complete crap. I remember when Egveni Malkin swung the butt end of his stick at another guy's head like a weapon and took a run at him with under 2 minutes to go in a Stanley Cup Final game and received a zero game suspension.

Damn, feels like a long losing streak is ahead. If both Larkin and Compher are out for an extended period of time this feels like we're going to fall to fourth in the division. Just really glad that Larkin's injury apparently isn't worse than it initially looked on ice.

Tommy DeVito coming through.

Alright, Tommy DeVito coming through big. Time for DeVito to clip those Packers and help the Lions out.

Well fu . . . They score anyways. God help us if we lose next week. Lions fans are going to be the most miserable people on this planet if we do.

Alright, nice to see it was ruled incomplete. I thought they'd say it was a TD and reverse it.

That's a TD I think. Looks like he caught it and made a football move. Can officiating get anything right on the field anymore? Everything is a review now.

Are the Giants going to blow this?

I think collectively we were all wrong about Anzalone. He's been quite good this season and has been a clear leader for this defense. Great move to bring him back. Amazing to me that a defensive captain is a healthy scratch and doesn't even suit up and play.

I don't understand what this front office saw in Josh Paschal. Maybe, hopefully, he steps it up. But where is the productivity, where are the plays being made?

I didn't realize this but defensive captain Charles Harris, who they paid all that money to when they resigned him this off-season, was a healthy scratch. How does that happen? You thought so highly of him to both resign him, pay him, and make him a defensive captain and the dude didn't even suit up and play?

I don't know for certain. But after the game yesterday when TJ Lang interviewed him he seemed to elude in his postgame quote that he felt player discipline was the issue and not coaching. This is what he said to TJ: "It was discipline that cost us. Not effort, not coaching, not scheme."

I wish he was talking to his coordinators too and not just his players.

0 snaps for Tracy Walker yesterday. Have they given up on Walker?