NFC Super Wildcard Weekend: Los Angeles Rams (10-7) @ Detroit Lions (12-5)

[Motown Bombers]

The Lions put up 30 points in back to back games against the Vikings who had a hot defense. They held Dallas to 20 at Dallas where they were averaging 40. They put up 42 on a Denver defense that was hot. The Lions have been playing well themselves. 

[Hongbit]

1 minute ago, Motown Bombers said:

The Lions put up 30 points in back to back games against the Vikings who had a hot defense. They held Dallas to 20 at Dallas where they were averaging 40. They put up 42 on a Denver defense that was hot. The Lions have been playing well themselves. 

I agree

[Motown Bombers]

Now that I think about it, the Rams screwed the Lions out of the playoffs last year. 

[lordstanley]

2 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

If you look at the Lions schedule the same way, what do you see?     It’s probably less impressive.    

Rams are a good football team that’s playing really well right now.  Not sure how that can be denied. 

Not denying the Rams are a good football team playing really well right now, with deep playoff experience and a veteran QB. In fact, I feel like I did before the Rose Bowl - slight edge to the Rams just like I gave a slight edge to Bama. But the Lions belong and have a shot. I don't think the Lions' coaches and players are as psyched out as the fans are.  Of all 14 playoff teams, the only two teams I'd be pretty relaxed about the Lions' chances would be Tampa or Pittsburgh. Every single other team, including the Rams, would scare me a fair bit. 

[Motown Bombers]

I'm not sure playoff experience matters much. The Lions have playoff experience at the most important position. 

[Hongbit]

How weird is it going to be for everyone to be giant Packer fans in the game before.   The playoffs make for some strange bedfellows.   

[buddha]

lions are playing a home playoff game.  they should win.

[Jason_R]

Playoffs? Playoffs?

 

[RandyMarsh]

4 hours ago, Hongbit said:

What’s gone into your thought process to give the Lions a 60/40 advantage? 

Cause I feel the Lions are the better team,  probably be 55/45 on a neutral field but get the 5 point bump for home field advantage. 

Yes the Rams are playing better now but you can't just throw out the rest of the season like it didn't happen and if you look at virtually every metric the Lions have been the superior team. 

[Tigeraholic1]

5 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Sometimes fans like all of us are really dumb.

Sometimes we are all really right.

I fall in the really dumb bracket.

[holygoat]

3 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

Cause I feel the Lions are the better team,  probably be 55/45 on a neutral field but get the 5 point bump for home field advantage. 

Yes the Rams are playing better now but you can't just throw out the rest of the season like it didn't happen and if you look at virtually every metric the Lions have been the superior team. 

This is how I feel, too. The Rams are a really good team, but it seems like a lot of people are keen to build up their strengths as impossible to overcome while dismissing the strengths of the Lions as insignificant or easily neutralized by LA. The Lions are a really good team, too, and they're at home with a healthy O-line and a QB who excels behind it. I expect them to win a tight, high-ish scoring game.

Also: LaPorta's gonna play. Book it.

[Hongbit]

8 minutes ago, holygoat said:

This is how I feel, too. The Rams are a really good team, but it seems like a lot of people are keen to build up their strengths as impossible to overcome while dismissing the strengths of the Lions as insignificant or easily neutralized by LA. The Lions are a really good team, too, and they're at home with a healthy O-line and a QB who excels behind it. I expect them to win a tight, high-ish scoring game.

Nobody here has said anything about the Rams being impossible to overcome.  I definitely haven’t seen anyone diminish the strengths of the Lions or even suggest that they will lose.    It’s going to be a battle of a game between two good teams.  

[holygoat]

1 minute ago, Hongbit said:

Nobody here has said anything about the Rams being impossible to overcome.  I definitely haven’t seen anyone diminish the strengths of the Lions or even suggest that they will lose.    It’s going to be a battle of a game between two good teams.  

I don't know if anyone here has done that or not; I'm thinking of people I've heard on the radio and some I've talked to irl.

[Hongbit]

11 minutes ago, holygoat said:

I don't know if anyone here has done that or not; I'm thinking of people I've heard on the radio and some I've talked to irl.

Most of the people I’ve talked to in town and heard call in The Ticket seem to think the Lions have this one in the bag because it’s at home and the crowd will be hype.  

Edited January 12, 2024 by Hongbit

[Motown Bombers]

There are a lot of delusional Rams people who think Goff is the same QB that McVay broke. 

[holygoat]

1 minute ago, Hongbit said:

Most of the people I’ve talked to here and heard call in The Ticket seem to think the Lions have this one in the bag because it’s at home and the crowd will be hype.  

I've heard a lot of callers basically write this game off as a loss because Puka and Cooper. Same with people I run into down here in Texas. The Lions improved pass rush is apparently a chimera that can't be counted on because it's the result of exotic blitzes, which has been the talking point since the Broncos game. I mean, okay, I guess. 

My favorite talking point, though, has been Mike Valenti -- who I like -- saying the Lions lack of playoff experience is a huge deal. Dude has been repeating the mantra "the Lions are gonna win the division and win a playoff game" for over a year now -- who tf did he think the Lions were gonna draw that had less playoff experience than them? 🤣 

I'm not saying there aren't valid concerns, because there are. The DBs need to play way better -- although it should be noted that despite being torched by Jefferson and Lamb three games in a row, they "won" all three of them -- and the running game needs to return to form, but overall, I think the Lions are a better team. And they're playing at home.

[Motown Bombers]

1 minute ago, holygoat said:

I've heard a lot of callers basically write this game off as a loss because Puka and Cooper. Same with people I run into down here in Texas. The Lions improved pass rush is apparently a chimera that can't be counted on because it's the result of exotic blitzes, which has been the talking point since the Broncos game. I mean, okay, I guess. 

My favorite talking point, though, has been Mike Valenti -- who I like -- saying the Lions lack of playoff experience is a huge deal. Dude has been repeating the mantra "the Lions are gonna win the division and win a playoff game" for over a year now -- who tf did he think the Lions were gonna draw that had less playoff experience than them? 🤣 

I'm not saying there aren't valid concerns, because there are. The DBs need to play way better -- although it should be noted that despite being torched by Jefferson and Lamb three games in a row, they "won" all three of them -- and the running game needs to return to form, but overall, I think the Lions are a better team. And they're playing at home.

92 of Lamb's yards came from a play where Barnes missed the tackle on Dak and the CB fell down. While the Rams have good receivers, they aren't Jefferson or even Lamb. I feel the Lions match up better against Kupp because they have good safeties and nicklebacks. The one Jefferson catch in the end zone in the first game had the lowest probability of being caught in his career. Part of the reason Mullens racked up a lot of yards is because the Lions shut down the road, got an early lead, and forced Minnesota to throw jump balls. Mullens has also racked up yards before in his career. In 8 games in 2018 for SF he averaged over 280 yards per game including a 400 yard game against Seattle. We are also forgetting that the Rams secondary may actually be worse. Their pass defense is not good and their safeties are definitely worse. 

Playoff experience means nothing. Goff has plenty of playoff experience. That's the one position where it might matter. Stafford had 3 playoff games in 12 years before winning the Super Bowl. He faced Burrow who had no prior playoff experience. 

[Jason_R]

https://www.golongtd.com/p/man-in-the-mirror-alim-mcneill-explains
 

Great article about Alim McNeill. 

[RedRamage]

23 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

I really hope they don't do some sort of tribute to Stafford before the game. He asked the leave. He didn't want to be here. It was 3 years ago. Our guy is Goff now. 

I'm with you 100% here. When Stafford retires, if he's got a regular season game in Detroit or against Detroit that year, sure... do a quick little thing... he was the best QB we had here since Layne and I wouldn't mind some quickie little thing honoring him then. But not now. 

Now is all about the Lions back in the playoffs and hosting the game. Now is about a push for a playoff run. Now is about Goff and the current team.

[RedRamage]

15 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

Now that I think about it, the Refs screwed the Lions out of the playoffs last year. 

I fixed your typo there. That was a horribly called game.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

Have to think this means James Houston.

 

[Sports_Freak]

Serious question; if Mullens can pass against this Lions defense for 400 yards, what can Stafford do? With 2 great receivers and a 1000+ yard rusher in the backfield? Yes, it will be noisy, very loud. But beating the Rams will be very hard. Run the ball and control the clock to keep the Rams offense off the field. It's the Lions only chance. I would take the Rams with the points but I'll take the Lions for the win...

[Motown Bombers]

Dak had 345 yards against Detroit and 92 of them came on a play where both Barnes missed a sack and the DB fell down. Believe it or not but the 400 yard game from Mullens against the Lions wasn't even his first 400 yard game or career high. 

[buddha]

i got the rams at +4.  now its down to +3.  i doubt it goes under 3.

pretty even matchup but i still like the lions because theyre playijg at home.

6 out of 7 "anonymous executives" in the athletic picked the lions.  just dont ask how many picked michigan...