Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions (8-7) @ Minnesota Vikings (7-8)

[Hongbit]

I’ve talked a ton of **** over the years on Ryan Poles.  I’ve got to tip my hat.  He traded a 4th for starting guard and pro bowler Joe Thuney while Brad traded 2 3rd round picks for rookie backup WR Isaac Teslaa.     I think Ike is going to be a really nice player but we are probably a playoff team and playing for the division next week if we had Thuney instead.  

[Nate7474]

6 minutes ago, ewsieg said:

I suspect my thought here is likely baseless, but in the NFL one of the things i've always heard is 'If team X is healthy, they can win it'.  It's a violent sport.  Seems like at least for the last few years we're one of the worst with injuries.  Just a couple of unlucky years?  At some point, is it valid to question why we seem to be one of the most injured teams?   

Offensively I think this year has just been bad luck. Defensively I strongly feel that our scheme allows for more injuries specifically in the back 7. We are one of the highest man to man teams so we are always chasing and tired. This to me leads to bad tackling form and playing out of control which leads to more injuries. We need to mix in more zone or at the very least rotate earlier in the year more often to save snaps for later on. 

[buddha]

1 hour ago, Hongbit said:

I’ve talked a ton of **** over the years on Ryan Poles.  I’ve got to tip my hat.  He traded a 4th for starting guard and pro bowler Joe Thuney while Brad traded 2 3rd round picks for rookie backup WR Isaac Teslaa.     I think Ike is going to be a really nice player but we are probably a playoff team and playing for the division next week if we had Thuney instead.  

2024 and 2025 lions drafts look pretty bleak right now.

nobody is perfect, but maybe the consensus draft folks were right to wonder why the need to trade up for martin, manu, and teslaa?  

this is the first time theyve tasted failure.  lets see how they respond.  the fancy stats say theyre still an excellent offensive team, im not sure i buy it but that's what they say.

on defense?  injuries killed them last year, but even when theyre healthy they cant seem to get to the qb.  and this year they couldnt stop the run even with mcneill back and their first round pick being a supposed run stuffer.

 

[buddha]

and the bears have been the luckiest team in the nfl.  every year there is a team with a horeshoe up its ass and this year its chicago.  that team could easily be 8-8 and has played a very easy schedule.  we'll see about next season.

[lordstanley]

1 hour ago, buddha said:

and the bears have been the luckiest team in the nfl.  every year there is a team with a horeshoe up its ass and this year its chicago.  that team could easily be 8-8 and has played a very easy schedule.  we'll see about next season.

Agreed, but OTOH, if the Vikings move on from JJ and get a decent QB they could be a 10+ win team again.