2014 Detroit Lions

**ismoakrack** · August-24-14, 02:49 PM

Sorry you didn't win, guys. I voted for you. A music store would certainly have filled a niche, and brought at least a sliver of culture. Instead we will be getting another place at which our asses can grow larger.

**smogboy** · August-24-14, 09:40 PM

Folks are starting to come up with their picks for the season already. I'd better start tabulating the picks and compiling them soon as the season's almost upon us. One more meaningless pre-season game and it'll be for keeps soon.

So if you have a prediction, post them here and I'll do my best to have them pulled together. Let's see if we can get your predictions in by:

Thursday , September 4th 8:00 EST

-and I'll post them before the first game of the season.

Any predictions that come in after that time will NOT be counted in the year end praise fest.

Good luck with all of your predictions. No matter how you choose whether it be with blind hunches, crunching numbers or scouring experts' magazines- let's see who come out ahead as this year's DetroitYes Lions' Champion Prognosticator. Good luck to all!

**smogboy** · August-25-14, 12:50 AM

And for those of you that have not studied the upcoming 2014 schedule, here it is:

9/8- vs. NY Giants [[Monday night)
9/14- @ Carolina Panthers
9/21- vs. Green Bay Packers
9/28- @ NY Jets
10/5- vs. Buffalo Bills
10/12- @ Minnesota Vikings
10/19- vs. New Orleans Saints
10/26- @ Atlanta Falcons
11/9- vs. Miami Dolphins
11/16- @ Arizona Cardinals
11/23- @ New England Patriots
11/27- vs. Chicago Bears [[Thanksgiving)
12/7- vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12/14- vs. Minnesota Vikings
12/21- @ Chicago Bears
12/28- @ Green Bay Packers

Make your predictions and make them count! Remember- no later than Thursday, September 4th, 8:00PM EST!

**rb336** · August-25-14, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by smogboy

And for those of you that have not studied the upcoming 2014 schedule, here it is:

W 9/8- vs. NY Giants [[Monday night)
L 9/14- @ Carolina Panthers
W 9/21- vs. Green Bay Packers
W 9/28- @ NY Jets
W 10/5- vs. Buffalo Bills
W 10/12- @ Minnesota Vikings
L 10/19- vs. New Orleans Saints
L 10/26- @ Atlanta Falcons
W 11/9- vs. Miami Dolphins
W 11/16- @ Arizona Cardinals
L 11/23- @ New England Patriots
W 11/27- vs. Chicago Bears [[Thanksgiving)
W 12/7- vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
W 12/14- vs. Minnesota Vikings
W 12/21- @ Chicago Bears
L 12/28- @ Green Bay Packers

Make your predictions and make them count! Remember- no later than Thursday, September 4th, 8:00PM EST!

11-5, 1 playoff win

**Bong-Man** · August-26-14, 10:15 AM

6-10, Stafford out for the year by the 5th game.

**kenp** · August-26-14, 12:59 PM

7-9. I agree that Stafford gets hurt, seems like a perfect outcome for us.

**Thruster315** · August-26-14, 01:27 PM

What's with the Stafford getting hurt theories here? I'm not saying he will or he won't but is there something I'm not seeing or hearing about the guy? He's been pretty durable after that first year and the O line has been getting better. He's got a quick release [[which is good AND bad at times) so it spares him some of those hits that some QBs do when they hang onto the ball too long. He doesn't scramble too much [[again, good AND bad) so he doesn't put himself in space to be picked off often.

Granted it could be a thing where he smacks his hand on a lineman's helmet or some other quirky thing like that, but those are really bizarre.

Or is there just so much Dan Orlovsky love in the air here I'm not getting?

My bunion says we're going 9-7. No logic to it other than just a very very fleeting glimpse and guess looking at the schedule.

**kenp** · August-27-14, 02:11 PM

There I no logic when it comes the Lions. You have to base things on what bad luck will happen. Since all the talk is about Stafford being the key makes complete sense that after a great start he will be the one to go down.
Also to be accurate he was hurt in his first two seasons.

**rb336** · August-27-14, 06:56 PM

I originally thought 9-7, then I decided Chicago is THE most over-rated team in the NFL and the Lions would sweep. Then I decided the Cardinals were the SECOND most over-rated team, so I hit 11-5

**Bong-Man** · August-29-14, 01:43 PM

What's with the Stafford getting hurt theories here? I'm not saying he will or he won't but is there something I'm not seeing or hearing about the guy? He's been pretty durable after that first year and the O line has been getting better.

Agree on the O line, but 2/3 of all NFL quarterbacks get hurt on a yearly basis. Lion luck says it's our turn.

**Dbest** · August-29-14, 02:39 PM

Leo's go 10-6, Bell runs for 1200+ yds and Ebron exceeds 7 TD's...

**Pickford-Bentler** · August-29-14, 03:19 PM

8-8

I don't think they have a back 4 that can prevent a score late in the 4th quarter. I hope I am wrong.

**ABetterDetroit** · August-29-14, 05:11 PM

8-8
Ebron goes out smashing his car looking for the fries, week 4
Tate gets hit by a car blowing leaves off his driveway, week 6
Suh gets 2 suspensions for a total of 6 games
Stafford hits the IR for running through the middle slowly, week 14

Detroit, absolutely! The Lions though are cursed.

**Thruster315** · August-29-14, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

The Lions though are cursed.

No dice. I'm not buying this one any more. Old Man Ford passed away so the curse went to the grave with him.

I can still accept the notion that the Lions aren't contenders, they lack this, that and the other thing- but no more curse talk with me.

**Thruster315** · August-29-14, 09:16 PM

Hey fellas, can I get on a small soapbox with an observation here? It has to do with Caldwell's handling of Nick Fairley. I think he's doing a pretty decent job with regards to demoting him and getting him to play his ass off for us. Fairley's work regimen, weight and desire has always been questioned- even in college. That's why the guy dropped to us in that draft. If he had any drive and desire, he would've gone a lot earlier.

But seeing how Caldwell has quietly dropped him into the second team should set off the alarms in his head. But Caldwell's also done it with a measure of class and aplomb; he just promotes CJ Mosley over him in practice. Kudos to CJ for playing like a veteran and earning the spot. Now if Fairley has any measure of pride [[and I think he does) he's going to try to regain that position. That can only bode well for the Lions. Caldwell hasn't ripped Fairley a new ass in public. He hasn't embarrassed Fairley in front of his team mates [[supposedly that was a Schwartz technique). Caldwell is treating his players like men and adults. He wants them accountable and professional. If he's got to lay the wood to the man to get him to improve, this is a way to get him to do it- not just for his benefit [[contract year) but for the team's as well.

So far I'm digging the Caldwell method. Let's see how this plays out as the regular season unfolds though because that's where it really matters. But signs are good to me so far. Optimism reigns supreme here as I swig the blue & silver Kool-Aid in big gulps.

**Lowell** · August-30-14, 10:58 AM

Big turn around year of 12-4 but then suffer a humiliating first round blowout playoff loss to maintain our Chicago Cubs-style lovable loser humility.

This team has all the pieces plus growing maturity and a real coach. Only injuries can stop them.

**ABetterDetroit** · August-30-14, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Hey fellas, can I get on a small soapbox with an observation here? It has to do with Caldwell's handling of Nick Fairley. I think he's doing a pretty decent job with regards to demoting him and getting him to play his ass off for us. Fairley's work regimen, weight and desire has always been questioned- even in college. That's why the guy dropped to us in that draft. If he had any drive and desire, he would've gone a lot earlier.

But seeing how Caldwell has quietly dropped him into the second team should set off the alarms in his head. But Caldwell's also done it with a measure of class and aplomb; he just promotes CJ Mosley over him in practice. Kudos to CJ for playing like a veteran and earning the spot. Now if Fairley has any measure of pride [[and I think he does) he's going to try to regain that position. That can only bode well for the Lions. Caldwell hasn't ripped Fairley a new ass in public. He hasn't embarrassed Fairley in front of his team mates [[supposedly that was a Schwartz technique). Caldwell is treating his players like men and adults. He wants them accountable and professional. If he's got to lay the wood to the man to get him to improve, this is a way to get him to do it- not just for his benefit [[contract year) but for the team's as well.

So far I'm digging the Caldwell method. Let's see how this plays out as the regular season unfolds though because that's where it really matters. But signs are good to me so far. Optimism reigns supreme here as I swig the blue & silver Kool-Aid in big gulps.

Love the real fans of the lions, we are totally neurotic. Fairley is the last pick on the team from the entire 2011 draft but the cool aid is still being served because the new coach will get him to produce. That is the very definition of optimism. There is talent on board.... Hey that tasted pretty good pour me another....

**Thruster315** · August-31-14, 12:29 AM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

Love the real fans of the lions, we are totally neurotic. Fairley is the last pick on the team from the entire 2011 draft but the cool aid is still being served because the new coach will get him to produce. That is the very definition of optimism. There is talent on board.... Hey that tasted pretty good pour me another....

If I didn't have a shred of optimism for this team and based it solely on their record and performances, I'd be a friggin' basket case. One has to have some hope with this team. We're not as pathetic as the Chicago Cubs to where it's almost chic to cheer for the perennial losers; instead we've been handed little dabs of hope and talent [[Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, etc.) to make us want to believe.

I could probably bitch and moan about this team 24/7. There's enough history to pile on, but why? It's not like I can flip a switch and change all of those years of futility. I can't wipe the Russ Thomas era off with the wave of a hand and I sure as hell don't have enough Swiffer Wet Jets to erase the Millen era. So I choose to gulp down the Kool Aid and hope for the best. I also know that I sure as hell don't want to cheer for the Patriots or Seahawks, just on the sheer fact I don't live in those places. I cheer for Detroit teams, especially this football team.

I guess I also have a fond remembrance of how sweet it was when the Red Wings finally got off the schnide. They had gone so damn long and fought so hard. And when they finally did hoist the Cup, it was the rat's ass. Now I'm not predicting Super Bowl this year [[but to hedge my bets I'm not saying they cant either- sneaky ass fence sitter that I am) but when the Lions do win it, imagine how sweet it's going to be.

So yeah, I cheer for this team. I wear the honolulu blue and silver. It's also the beginning of the football season too where every team thinks they have a chance. I'm also sure as this season progresses we'll snatch defeat right out of the jaws of victory and steal a few that we had no chance of winning too. Football's my male soap opera full of heroes, villains, bitches, drama, and intrigue. I'm not making excuses for liking it and neither should any true Lions fan either.

A round of Kool-Aid for everyone!

**gnome** · August-31-14, 07:24 AM

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...l_Aid_blue.jpg

Serve me another, my friend! Straight up, in a dirty glass.

Against all logic, 10 - 6.

**smogboy** · August-31-14, 07:34 AM

One does have to appreciate all of this blind loyalty and enthusiasm for our Lions team. As fans I guess this is what it is we do. We're going to cheer against all odds. I really hope that this thread does give all of us a chance to intelligently discuss the games, players, and decisions that this team does.

In the big picture it's not as important as street lights in Detroit, feeding the homeless, fighting crime, eliminating blight, upgrading fire fighting equipment in the city, fixing potholes, and a whole host of other more topical issues for this city. It's entertainment pure and simple. When cheering for this team becomes intolerable [[for some people it has) or takes over their lives in a self destructive way- it's time to walk away. So let's keep this game in proper perspective, cheer wildly for our team when we win and analyze it intelligently when we should've/ could've done better.

Again, thanks for the enthusiasm.

**Hermod** · August-31-14, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by smogboy

One does have to appreciate all of this blind loyalty and enthusiasm for our Lions team. As fans I guess this is what it is we do. We're going to cheer against all odds. I really hope that this thread does give all of us a chance to intelligently discuss the games, players, and decisions that this team does.

In the big picture it's not as important as street lights in Detroit, feeding the homeless, fighting crime, eliminating blight, upgrading fire fighting equipment in the city, fixing potholes, and a whole host of other more topical issues for this city. It's entertainment pure and simple. When cheering for this team becomes intolerable [[for some people it has) or takes over their lives in a self destructive way- it's time to walk away. So let's keep this game in proper perspective, cheer wildly for our team when we win and analyze it intelligently when we should've/ could've done better.

Again, thanks for the enthusiasm.

Winning pro teams which capture the enthusiastic support of area fans often spread that enthusiasm to public efforts to improve the city/area.

**Dbest** · September-01-14, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by smogboy

One does have to appreciate all of this blind loyalty and enthusiasm for our Lions team. As fans I guess this is what it is we do. We're going to cheer against all odds. I really hope that this thread does give all of us a chance to intelligently discuss the games, players, and decisions that this team does.

In the big picture it's not as important as street lights in Detroit, feeding the homeless, fighting crime, eliminating blight, upgrading fire fighting equipment in the city, fixing potholes, and a whole host of other more topical issues for this city. It's entertainment pure and simple. When cheering for this team becomes intolerable [[for some people it has) or takes over their lives in a self destructive way- it's time to walk away. So let's keep this game in proper perspective, cheer wildly for our team when we win and analyze it intelligently when we should've/ could've done better.

Again, thanks for the enthusiasm.

Do you know anything about what the Lions do for the community? Or do you think it just involves United Way? If you're going to call someone out maybe you should become more familiar with projects they have funded, like helping to install new signs for the Ave of fashion. They partnered with Hatch-Detroit. Who would have thought smogboy?

Here's a video off the Lions site about the project.

Part 1 http://vimeo.com/55788340

Part 2 http://vimeo.com/82008621

Part 3 http://vimeo.com/82008622

Part 4 http://vimeo.com/89202340

**Downriviera** · September-01-14, 09:41 AM

I went over and over the schedule trying to make a case for more wins but sadly I can't. 7-9 its going to be. New coach and a transition year. You know we will be hit with injuries. Wow, I'm making excuses already. But I will be the first to offer the time honored cliche, WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!

**smogboy** · September-01-14, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Dbest

Do you know anything about what the Lions do for the community? Or do you think it just involves United Way? If you're going to call someone out maybe you should become more familiar with projects they have funded, like helping to install new signs for the Ave of fashion. They partnered with Hatch-Detroit. Who would have thought smogboy?

Here's a video off the Lions site about the project.

Part 1 http://vimeo.com/55788340

Part 2 http://vimeo.com/82008621

Part 3 http://vimeo.com/82008622

Part 4 http://vimeo.com/89202340

Before you climb all over me, where did you think I was calling out the Lions for not being involved in the community??

**ABetterDetroit** · September-01-14, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

I went over and over the schedule trying to make a case for more wins but sadly I can't. 7-9 its going to be. New coach and a transition year. You know we will be hit with injuries. Wow, I'm making excuses already. But I will be the first to offer the time honored cliche, WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!

Here *passing you a cup of coolaid* from 5 post up it taste pretty good! We're going to the playoffs it's going to fuckin great! Not only can we get there we could win. New season GO LIONS!