Detroit Lions are a mess - look for a blowout 8-22-2013

[goheels22002]

Rooting around the Lions media and fans' messageboard, the Detroit Lions have problems everywhere except defensive line, running back (Reggie Bush looks good) and wide receiver - Megatron. They are fresh off of getting blown out by the Cleveland Browns heading into tomorrow night's game

A couple of examples:

The Lions brought in Rashean Mathis last week from the aptly named JAGuars and he displaced their starting cornerback within four days, and they will be starting a rookie at the other CB position, Darius Slay. The chaos in the Lions defensive backfield makes the Patriots DBs look like the second coming of the 1978 Oakland Raiders. This is a great game for the rookie Patriots receivers to get a lot of reps.

The Lions offensive line is just as bad, and has a large number of posters on Lions Red Zone questioning Matt Stafford, his mechanics and whether he'll survive the season. The Lions are starting three new offensive linemen this year and a rookie is challenging their starting center for his job. This is a team that led the league in 2012 in pass attempts throwing 100 more times than the Patriots did - 100 more passes! The Lions suck in short yardage rushing.

Watch for Chandler Jones, Tommy Kelly, Vince Wilfork and Rob Ninkovich to spend a serious amount of time in the Lions' backfield. This is also a game where the starting DBs should get some picks.

Look around for yourselves:

Lions Gab: Why preseason game vs. Patriots is huge | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

Slay to First Team | LionsRedZone - Number #1 NFL Lions Football Fan Forum

 

[Ian]

I added this too this morning for anyone interested:

THE OTHER SIDE: Links From The Lions 8/21 :Ian's New England Patriots Blog

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Who friggin cares if its a blowout,a close game or the Pats lose by 30?

It's preseason.......injuries should be the only concern until week 1,everyone can see this team will do o.k. As long as the star players remain healthy.

Keeping Suh away from Brady is going to take a good effort,we don't need to see him crush Tom in a meaningless game.

I laugh at how some fans get excited about these preseason games and thier outcome,unless you are a fan of one of the players on the bubble like Boldin Tebow,Cunningham or Bequette,its nothing more than getting to watch some football again.

 

[Gronkandez]

I feel like Belichick somehow manages the third preseason game so they lose and thus he can rip the team for the rest of the preseason. Perhaps I'm wrong but didn't the Lions blows their doors off a few years ago? I vaguely remember the Pats looking awful but am too lazy to look it up.

I'm sure the starters will do well but I'm not seeing a blowout even though it would be if it was the regular season.

 

[goheels22002]

Who friggin cares if its a blowout,a close game or the Pats lose by 30?

It's preseason.......injuries should be the only concern until week 1,everyone can see this team will do o.k. As long as the star players remain healthy.

Keeping Suh away from Brady is going to take a good effort,we don't need to see him crush Tom in a meaningless game.

The main reason to care is that this is closest thing we'll see to a game that counts. The starters on both sides of the ball will probably play a full half.

No one disagrees with you about avoiding injuries and keeping Brady from getting smacked around in this one. Specifically to that point, it's really good to see Connolly practicing and available for this game. In Dante we trust.

 

[neuronet]

Doubt it strongly. I expect a tough battle, as we almost always have with the Lions. Their defense is really good, esp against us, and that's sort of important. And megatron is enough to destroy our secondary.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

So if their rook infested OL is really that bad, let's temper our enthusiasm over the Pats pass rush, or get really depressed if we don't have many sacks and pressures this game.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

The main reason to care is that this is closest thing we'll see to a game that counts. The starters on both sides of the ball will probably play a full half.

No one disagrees with you about avoiding injuries and keeping Brady from getting smacked around in this one. Specifically to that point, it's really good to see Connolly practicing and available for this game. In Dante we trust.

Once again,you don't get the point.

Belichick Never let's his hand show during preseason games,I don't care if the starters are out there the entire game,the starting team you see early is not going to be what you'll see when week 1 arrives in terms of play,they will be experimenting with different things as always as well as decide on the bubble boys and who is going to be unemployed next week.

If the starting group tonight stinks it up,I'm not worried about being in the running for the 2014 #1 draft pick,if the starting group scores 50 points on the Lions I'm not putting the Pats in the Super Bowl yet either.

 

[JackBauer]

Doubt it strongly. I expect a tough battle, as we almost always have with the Lions. Their defense is really good, esp against us, and that's sort of important. And megatron is enough to destroy our secondary.

Alas, a good defensive line isn't the same as a good defense.

 

[goheels22002]

Once again,you don't get the point.

Belichick Never let's his hand show during preseason games,I don't care if the starters are out there the entire game,the starting team you see early is not going to be what you'll see when week 1 arrives in terms of play,they will be experimenting with different things as always as well as decide on the bubble boys and who is going to be unemployed next week.

If the starting group tonight stinks it up,I'm not worried about being in the running for the 2014 #1 draft pick,if the starting group scores 50 points on the Lions I'm not putting the Pats in the Super Bowl yet either.

You're grumpy about the pre-season today. Maybe this will cheer you up. Here's the mixed metaphor of the year courtesy of Lions' left guard Rob Sims:

“We’re just scratching the iceberg,’’ Sims said. “Obviously Calvin coming back and playing, hopefully that changes some things. We’ve had a good week of practice so we’re excited about this game. We’re optimistic.’’

Scratching the iceberg?

Have a nice day.

 

[doesntmatter1]

We'll probably lose and its okay because winning isn't the true objective. There's a possibility we don't score a point once tebow steps in. And I have to say, he was so bad last week that we may somehow actually lose points when he plays.

 

[Rob0729]

I don't even care about the score (heck I don't even know what last week's final score was because I turned it off). All I want to see is a strong defense like last week and Brady and the rooks getting on the same page. And of course - NO INJURIES!!!! If I get that, I don't care if the Pats lose the game.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

You're grumpy about the pre-season today. Maybe this will cheer you up. Here's the mixed metaphor of the year courtesy of Lions' left guard Rob Sims:

“We’re just scratching the iceberg,’’ Sims said. “Obviously Calvin coming back and playing, hopefully that changes some things. We’ve had a good week of practice so we’re excited about this game. We’re optimistic.’’

Scratching the iceberg?

Have a nice day.

The Lions are home and also coming off a 2012 4-12 season after a great 2011 campaign.

Getting the fans riled up about the team playing at home is expected,even in a meaningless game,fans fill the seats and Ford's pockets,you want them all revved up in thier home stadium.

I hardly expected them to say "well we don't give a crap if we win or lose Thursday night",players jobs are not only to play the game but get fans excited about paying to see a preseason game after being forced to watching the,Pistons,the Tigers and the Red Wings the past several months.

 

[Kontradiction]

No injuries against that goon squad. Everything else is and should be secondary.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Here's the mixed metaphor of the year courtesy of Lions' left guard Rob Sims:

“We’re just scratching the iceberg,’’ Sims said.

It's actually a "malformed mixed metaphor" which is a special category all its own...the full version of which makes a nice slogan for the 2013 Lions, don't you think?

 

[JMC00]

Doubt it strongly. I expect a tough battle, as we almost always have with the Lions. Their defense is really good, esp against us, and that's sort of important. And megatron is enough to destroy our secondary.

Their defense looked horrible against the Jets and Browns and it's looking like Calvin Johnson might not play.

 

[neuronet]

Their defense looked horrible against the Jets and Browns and it's looking like Calvin Johnson might not play.

They bring their A-game for us, even in preseason. I'm just sayin, this is not going to be a blowout, the OP is deluded IMO...

That's all I meant: I don't expect us to walk all over them. Someone above said a good DLine isn't equal to a good defense, but it is the cornerstone, and we have a lot of trouble against teams with good Dlines (e.g., our inability to beat the Giants).

Now if Megatron doesn't play, that's another story. I would expect a relatively low scoring first half in that case.

 

[captain stone]

Their defense looked horrible against the Jets and Browns and it's looking like Calvin Johnson might not play.

I'd feel better if the punk Suh & his protege Fairley didn't play.

 

[VrabelJr]

Who the **** cares? It's the preseason.

 

[AzPatsFan]

We'll probably lose and its okay because winning isn't the true objective. There's a possibility we don't score a point once tebow steps in. And I have to say, he was so bad last week that we may somehow actually lose points when he plays.

It is more than possible, it is probable that we don't score a single point while Tebow is in.

We haven't scored a single point due to Tebow while he has played 4 of the 8 quarters played so far ,twice what Brady or Mallett have played.