2017 NFC Playoff Thread

[kalinecountry]

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2017/11/lions_playoff_chances_take_ano.html#incart_2box_lions
Lions' playoff chances fall to 19 percent after disastrous day around NFL.
Mlive

 

[tomdalton22]

The NFC is really good this year. Right now it doesn't look very good for the Lions. They have the easiest schedule of the 4 potential wild card teams but they are also the worst team of the 4

 

[grandy]

Some big games this week, potential playoff previews

Saints-Panthers
Eagles-Seahawks
Vikings-Falcons

Cardinals aren?t out of it yet so they might give the Rams some trouble

 

[grandy]

If I understand the tiebreak rules correctly, a three way tie for both WC spots with two NFC South teams might benefit the Lions as the initial divisional tiebreak will eliminate one South team.

 

[boogerlovejoy]

The NFC is really good this year. Right now it doesn't look very good for the Lions. They have the easiest schedule of the 4 potential wild card teams but they are also the worst team of the 4

I was thinking the same thing last night.

Lions have to look at the rest of season as a "run the table" scenario. One more loss might be the one that keeps them out. Man, that Atlanta debacle is going to bite them in the ass.

 

[brewer229]

I think 10-6 gets us in personally. Looking at who's still ahead of us in the standings, and how many games against each other they have, I think 10-6 does get us in.

4-1 with our remaining schedule seems doable. Our hardest game left is arguably next week against the Ravens. Who will play after a short week (They have the Monday night tonight). I'm not sure what the schedule makers were thinking when they gave the lions this, but it's a huge benefit. 10 days rest vs 6 days.

Now we don't have any consistency on this team out side of Prater, so going 4-1 is possible, but so is 1-4.

The good news is we have been much better on the road and our "toughest" remaining games are on the road.

 

[tomdalton22]

I think 10-6 gets us in personally. Looking at who's still ahead of us in the standings, and how many games against each other they have, I think 10-6 does get us in.

4-1 with our remaining schedule seems doable. Our hardest game left is arguably next week against the Ravens. Who will play after a short week (They have the Monday night tonight). I'm not sure what the schedule makers were thinking when they gave the lions this, but it's a huge benefit. 10 days rest vs 6 days.

Now we don't have any consistency on this team out side of Prater, so going 4-1 is possible, but so is 1-4.

The good news is we have been much better on the road and our "toughest" remaining games are on the road.

I agree that 10-6 would probably get it done. I have doubts that the Lions will win 4 more games though...even with the easy remaining schedule they have

 

[turok]

If the Lions follow their traditional gut-wrencher script, they will be 9-6 when playing the Packers @ home in game 16, needing to win, and the Falcons and/or Panthers to lose. If they win, then one of those two will win as well. If they lose, then either or both will lose as well...b/c Lions. But even IF they manage to again back into a last WC spot, their past history indicates a road loss, possibly b/c of a crucial/questionable/obscure penalty being called...or not.

 

[LKP]

Vikings losing at Falcons, at Panthers and at Packers. Lions going 5-0. Lions would win North on division record. North still somewhat possible given the Vikings opponents. However, if Vikings win those games, it helps Detroit in Wild Card too. Saints and Panthers play each other this week. One of them has a 4th loss already. Saints and Falcons play twice I believe

 

[tomdalton22]

Vikings losing at Falcons, at Panthers and at Packers. Lions going 5-0.

both of those things are not going to happen.

 

[LKP]

both of those things are not going to happen.

Both are pretty probable. Vikings could go 1-4 and Lions 4-1 too as long as Lions don't lose to Bears and Packers and one loss for Vikings is Packers or Bears. But 2-3 Viking and 5-0 Lions is a good shot

 

[tomdalton22]

Both are pretty probable. Vikings could go 1-4 and Lions 4-1 too as long as Lions don't lose to Bears and Packers and one loss for Vikings is Packers or Bears. But 2-3 Viking and 5-0 Lions is a good shot

every week you make stupid predictions and every week you are wrong. People call you out and you cower. I would love to bet you but you never take a bet.

 

[grandy]

I was thinking the same thing last night.

Lions have to look at the rest of season as a "run the table" scenario. One more loss might be the one that keeps them out. Man, that Atlanta debacle is going to bite them in the ass.

The more I look into the possibilities the more I see that 10-second runoff screwing the Lions. Whether it?s head-to-head, overall record, conference record, or common games, it puts the Lions at a disadvantage in everything.

 

[LKP]

every week you make stupid predictions and every week you are wrong. People call you out and you cower. I would love to bet you but you never take a bet.

I've never been wrong. Lions still have a great shot at playoffs and the North still

 

[tomdalton22]

i've never been wrong. Lions still have a great shot at playoffs and the north still

lol

injured oline. They will gel and have a good game on thursday. Abdullah 100 yards incoming

matt stafford- 100+ qb rating (106.5 qb rating)
matt stafford had a great season in 2016 until he injured his throwing hand. Stafford earned a 100.5 rating in the first 12 games and was playing like a mvp player. Stafford earned a contract and is now the league?s highest paid player. Stafford accomplished this despite no run game, the most drops in the league and a lack of short fields (only six all year which is worst in the league).

Matt is healthy once again, has even more weapons, an upgrade offensive line, an upgraded running game and an updated defense/return game to provide short fields.

Stafford will throw for 4,600 yards (8.0 ypa on 575 attempts) at 68% completion with 35 tds and 8 interceptions.

4,600 yards would have been the 4th highest total in 2016. 575 attempts would have been 11th in 2016 and 8.0 ypa earns the 4th best ypa mark in the league from 2016. 35 tds total would be 4th best in 2016 as well. The 106.5 rating equals the 3rd highest mark in 2016 and 68% completion would have been 4th best. Clearly, stafford will be a top 3-4 qb in the league in 2017.
Stafford is an elite top 4 qb. He will show that with proper support in 2016 barring injury.

weapons- 4,600 yards and 35 tds
i already predicted 4,600 yards and 35 tds from stafford. Let?s see how that is accumulated among the weapons. The lions have plenty of good weapons to spread the ball around for 2017 with good rb and te depth.
Golden tate 1,000 yards and 5 tds
marvin jones 900 yards and 8 tds
kenny golladay 600 yards and 6 tds
theo riddick 400 yards and 5 tds
eric ebron 800 yards and 8 tds
ameer abdullah 350 yards and 1 rec td
tj jones 150 yards and 0 tds
michael roberts 150 yard and 1 td
darren fells 100 yards and 1 tds
zach zenner 150 yards and 0 tds
the lions will spread the ball around with a plethora of weapons. Barring injury, this is the lions best weapon collection they have ever had.
Bonus prediction: The lions will be in the middle of the pack in drops.

run game 1,803 yard and 13 rushing tds
ameer abdullah and theo riddick both return from injuries to bolster the lions run game.
Abdullah will have 175 carries at 4.6 ypc for 805 rushing yards.
Riddick will earn 4.0 ypc at 80 carries for 320 rushing yards.
Zach zenner gets 4.0 ypc at 70 carries for 280 rushing yards.
Dwayne washington will have 30 carries for 3.8 ypc for 114 yards rushing.
Stafford scrambles 35 times for 200 yards.
The lions wrs get 12 carries at 7 ypc for 84 additional yards.
The total all the yards equals 1,803 yards for detroit. 1,803 yards tallied the 12th best rushing attack in 2016. 402 carries is the 10th most in the league. 4.48 ypc is the 10th best in the league.
The lions will tally 13 rushing tds on the year.

offensive points per game. 28.9 ppg
stafford tossed 35 tds and the lions rush for 13 tds. Detroit gets 4 return/defensive tds on the year. Prater nails 33 of 38 field attempts.
48 offensive tds times 7=336 points
4 tds times 7= 28 points
33 made field goals equals 99 points
detroit scored 463 points in 2017 for 28.9 ppg. 28.9 ppg would have been good for 3rd best in the league in 2016.

defense
pass rush- 35% pressure and 42 sacks
detroit will get 35% pressure on drop backs. The lions will notch 42 sacks in 2017 (42 sacks is 3rd in 2016).
Ziggy ansah 12 sacks
cornelius washington 6 sacks
ashawn robinson 3 sacks
haloti ngata 2 sacks
akeem spence 1 sack
armonty bryant 5 sacks
anthony zettel/valoaga 2 sacks each for 4 sacks total
lbs 4 sacks (2 davis, 1 whithead, 1 williams)
dbs 4 sacks (2 killebrew, 1 wilson, 1 quin or cb)
1 sack from rookie dt jeremiah ledbetter
other defensive stats 20.4 ppg defense (10th best)
detroit will allow 3,800 yards with an 85.1 rating with 17 interceptions. The qb rating is good for 10th best in the league.
Lions allow 1,650 yards at 4.2 ypc in 2017 in rush defense which is average at 16th.
Finally, the lions will allow 20.4 ppg which is 10th best in the league in 2016.
The lions will have a top 10 defense (ppg) with the 10th best coverage, top 5 pass rush and average run defense. The lions will force 28 turnovers which is 4th best in the league

record 11-5 (4-2 division)
detroit will have the 3rd best offense and the 10th best defense with high turnovers forced (28). We should be expecting big things from detroit at this point.
The lions will earn an 11-5 record with a tough schedule (though plenty of home games against tougher teams). Detroit will be 6-3 in one score games and go 4-2 in the division. Detroit will start 5-3 and finish the season 6-2.

 

[LKP]

11-5, Stafford rating, offensive ppg, weapons and TD still in play. Even defensive PPG. Pass QB rating D I got too. 5 more games to go plus playoffs. 28 turnovers forced still in play too. I'm looking in great shape on my predictions


Run game fluke with injuries to Oline most of year now getting on same page. Vikings can play run D. 5 more plus playoffs to go for Detroit to fix that


Dline was more Ansah injury. Zettel flipped with Washington. Ngata had 2 sacks but got hurt. We'll see last 5 plus.

 

[LKP]

Need 6 rush TDs to get to 10 in last five games. 1,000 yards to go but Abdullah can get to his yardage and they can get close to that with a good five weeks.

 

[tomdalton22]

but you said you are never wrong

 

[LKP]

but you said you are never wrong

I haven't been yet. I'm on track for my predictions still

 

[LKP]

Vikings at Falcons, at Panthers at Packers (with Rodgers possibly playing)


You know they could lose all 3 of those games


Lions are better than all five teams they face. They need to execute