SOL or NIL?

[zyxt9]

Same Ol' Lions or New Improved Lions...

Last year, at the point where they needed just one more win they choked.

Here we are...will they prove they are a different team than the recent past?

If they do manage to get to the playoffs, will they actually win for the first time since '91?

As they say on Draft Day...the Lions are on the clock.

Prove the doubters wrong! GO LIONS!!!!!

 

[tomdalton22]

I think the Lions make the playoffs. If their first game is a home game they win. If they have to go on the road they lose.

 

[tonyballs]

This right here is wtf i am talking about! Why are we still talking SOL after 10 wins in a season with a possible 11-12 wins in front of us? lol

 

[detrisin]

SOL would have lost yesterday...and another time or two earlier in the season (see NO and Atl games).

Wasn't pretty vs. Minny, but as Al Davis said, "Just win, baby."

 

[zyxt9]

This right here is wtf i am talking about! Why are we still talking SOL after 10 wins in a season with a possible 11-12 wins in front of us? lol

SOL haven't won a playoff game since '91 and that is only playoff win in 50+ years. Only the '91 Lions have proven worthy of not falling under the SOL umbrella.

Will the '14 team join them? I am pulling for them 100%. I'm believing that this team is NIL, but proof of that will not come until they win a playoff game.

They only needed one win last year to make playoffs and failed. Did they learn from that? Have they gotten to that next level? Defensively, there is no doubt. Coaching has been much better this year. Kicking is now solid. Offense shows flashes and is resilient. All signs point to NIL, but final verdict is not in just yet. Definitely a believer though. Last year everyone felt the team collapse, there is definitely a different feeling with THIS team.

 

[Mitchrapp]

It's a good regular season. I don't care if they look like shit or not, 10-4 is a good regular season. If they miss the playoffs, and I can't imagine losing to Chicago even at their place, then it's a not so good season (assuming they also lose to GB).

But, if they get in even at 12-4 and lose their only playoff game..then it's a not so good overall season. Recently turned 49 and they only having 1 playoff win (over 20 years ago) is awful. 11-5, 12-4 regular season doesn't make it better.

In 2011 it was important to get to the playoffs because it's been so long so that was a success but now we need the next step.

 

[cheeno]

How can something be both 'new' AND 'improved'?

 

[Mitchrapp]

How can something be both 'new' AND 'improved'?

 

[detrisin]

How can something be both 'new' AND 'improved'?

Sort of like a 1st annual event?

 

[zyxt9]

How can something be both 'new' AND 'improved'?

Not everything that is new is improved, just ask Coke about 'New Coke', Microsoft about their every other version of Windows that is considered to suck, movie studios about films that bomb at the box office (even if a sequel), and every sports team in every league that made even one singular change to the team or coaching staff, yet performs worse than the prior year.

Not everything that is improved is new, ask any team that had players finally understand all the previously coached elements in a way where they finally click and they win even though nothing new was implemented.

To paraphrase refs after some video reviews, "name stands as called".

 

[coel73]

I would say improved. Wouldn't say both new and improved. They won games in a few different ways this year which is an improvement. There has been a cut down on the turnovers and forcing more turnovers on defense, another improvement. There has been a level headed presence from a coaching standpoint which is another improvement. I think the team is far from perfect, but making strides in the right direction which is all that we can really ask for. The fact that shoring up little nuances of the game has resulted in 10 wins so far, and that one more win puts them in the playoffs is pretty amazing.

I know I'm guilty of wanting to see improvements in all areas from game to game but it's not realistic. I'll still be guilty of it but shit, who doesn't want to see their favorite team be great?

 

[manchild98]

I can't say SOL simply because the defense is for real. We've really never seen this before. The give us a chance every single week. Now if/when we get to the playoffs then we go as Stafford goes. He'll have to play damn good for us to have playoff success.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Next season could be the challenge. How many players do we lose on defense: Fairley, Suh? Do we fix some of the offensive line? Stay with the 4-3 or change to a 3-4? In any event I'm excited about the off season..oh I know "But Mitch why can't you just enjoy the what's going on now.." Because I DON"T FEEL LIKE IT!!

 

[zyxt9]

I would say improved. Wouldn't say both new and improved. They won games in a few different ways this year which is an improvement. There has been a cut down on the turnovers and forcing more turnovers on defense, another improvement. There has been a level headed presence from a coaching standpoint which is another improvement. I think the team is far from perfect, but making strides in the right direction which is all that we can really ask for. The fact that shoring up little nuances of the game has resulted in 10 wins so far, and that one more win puts them in the playoffs is pretty amazing.

I know I'm guilty of wanting to see improvements in all areas from game to game but it's not realistic. I'll still be guilty of it but shit, who doesn't want to see their favorite team be great?

1. New coaches.
2. New WR threat in Tate.
3. New Ks... finally Prater during the season.
4. New vet Safety Ihedigbo.
5. New rookies and other FAs

These all fall under the 'New' category for the Lions, some have provided improvement as well, some have not.

 

[coel73]

1. New coaches.
2. New WR threat in Tate.
3. New Ks... finally Prater during the season.
4. New vet Safety Ihedigbo.
5. New rookies and other FAs

These all fall under the 'New' category for the Lions, some have provided improvement as well, some have not.

True. I consider FA pickups to be normal though. This team still scares the shit outta me, but I like the direction they're headed

 

[inkfreq]

I'm going to say "New and Improved Lions" simple because the culture within the locker room has changed so dramatically.

The Lions of the last 20 or so years were the absolute best team in any sport as snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. As fans, we came to expect the collapse, but even more so, we came to trust that our Lions would find a way to beat themselves before the game was over.

Not one of us really felt like the Vikings were going to beat us yesterday, and we all know it. We were concerned, but never was there a sense that this team was really going to shit the bed before the game was over.

And primarily that's because the team is finding ways to win, instead of creative ways to lose. Every team in the game will have an "off-game" during the season, and usually more than one. It's the very reason the Raiders managed to beat both the Chiefs and the 49'ers this season, when they are clearly the worst team ever assembled.

The Lions had a bad game yesterday. Blame the flu. Blame poor coaching. Blame Stafford. The reality is, they had a game they probably should have lost, but found a way to win.

That's what really separates contenders from pretenders... finding a way to win the games you MUST win, when nothing seems to be working right.

That goes beyond talent, coaching, luck... it goes to culture. Winning teams don't believe they can win, they believe they will win, and then they find a way to make it happen.

I have never seen that in the Lions, not even in the early 90s when Barry was crushing defenses. It's a different team.

 

[LKP]

Great Lions. Like I said before the season started but nobody listened. I love being right.

 

[inkfreq]

Great Lions. Like I said before the season started but nobody listened. I love being right.

Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

 

[tomdalton22]

Great Lions. Like I said before the season started but nobody listened. I love being right.

They are not great...they are an above average team that barely beats shitty teams. They have a good record and are pretty much a lock to make the playoffs. We shall see what kind of team they are when / if they make the playoffs. My guess is they win one game if it is at home but lose the first road game they play.

 

[LKP]

Even a broken watch is right twice a day.

I wasn't just right once. I was right about us all year. How we wouldn't fold, how great our defnse was, how explosive our healthy offense can be. I'm 100% on everything. You haters have nothing.