2018 Detroit Lions

[Smirnoff]

Yep, still in last place in the NFC North, nothing to worry 'bout.

[sirrealone]

It was nice to see two things:

1) Lions stopped the Packers when it counted. They gave up over 500 yards yet continually stopped them when it mattered. Even step back from the fact that Crosby had a horrible day to realize that the Lions normally would have just given up TDs every time that they were attempting field goals. The Lions are typically not known to 'take a stand' yet they did so multiple times.

2) It was nice to see the almighty Aaron Rodgers have the look of frustration that is more commonly seen with our own QB.

[Ray1936]

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas oddsmakers have dropped the Lions from 60 - 1 to win the Super Bowl down to 100 - 1. Go figure.

[sirrealone]

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas oddsmakers have dropped the Lions from 60 - 1 to win the Super Bowl down to 100 - 1. Go figure.

My guess is that more teams than not probably had their odds worsen, only because the elite teams, the true favorites, are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

[mtburb]

Thanks to an unexpected victory over the Dolphins and a Bears loss, we're at 3-3 and tied with the Bears in the division.

The next three games are going to be tough though...Seahawks, Vikings and Bears.

[softailrider]

Don’t want to sound like a corn bread eating, kool-aid drinking slappy but the Lions sure look, at this point anyway, like they have a improved offensive and offensive line. That performance by Johnson was almost Barry like - the guy is elusive. Give the Lions credit, they played great, 3 and 3 sure sounds a lot better then 2 and 4.

[sirrealone]

They played yesterday in a way that I haven't seen them play in years. Simply put, they were in control. The defense stopped Miami on the opening drive, and the offense came out and scored a TD. After that, they were in control of the game the entire time. When was the last time you saw that? So many wins in years past required fourth-quarter heroics or where a lead looked like it could go away at any moment. Yesterday, they played like a team that knew that as long as they kept playing their game, they were going to win. And they did. It was very impressive.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

They played yesterday in a way that I haven't seen them play in years. Simply put, they were in control. The defense stopped Miami on the opening drive, and the offense came out and scored a TD. After that, they were in control of the game the entire time. When was the last time you saw that? So many wins in years past required fourth-quarter heroics or where a lead looked like it could go away at any moment. Yesterday, they played like a team that knew that as long as they kept playing their game, they were going to win. And they did. It was very impressive.

Not only that, they've found something they haven't had in years, a running game. Kerryon Johnson seems like the real deal !! Him and LeGarrette Blount, are Thunder and Lightening. Hope it continues.

[Smirnoff]

Ok fellas, appears the white flag has been raised at 3-4, one of the best players in franchise history was let go for a late-round draft pick.....great motivator for the players seeing mgt throw-in the towel.

But, don't worry, still in last place & home games are still sold-out, carry on.....

[401don]

Ok fellas, appears the white flag has been raised at 3-4, one of the best players in franchise history was let go for a late-round draft pick.....great motivator for the players seeing mgt throw-in the towel.

But, don't worry, still in last place & home games are still sold-out, carry on.....

While I agree it's somewhat of a throwing in the towel move, I wouldn't call the 3rd round a late pick in the NFL. You should get a good young player for an expiring contract so it's a fair trade, but yeah it's definitely a move toward the future.

[Bong-Man]

Ok fellas, appears the white flag has been raised at 3-4, one of the best players in franchise history was let go for a late-round draft pick.....great motivator for the players seeing mgt throw-in the towel.

But, don't worry, still in last place & home games are still sold-out, carry on.....

Golden Tate is a good receiver, but he isn't/wasn't one of the best players in franchise history. An honest assessment was made after the Seahawk game that we weren't going anywhere this year. We went 5-1 in the division last year, and still finished 4 games out of 1st place. We'll split with those division teams this year at best, and that's regardless if Tate was here or not. We were headed nowhere...again.

I give credit to Quinn for pulling the trigger. He knew how it would look, how some fans and writers would interpret the move, and he did it anyway. Very un-Lion like....and at this point, what's wrong with that ? Someone may actually have a vision of where we want to be, and a plan to accomplish it. That long-term plan may not have included over-paying for a 30 year old slot receiver. Long-term salary cap considerations are an important part of today's NFL.

I agree as a fan it stinks to realize it's 'wait until next year' again. I guess I'm just pleased someone in Lion management had the nerve to make that proper assessment regardless of the optics. Do I trust the Quinn/Patricia vision ? Not much choice. That part is up to the two ladies in charge.

[Bham1982]

We were headed nowhere...again.

Then why did they just trade a draft pick for Snacks, who's 30, on a fat contract, and plays a position of minimal/declining importance? If they have no hope this year, that's a stupid move.

I have no problem if they throw in the towel or go for it, but why the schizophrenic moves?

[Bong-Man]

Then why did they just trade a draft pick for Snacks, who's 30, on a fat contract, and plays a position of minimal/declining importance? If they have no hope this year, that's a stupid move.

I have no problem if they throw in the towel or go for it, but why the schizophrenic moves?

JMO....Nose tackle is probably THE most important part of the defense Patricia likes to run. You need a honcho in there or any variation of a 3-4 is impossible. Unlike at receiver, the Lions were in need of anybody at that position just to have a normal rotation, let alone depth. Zettel didn't fit the scheme, and A. Robinson was in Patricia's doghouse for a bit. They're darn lucky Hand has played so well. Getting a guy like Snacks for a 5th round pick was too good a deal to pass up considering the roster need. Pretty sure he's signed for another year with an option after.


I truly believe if the Lions had won Sunday, or had even chose to show up, Tate would still be here. That game was no different than the opener against the Jets. Snacks had a very good game, yet we were still torn to shreds. The goal is beyond making the wild card and laying another egg, and Russell Wilson proved that's exactly what and would happen, even if things went our way. Winning the division with this team was deemed out of reach. Opinions vary on that, but I agree.

[abraham]

Quinn has beyond a zero clue. I'm no big football dude but I can just see how out of place he is in the sports arena. Football or otherwise. Maybe he would be good at something else but not sports. Its the buddy system at work. Too bad your buddies are not always the best in the business. That kid is like a deer in headlights.

[mtburb]

I think Tate's trade makes sense regarding the future and this is what to consider: his age, him being in the final year of his contract, his lack of productivity and the fact that the Lions already have a deep receiving core.

[softailrider]

They’re one game out first, probably have to win 7 games from here on out for a playoff spot. They might get in with 9 wins but it’s iffy. It doesn’t look good, but at this point they’re still in the mix.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

While I agree it's somewhat of a throwing in the towel move, I wouldn't call the 3rd round a late pick in the NFL. You should get a good young player for an expiring contract so it's a fair trade, but yeah it's definitely a move toward the future.

Kenny Golladay was a 3rd round pick, and he's turned out to be pretty good. It's not popular, and I liked Tate just as much as the next guy, but they made the right move. You're not paying a 30 year old slot receiver a 3/4 year deal for past performance.

[sirrealone]

They have what I would consider two winnable games the rest of the way, the Cardinals and the Bills. The other seven games, all of them are going to be tough. Two each against the Vikings and Bears, the Packers in Lambeau and the Rams and Panthers.

You can chide Quinn on giving up on the season, but they needed to beat the teams that they should have beaten. The Jets, the 49ers, even the Cowboys. And remember, he's taking the fallout for making a decision that's probably based in part on them losing those games, but he didn't lose them.

Look, the Lions have made it pretty clear that they had no intention of signing Tate to an extension. Reading between the lines, they never even expressed an interest in negotiations. So to get a third round pick for a player that they weren't going to re-sign anyways on a season that they probably weren't going to win much anyways, I don't blame Quinn for that. It may not be a great football move for 2018 but I think it's a good business move for the franchise.

One last thing. Let's be clear on something. The Lions were not going to win the Super Bowl this year. Tate or no Tate, it wasn't going to happen. I believe Quinn when he says that making the playoffs isn't good enough. So, when he made the honest assessment that this team was not going to win the Super Bowl this year, he made the decision to put pieces into place to increase their chances in future years. People here are complaining because this decreases the chances of, what, slipping into the playoffs and then getting embarrassed in the wildcard round? Because if it's that choice versus missing the playoffs but having an extra second-day draft pick, I'll take my chances on the future. Yes, it's tough to say 'maybe next year' when we've been saying that for decades, but in this case, it's still the right thing to do.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

^Good post. However, I'm starting to lose my patience with Stafford. He's making a ton of money, and I don't know if he's the QB to lead this team to the promised land. He makes crucial mistakes that the great QB's don't make. Not saying they should or would resign Tate [[ I agree with the move BTW), Stafford's deal is the reason they can't or won't retain good players when they hit the FA market.

[gnome]

The issue is not winning/losing, it is entertainment. Without Tate the Lions are less entertaining.

[Smirnoff]

Best current receiver is now gone [[#1 in reception, yards, yards/game).....yep, 9-7 not good enough, great kool-aid maneuver.

Excellent explanation of how decision this will make the team better [[LOL);

[Smirnoff]

Kettle calling the pot black?

[Lowell]

Wow. Was that ever ugly.

That looked like a team that has given up. Demoralization after the Golden Tate trade?

Poor Matthew Stafford--sacked ten time.

[401don]

Nothing more depressing than having all 4 teams suck at the same time. Last time was in the '70's if I remember right.

[softailrider]

Speilman, at the beginning of the broadcast alluded to how the offensive line was healthy and in place for the first time in a while. Maybe they should go back to the other guys because they looked terrible. One thing about Stafford, he is one tough son of a bitch.