I've said it before and I'll say it again...our offensive line is one the ultimate things keeping us from succeeding in this league.  I know everyone wants to blame defense first, and yes, you are right to think that they need to play much, much better than they generally do.  However, I have noticed something this season that is interesting.  Every time Stafford has ANY time to look without being hurried or hit, his % of completion and good decision making increases tremendously.   It's the classic story of most of the QBs in the NFL that have risen to a high level of play.   Peyton Manning would make just as many mistakes behind our offensive line....which would, in turn, put our defense on the field more than they need to be.  Not only that, but it places more pressure on the defense every single week to "keep us in the game," as JP put it last week, by keeping the opposing score as low as possible given the amount of chances the other team is usually given.

I just can't help but think that it is more than a coincidence that Stafford's 54 yd bomb to Megatron today was set up by good o-line protection.   Watch the clip...he had PLENTY of time to throw that ball.   If only it was like that more often this season, I feel Stafford's TD-INT ratio would be a ton better....even as a rookie gunslinger.  When Stafford is given time to find CJ, no one in this league can hang with him (Megatron, that is).   It's just that simple. 

Stafford's first INT was due to piss-poor protection.   Pathetic protection on that play, and many, many more like it throughout the game.   I was not able to see the second INT, so I can't speak for it.  But I am sure he didn't have all day.   Correct me if I am wrong.

I personally have no qualms with Schwartz playing Stafford late in this game.   The game wasn't over.   Schwartz wanted to win if possible.  Stafford has the team's attention as their offensive leader.   Our O-line needs to protect him better.   I'm sorry....but it is our offensive line's fault that is banged up.   It's our inability to protect him....period.  

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On a positive note, Kevin Smith ran well today considering the run defense he was up against.   I was impressed with his ability to make things happen here and there.  Of course, that means the O-line was doing okay on the run plays...but pass protection is putrid right now...and something has to change if Stafford is going to be our franchise QB.   Otherwise, he's going to spend half his seasons on the bench like McNabb was doing for a while there.

And I'm with you guys....let's pick up Suh from Nebraska if at all possible in the next draft.  That...guy...is...a....man.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AuYFnFFCtW4z6WMb0LOXXW1DubYF?slug=ap-mangini-fakeinjuries&prov=ap&type=lgns

Nate D. wrote about Mangini earlier, but I thought some things should be brought to everyone's attention that weren't being discussed.  He seems grossly uninterested in providing evidence to back up his claims.

We all have pretty much expressed our distaste for Mangini and we are not alone.  He is constantly losing respect as a head coach all across the league with his weekly ridiculousness.  I guess he is trying to top himself as each week passes, because we saw this one was no different.

Some quotes I found interesting:

• He was asked if the NFL’s competition committee should look into stopping the practice of pretending to be injured to stop the flow of the game.   His response = "It’s subjective," he said. "How do you know what is and isn’t an injury?"   If you admit it's subjective and that it isn't possible to know whether someone is actually injured or not, why even venture to bring it up?   It seems to me that if Stafford doesn't throw the winning TD at the end, we don't hear anything from Mangini about this.   He's saying he has no evidence of this, yet brings it up like we should be suddenly skeptical of Schwartz and the team.
• He also felt that the pass interference call at the end of the game was incorrect (no surprise there). 
  

  "I can’t control that call," Mangini said. "I haven’t been a part of any calls like that, I haven’t seen it called, where it affected the outcome of a game like it did, but I have absolutely no control over what they call. It’s really not illegal contact when the guy’s out of the pocket or scrambling. But they called it."

  Mangini was asked if Poteat was flagged because the ball was in the air.

  "Yeah, I guess that’s what they called it for," he said. "I haven’t seen it, haven’t been a part of it. It’s their call. We’ll live with it."   So what I am gathering from this is that he never watches NFL games.  He hasn't seen a penalty at the end of a game before.  So, that would explain why there are a number of official rules that govern such situations.  It's not illegal to tackle a WR if the QB is out of the pocket?  Is that what I am hearing?  So no holds barred simply because time has run out?  Tony Dungy commented on this and said that it is absurd to suddenly change the rules because of the time left in the game.  Not to mention, Poteat at least admitted that it was one of the those plays that could've been called either way.   Though he wasn't giving it to the refs, he wasn't denying it either.  Mangini isn't capable of this though.   Then, to make it all better....he admits he hasn't even watched the tape, but is still making judgements on the call.  Embarrassing admission to his own anti-intellectual nature.

What I am getting from this mammoth waste of space is that he projects everything outward and doesn't seem interested in providing facts for anything he blames on others.   Eric, perhaps you should consider the fact that the Browns just aren't that good this year.  Maybe you should consider the fact that you blew a 24-3 lead on the road to a young Lions team that is struggling.  Perhaps you should consider that you are about to be unemployed and no team will be hiring you again because you have less class than a school on summer vacation. 

Lions won fair and square.  Suck it up, Eric.

Accept the Loss, Browns Fans

I went to the Browns' SB Nation blog to congratulate their fans on a game that ended up being fun to watch when the entire league was laughing at it being the "Bad Bowl."   Then, I found myself scoffing at what I found.  Excuse after excuse.....no internal finger pointing to speak of.....sore losing.  I mention this because I know how POD readers and contributors would've reacted if we had lost the game today.  It would've been entirely blamed on the Lions, and no one would've bitched about refs blowing the game for us or anything like that.  I know this, because I have seen it time and again over the course of the time I've been coming to this blog. 

Moreover, the Browns fans have nothing to bitch about other than blowing a game they (frankly) should've won.   The pass interference call that kept the game alive at the end was legit.  I watched it, and they interfered with TWO of our receivers very blatantly.  The rules allowed for the timeout to allow Stafford to come back on the field (and the guy had an injured shoulder anyway).  

I know the loss stings bad, Browns fans.  If anyone understands your pain, it's us Lions folk.  But refs never blow a game, if you ask me.  If your team is REALLY that much better, it shouldn't come down to that anyway (sans awful, blatant calls throughout the game...which I have rarely seen).   And in this case, the Lions got what they deserved.  A win. 

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Stafford Needs More Protection

I am disgusted at how much our new QB gets hit.  It's just unacceptable.  Matt is tough, determined, and talented...there's no doubt about it.   But the main focus of this Lions team in the next offseason HAS to be finding this guy more protection.  The offensive line isn't cutting it.  Stafford didn't get sacked much today, but he is hurried and shoved to the ground way too much.  Think of Peyton Manning and how little you see him go down.  It's what Stafford deserves.   Think of how much more effective our offense could be weekly if we protected Stafford.   Megatron, Kevin Smith, Pettigrew, Heller, Aaron Brown, Bryant Johnson....we have the weapons....and giving them time to move would be astronomically helpful. 

It obviously isn't just the offensive line.  All Lions fans are sick of this defense's play.  I think we all feel like it is underachieving, to say the least.  It would be one thing if we had a bunch of no-names on that side of the ball...but Julian Peterson, Larry Foote, Philip Buchanon, etc...even Louis Delmas....they are too good to be playing like that.  24 points to the Browns in the first quarter???  The Browns had scored 5 TDs all year...they scored 4 against us...3 in the first half.  It's just unacceptable....and I trust that Schwartz, being the defensive-minded guru that he is, will shore that up over the coming couple of years....but he's gotta be going out of his mind.  

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Lastly.........I was excited as hell (and still am) about the Lions pulling off this miracle win.  I can't tell you how nice it was to see a little luck go in our favor for once....even if it was against the Browns, who we should beat anyway).  But we shouldn't let this go to our heads.   There are a lot of problems still showing their ugly heads....and the Packers are going to be ready for us come Thursday.  I hope Stafford is healthy....I hope the defense gets serious.....I hope the Lions come out wanting another victory.....hungry and determined.   They have an opportunity to play on the national scale on Thanksgiving and show the country that they are improving...that they are talented and coming around.....I just hope they actually do it.  Complacency is not an option here.   Another win would keep us further away from the #1 selection spot.  We still need to win another game to avoid that if you ask me. 

Stafford is the real deal.  The Lions need to now continue to build around him, while keeping our strongest pieces.

GO LIONS!  RESTORE THE ROAR!!!!

I think I've posted three or four times, repetitively, after losses reminding unrealistic Stafford-doubters that they are being too demanding and expecting entirely too much this year.  This has happened because there tends to be a lot of people expressing the "I give up," "I can't take this anymore," "Where's Culpepper/Stanton?" sentiments after another admittedly tough loss. 

Granted, this loss was tough to watch.  It truly was....even when you consider that Seattle is renowned for being a VERY tough stadium to play in.  Stafford's INTs were ugly, ugly throws that should not be happening.  Especially the first 2 or 3 of the 5 that he would eventually throw.  I am making no excuses for our rookie QB, trust me.   What I have said, and will continue to say, is that he is, in fact, a ROOKIE and this sort of thing is to be expected.  Should it happen every game?  No.  Of course not.  We should be seeing promising things from Stafford more often than not.

But here's the catch.  I CALLED this result.  When they were up 17-0, I knew we would lose.   And my prediction had little to do with Stafford being our QB.   We, as a team, have yet to figure out how to close a game.  Period.  And that will take time. 

With every loss, it is understandable that Lions fans grow more impatient and desire more instant gratification.  But stop it already.  Sit back and enjoy the good things that DO happen this year.  Because, as most of us already figured, we won't be in the playoff race this year.  Perhaps not even next year. 

Be a long-term Lions fan.  Trust in the process.   Schwartz has his stuff together.  Stafford is a smart kid with many more tools than the likes of JaMarcus Russell or someone like that (who I knew would bust from the get-go).  We'll be okay soon enough.  Stop the belly-aching.  Stop the "clever" posts about how "you told us so" when it comes to Stafford.   Just stop.

The truth is, no one cares.   Yay for you, you predicted a rookie NFL QB would struggle on a team that just went 0-16.  OR yay for you, you can now criticize a rookie NFL QB for struggling.    Good job...you should apply for the CIA. 

Restore the roar!   GO LIONS!

PS-  Shame on the Lions "fans" that directly taunted Stafford after the Rams game.   Embarrasing. 

PS2-  To rbanner:  Check your stats before you post.  Sanchez was in a similar situation when he threw his 5 INT game.  They were either leading or tied the entire time. 

I've always loved Kevin Smith as a Lion.  From the time he was drafted, I've been happy he was a part of the team.  He's a strong runner, a prolific talent that continues to improve.  I think half the reason he's not been even better is because of our sour offensive line (what's new?).   So, needless to say, I became even more content with Smith as our starting RB because of the following report from Yahoo! Sports:

"RB Kevin Smith is likely to play after leaving Sunday's game against St. Louis with a shoulder injury -- the second such problem he has had this season -- and knows he needs to produce better. Coach Jim Schwartz has talked about breaking big runs. Smith's longest is 20 yards. He averages 3.1 yards per carry. "We're all looking to kind of quiet the critics that Detroit doesn't have a running game," Smith said. "Because I get the ball first, I want to be that tempo-setter and that lead dog. I think enough's enough." The Lions are trying to give Maurice Morris and rookie Aaron Brown a few more carries, while keeping Smith as the No. 1 back. "We've got to, between the three of them, come up with a productive plan in the run game to win," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "We haven't gotten there yet." Smith bristled and declined to comment when asked if the coaches were increasing competition. But earlier he talked about feeling heat. "The coaches have expectations," Smith said. "Of course you want to prove to them that you can do your thing, but the most pressure is coming from myself, because I didn't come in this league to be a bottom-list rusher. ... I've got to stick with it. If it's not going my way, there's two things you can do: You can give up, or you can get better. There's only one option for me.""

I love the attitude.  The commitment to improvement.  We need guys like him on this team.   It is things like this that let me know that they aren't quitting, that they are always focusing on improving, and that they are buying into the new coaching system completely.  I feel good about this team's future, even though they've shown some major inconsistency through the season.   We will get better.   We just have to build more around our solid talent.

Restore the roar!

I just heard ESPN's Chris Mortensen talk about how Stafford is more week-to-week than day-to-day, and that the Lions are playing it cautious with him in "hopes" that he can play later in the season.   That is NOT reassuring, not only for this Sunday, but for any time in the near future. 

We need Stafford in there for many reasons.  He gives us the best chance to win.  He needs to be in there learning and thriving as much as possible.  With Culpepper or Stanton under center, I have a hard time believing we will not struggle against the Rams.  ESPECIALLY if CJ is not back by then.  But even with him healthy, I worry.    If Kevin Smith can get going, and our defense plays decent, we could win.   But that is a decent-sized "if."

Last year, all anyone did was talk about 0-16 for the Lions after about this point in the season.  Of course, I didn't want any part of the conversation for two major reasons....a.) it was my team they were centering their comments upon....and b.) 0-16 is almost as painful to actually think about as it was to actually go through as a Lions fan.  

Therefore, in a moment of shamelessness, I do not feel bad about bringing it up when there are other teams that seem to have a similar likelihood of pulling the dreaded 0-fer.  And now that we know it's possible for a team to hit the lowest of lows, we can have a legitimate discussion about it.   As Lions fans, I think we have a special perspective on this discussion.  We know just how bad a team has to be to go 0-16.  

Honestly, I feel there is one team in 2009 that is WORSE than the Lions were in 2008.   The Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  (and the St. Louis Rams are not far behind at all)  It's hard to believe, considering that they were a decent team last year overall...especially their defense.  But as we fully remember, the Lions were 7-9 in 2007. 

The teams that are still winless this year include the Bucs, the Rams, and the Tennessee Titans. 

The Titans have entirely too much foundation and talent to go 0-16.  There are a good number of teams on their remaining schedule that I feel they have a solid chance of beating, despite their rather dismal showing thus far.  Their schedule is:   vs. Jaguars, @ 49ers, vs. Bills, @ Texans, vs. Cardinals, @ Colts, vs. Rams, vs. Dolphins, vs. Chargers, @ Seahawks.   The teams in bold are the teams I would not be surprised at all if they beat.  Now, if they come out of the bye week as flat as they have been....maybe my confidence would change.  But I feel like Jeff Fisher is too good of a coach to allow this team to go 0-16.

The Rams are awful this year.  But they show little signs of life.  To best honest, I'm afraid for the Lions in Week 8 if we do not have Stafford and Calvin Johnson back.  It would also be a little scary if we don't have a few of our defensive starters back and healthy.  I don't think the Rams are as bad as their record shows.  Their schedule has been a lot like ours....a lot of decent teams they've had to play.  This is no excuse of course, but I feel like they are one of those teams that could surprise a team one week.   However, if Detroit DOES beat them....I'd be soundly worried if I were a Rams fan.   If the Lions wipe the floor with them in Ford Field, then the Rams may not be able to recover from it.  Their only chance of getting a win after that would likely be a clean up win at the end of the year against a Cardinals or 49ers team that had made the playoffs already. 

The Buccaneers are astoundingly awful.   One thing that really worries me about this team is that they lost big to the Bills.  33-20.....to the Bills.   They are also one of the Redskins' two victories (the other coming against the Rams).   If you look at Tampa's schedule, it is not simple.  Carolina is the only team I feel they could beat (excpet for a garbage win at the end of the season).  

So what do you think?  Is anyone going to re-live the horrors we lived in 2008?  I wouldn't wish it on anyone.