2014 Detroit Lions

**Pickford-Bentler** · February-03-14, 11:52 AM

I am somewhat optimistic.

Seattle, SF and Carolina are the best teams in the NFL, IMO, because they play football the old fashioned way - beat the crap out of the other guys till the say in the immortal words of Johnny Rocco "hey, do I really want to be here?"

For the longest time, the Lions have tried to copy the latest trick such as West Toast, Run and shit, or Bend and Break that seems to allow wee men to beat big men

Although he has made mistakes, I feel that Mayhew et al have added players on the DL and OL that need not "finesse" to succeed.

I am not the "get another receiver" at all costs bandwagon. The Lions need to back up the DL with back seven brutes who make you pay for your QB dumping off short to avoid a hit.

They also need to make Stafford a game managing QB who can beat a defense after it has been punished by your OL.

So why some optimism?

Caldwell used that offensive approach when the Ravens made their Super Bowl run.

The Raven defense was successful by utilizing a very aggressive back 7. And we have their secondary coach as our DC.

And Lombardi might be one of these guys who can design offenses tailored to what he has got, rather than fitting to system.

The negative I see is that Mayhew et al have continued the Lion legacy of devoting high draft picks and salary cap to those one or two skill position players who will put them to the next level.

The next level is attained by loading up a foundation of talent in the trenches of the OL and DL.

I cross my fingers and just keep on having faith, I guess.

**rb336** · February-03-14, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Pickford-Bentler

I am not the "get another receiver" at all costs bandwagon. The Lions need to back up the DL with back seven brutes who make you pay for your QB dumping off short to avoid a hit.

They also need to make Stafford a game managing QB who can beat a defense after it has been punished by your OL.

So why some optimism?

Caldwell used that offensive approach when the Ravens made their Super Bowl run.

The Raven defense was successful by utilizing a very aggressive back 7. And we have their secondary coach as our DC.

And Lombardi might be one of these guys who can design offenses tailored to what he has got, rather than fitting to system.

The negative I see is that Mayhew et al have continued the Lion legacy of devoting high draft picks and salary cap to those one or two skill position players who will put them to the next level.

The next level is attained by loading up a foundation of talent in the trenches of the OL and DL.

I cross my fingers and just keep on having faith, I guess.

It would be foolish to get a OL or DL player with #10, great guys at those positions can be found later. A shut-down corner or another WR are what the Lions really need, and as far as I can tell, there is not a shut-down corner available. They can probably get a decent corner in the second. If I were running this draft, I would seriously consider trading down, especially with the pending cap issues

**Pickford-Bentler** · February-03-14, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by rb336

It would be foolish to get a OL or DL player with #10, great guys at those positions can be found later. A shut-down corner or another WR are what the Lions really need, and as far as I can tell, there is not a shut-down corner available. They can probably get a decent corner in the second. If I were running this draft, I would seriously consider trading down, especially with the pending cap issues

I would like to see either a LB with blitzing capability, a shut down corner or a huge safety like the one Seattle has. WR might have to be covered by FA, if the Lions can get cap room.

Number 1 picks under Mayhew et al:

Stafford

Suh

Reiff

Fairly

Ansah

So the trenches are not being ignored.

A major test of Caldwell et al will be motivating and coaching up Fairly. IMO, he is playing way under what he could be.

And they have done well with Warford, Waddle and, possibly Austin. So keeping Washburn as OL coach is a good sign. Good coaches leave a sinking ship.

**Smirnoff** · February-03-14, 06:59 PM

And in regards to the head coach position; the Lions went from College Coach Phase [[Rogers) to the Promising Assistant Phase [[Wayne Fontes) to the Guy Who Has Done It Before Phase [[Bobby Ross) back to the Assistant Phase [[Gary Moeller, Marty Mornhinweg) back to Done It Before Phase [[Steve Mariucci) back to Assistant Phase [[Dick Jauron, Rod Marinelli, Jim Schwartz) and now back to Done It Before Phase.....

**Thruster315** · February-03-14, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

And in regards to the head coach position; the Lions went from College Coach Phase [[Rogers) to the Promising Assistant Phase [[Wayne Fontes) to the Guy Who Has Done It Before Phase [[Bobby Ross) back to the Assistant Phase [[Gary Moeller, Marty Mornhinweg) back to Done It Before Phase [[Steve Mariucci) back to Assistant Phase [[Dick Jauron, Rod Marinelli, Jim Schwartz) and now back to Done It Before Phase.....

It's the same damn clique that circles around and around. Having a decent innovative coach come out of nowhere is a rarity nowadays. I'm not saying it's the Old Boys Club but it sure seems that way at times.

**smogboy** · February-04-14, 03:37 AM

Originally Posted by Pickford-Bentler

I would like to see either a LB with blitzing capability, a shut down corner or a huge safety like the one Seattle has. WR might have to be covered by FA, if the Lions can get cap room.

Number 1 picks under Mayhew et al:

Stafford

Suh

Reiff

Fairly

Ansah

So the trenches are not being ignored.

Mayhew's first round picks haven't been the problem. It's a lot of his second and third round picks that haven't panned out. Players like Louis Delmas, Jordan Dizon, Kevin Smith, Andre Fluellen, Amari Spievey, Titus Young, Mikel LeShoure, Ryan Broyles, and Dwight Bentley haven't panned out. Granted some of them have been due to injuries. Other teams, whether by skill or dumb luck have managed to find gems in those rounds. Those teams' later round picks have first round talent.

Originally Posted by Pickford-Bentler

A major test of Caldwell et al will be motivating and coaching up Fairly. IMO, he is playing way under what he could be.

And they have done well with Warford, Waddle and, possibly Austin. So keeping Washburn as OL coach is a good sign. Good coaches leave a sinking ship.

It does seem that the last few years, Mayhew did strike some gold with the Warfords & Waddles of the lot, but we really need to do better than that. I'm also left to think was it because of Xander heading up and re-arranging the scouting staff? It very well could be that we suddenly have a better evaluator of talent in the front office now.

Again, off season optimism here!

**KJ5** · February-04-14, 07:28 AM

Where do they get their balls big enough to increase season ticket prices by an average of 8.2%? In a league that makes money over fist and still somehow remains tax exempt? Disgusting.

**Smirnoff** · February-04-14, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by KJ5

Where do they get their balls big enough to increase season ticket prices by an average of 8.2%? In a league that makes money over fist and still somehow remains tax exempt? Disgusting.

The logic is: pay more to come watch them loose more, look at Stafford's record against winning teams, fans will actually pay more to watch premium teams win......LOL!

**rb336** · February-04-14, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

The logic is: pay more to come watch them loose more, look at Stafford's record against winning teams, fans will actually pay more to watch premium teams win......LOL!

do you ever have anything intelligent to add to any conversation?

**KJ5** · February-04-14, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

The logic is: pay more to come watch them loose more, look at Stafford's record against winning teams, fans will actually pay more to watch premium teams win......LOL!

Loose is an adjective as in "The ball gets knocked loose from Stafford. Bears football!"
Lose is a verb as in "Lions lose 34-24."

That Great Guy · September-21-14, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

The logic is: pay more to come watch them loose more, look at Stafford's record against winning teams, fans will actually pay more to watch premium teams win......LOL!

Government vouchers for the low income would work, if approved by the voters.

I make enough to pay for some poor Detroit school boy to see his favorite football player, so why should I not pay for this?

**smogboy** · February-04-14, 03:27 AM

Originally Posted by Pickford-Bentler

I cross my fingers and just keep on having faith, I guess.

That's all that we Lions fans can have at this time of the season. There's no football to be played for quite awhile. I'm shocked at the amount of discussion that this thread has generated since I started it a day or two ago.

Thanks for joining the discussions, Pickford-Bentler. I hope you'll become a regular now as I think you've got some solid points backed with some facts and really astute observations.