2012 Detroit Lions

[Thruster315]

But it's also very gratifying to know that at least someone on the DYes boards has better prediction skills than the so-called-expert pundits.

Sorry, but those dopes in the newspaper and on sports talk radio are just as suspect when it comes to their picks. They drank from the Kool-Aid as well and were just as lousy as any one of us here. The only difference between them and us is they get paid for their opinions & guesses.

[Thruster315]

That Schwartz is a punk?

I don't mind Schwartz having an attitude at times. Hell, I don't even mind him being secretive about the team. Who the hell says that we [[and opposing teams for that matter) need to know everything about the Lions?

But there's a place to be a tad surly. Dealing with Handshake Jim Harbaugh- yeah, go kick up the dust. Losing one's cool and tossing the red challenge flag is not a good time to be a punk. Be accountable and maybe even be feared a little bit by the team. Even after he royally fu©ked up with the flag toss, he was at least man enough to accept the blame- that's maturity happening. The punk attitude was held in check then and I appreciate it.

Win and we really don't care what sort of attitude he sports though.

[gnome]

My post was an interrogative. A question about what have we learned. Is Schwartz a punk? I haven't come to that conclusion, but it is a question that has to be asked.

can you imagine Tom Landry acting the fool like Schwartz? Parcells? Shula? Bear Bryant? Lombardi?

We know it is a different day, but we also know a fish stinks from the head back. A leader leads and We ain't seeing much leadership. We see a smart guy who is blinded by emotion not motivated by it.

We need to change something, because sucking sucks. That goes for everyone. Mayhew, Linehan, Schwartz, ... And every player. Talent isn't enough. Potential isn't enough. Promise is not enough. We have to play a single game without acting the fool. A game that demonstrates a rock solid game plan coupled with flawless execution minus boneheaded stupidity.

Dont misconstrue, I am still on the bandwagon, just like I am still a catholic and still a republican despite my disappointments. I still have faith. I still believe in tomorrow, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy with today.

[Thruster315]

Between the refs blowing grabs on Johnson's jersey resulting in an interception and the Houston supposed pass interference call; toss in the stupid ass luck that always bites our team, the Lions aren't looking too swift right now.

[Thruster315]

I still don't understand how our semi-decent offensive line makes the Cards defensive line look like the second coming of the Steel Curtain. Whether it's pass protection [[which was always pretty decent) or run, we're just getting schooled. Stafford's got more green on his jersey than Aaron Rodgers' home jersey.

[Thruster315]

I'll give it up to the Cards fans though. Still selling out the place even after a nine game skid.

[Thruster315]

One more quarter to go. Let's see which skidding team ends their streak.

[Thruster315]

102 yard return for a touchdown? After a delay of game call that could've gotten us one possession closer??

Pardon me as I vomit in my blue & silver helmet.

[Thruster315]

Strafford has seen turf in a multitude of ways:

1) he's thrown to it.
2) he's been rushed and hurried to be a part of it

[Thruster315]

And Beanie Wells... frickin' Beanie Wells is kicking our ass too.

[Thruster315]

And why is Matthew Stafford still in the game? Let's quietly concede now and give Shaun Hill some reps. Stafford's already has his bell rung far too many times already. If he truly is to be the future of this team [[and I still have faith that he can be)- why leave him in there to take more of a pounding? We're down 28 points already.

[Thruster315]

Against a supposedly weak offensive line with a handful of rookies, all we could do is manage one sack? Aren't we the ones with the supposedly veteran O-line?

Nice to know we could help give Ryan Lindley his first victory. The way we played, Audra Lindley [[the actress that played Mrs. Roper on Three's Company) could've beat us. It's going to be tough to find some good things from this game. I sure hope someone much more optimistic than I can find some glimmer of good from this game for the Lions faithful.

[gnome]

Is this the Last Train to Sucksville?

[firstandten]

Thruster315 based on your last few posts I feel your pain. Something is not right in Lionstown I don't know if Schwartz has lost this team or the assist coaches have lost the confidence of the players. I also wonder why T. Young has been such a a-hole. Is it because maybe he doesn't respect his coaches and he acts out as a result ? Maybe its a possibility its just that the other players act more professionally than T Young but feel the same way.

[Big Dog]

Before they played a game, I picked them 8 and 8. Damn, they're worse than that.

[smogboy]

Thruster315 based on your last few posts I feel your pain. Something is not right in Lionstown I don't know if Schwartz has lost this team or the assist coaches have lost the confidence of the players. I also wonder why T. Young has been such a a-hole. Is it because maybe he doesn't respect his coaches and he acts out as a result ? Maybe its a possibility its just that the other players act more professionally than T Young but feel the same way.

After mulling over and marinating over this one for awhile, what I thought doomed this team today was the lack of depth and execution.

The Cards knew that we only had Calvin for an offensive weapon. Sometimes Scheffler would come up big but do we really have faith in Robiskie, Durham, and Logan?

Losing Nate Burleson really hurt us many levels. Not only was he the alternate to constantly throwing to Calvin, he was the senior member/ leader of that receiving corps. I'm not implying that he would've tamed an immature punk like Titus Young [[he had issues at Boise State too) but he might've had more of a say if he was actively playing and taking up Young's self perceived importance. Broyles' injury was a stroke of bad luck as was losing Pettigrew last week. Stafford was really pressing to distribute the ball today and when they shut down Calvin with Peterson & company, it was going to be tragic.

It was painful to watch and I think we could all feel thruster's angst by the third quarter. Losing to a team that got schooled by Seattle 58-0 the week before hurt.

We've been down this path far too many times already where the guys are playing for pride and an audition for the years to come. None of us here could've predicted this sort of season for this team. We had some pretty high hopes and they've been smashed against the rocks like a schooner without an anchor.

[smogboy]

Nice to know we could help give Ryan Lindley his first victory. The way we played, Audra Lindley [[the actress that played Mrs. Roper on Three's Company) could've beat us. It's going to be tough to find some good things from this game. I sure hope someone much more optimistic than I can find some glimmer of good from this game for the Lions faithful.

Only you would pull a Three's Company reference when it comes to this team we cheer for! HA! But as far as optimism goes the few things that I would count for being somewhat good are:

1) Calvin Johnson's obvious march towards breaking Jerry Rice's record. What really amazes me about this record is that Rice always had a compliment to him to help spread the offense. Rice had Dwight Clark, Terrell Owens, JJ Stokes & the likes of a Roger Craig in the backfield who could catch as well as anyone on the field. Not meaning to demean Jerry Rice's accomplishments but in light of what Calvin might do on this sad sack team, it really makes Calvin that much more impressive.

2) Nick Harris seems to have regained some of that form with his punts.

3) it was good to see Louis Delmas come in there and make some impact. It might be way too late and we can only imagine what the defensive backfield would've been had he been healthy all year long.

Not much optimism from what I saw but those are the microbial morsels that I could find off the floor for this team. I really had to dig deep because there were more downers than we dare cover.

[Thruster315]

Alright I'll concede one other positive that smogboy forgot to mention. What about Chris Houston's play? For a guy matched up against the supposedly other top tier receiver in the NFL, I thought he did a pretty solid job one-on-one with Larry Fitzgerald. But like I mentioned during the game, he was clearly ripped off when he got flagged for the pass interference. He got jobbed there- but for a banged up secondary, he's been the one guy that's about as close to a shut down corner as this team has had this season.

[Thruster315]

Thruster315 based on your last few posts I feel your pain.

Thanks for noticing. I had the laptop out while watching the game. It really was getting pretty frustrating. It was akin to passing a staghorn kidney stone.

[gnome]

With my pillow almost dry from the tears shed on Sunday, I can try to look at a few issues for discussion.

1, with being shown up, our flaws can no longer be ignored. Just like after 0-16, when we had no choice but to start planning wholesale change, this loss to the Cards allows us to mentally address our failings.

2, our chances for high draft picks have increased

3, who has been the biggest disappointment? Titus? Delmas? Stafford? Tulloch? Best? Who for you? Me, it might be Vandenbosch. My belief that his leadership was critical to our maturation as a team apparently was false. We are still pooping our pants like before, but now the world is watching us do it. Before no one saw because we weren't on the national stage, now that we are on the Big Stage, that brown stain running down our leg allows everyone a laugh. As much as I like the idea of KVB, the reality is stark: he should be gone.

4, which game turned the season from hope to reality? Looking back it might have been the Rams in week 1. We won, but gave up 3 picks and allowed a bad team a chance.

5, if offered free tix to the last two games would you go, or stay home if the home option offered your favorite meal and humpity bumpity time?

[jefferson78]

Out of all the Detroit's sports teams in the last year, the Lion's have to be the most disappointing. The Tigers at least made it to the World Series, the Wings don't count because of obvious reasons, and the Pistons had no expectations so they can't be a disappointment.
I'm disappointed because I really feel, after making the playoffs, they took a giant step backward. This is with literally the same cast of characters.
The blame should be shared by the whole organization, but especially Schwartz and Mayhew. There is clearly a lack of discipline and this falls squarely on the coach. The apparent lack of depth falls on Mayhew.
I am a big fan of Calvin and Stafford, and I think that Stafford's mistakes are because he is taking needless chances. This is because he wants to win so badly. Even with that, he is arguably the best quarteback the Lions have had in the last 50 years.
I don't think it was crazy to expect a better record and a better playoff seeding this season. Instead, we get the same old Lions. The franchise with a curse so strong, if we even get a sniff of success, it is quickly gone in a flash. What a waste!
Now if the NHL can get it's act together, we'll have something to look forward to besides UM and MSU basketball.

[firstandten]

gnome I think it has to be Mayhew and Schwartz and maybe even Linehan. Schwartz because of what I see as a casual fan as a lack of discipline and in some cases fundamentals on both sides of the ball. Linehan for being predictable given that the Lions are basically a passing team and use the run to just keep defenses honest. Mayhew in my mind is trying to think outside of the box and find gems too high in the draft. There is no way he should have touched Best with a 10 foot pole. Coming out of college he was only 1 or 2 concussions away from never playing football again. He also must not have done has homework on T. Young. His college coach had problems with him. I like the idea of taking a chance on some young talent but those kind of chances should be saved until the middle to late rounds

[gnome]

I get the feeling that Gunther is going to get it in the neck. Undeserved IMHO considering he was given nothing in the way of DBs, but the way things go around here with the Fords, the head coach and GM - anyone remember Russ Thomas? Chuck Schmidt? Millen? They all overstayed their welcome.

the only guy who didn't stink up the joint before he was fired was Gary Moeller and he was only coach for half a season and the last Lions coach who left with a winning record at 4-3.

[GOAT]

The Lions organization has quit the rest of the season. The last gameproved it and so did putting anyone with a sliver on IR. That to me it the biggest "tell", because it is ridiculous to put so many on IR.

Schwartz is a farce as it Mayhew. Schwartz has his head so far up Mayhew's ass it is disgusting! And Mayhew being a Millen "protoge" [[I guess that means clueless), still means that Millen's taint continues to permeate the front office.
As it is Mayhew's picks have been pathetic on a good day. I would bet $100 that casual fans could draft better than Mayhew.

Face it, it is re-building time agan because we can't sign half the team, we still have no depth [[even with Mayhew picking special teams players) and we can't develop talent unless it is freakish [[Billy Sims, Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson). I really thought Stafford could be elite...not anymore. We destroyed him as we do most players with any degree of talent.

[GOAT]

gnome, I agree with you. What Gunther has done with that horrible defense is a miracle. Consider how much has been spent on offense and where they ended up and consider how much was spent on defense and where they ended up...its a no brainer....but he will get bounced and Shitinhand and Schlutz will continue to fuck it up with Mayhew hiding like a little bitch, as usual.