2012 Detroit Lions

[Thruster315]

First pre-season game of the year to which I say... meh.

It didn't show me much, but then I don't expect a helluva lot with these affairs. So we lost on a late field goal... big deal. The only things I walked away from the game tonight was that I couldn't believe how many people were actually in the stands, our defense looks a lot better than the offense, Bentley looked good, and anything in the second half is all about procuring back-up positions.

Thank goodness the Tigers game was up the dial and I could at least have somewhat of a pennant chase there.

[Thruster315]

I'll admit to being a Friday night loser and watching a part of the pre-season game last night against the Ravens. It's still a tune-up and I'm not going to make any bold ass predictions or generalizations about the team beaded upon that one game. It was just nice to see decent quality football back on TV again. The fact that one of the combatants was sporting the Blue & Silver gave me somebody to cheer for.

And just like the accident scenes- "Nothing to see here folks. Move along". It was just pre-season and good to see some of the projected starters shake some summer rust off. As we get closer to the real deal, players are cut, players are picked up, and the final roster starts taking shape I'm sure the discussions will be a helluva lot livelier here.

[kenp]

Wake me up when the season starts

[gnome]

I've been out of town for awhile and was finally driving back Friday night late. Let me say that hearing Dapper Dan work the mic was magical. It took away almost all of the road weariness I had.

He's a gem. Brandi, not-so-much, as he just sort of bellows and snorts; but DD even makes the forth quarter of pre-season laugher worthwhile.

[Thruster315]

Wake me up when the season starts

Fat frickin' chance. We're gonna shake your tree about a week before the season kicks in to get your bold ass prediction for the year.

[Thruster315]

Really nice blog article by John Niyo today:

http://blogs.detroitnews.com/johnniy...n-for-bidding/

[kenp]

Kowalski always interacted on his blogs or comment sections of his articles. I always felt he was so down to earth with the fans and his subscribers.

[kenp]

Took a look at the schedule, the season ends home against the Bears.
Thats going to be a big game, I think we will be fighting for the playoffs with them.
Everything hinges on Stafford's health, my prediction is ready.

[gnome]

Leshoure is set to go for a good chunk of tomorrow's game in Oakland. This is going to tell us a lot about a lot. stay tuned.

[smogboy]

With one more game to go in the pre-season it's time to start rubbing that crystal ball, looking at the mystical tea leaves, patting the Wayne Fontes belly or doing whatever it takes for you to come up with your magical predictions. I won't scribe anything into stone until a few days after the last pre-season game as we might jockey our numbers due to cuts, injuries and/ or see who else we can pick up off of other teams' discards.

I'd like to think that with your numbers you can also offer up some intelligent banter as to your rationale. Don't just give me a number. Any ape can do that. I'd like to think that the loyal DYes Lions fans here follow the team well enough and can actually substantiate their predictions with some thought and acute observation of how this team is trending.

[Big Dog]

Maybe, 8 - 8, because, last year was a freak. Keep your flamethrowers, in the garage.

[gnome]

The Leshoure thing proved only one thing: he's not a difference maker. Just another big guy with all the skills but a paucity of effectiveness. I was praying he'd flash something in the way brilliance and like I said above, it sez a lot about a lot.

It sez Mayhew's draft class of '11 suffered horrid grade inflation. If you recall the considered opinion was that Mayhew's picks drew an A minus. What grade would you give it now?

Round 1: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
Round 2: Titus Young, WR, Boise State
Round 2: Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois
Round 5: Doug Hogue, OLB, Syracuse
Round 7: Johnny Culbreath, OT, South Carolina State

Young is young but has shown he was a solid choice, Hogue is working himself into a contributor. The rest are at best D if not Fs.

[Thruster315]

The Leshoure thing proved only one thing: he's not a difference maker. Just another big guy with all the skills but a paucity of effectiveness. I was praying he'd flash something in the way brilliance and like I said above, it sez a lot about a lot.It sez Mayhew's draft class of '11 suffered horrid grade inflation. If you recall the considered opinion was that Mayhew's picks drew an A minus. What grade would you give it now?

Round 1: Nick Fairley, DT, AuburnRound 2: Titus Young, WR, Boise StateRound 2: Mikel Leshoure, RB, IllinoisRound 5: Doug Hogue, OLB, SyracuseRound 7: Johnny Culbreath, OT, South Carolina StateYoung is young but has shown he was a solid choice, Hogue is working himself into a contributor. The rest are at best D if not Fs.

I would consider Fairley and Leshoure total incompletes because we've really yet to see enough of them on the field to really judge them. Off the field, they've been complete dopes.Titus Young, I'd give a B at best. He's shown moments of brilliance and yet he's also inconsistent and immaturity. He's still got a tremendous upside if he can just stay focused and learn from the veterans. Just stop picking stupid ass fights with team mates too.The first three picks here all have potential to be good to great but the thing that plagues them is maturity and understanding their importance/ role on this team. They need to play with some intensity and come at it like a pro as opposed to some brash young punk who thinks they've made it in the NFL now. They've only signed one contract and if they have any hopes of signing a potentially larger one, they'd better get their head on straight.Doug Hogue- if you count contributions to the immediate team, I would have to consider a bust because he hasn't done anything of note in an actual game yet. But that's not to say he won't somewhere soon. He seems to be at least playing with some intensity and getting the system. He very well could be the guy to spell any of the linebackers in depth to the point where we might cut a veteran like Ashlee Palmer. I really have high hopes for this guy and think he could be solid and sooner rather than later, but I can't give him a grade yet.Johnny Culbreath has been a total bust in every sense of the word. He smoked the wacky tobacco in the summer, got busted and then was cut by the team. But then he was probably a hope and prayer in the 7th round. Good luck finding a place to play.

[kenp]

I would consider Fairley and Leshoure total incompletes .

No way, they have been productive, two arrests each and both suspended.
Look at that whole draft, 6 arrests.

[Thruster315]

No way, they have been productive, two arrests each and both suspended.
Look at that whole draft, 6 arrests.

Now now... I did couch it by stating the difference between on the field and off the field.

[kenp]

The Leshoure thing proved only one thing: he's not a difference maker. Just another big guy with all the skills but a paucity of effectiveness. I was praying he'd flash something in the way brilliance and like I said above, it sez a lot about a lot.

I wouldnt judge him quite yet, despite the fact that his off field issues are a huge problem. He hasnt played a game in probably 2 years and is just coming back from a serious injury to the achilles. Give him some time, I think you will be impressed in time. Or on the other hand he may end up in jail.

[gnome]

I'm judging Leshoure based on what we know. He showed us nothing in last week's contest. Nothing. If we're going to make our picks based on potential, I'm voting Kalimba Edwards to Canton and the Hall of Fame, I'm voting Charles Rogers to the Pro Bowl, and giving Charlie Batch a Super Bowl ring.

oh wait.

[Thruster315]

Pre season games= big fwoop. I try not to judge anyone during these four games. As far as I'm concerned they're really glorified practices against live opponents. I get it that it's their jobs to bust ass and make the teams during these four games- but who stays is beyond me. That's got to be the coaches' call for that. I want to see the regular season games when it counts.

But wait, because Leshoure was a knucklehead in the off season we won't see him until we face off against the Titans in Week 3.

My assessment of him is incomplete still. I can't say he's going to be a bruiser or a bust in the NFL just yet. Off the field, he's been a tool but hopefully he can mature and get his head together.

[GOAT]

With that O-line Jim Browne or Payton couldn't make it through. That has been the biggest problem for the last 10 years! You either need someone very fast [[Best) who will may a big play every now and then or you need an new O-line.

7-9 for this season. The secondary is even worse than last year [[if that is possible). And can we just put Delmas away to pasture? I mean enough of his open field mistackles and his jumping around like an asshole. Let me see something on the field; if he evers plays a full season on the field. We bithc about Stafford being made of glass,. This prick is made of porcelain.

Perhaps next year we WON'T draft a WR and instead some real CBs and an O-lineman or two.

[Thruster315]

With that O-line Jim Browne or Payton couldn't make it through. That has been the biggest problem for the last 10 years! You either need someone very fast [[Best) who will may a big play every now and then or you need an new O-line.

Let's be fair here. They seemed pretty serviceable last year for pass protection. For the run, they were mediocre at best- but then the Lions need to define what sort of team they are and it seems as though it's going to be a passing team first and a running team second. Maybe it's an assumption on my part but it seems as though they're following the trend that's going on in the NFL now of being pass happy.

7-9 for this season. The secondary is even worse than last year [[if that is possible). And can we just put Delmas away to pasture? I mean enough of his open field mistackles and his jumping around like an asshole. Let me see something on the field; if he evers plays a full season on the field.

I agree that the secondary is below par and lacks a whole lot of depth. If Chris Houston goes down I see us as being toast. Houston's not a shut down corner but he's the closest thing we have to being slightly above average.

Delmas, when healthy can be intimidating with his hits. But for the aggressive style of ball that he plays- he could very well get dinged up. He's still got some youth on his side so I wouldn't send him packing yet. Not that I put a helluva lot of stock in the pre-season but John Wendling has done a pretty serviceable job filling in.

We bithc about Stafford being made of glass,. This prick is made of porcelain.

Let's not forget he played a full season last year and lit it up. This argument of him being a China Doll is old ancient news. You hoping he's going to get dinged up so you can prove your point here? I hope not.

Perhaps next year we WON'T draft a WR and instead some real CBs and an O-lineman or two.

The team did draft Reiff with their first round and he seems to be a keeper so far. I'll admit that the Broyles pick could be a luxury pick but with Burleson in his twilight, that pick might not pay off for a few more years. But I get it- we're closer now than what we've been in ages. Ideally we should be drafting guys who can step off the bus, lace 'em up and start immediately as opposed to developing guys. There is high hope for Bentley but that's just one CB that has a chance to start. I'm not a huge fan of playing CB by committee- considering our committee isn't that solid to begin with.

[Thruster315]

And smogboy, put me down for an optimistic 9-7. There's something that says we'll win a few of those games we shouldn't and probably lose a few that we shouldn't. I would've been ballsy and gone 10-6 but one year's experience and not enough significant improvements overall have made me gun shy.

[kenp]

They need to play less preseason games, last night was like a minor league game.
So we get fake ref's for week 1, wow, that will make you realize how we take the real ones for granted.
Our DB's are a problem as well as the safties. LB's are average at best.
We still dont have a running game but there is some hope there.
Overall our strengths out weigh our weaknesses, and the key is Stafford health.
Should be an exciting year, I will give my prediction mid week.

[Thruster315]

On a sad not I was kind of bummed to see the team release Andre Fluellen. I met the guy a few years back and he seemed like a really personable sort of guy. I thought he had a chance to stick on the team with the ability to play inside & out, but obviously the numbers got to him with the depth on this team.

Also for the local flavor it was nice to see Wayne State product Joique Bell linger around, but who knows- he might be the first RB dumped when Leshoure comes back from his 2 game suspension. Enjoy the ride while you got it I guess.

I'm not really surprised at who they cut but I sure as hell would hate to be on the bubble awaiting a call into the coach's office. But I suspect that Mayhew's sniffing around to see who the other teams in the league dropped hoping to pick up an upgrade somewhere.

[smogboy]

I'm going to add these Free Press predictions to the fodder here for when the season ends but here are the "experts' predictions":

Dave Birkett: 10-6
Carlos Monarrez: 11-5
Jeff Seidel: 10-6
Drew Sharp: 8-8

And sometime before next Friday, let's get in our predictions [[I noticed quite a few of you jumped the gun already) and see what our Lions acumen looks like for this year.

[Thruster315]

I'm going to add these Free Press predictions to the fodder here for when the season ends but here are the "experts' predictions":

Dave Birkett: 10-6
Carlos Monarrez: 11-5
Jeff Seidel: 10-6
Drew Sharp: 8-8

And sometime before next Friday, let's get in our predictions [[I noticed quite a few of you jumped the gun already) and see what our Lions acumen looks like for this year.

Leave it up to Poopy Pants Drew Sharp to always think the worst of this team and peg them at 8-8. I found the Freep article you culled those from and his reasons were feeble at best.

They won't make the playoffs, but not because they've regressed, but because the NFL is set up for being up one season and down the next. The Lions won't have the benefit of four fourth-quarter comebacks like last year.

If the up/down theory were truly viable, then the Lions would've rebounded sooner under the Matt Millen regime. Meh. Whatever, I've always found Drew to be the weakest of all the Freep sports guys. Why he has a job there is beyond me. He's just there to stir the muck without much substance.

And my apologies for jumping the gun, smogboy. I just got all jazzed up with coming up with an early prediction now that the pre-season crap is done.