2014 Detroit Lions

[smogboy]

Slay is in his second year, which could make a big difference. they have decent safeties. Will they be ranked as one of the best secondaries? not a chance. Can they get better? yes, they can. It's a wait and see thing. I would love to see them get another corner, but I wasn't particularly sold on what was available in either free agency [[because of Suh, they probably couldn't have gotten a decent corner anyway) or the draft

Ideally I wouldn't have minded seeing them acquiring a decent cornerback earlier in the draft. The only back they got was 4th rounder Nevin Lawson and he very well could be a project

The biggest problem with the Lions under Schwartz was lack of discipline. Their biggest offensive problem last year wasn't Stafford - it was too many players with hands like bricks. If they didn't lead the league in dropped passes, they were damn close.

I think Schwartz' downfall was once he blew up at a player or the team, the cat was out of the bag. The shock value of having a grown man yelling at you wears off quickly and anarchy takes over at that point. I also concur that he nor Scott Linehan really seemed to work with Stafford as much as I would've liked. Stafford might be a gifted athlete but he still needed grooming with technique and under the Jim Schwartz, I'm not sure he got much.

What kills me is the glowing comments I've heard lately about Cutler, who got his best QB rating last year while throwing for half of Stafford's yards and a higher interception to TD ratio -- and it still wasn't above 90. People are acting as if he's Aaron Rogers. The Bears are far and away the most over-rated team in the league. And yes, I think the Lions are under-rated

Looking at Cutler's contract, I'm still agog at what they're paying him compared to some of the established elite QBs in the league. The amount of money and duration of the contract does not fit the level that he's at. I'm not saying he isn't above average in the league but it's a bit lofty.

[Thruster315]

I think Schwartz' downfall was once he blew up at a player or the team, the cat was out of the bag. The shock value of having a grown man yelling at you wears off quickly and anarchy takes over at that point. I also concur that he nor Scott Linehan really seemed to work with Stafford as much as I would've liked. Stafford might be a gifted athlete but he still needed grooming with technique and under the Jim Schwartz, I'm not sure he got much.

Schwartz just wore out his welcome but he did it with some bone headed play calling. That's what happens when you bring in someone with no head coaching experience. He never embodied real respected leadership. I'm sure some of the players looked at him, and while they respected the position- and thought "who is this punk?"

He tried to come across as a badass but when you take some calculated risks and they blow up in your face, the cred is shot. Looking back at it, he reminded me a little bit of Marty Morhinweg. Yeah, one has to come across as a little cocky and brash to take the shots taken at you, but when can't produce results [[ie. wins & playoff victories)- that respect is gone. And just maybe he has the tenacity and longevity to come back one day as a head coach again, but not for awhile. Schwartz still needs some seasoning and humility to come back that way. He very well could be that Lions head coach that does come back somewhere in the NFL as a head coach some day- but it's not gonna be for a long while and definitely not for the Lions. He'd best wait for all of the players on this team to retire before he heads up a team. Lions' head coaching stench can linger.

But maybe I'm sipping the Kool Aid but I'm hoping that Caldwell can break that wall of mediocrity. He seems a little older, maybe not so demonstrative, and a calmer skipper at the helm. I'm hoping he has a better way of commanding the respect and accountability of his players.

Here's to what we do every year around this time… HOPING!

[rb336]

Looking at Cutler's contract, I'm still agog at what they're paying him compared to some of the established elite QBs in the league. The amount of money and duration of the contract does not fit the level that he's at. I'm not saying he isn't above average in the league but it's a bit lofty.

I am flat-out saying he is average at best. Stafford might not be elite, but he is certainly capable of putting up those numbers[[last three years he was #3, #2, #3 for yards). In some ways he is in a better position than many of the "elites" were at this stage of their careers

[Thruster315]

Looking at Cutler's contract, I'm still agog at what they're paying him compared to some of the established elite QBs in the league. The amount of money and duration of the contract does not fit the level that he's at. I'm not saying he isn't above average in the league but it's a bit lofty.

I call up my boys from Chicago and laugh my ass off at them. They're a tad bit embarrassed by the terms of Cutler's contract too. Seven years??? $126 million??? He's going to be 37 when the bears can finally shed his contract!!! I know I know I know… they never expect him to fulfill the length of the deal but still, that is crazy money to Jay Cutler.

[Thruster315]

The NFL has gone nuts.
Andy Dalton agrees to six-year, $115M extension with Bengals.

Makes Stafford seem like a bargain now.

[Thruster315]

First pre-season game tonight. It doesn't mean beans to the majority of us beyond the first set of snaps by the first team. Beyond that it's subtle battles for back-up roles.

I will be curious to see how Caldwell handles the sidelines and his management style.

[Danny]

Lions will finish the season with 9-6. They will make the wild card into the playoffs. They will in the second round. But at least the Lions play better.

[paddlebobb]

Everyone here writes with such clarity in disseminating the particular points of the personnel, coaching and potential strategies. You write with such vision that it almost seems that establishing a winning season or tradition here would be really possible. You've made it clear too that haters are not welcome.

The NFL is an extremely successful juggernaut in every sense of the imagination. Winners are regaled in fine fashion for both the team and the individual levels. And losers are given the organizational wherewithal to pick up the pieces and formulate a plan for a more successful short term. Strategies employed are the draft, free agency, and favorable scheduling. With all these factors available, teams can succeed, fall back for a few years, then reascend.

In stating the obvious, this has not happened here in the past half century. And it's not the thousands of players who have ventured in and out, nor the hundreds of coaches who have strived for success in the various Lions home venues and stadiums. Blame has to be ascribed in the front office setting where the ongoing decision-making has been taking place. And it's not just Mr. Millen or Messrs. Mayhew and Lewand. It's been the Ford family since they took the reins on that dark day - November 22, 1963.

Mr. Ford was a wonderful individual and is looked on with great honor and dignity, as should be the case. But his front office choices and their tenures were often marked with stubbornness and exaggerated loyalty. In most cases, those entrusted with the keys to the franchise had no real experience and successful track records, and thus no business being in a position that would in turn manifest and maintain such a losing legacy. This being the case, choices for the head coaching positions were often forthcoming in this same vein, and again resulting in yet more and more derailments.

This much is true. In the other sports franchises in town, success has only been enabled when ownership has made the key management/coaching decisions and investments necessary to bring it about. Dombrowski, Devallano/Bowman etc. were properly brought aboard at key junctures by ownership committed to winning, and in the end making management accountable for its actions. The new Gores franchise has taken a major step in this direction by installing a true basketball man with a proven resume to assume the Pistons management/coaching roles. And he will also demand accountability.

So continue to talk about Suh and Stafford, and Caldwell and Calvin. But know this. The Detroit Lions will never become a consistent winner in the National Football League until it develops better selection and execution of its front office and coaching positions. If that ever comes about, success on the field will trickle down and manifest itself to the long-suffering legions of Detroit area football fans.

[Thruster315]

Everyone here writes with such clarity in disseminating the particular points of the personnel, coaching and potential strategies. You write with such vision that it almost seems that establishing a winning season or tradition here would be really possible. You've made it clear too that haters are not welcome.

This is obviously a fan page. it's not that haters aren't welcomed but if one has a criticism or praise of this team, one had better be able to back it up with some pointed facts. None of this "The Lions suck" and then dart off to the farthest reaches of the internet never to be heard from again. If you truly think the Lions suck, then let's talk it out… rationally and logically. Hell, if you have a hunch, say so. No one's gonna crucify you if you can bring some insight to this thread. Commissioner smogboy's seen to keeping the peace here.

The NFL is an extremely successful juggernaut in every sense of the imagination. Winners are regaled in fine fashion for both the team and the individual levels. And losers are given the organizational wherewithal to pick up the pieces and formulate a plan for a more successful short term. Strategies employed are the draft, free agency, and favorable scheduling. With all these factors available, teams can succeed, fall back for a few years, then reascend.

In stating the obvious, this has not happened here in the past half century. And it's not the thousands of players who have ventured in and out, nor the hundreds of coaches who have strived for success in the various Lions home venues and stadiums. Blame has to be ascribed in the front office setting where the ongoing decision-making has been taking place. And it's not just Mr. Millen or Messrs. Mayhew and Lewand. It's been the Ford family since they took the reins on that dark day - November 22, 1963.

Mr. Ford was a wonderful individual and is looked on with great honor and dignity, as should be the case. But his front office choices and their tenures were often marked with stubbornness and exaggerated loyalty. In most cases, those entrusted with the keys to the franchise had no real experience and successful track records, and thus no business being in a position that would in turn manifest and maintain such a losing legacy. This being the case, choices for the head coaching positions were often forthcoming in this same vein, and again resulting in yet more and more derailments.

This much is true. In the other sports franchises in town, success has only been enabled when ownership has made the key management/coaching decisions and investments necessary to bring it about. Dombrowski, Devallano/Bowman etc. were properly brought aboard at key junctures by ownership committed to winning, and in the end making management accountable for its actions. The new Gores franchise has taken a major step in this direction by installing a true basketball man with a proven resume to assume the Pistons management/coaching roles. And he will also demand accountability.

So continue to talk about Suh and Stafford, and Caldwell and Calvin. But know this. The Detroit Lions will never become a consistent winner in the National Football League until it develops better selection and execution of its front office and coaching positions. If that ever comes about, success on the field will trickle down and manifest itself to the long-suffering legions of Detroit area football fans.

I couldn't agree with you more about this team's past. Old Man Ford had his faults and his virtues as an owner too. He can't be painted as a total jerk of an owner or a meddler like some others in the NFL, but he was what he was- a guy who never won the big prize. We as fans can't change that.

Most of the Lions' savvy here know the history with this franchise. Not exactly proud but what I think we try to do here is analyze where this team can go forward. We rant. We vent. And above all we try to commiserate [[my big word of the month) with one another here. Underneath it all, we all bleed Honolulu Blue & Silver and sip the Kool Aid from time-to-time. Hell, if we weren't somewhat optimistic [[tinged with a cold ass dose of reality that usually hits us Monday morning), we'd all be locked away for being delusional.

But hey, that's what loyal fans do.

[Hypestyles]

I want to see people besides Southeast Michigan residents wearing Lions gear.

[Downriviera]

The only improvement I saw in the first exhibition game was Stafford wearing his cap frontwards on the sideline. Hope Ditka noticed.

[rb336]

The only improvement I saw in the first exhibition game was Stafford wearing his cap frontwards on the sideline. Hope Ditka noticed.

anyone who expects to see anything during a preseason game - especially the first - is an idiot

[smogboy]

anyone who expects to see anything during a preseason game - especially the first - is an idiot

Now now now. Easy there. No one is saying that the first pre-season game means a hill of beans to anyone. If anything [[and if Downriviera will allow me), it's more of a jab at Mike Ditka's weird assertion that wearing the bill of a cap forward to backwards can really impact or speak volumes of a player.

So let's jump back into the same sandbox and play nice again.

[smogboy]

This is obviously a fan page. it's not that haters aren't welcomed but if one has a criticism or praise of this team, one had better be able to back it up with some pointed facts. None of this "The Lions suck" and then dart off to the farthest reaches of the internet never to be heard from again. If you truly think the Lions suck, then let's talk it out… rationally and logically. Hell, if you have a hunch, say so. No one's gonna crucify you if you can bring some insight to this thread. Commissioner smogboy's seen to keeping the peace here.

Thanks for the kind words of support, thruster. I do agree that no one needs to hate this team. We should be cordial and discuss this team with some dignity.

I've often stated that if one wants to complain about this team, don't follow them. Do something else constructive with your Sunday afternoons, find something else to watch on Thanksgiving afternoon… or go post on Green Bay's fan page or like Tom Brady's twitter feed.

We discuss Lions here. We can agree to disagree. I also agree that one can have an very good opinion. One should also be able to back up their assumptions with some sound logic and observations too. Give us some support to your arguments. Pull out some stats, trends or some ESPN article to back up your assumptions of this team. Even if it's a gut all say it- but back it up with your rationale for having that gut call.

[Downriviera]

Now now now. Easy there. No one is saying that the first pre-season game means a hill of beans to anyone. If anything [[and if Downriviera will allow me), it's more of a jab at Mike Ditka's weird assertion that wearing the bill of a cap forward to backwards can really impact or speak volumes of a player.

So let's jump back into the same sandbox and play nice again.

Thanks Smogboy, that was my intent.

[Downriviera]

anyone who expects to see anything during a preseason game - especially the first - is an idiot

This proves what we've suspected for a long time....the coaches are all idiots! lol

[rb336]

This proves what we've suspected for a long time....the coaches are all idiots! lol

they aren't looking at the first-team players. they are looking for potential role players

[Hypestyles]

a win is a win, certainly for morale's sake. When the official season starts, then those games count for sure, but considering the still-ongoing saga of "are they just bums for life", it was a nice turn of events in the game vs. Cleveland.

[Thruster315]

a win is a win, certainly for morale's sake. When the official season starts, then those games count for sure, but considering the still-ongoing saga of "are they just bums for life", it was a nice turn of events in the game vs. Cleveland.

If we really want to start dissecting pre-season games we can go there but I've never thought of these games as nothing more than a NFL money grab with its friends and a glorified scrimmage. A pre-season win is about as relevant as Kwame Kilpatrick's integrity in this town. I get what it does for the coaching staff as it's an audition for the second stringers. The starters are there for a series and end up being cheerleaders & clipboard holders.

[Thruster315]

The only improvement I saw in the first exhibition game was Stafford wearing his cap frontwards on the sideline. Hope Ditka noticed.

When was the last time Mike Ditka's opinion mattered?? Especially when it comes to fashion.

[Thruster315]

Bored off of my ass on a Friday night I actually watched the Lions pre-season game. Yeah yeah yeah, I could've and should've been doing something a helluva lot more productive like helping the homeless, rescuing pandas, getting a PhD. in something noble or something better than being a couch weight.

Instead I saw Stafford look shaky, penalty flags flying on both sides of the ball, and a snoozer of a game. I wasn't impressed by much other than Reggie Bush's long ass run, Ryan Broyles' recovery, and Tahir Whitehead's scrappiness.

I hope for Caldwell's sake that this isn't what this season is going to be. The best QB rating was probably the officials as they were throwing all night long. The discipline that Caldwell was supposed to bring to this team wasn't there. And if they say the third game of the pre-season is the most important then we're in for some deep doo-doo. Jacksonville was nearly a cellar dweller last year but why the hell do we have to stoop down to their level? We made them look good tonight instead of us playing up to a far better level.

Yeah, I'm already analyzing the pre-season games already. Somebody get me a scotch.

[smogboy]

Yeah, I'm already analyzing the pre-season games already. Somebody get me a scotch.

No need to apologize. We all know the pre-season games don't mean much to the Lions' faithful other than to give us a glimpse of what might come. But the games do mean something to the players competing for jobs.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf...ding_into.html

Per the article, did you see [[I didn't watch it live) any of the match-ups?

-Waddle vs. Hilliard
-Freese vs. Tavecchio
-Leshoure vs. Winn vs. Owens vs. Collins
-Durham vs. Fuller
-Couplin vs. Gomes vs. Abdul-Quddus

Any of these guys excel at all or take a step in securing a roster spot?

[gnome]

The predictions are coming due and I am having a hard time thinking our team is going to be any better than 8 'n 8.

D line is a non cohesive group led by an assassin. Corners and safeties seemingly are another collection of fingerpointers and how-did-that-happeners. Only the linebacking crew seem to be competent and professional. Whitehead can pop, Levy delivers justice, Tulloch is locking up the middle in fine fashion.

The only word for the Offense is offensive. Our front five are picking up where they left off last year, but the Stafford is unsharp, Orlorsky is a poo stain, wide outs have been invisible, the new fullback system has not been able to deliver in short yardage.

Not much to see so far, other than Suh writing his own ticket to leave town.

[Smirnoff]

The very best is 8-8, probably below 8W.....

Recipe ingredients: discipline lacking, 1st rookie year for the OC/DC [[Lombardi/Austin), Stafford no better, Fairley too heavy, same non-sense penalties, turnovers, Orlavsky [[really?), etc.

All the "words" we have been hearing now translate into "action" on the field.....btw the Jag's were 4-12 last year. Carry on -

[mikefmich]

I just came across this on Youtube, and felt it appropriate to post the link here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FJoRxT6B5g