Pre Game Thread - Lions @ Pats

[gitgronked82]

Can Thornton start practicing this week? I think we have to wait for Ty Montgomery until next week right? So, if we can get Mac & those 2 & Meyers back in the next 2 weeks, we could start looking better quick. I actually think Ty will provide a lot of what we need right now. The 3rd & 5 conversions and RB screens - he could be the binky Mac needs since the TE's aren't doing crap.

I’m really excited about Thornton but I don’t even know how he’ll fit in. There’s barely room for the guys we have now.
Bourne doesn’t get used enough, the TEs aren’t involved as much as people want, Agholor has actually separated vs man, and Parker and meyers are too good to not play.
Hopefully we cut down on humphrey snaps, but still…

 

[Sam Bam Cunningham]

Zappe should not be starting on Sunday. He still has to use training wheels.

 

[ashley]

I’m really excited about Thornton but I don’t even know how he’ll fit in. There’s barely room for the guys we have now.
Bourne doesn’t get used enough, the TEs aren’t involved as much as people want, Agholor has actually separated vs man, and Parker and meyers are too good to not play.
Hopefully we cut down on humphrey snaps, but still…

It's interesting because you're right, where is he going to fit it. Not enough balls to go around, but his speed could open things underneath for Hunter, Meyers and our Rb's.

I remember a few weeks ago when people were complaining about not getting the ball to Parker, then Bourne, now Henry. We kind of have a nice problem, where we have quite a few players that we can target. Going back to Tyquan, hopefully, we'll find a way to integrate him into the lineup and utilize his speed. That's an element of this offense that is missing.

 

[Ross12]

Zappe should not be starting on Sunday. He still has to use training wheels.

He was using training wheels because he was not supposed to play. With Mac still hobbled and Hoyer in the concussion protocol, it's probably likely that Zappe is currently slated to be the starter and thus will be much more prepared. I'd expect the guard rails to be wider.

 

[ashley]

Our O-line despite Wynn, continues to be a major strength of this team:

 

[Jim Beankie]

Zappe was better than I remember, especially considering the circumstances:

 

[notex]

The last time I can remember a guy having true "training wheels" was Jacoby Brissett who I believe it was reported he had a broken finger at the time and played through it.

I think with more prep you let Zappe throw the ball.. the guy had 61 TDs his senior season at Western Kentucky which is a single season FBS record. Yes, small school and not great competition but there is a precedent for successful small-school QBs to become solid NFL QBs.... Flacco, Romo, Garrapolo, Fitzpatrick.. Im sure I am forgetting some.

 

[Sicilian]

He was using training wheels because he was not supposed to play. With Mac still hobbled and Hoyer in the concussion protocol, it's probably likely that Zappe is currently slated to be the starter and thus will be much more prepared. I'd expect the guard rails to be wider.

Not only that, but Green Bay actually has a really good defense. Middle of the pack against the run going into the Pats game, but they're pretty good overall. And there was that stat of not giving up a 3rd and 8+ yet all year. That wasn't an easy team (or environment) for a raw rookie to get dropped into. The Lions (in Gillette) in theory should be a lot more favorable to the kid.

 

[notex]

Our O-line despite Wynn, continues to be a major strength of this team:

So our "defensive" O-Line coach Matt Patricia actually knows a thing or two about offense

 

[SammyBlueCat]

* I am not affiliated with the Detroit Lions. The family resemblance is strictly a coincidence.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Jared Goff leads the NFL in TD's with 11 to only 3 INT's. Yes....you read that right.

 

[VrabelJr]

So our "defensive" O-Line coach Matt Patricia actually knows a thing or two about offense

It's almost as if he spent four years playing OL and over half a decade learning how to scheme against offenses.

 

[VrabelJr]

Jared Goff leads the NFL in TD's with 11 to only 3 INT's. Yes....you read that right.

He's had stretches of brilliance in his career before. It could all come to an end or maybe he's shook the ghosts from how things went down in LA.

 

[ashley]

A lot of LB's, an OT and a QB:

 

[crawhammer]

This is a MUST WIN game. Season's in toilet if they lose. No way they're coming back from a 1-4 start, not with the December/January schedule ahead of them.

That said, despite the uncertainty at quarterback, they should win this game. Detroit has the worst defense in the league by probably a full lap. Can't stop the run or pass. The combo of Harris and Stevenson alone should be enough to literally carry the team to victory. Goff's had a nice start to the season but I just can't get worried about him. The D'Andre Swift injury is a nice break for the defense too.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Jared Goff leads the NFL in TD's with 11 to only 3 INT's. Yes....you read that right.

With that high powered (for scoring, anyway) Rams offense in 2018, he only had 32TDs (his career high). That's surprising to me.

 

[gitgronked82]

It's interesting because you're right, where is he going to fit it. Not enough balls to go around, but his speed could open things underneath for Hunter, Meyers and our Rb's.

I remember a few weeks ago when people were complaining about not getting the ball to Parker, then Bourne, now Henry. We kind of have a nice problem, where we have quite a few players that we can target. Going back to Tyquan, hopefully, we'll find a way to integrate him into the lineup and utilize his speed. That's an element of this offense that is missing.

Yeah, it’s exactly that problem. We have a multitude of guys that warrant targets, but no clear pecking order with a dominant first option. There’s an inevitable outcome of “why aren’t we getting X the ball” every week. It’ll only get worse as Thornton gets mixed in. Glad we have plenty of solid players, but the resources could’ve been allocated more effectively with condensing it a bit. One great te instead of two solid ones. Same for wr. Oh well.

 

[PScottman]

I’m really excited about Thornton but I don’t even know how he’ll fit in. There’s barely room for the guys we have now.
Bourne doesn’t get used enough

The obsessive compulsive reaction is the shiny object as savior. He's not going to play much barring injuries and odds he'll actually significantly impact games? Less.

I am similarly opposed to the limiting of Bourne as many here, but the counterpoint is all of the love the running game is getting here demonstrates that it's the offense as a whole blocking that is contributing to the one area of the team that is playing at a high level. And while Thornton showed he was a willing blocker in preseason, does he do it better than the guys out there like Parker and Humphrey?

It's extremely rare a change does not have both positive and negative ramifications on a team dynamic, especially one as complex as football where all 11 guys have to do things right for success. Which is likely why he definitively will not be thrown right into the starting lineup and get 40 snaps a game.

 

[ashley]

Updated Practice Squad:

 

[SHOWTIME15]