Week Seventeen: Detroit Lions (13-2) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-9)

[Sports_Freak]

  On 12/30/2024 at 2:35 AM, Sports_Freak said:

Yeah, that could actually make a difference. If we lose to SF, the Vikings would win the division, and the bye, with a win OR tie. After we beat SF, the Lions would win the division, and the bye, with a win or tie.

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No, I was wrong. If the Lions lose tonight and tie the Vikings game, the Vikings win the division. Doh!!!

Again...wrong. Tim Twentyman has it right;

 

Edited December 30, 2024 by Sports_Freak

[lordstanley]

  On 12/30/2024 at 3:57 PM, RatkoVarda said:

sorry if this is repetitive, but I find this completely bonkers.

except for losses to each other, the only losses by Det-Minn-GB were by 4 division winners

Det - TB, Buff; Minn - Rams; GB - Philly.

I think that record will hold tonight.

What a division!

(And the Bears were looking at a decent season until the Washington Hail Mary.)

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NFC playoff teams Tampa and the LA Rams are both interesting cases, both have quality wins over contenders. Tampa beat Washington by 17, won on the road at the Lions by 4, and home vs the Eagles by 17. Those were all early in the season though. LA Rams lost to the Lions on the road in overtime,  beat the Vikings by 10 and beat the Bills by 2. All to say, while I believe the NFC has a clear Tier I of Detroit-Philly-Minnesota I don't think there will be any sure things in the #2 vs #7, #3 vs #6, #4 vs #5 round. Imagine an opening round of Green Bay at Philly, Washington at LA Rams, and Minnesota (or, gulp, Detroit) at Tampa. I could also see the Lions eventually having a home game even if they start as the #5 seed.

[Motown Bombers]

The league is fixing it so the Lions play at Sofi. Goff returns to LA, and the Stafford family gets booed in their home stadium. 

[Hongbit]

I’d really like Dan to only play the starters for a half.   I understand the want to win everything and how it fits the culture that they’ve built but the reward is simply not worth the risk.    

I know they remember LaPorta getting hurt last year in a meaningless Week 18 game.   

Edited December 30, 2024 by Hongbit

[Motown Bombers]

If a starter gets injured, Campbell will get blamed for not resting said starter even if there isn't enough to rest them all. 

[Sports_Freak]

  On 12/30/2024 at 6:49 PM, Motown Bombers said:

If a starter gets injured, Campbell will get blamed for not resting said starter even if there isn't enough to rest them all. 

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Need a win, even if it's against the odds of a tie;

[Hongbit]

  On 12/30/2024 at 6:53 PM, Sports_Freak said:

Need a win, even if it's against the odds of a tie;

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The odds of a tie in an NFL football game are 3%.  That means there’s a 97% chance the reward they are chasing won’t even matter. 

[Motown Bombers]

So what positions do we rest? All of them? 

[Hongbit]

  On 12/30/2024 at 6:59 PM, Motown Bombers said:

So what positions do we rest? All of them? 

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Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown, Laporta, a couple of the OL .    If Moseley and Iffy are ready then Kirby, Branch, Arnold, maybe Campbell on defense.

Edited December 30, 2024 by Hongbit

[Motown Bombers]

  On 12/30/2024 at 7:02 PM, Hongbit said:

Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown, Laporta.    If Moseley and Iffy are ready then Kirby, Arnold, maybe Campbell on defense.

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Why them? Why not Sewell, Ragnow, Decker, Reader, Smith, Branch? 

[Hongbit]

  On 12/30/2024 at 7:05 PM, Motown Bombers said:

Why them? Why not Sewell, Ragnow, Decker, Reader, Smith, Branch? 

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I added them after.  No reason at all but you still need some bodies to play the game.  This isn’t preseason with expanded rosters.   

[Hongbit]

Personally, I’d love for them to go full out and crush San Francisco.  I think the smart move is to hold back.  

[NYLion]

  On 12/30/2024 at 6:46 PM, Hongbit said:

I’d really like Dan to only play the starters for a half.   I understand the want to win everything and how it fits the culture that they’ve built but the reward is simply not worth the risk.    

I know they remember LaPorta getting hurt last year in a meaningless Week 18 game.   

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Yep, I said the same earlier in the thread but that's not how Dan Campbell does things, he's full throttle all the time. Personally I think it's reckless to bring that mentality into tonight so I'll be cringing with every starter that looks like he might be injured and there will be a few because it's NFL football and it's a violent sport. Hopefully it's not a serious enough injury to derail their SB hopes, for the sake of going all out to win a relatively meaningless game.

[Tenacious D]

I’M FREAKED OUT, MAN!

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

So the Lions only have two more IR activations left and Anzalone will get one of them. I'm not sure if they reset for the playoffs, but if they don't, they would only be able to return one player, possibly Hutchinson or Davis. It probably explains why Montgomery wasn't placed on IR. 

[RatkoVarda]

get 2 more for playoffs

[Motor City Sonics]

  On 12/30/2024 at 9:01 PM, Tenacious D said:

I’M FREAKED OUT, MAN!

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[Sports_Freak]

  On 12/30/2024 at 8:53 PM, NYLion said:

Yep, I said the same earlier in the thread but that's not how Dan Campbell does things, he's full throttle all the time. Personally I think it's reckless to bring that mentality into tonight so I'll be cringing with every starter that looks like he might be injured and there will be a few because it's NFL football and it's a violent sport. Hopefully it's not a serious enough injury to derail their SB hopes, for the sake of going all out to win a relatively meaningless game.

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The injuries to derail their SB hopes already happened and are ongoing.

[Motor City Sonics]

  On 12/30/2024 at 9:48 PM, Sports_Freak said:

The injuries to derail their SB hopes already happened and are ongoing.

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Exactly.    What's the difference.    You take guys out of certain positions you leave other guys vulnerable for injuries from missed blocks and tackles.   

This team has one speed and they don't let up.   That's what they do and they probably shouldn't stop it because you can't stop a runaway train and if you do, you can't get it up to speed fast enough for this postseason.   It's all-out all the time.   

They want revenge tonight.  

[Sports_Freak]

  On 12/30/2024 at 10:03 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

Exactly.    What's the difference.    You take guys out of certain positions you leave other guys vulnerable for injuries from missed blocks and tackles.   

This team has one speed and they don't let up.   That's what they do and they probably shouldn't stop it because you can't stop a runaway train and if you do, you can't get it up to speed fast enough for this postseason.   It's all-out all the time.   

They want revenge tonight.  

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Agreed. Revenge....and resting players? We all have our opinions but the only one that matters in MCDC's. Play them all game and let chips fall where they may. I just feel injuries have already ruined this season. But just wait until next year, we'll be back better than ever. And Hutch may win comeback player of the year.

[Motor City Sonics]

  On 12/30/2024 at 10:16 PM, Sports_Freak said:

Agreed. Revenge....and resting players? We all have our opinions but the only one that matters in MCDC's. Play them all game and let chips fall where they may. I just feel injuries have already ruined this season. But just wait until next year, we'll be back better than ever. And Hutch may win comeback player of the year.

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Best case scenario is they get out to a huge lead, show they are sharp and then the backups come in to close it out. 

[Sports_Freak]

  On 12/30/2024 at 10:17 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

Best case scenario is they get out to a huge lead, show they are sharp and then the backups come in to close it out. 

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After last years NFC Championship game, do Lion players/coaches feel any lead is safe? As someone else pointed out, the roster isn't big enough to rest every important player. I would rest Gibbs for sure, maybe Sewell too. And Goff. And Sun God...where does it end? 😅😅

[RatkoVarda]

I think will we see a lot of Tim Patrick, Brock Wright, Craig Reynolds and Sione Vaki after halftime, and then Hooker as well.

[Motor City Sonics]

  On 12/30/2024 at 10:21 PM, Sports_Freak said:

After last years NFC Championship game, do Lion players/coaches feel any lead is safe? As someone else pointed out, the roster isn't big enough to rest every important player. I would rest Gibbs for sure, maybe Sewell too. And Goff. And Sun God...where does it end? 😅😅

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But who really cares if they blow a lead?  Doesn't matter.