Contender or Pretender

[lionskillpack]

The next 3 games are so huge. at Denver, at Chicago(to get a good lead on them) and Carolina are just musts. because the Packers and at Saints can't be must wins for the Lions. At least 2 of the next 3, hopefully all 3 need to be wins. Denver lacks some talent but it's on the road and Lions aren't playing well so need to wake up. at Chicago it's a toss up but the Bears got a wake up call after Monday night. And finally Newton is slinging it with a revitalized Steve Smith.

We're going to find out what they are made. Lions blew a great chance losing these last 2 home games. 8-8 was acceptable in August but 8-8 after 5-0 is just a tough pill to swallow.

 

[tigers99888]

They are an average to above average football team this year.. There are about a few to several elite teams, a few to several horrible teams and teams in the middle of the pack.. That Lions are in the last category IMO..

 

[sunnydlitex123]

"A contender" for the playoffs... We need more depth at key positions and some upgrades on the aging OL to make a run.

 

[tonyballs]

WOW, the doom and gloom club out in full force

No doom and gloom here. Just reality setting in. They played horrific against the 49ers, right? Ok, that's one game. They're allowed. Now, you come back against a struggling Falcons team, AT HOME and pound the shit out of them, right? That's what "good" teams do. But no, they come out and look even worse than the week before...lol. That's on everybody from coaches to the players. No adjustments were made at all. It seems like their offense has been figured out. Where are the adjustments. How does a team double and triple cover on CJ and Burleson and Young do fn squat? It makes no sense. Is Stafford relying on CJ too much? Do you ever see Stafford audible out of a playcall? You rarely see it. This is not a bash on Stafford because i think he's the real deal but there needs to be some sort of communication between Stafford and Linehan. These 2 motherfuckers need to lock themselves into a room and not come out until this gets fixed. This is the fn NFL. Teams will figure you out sooner or later. The Lions need to do the same. You have guys like Burleson and Yound single covered ALL day. Where are the catches? Maybe Young isn't quite ready...idk. Dare i say T.O?? It hurts...but why not? Will he really upset the chemistry? I'm just grasping at straws here i guess. Having a pathetic run game hurts as well.....i'm drawing a fn blank.

One thing for sure. This team is in a whole mess of trouble come second half of the season IF they don't fix this. Their schedule is brutal.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Reality, ha. You think every 5-2 team is worthy of 5-2. And what are we suppose to be a pretender for? No one ever expected 13 wins and a super bowl. Just another excuse to bitch and moan because we're used to It as Detroit Lions fan and their suckiness. You want 2008 again?

We'd all be praising this team if we took a different route to get to 5-2. Just because we're on a L2. I could care less how we got to 5-2 just that we're at 5-2.

Peace brothers. That was my vent for the week, not on the Lions but on these overreacting threads.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I guess the Ravens are pretenders now, lol.

 

[tsmith7559]

WOW, the doom and gloom club out in full force

No doom and gloom here. Just reality setting in. They played horrific against the 49ers, right? Ok, that's one game. They're allowed. Now, you come back against a struggling Falcons team, AT HOME and pound the shit out of them, right? That's what "good" teams do. But no, they come out and look even worse than the week before...lol. That's on everybody from coaches to the players. No adjustments were made at all. It seems like their offense has been figured out. Where are the adjustments. How does a team double and triple cover on CJ and Burleson and Young do fn squat? It makes no sense. Is Stafford relying on CJ too much? Do you ever see Stafford audible out of a playcall? You rarely see it. This is not a bash on Stafford because i think he's the real deal but there needs to be some sort of communication between Stafford and Linehan. These 2 motherfuckers need to lock themselves into a room and not come out until this gets fixed. This is the fn NFL. Teams will figure you out sooner or later. The Lions need to do the same. You have guys like Burleson and Yound single covered ALL day. Where are the catches? Maybe Young isn't quite ready...idk. Dare i say T.O?? It hurts...but why not? Will he really upset the chemistry? I'm just grasping at straws here i guess. Having a pathetic run game hurts as well.....i'm drawing a fn blank.

One thing for sure. This team is in a whole mess of trouble come second half of the season IF they don't fix this. Their schedule is brutal.

good points....just cleaning up the special teams would have won both games

 

[cheeno]

Mitch[/color]]I guess the Ravens are pretenders now, lol.

Ummm...yes. Have you seen Joe Flacco?

 

[Mitchrapp]

Have you seen that defense?

 

[dtroitlionsfan951]

Mitch[/color]]I guess the Ravens are pretenders now, lol.

Ummm...yes. Have you seen Joe Flacco?

bad and even terrible games happen in the nfl..even to good teams..i think its been so long since lions fans have seen a winner in the salary cap era of the nfl..that they don't realize nobody has a complete team..and that yes great teams EVEN great players have bad or terrible games sometimes in the nfl...look at brady throwing 4 picks....the packers are undefeeated and their defense looks bad so far...they have faced 4 terrible teams also in st loius, denver, minnesota, and carolina...like i said about last year rodgers was bad in the first 8 games for the pack...and they started off 3-3 with losses to washington and miami...its the NFL!...now i will agree the lions need to win this weekend...but in all reality..looking around the nfc....


who do the lions have to fear to make the playoffs....i'll name 3 teams for you...

division leaders

green bay

san fran

new orleans

new york giants

then for wild card possibilities

atlanta, tampa bay, chicago, philadelphia, and dallas...say atlanta takes one of the wild card spots...and btw the giants can flip flop with either of their divisional teams...but we own the tie breaker with dallas and tampa....and we do so far with chicago.....and philly needs to keep turning it around and we have to continue sucking...so far chances are looking good....these next two games..at denver..and at chicago...are MUST wins...chicago is creeping up....we HAVE to win these games..or else it could be real scary in the future...

 

[biggunsbob]

We have a shot at the playoffs but not a title till we get better on the line and have a couple Running backs that can stay healthy... We also need more depth... Man I sure hope they do not blow his 5-0 start.

 

[batcave76]

WOW, the doom and gloom club out in full force

I don't care so much about the record as I do seeing them go out and execute whatever their gameplan is. They looked like zombies the past two games and that shit is disturbing.

I'd rather they play solid, disciplined Fball than win flukey games at this point. They have to get set up for the long term as far as coaching, player procurement, having solid players if they are actually headed in the right direction. The most recent draftees have pretty much bombed, mostly due to injuries. A team like Det can't afford that kind zero contribution from their top 3 picks at this stage. Not to mention guys like Levy, Delmas,Best and Burleson have regressed or are injured. They are onna crash course for 8-8.

 

[cheeno]

Mitch[/color]]Have you seen that defense?

I would have agreed with you if it wasn't the new pass dominated NFL. Injuries to Reed and Cody aren't going to help.

 

[brewer228]

The way I see it:

NFC North:Green Bay
NFC West:San Fran
NFC South:Saints
NFC East: could be Giants, Dallas or Philly

I think we will be battling two of the three above and Atlanta for one of the two Wild Card spots. So I think the two wild card spots will come down between four teams. I think we can be as good as any of those four, so I think we are a contender for sure.

I think we are are better than:
St. Louis
Minnesota
Arizona
Carolina
Seattle
Washington
Tampa
Chicago

 

[Mitchrapp]

Mitch[/color]]Have you seen that defense?

I would have agreed with you if it wasn't the new pass dominated NFL. Injuries to Reed and Cody aren't going to help.

Which even says more about their defense. 4th (186 YDS) passing against and 3rd (85.8) rushing against.

 

[thehippo73]

I know this sounds crazy but we will still have a chance to win the last 4 games. The last two may be given to us by the Chargers and Packers since they may have their divisions wrapped up.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Packers maybe but I'm still unsure about those Chargers. They're all over the place. Plus, I'm not sure i see them sitting 2 games week 16 and 17.

 

[thehippo73]

I don't think the Chargers sit the whole game but the second half is a real possibility.

 

[JScottWriter]

Playoff Contender, Super Bowl Pretender. Lions will finish 9-7.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Playoff Contender, Super Bowl Pretender. Lions will finish 9-7.

Can you be a super bowl pretender when no one thought it was a possibility?