2011 Detroit Lions

[Downriviera]

Steeler Nation no match for the hand of God. If Denver wins the Superbowl I might have to start going to church again.

[Thruster315]

Steeler Nation no match for the hand of God. If Denver wins the Superbowl I might have to start going to church again.

There's no justice whatsoever.

[kenp]

To me the NFL has started turning into the NBA. I think the populatiry of fantasy football has changed the game, stars are the priority. Teams are getting calls, others are not. Oh well...
Not thrilled with our defense especially the coaching. Cunningham seems to be in a world of his own and they are stagnant. Obviously there are weak spots that need to be addressed but we are close. We need linebackers bad and another safety and depth at corner.
On offense we better start building an O-line and hope the injured backs contibute next year.
This is a good team and will be better next year.
Like I said at the bginning of the year, we need to improve on stopping the run and running the ball.
Congrats to the team and all the fans especially the Dyes group on a fun year.

[401don]

Lions remind me of those early 90's Tiger teams with Fielder, Tettleton, etc. Whenever they would score they would give it right back. Seemed like they lost 10-9 every night.
It's one thing when the DB's just aren't good enough but the poor tackling is hard to stomach.

[Thruster315]

To me the NFL has started turning into the NBA. I think the populatiry of fantasy football has changed the game, stars are the priority. Teams are getting calls, others are not. Oh well...

If there is a conspiracy going on where it favors the better teams, then sooner or later we'll be getting some of those calls coming our way. We've been dubbed the media darlings and an up-and-coming team for awhile now. We've at least earned some measure of respect for playing competitively this year and any team that plays the Lions now can't exactly think they'll just blow by us any more. This team for being as miserable as they've been has earned some measure of competence and dignity now. Maybe some calls will start falling our way now.

Not thrilled with our defense especially the coaching. Cunningham seems to be in a world of his own and they are stagnant. Obviously there are weak spots that need to be addressed but we are close. We need linebackers bad and another safety and depth at corner.

I agree that Gunther Cunningham needed to tweak a few things. What happened to the vaunted front four as the season progressed? We all knew the secondary was about as flimsy as hooker's lingerie and had some depth issues. Injuries decimated the secondary and we just broke down as the season wore on.

On offense we better start building an O-line and hope the injured backs contibute next year.
This is a good team and will be better next year.
Like I said at the bginning of the year, we need to improve on stopping the run and running the ball.

I think we all said that this team would go as far as Stafford could take them and he definitely proved to be durable, bright, and resilient this year. He played hurt. He played smart and there were times he showed glimpses of brilliance. I like Stafford's swagger. He's already quietly promised that we'll be back to the playoffs and I see no reason to doubt him.

And kudos to the O line for protecting his this year too. But it's never ever too late to develop some depth at protecting the franchise QB.

Congrats to the team and all the fans especially the Dyes group on a fun year.

20+ pages of weekly banter isn't a bad thing. I thought for the most part the conversation amongst the regulars here were pretty spot on. We didn't always agree but we at least brought some intellect to the table. Sure there were the hit & run trolls who come spew a few words and have nothing to back it up and I even think we had one post about how we were Super Bowl bound. They brought down the intelligence quotient of this thread but for the most part, one could tell that it was mainly run by caring life long Lions fans who wanted them to do well. We celebrated when the team did well and we weren't afraid to bring some honest criticism of the team when we didn't do so well- again it was all from a place of care, concern and love of this city's football team. From the great insights of smogboy to the hilarious predictions of gnome and all of the other regulars here, this was a fun place to come Sunday night or Monday morning to kvetch.

So c'mon smogboy- start up the "2012 Lions" thread already.

[Thruster315]

Lions remind me of those early 90's Tiger teams with Fielder, Tettleton, etc. Whenever they would score they would give it right back. Seemed like they lost 10-9 every night.
It's one thing when the DB's just aren't good enough but the poor tackling is hard to stomach.

Great comparison! I loved some of those Tiger teams for just the reasons you've mentioned. Fun to watch when we scored but damn it hurt when we'd lose like that.

[firstandten]

Thanks Thruster315 for keeping the conversation going in the thread and for your insights. After fussin and fighting on the Detroit and Non-Detroit threads this was a nice change of pace

[firstandten]

I also noticed some sports related threads being started in Discuss Detroit, It would be nice if it could get moved over here to build this section up.

[Danny]

Thank you New Orleans Saints for destroying the Lions.

GO SAINTS

[gnome]

Before Smogboy closes this thread, I'd like everyone to take a look at Roq's prediction dated September 8, 2011. Her picks at 10-6 were almost spot-on, while she did miss the outcomes of the 1st Vikings game, the win over Dallas and the loss to Atlanta and the 1st Packer game.

I think she deserves the Golden Pick Award.

Okay, here are my picks.

Week 1 at Tampa - WIN
Week 2 vs. Chiefs - WIN
Week 3 at Vikings - L
Week 4 at Dallas - L
Week 5 vs. Bears - WIN
Week 6 vs. 49ers - L
Week 7 vs. Atlanta - WIN
Week 8 at Denver - WIN
Week 10 at Bears - L
Week 11 vs. Panthers - WIN
Week 12 vs. Packers - WIN
Week 13 at Saints - L
Week 14 vs. Vikings - WIN
Week 15 at Raiders - WIN
Week 16 vs. Chargers - WIN
Week 17 at Packers - L

10-6

[gnome]

[firstandten]

Before Smogboy closes this thread, I'd like everyone to take a look at Roq's prediction dated September 8, 2011. Her picks at 10-6 were almost spot-on, while she did miss the outcomes of the 1st Vikings game, the win over Dallas and the loss to Atlanta and the 1st Packer game.

I think she deserves the Golden Pick Award.

I agree, with the exception of a couple she was spot on !

[kenp]

Congrats to Roq.
Now seeing what we are playing for I will for sure put forth a much better effort next year. That trophy will be mine!

[Thruster315]

Thank you New Orleans Saints for destroying the Lions.

GO SAINTS

Danny, take some more of your meds and go take your Saint suckin' self back to the NewOrleansYes.com boards.

You're a prime example of the hit-and-run mentality here that I detest.

I wouldn't even have a problem if you came in here and told us how great Drew Brees is, discussed intelligently how the Saints offensive line was stout, or Sproles contribution to the running game, or any facets of the game. Instead you come in here blast sh!t out this chunk of inflammatory rhetoric. I'm willing to bet you don't even read half of the stuff that intelligent, well versed Dyes contributors have to say here. You just want to come in here and shout your knee jerk rant like some overly caffeinated child. Your :02 second opinion holds no depth here.

Open up a dialogue. Be open to others opinion. You can be the voice of dissent or have an opposing view. You're more than welcomed to your opinion but be prepared to defend it as well. We'd almost prefer that you bring some knowledge and insight. By doing this splash & dash sort of commentary shows your lack of tact, intellect and sense of decorum.

Get on the Saints bandwagon for all we care. For the most part we can respect that but you want to come into this Lions forward thread and post sh!t like that and we're gonna torch your form of stupidity.

[Thruster315]

Congrats to Roq.
Now seeing what we are playing for I will for sure put forth a much better effort next year. That trophy will be mine!

I think you and everyone else will be jockeying for time underneath the gnome Miss Cleo turbin to get the predictions right for the 2012 season too.

[Danny]

I love it when Drew Brees threw the PERFECT long bomb to number 17 safety. No Lions defensman ever catch him, easy touchdown!

Drew Brees is PRO BOWL starting quarerback.

GO SAINTS, GO BEAT THOSE 49ERS!

[Thruster315]

I love it when Drew Brees threw the PERFECT long bomb to number 17 safety. No Lions defensman ever catch him, easy touchdown!

Drew Brees is PRO BOWL starting quarerback.

GO SAINTS, GO BEAT THOSE 49ERS!

We all saw the game. We can look up any of those "news" snippets. You couldn't even tell us who number 17 is on the Saints [[Robert Meachem, just to educate you on the Saint bandwagon). Care to shimmy out of your cheerleader outfit and bring something of substance to this thread?

"No Lions defensman ever catch him, easy touchdown!"- not that I want to play spelling nazi but how about syntax cop. Do we need to pull out the Rosetta Stone to understand your butchery of the English language? If you're going to come to the Detroit Lions thread [[it doesn't say "New Orleans ass kiss" for the topic, does it?) I implore you to at least bring some intellect. If not, you may continue and show the world your lack of intellect.

[smogboy]

We all saw the game. We can look up any of those "news" snippets.

Let me see if I can lower your blood pressure with Danny. Not that I'm trying to make any excuses for him but that's just the childish way he posts. Rarely is there any sort of meaningful discussion with him. If this was talk radio, he'd be one of those guys that would just call up just to hear his voice over the air. Guys like him would just get dropped in a heartbeat. Again- it's not about any sort of exchange of ideas, relevant discussion or humor. It's a shotgun blast of his emotions at best; there generally isn't anything of hatred nor is there anything of ugliness.

IMO, it's not exactly bright of him to post his pro-Saints thoughts on a Detroit Lions thread immediately after our loss. It doesn't exactly show much tact and is just stupidly inflammatory. But again, I don't think it's too sharp or civil.

The fact that most people here on DetroitYes, and especially this Lions thread have been civil in their ideas has been a boon to the community at large. Despite folks like Danny, my sincere thanks to all of you for bringing some emotional content AND some smart humor to what is truly essentially entertainment. Let's keep in mind that this thread was created to discuss our Lions team and the NFL in an intelligent way. Having some side discussions is fine [[Tebow, the immediate opponents, officiating, other games, etc.) but rarely has anyone been so blatantly stupid to rub all of our collective Lions fans' noses in it. Danny trash talks like a juvenile and that's about the height of his posts. Don't let it ruin the rest of the smart discussions that we've had here all season.

[Thruster315]

Don't let it ruin the rest of the smart discussions that we've had here all season.

Yeah, kinda like an Aaron Berry tweet. Thanks for reminding us of the bigger picture.

[gnome]

Danny is Ok, just gets excited, go easy guys, he's a cool guy if you spend some time with him.

Alright, Smogboy, is it time to call this a wrap or should we give out Awards? I nominate you for MVP, Most Valuable Poster.

Can I get a Second?

[Thruster315]

I'll second gnome's nomination on the condition that it doesn't kick in some $4 million dollar pay bonus for smoggy. I'm not sure if we can afford that sorta jingle.

Can't we just franchise smogboy instead?

[Thruster315]

Danny is Ok, just gets excited, go easy guys, he's a cool guy if you spend some time with him.

I'll cut him some slack but it also cuts both ways. Howzabout he spend some time with us here on the Lions threads? Dazzle us with some discussion like everyone else here and I'll be cool with it. Fair??

[smogboy]

Alright, Smogboy, is it time to call this a wrap or should we give out Awards? I nominate you for MVP, Most Valuable Poster.

Can I get a Second?

Cut it out now! You're liable to make a grown man blush!

I'd just like to thank the members of the Academy.... well, actually to all of the people here who've kept the subject alive and well. This is our city's football team and many of us have followed them through thick and thin. We've seen this team suffer greatly through mismanagement and have cursed at many a TV screen or gone down to the games in person- only to leave the Silverdome or Ford Field muttering to ourselves. I'm sure we've had loved ones question our sanity through the years for following this team so devotedly. I'm sure if Freud or Jung were around today, they'd come up with some sort of psychosis for our dedication.

Within the last few seasons, we've also seen a growth and hope with this team. Suddenly there was an optimism, not just of this team but all around Detroit. People actually took notice as this bunch of large beefy men exorcised some of that horrible legacy that they inherited just by putting on the colors of this team. Many of those records they had no part in but were suddenly and wrongfully the owners of. They shook off the NFL road loss record and even managed to re-surface after an 0-16 season. When they finally beat the Redskins that game 19-14, I still remember cheering wildly as though we had actually won something other than a regular season game. It took Jim Schwartz all the way until a good chunk of his second year until he shook the road loss record at Tampa Bay with their 23-20 win. It was also the second game of their four game, end of the season winning streak.

Now mind you I haven't completely forgotten the history of this franchise and its long standing misery under the Ford ownership and the dark dark days of Millen. Within the last three years, this team has shook a lot of those cobwebs off and has actually tried to re-invent itself. They've at least been competitive and we can actually stomach this team well into the third quarter. We've seen glimpses of brilliance from some of the early draft picks. We've seen a full season under Matthew Stafford now. We've seen the amazing strength and size of Calvin Johnson. Ndamukong Suh re-awakened a dormant defense. And we've also seen Martin Mayhew & Tom Lewand go out and get some free agents who've served us well. We haven't totally relied on the draft to get us some respectability but they've been some pretty savvy moves in a short period of time. Jim Schwartz camping out at the end of Kyle Vanden Bosch's drive way. Stephen Tulloch wanting to sign here because of the foundation laid down. Detroit was suddenly on the rise and has actually become a destination for free agents. The brain trust here suddenly had some vision, the team was suddenly performing well, and it was re-igniting some of our hopes.

And this last season was something that I believe is just a stepping stone in the right direction. We're still brash and young. Prior to tasting the playoffs, this was the first time in a long time we even breached the .500 plateau. We were no longer the NFL embarrassment every weekend and we fans could suddenly cheer a little bit louder and not be ashamed to wear the team colors... and we were suddenly feeling good about the team and ourselves again.

In so many ways, this team represents this city and area. We're down but not out and we've held out hope against all hopes. And to that we've also come out and have been vocal about it. This thread is a prime example of it. We've all come here collectively every week after the games to high five one another or to dissect the mistakes. We've all been the Monday morning armchair quarterbacks to some degree but rather than do it from a single recliner, there were suddenly more of us on a single collective couch full of fans. This forum is that couch.

So thanks to all of you who've posted, ranted and have taken a few moments out of your day to post your thoughts about this team we call ours. The 2011 Lions season ended a few nights ago; the team fought valiantly and we couldn't be more proud of their accomplishments. Their performance validated some of our hopes for them. For a few hours every week, they gave us something to cheer for and for a few additional moments every week, they gave us here something to write about.

I'll leave this thread be for a little bit in case anyone wants to talk a little more about this previous season. I'm sure to start up a 2012 Detroit Lions thread soon though. We've got to put some of that optimism and draft talk somewhere. So as the fight song chorus goes..."Forward down the field...!"

Thanks to all again.

[kenp]

I have always enjoyed Danny's posts, but I have never took any of them as serious or of any value to the thread. Also never ever does anyone use them as a quote or discuss them further in a thread, that is an unwritten rule. They are simply filler. Now that I have broken my own rule I will move on.

[kenp]

In regards to Smogboy, I will 2nd the motion.
I think we have similar prospective on the Lions, its just he can articulate them so much better and he has become our defacto leader.
This thread started on 1/11/2011, So it time for the new one.
This was a nice timeline of the Lions season and our first glimmer of success, it deserves some recognition in the HOF