2024 NFC Championship Game: Detroit Lions (14-5) @ San Francisco 49ers (13-5)

[Mr.TaterSalad]

4 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

I will be quite disappointed to be honest. Happy with the season of course but to get trucked like that Baltimore game or Philly in the playoffs back in the mid 90s would put a bit of a damper on things for me. Mainly cause I feel like all the good we did this year will just get cast aside by many folks and all we will hear about is that loss and how we aren't close to the big boys. 

I know it is probably my nerves and anxiety making me feel this way, intermixed with the fact this is uncharted territory, but I have a similar fear. Somehow after the incredible season we have had we will be deemed inadequate among fans in the NFL and we won't be as ready for primetime as I thought we were. I'm naturally a bit like this in my own life, so I feel it translating at least in some small part over to this game.

The analysis and analytics tell me we should most definitely have a chance to win it and be at very least competitive in this game.

Edited January 26, 2024 by Mr.TaterSalad

[buddha]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I hate to ask this question, but I am going to ask it. If they get absolutely run off the field like they did in the Baltimore game how would you feel?

i'll feel fine.

this has been the greatest football season in my life.  i'll thank them for their service and look forward to nexr season.

(but i really hope they win, progress is never guaranteed and they may not be back in the nfc championship game for a while.  ya never know.)

[MichiganCardinal]

We now have more posts in this thread than the entire Lions-Panthers thread from this season. And there are still about 54 hours until kickoff.

[lordstanley]

2 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I hate to ask this question, but I am going to ask it. If they get absolutely run off the field like they did in the Baltimore game how would you feel?

I will feel that Sunday was a measuring stick and that the Lions still have a ways to go. All season I’ve thought that San Francisco and Baltimore were head and shoulders  above the rest of the league. For the Lions to be in the conversation right behind, still standing actually, is big. I think there is some recency bias in seeing how the Niners struggled against the Packers - 2 weeks after their last meaningful game, in the rain, with Deebo hurt. On the other hand, the Lions’ road performances against KC, Green Bay and Dallas this year give me some hope. The Lions will need to out it all together and play clearly the best game of the season on Sunday. I give them a 25% chance of winning - thats a higher chance I’d have been given them any time this season of making the Super Bowl. 

Edited January 26, 2024 by lordstanley

[Motown Bombers]

 

[CMRivdogs]

2 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I hate to ask this question, but I am going to ask it. If they get absolutely run off the field like they did in the Baltimore game how would you feel?

I'll be disappointed. Much like the Tigers WS losses to the Cardinals ad Giants, or the Red Wings losing to Pittsburgh in 2009.

If the Sun rises Monday morning and I'm above ground, I'll get over it.

It's not like losing $12 on a stupid bet in seventh grade (Yankees vs Cardinals, 1964)

[oblong]

Last week I noticed my TV feed was about 45 seconds behind.  that was annoying.  I knew about one of the touchdowns before it happened b/c of Twitter.  And the Detroit News sent out their "Lions beat Rams" alert before the events on the screen indicated the game was essentially over.

So this week I'm staying off social media and the phone is muted.

 

[RandyMarsh]

4 minutes ago, oblong said:

Last week I noticed my TV feed was about 45 seconds behind.  that was annoying.  I knew about one of the touchdowns before it happened b/c of Twitter.  And the Detroit News sent out their "Lions beat Rams" alert before the events on the screen indicated the game was essentially over.

So this week I'm staying off social media and the phone is muted.

 

Yeah ever since I got Youtube TV mines the same way, it's not so much a problem now since we're the only game in town and I don't have to do this but earlier in the season there were many times where I'd be going to ESPN or NFL.com to check other scores in between plays and see a spoiler for the Lions game. 

Edited January 26, 2024 by RandyMarsh

[Motown Bombers]

I have Directv Stream and it is delayed. Usually I'll come here and read TP complaining about Ben Johnson and know a run for no gain must be coming up. 

[RedRamage]

3 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I hate to ask this question, but I am going to ask it. If they get absolutely run off the field like they did in the Baltimore game how would you feel?

That they've taken another step in the right direction and let's reload and attack 2024!

There's no way I'm going to be disappointed by even an embarrassing loss on Sunday. This team is the first since 91 to win a playoff game and they won two! They is the first ever NFC North Champ Lions. This is a step in the right direction and I'm thrilled with what they've accomplished already.

[RedRamage]

3 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

I will be quite disappointed to be honest. Happy with the season of course but to get trucked like that Baltimore game or Philly in the playoffs back in the mid 90s would put a bit of a damper on things for me. Mainly cause I feel like all the good we did this year will just get cast aside by many folks and all we will hear about is that loss and how we aren't close to the big boys. 

We're one of four teams left in the league. We are the big boys now. You might luck into a division champ if the rest of the division stinks. You might even luck into a playoff win if things fall your way. You don't luck into two win, imho. It'll be a bit disappointing if they lay an egg, but only a bit.

[oblong]

I would be disappointed only in the sense of being deprived a fun game to watch, the ups and downs, but in terms of feeling towards the team, no.  They gave this city something it's never had before.  This team will always be special no matter what happens the rest of the way.

 

[RedRamage]

1 hour ago, oblong said:

So this week I'm staying off social media and the phone is muted.

I often start watching the games a little late so I can skip through commercials so I'm used to ignoring Socials and my phone during the game.

[Jason_R]

2 hours ago, buddha said:

i'll feel fine.

this has been the greatest football season in my life.  i'll thank them for their service and look forward to nexr season.

(but i really hope they win, progress is never guaranteed and they may not be back in the nfc championship game for a while.  ya never know.)

 

1 hour ago, RedRamage said:

That they've taken another step in the right direction and let's reload and attack 2024!

There's no way I'm going to be disappointed by even an embarrassing loss on Sunday. This team is the first since 91 to win a playoff game and they won two! They is the first ever NFC North Champ Lions. This is a step in the right direction and I'm thrilled with what they've accomplished already.

Agreed. I like to think this is the team of destiny and that nothing can stop them from burying the notion of the SOL so deep it can never be resurrected. 

Even if they lose, we still have the NFL executive of the year at the helm. We still have a candidate for coach of the year at the helm. We still have Pro Bowl players and candidates for offensive and defensive ROY. And we have fans at the Wings game chanting the name of our QB!

But if they win, we will see one of the most epic celebrations in sports history. 

[Sports_Freak]

48 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

I often start watching the games a little late so I can skip through commercials so I'm used to ignoring Socials and my phone during the game.

I do that for baseball but not football. Pro or college. I'm usually at the edge of my seat. Heck, I can't even eat before a regular season game. These playoffs are killing me. It would be a long, long 2 weeks before the final game. A very long two weeks.

[Motown Bombers]

The Lions are the 5th youngest team in the league, have all their draft picks, and no bad contracts on the books. They are in great shape. 

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, RedRamage said:

That they've taken another step in the right direction and let's reload and attack 2024!

There's no way I'm going to be disappointed by even an embarrassing loss on Sunday. This team is the first since 91 to win a playoff game and they won two! They is the first ever NFC North Champ Lions. This is a step in the right direction and I'm thrilled with what they've accomplished already.

What would be worse, losing by a point (or within a score) or getting blown away? If they lost a really close game, I would be looking at every single play that may have made a difference. It would be very heartbreaking. But getting blown away would show us this team wasn't ready to play with the elite teams. So I guess we need them to win. 😆😆

[RandyMarsh]

The guy most of us feel would be Ben Johnson's successor, gotta wonder if he takes an OC job elsewhere if he thinks/knows that Johnson is staying another year? 

[Motown Bombers]

I certainly wouldn't take the Patriots job over the Lions. 

[MichiganCardinal]

I can't imagine he accepts that position before he knows what Ben Johnson is doing. The timeline is the same, Engstrand can't take a job before the season is over either.

[MichiganCardinal]

[Motown Bombers]

Can't say I have ever seen someone on the injury report with a tooth. 

[Jason_R]

13 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Can't say I have ever seen someone on the injury report with a tooth. 

And he’s going to replace JA-RED GOFF JA-RED GOFF?

[Motown Bombers]

Just now, Jason_R said:

And he’s going to replace JA-RED GOFF JA-RED GOFF?

Clearly the team doesn't like him as someone knocked his teeth out. 

[Tigeraholic1]

52 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I certainly wouldn't take the Patriots job over the Lions. 

I never thought I would see the day that this is a logical statement.