Mr.TaterSalad

I am not drinking the koolaid any longer this season. My optimism for this season is pretty much gone at this point and this team simply doesn't pass the eye test. There are a number of factors that have me down. The biggest is just their subpar play overall and the loss of their core identity. This team controlled the line of scrimmage on offense and everything else flowed through that. Their ability to run the ball, grind opposing teams down, open up the passing game with play-action, control the clock, dictate the pace of play is all largely gone thanks to a weakened offensive line and injuries. Combine that with a lack of creativity in their offensive playcalling and you've seen this explosive offense take a step back this season. They also have other factors working against them too. For one, a defense that can't seem to get a stop when they need it. Their defense lacks getting any type of pressure on opposing QBs and they are allowing opposing QBs to have all day in the pocket, with plays developing downfield. I've also felt let down by some questionable decision making by Dan Campbell when deciding whether or not to go for it, take a FG, or punt it away. On top of all that, injuries have yet again become a factor for this team at multiple positions. This all has me feeling down and out about the Lions right now. I think tonight specifically, they lack the defense to stop the best passing offense in the league. They couldn't stop Jameis Winston and a crew of backup WRs as he threw for over 350 yards and 2 TDs. He got almost zero pressure all day in the pocket. If that's what Jameis can do, I shutter to think about what Dak, Lamb, and Pickens will do to us given how well they've been playing this season. I think we lost by 10 tonight with a score that is something like Cowboys 34-Lions 24. With that, I think our hope for the playoffs ends.

This was mentioned the other day on The Ticket during the Lions Recap. When you constantly play man coverage and you are expecting your DBs to hold coverage for this long, one on one, it's no wonder they get roasted by a bum like Jameis Winston. It's one reason among others why fans why a legit, second pash rushing option next to Aiden. It didn't have to be the $100 million prize of Trey Hendrickson, but someone, anyone, capable of getting more pressure on the QB. You can say that Alim McNeill should be that guy, and you wouldn't be wrong. But we didn't have McNeill for the first quarter of the season and were in need of someone even when he returned. That to me is a roster construction problem more than just a schematic one.

Coulda had this women as our President. She's literally been talking about reforming and/or breaking up big social media and tech companies for years now.

Eric Ebron is a free agent as well and we need a TE (sarcasm) . . . ducks!

Whatever you say Mein Fuhrer.

Karsch and Anderson seemed to speculate on their show today that St. Brown would not be playing this week. I think we're cooked if indeed that is true.

I think Marcus Davenport was supposed to be their new pass rushing specialist. But like many of the players Brad seems to like, he's often injured and rarely on the field. Brad has overdone it a bit taking risks on injury prone guys that he can get for cheaper or better draft value. Availability is a skill as much as talent is. At some point, guys like Davenport, Fraizer, Levi, Pashcal, have to be able to play consistently, otherwise, what was the point of wasting a draft pick, money, and a roster spot on them?

On the Lions Tecap show with Dan Miller on 97.1 today they mentioned how we were dead last in the league in time to pressure and second to last in the league in QB time in the pocket. The numbers tell us what our eyes have known all season, this pass rush sucks and it isn't working. That falls on Brad as much as it does any coach or player IMO. He built his defensive front and right now, it's a liability for this team.

My opinions on coaching hires matters not because I thought Luke Fickell was going to be a great hire for Wisconsin and he has not been. I can't believe, other than they don't want to pay him the buyout owed, that he is getting another season in Madison. Four season in and he's 17-21 with an even worse 10-17 Big Ten record. And this isn't the old era of CFB, this is the new NIL era, where you can flip a team quickly. I would want Fickell fired if I were a Wisconsin fan at this point. I am very surprised at how badly he has failed at Wisconsin. Even after coaching at Ohio State, he has never adapted or recruited to the Big Ten style of play. Nor has he really even brought in good recruits.

MSU apparently already had their candidate in mind. They hired Pat Fitzgerald. I thought Fitz was blacklisted from CFB. I guess not.

Are we going to be favored still come game time against Dallas? I feel like that -3.5 spread shrinks or flips.

Third and long and they check it underneath again. Moore needs to get better WR recruits and a creative OC next season or he's done.

We had such a nice start to the game. We had a good defensive first half really. Then it's all fallen apart in the second half on defense. Wink making no adjustments and still get no pressure at all in Sayin.

Apathy, their receivers are running free Blowing through Wink's blitzing schemes, choking the big game away But it's just the price we pay, bad play calls he's called all day Opening up their passing game, 'cause he's Mr. Martindale

And he throws it high on what should have been a first down.

Check down. Check down. Check down. He has guys open downfield but he isn't waiting for plays to develop. He needs to be coached up on that this offseason.

Absolutely ZERO pressure on Sayin all day. He's got enough time in the pocket today that anyone of us could make these throw if we had the arm talent. But he's standing back there laughing at Martindale's defense.

LOL, NEVERMIND. That's the ballgame.

Boy could we use a turnover right now.

Holy crap that was a bad punt. This game feels over now. It feels like Ohio is going to run away with it now.

3 and 10 and they check it down. WTF Bryce.

Nice throw by Underwood, a bit in traffic though.

Defense is the big difference this year to last year. They were able control the line of scrimmage and stop the run. Your can't do this year. Combine that with no pressure on Sayin and you have a formula for losing.

The defense needs to find a way to stop their passing attack and get any amount of pressure on Sayin. He's got too much time in the pocket and plays are able to develop down field. They need to tighten up their run defense too.

Why the effff did they call the timeout?