Week Two: Washington Commanders (1-0) @ Detroit Lions (0-1)

[Motown Bombers]

1 minute ago, sabretooth said:

what is "defender by sacks"?

I believe it means the player with the 3rd most sacks which I assume is Hutchinson. 

[Motown Bombers]

Looks like just cramps with Hutchinson.

 

[NYLion]

4 hours ago, Hongbit said:

Goff is doing what he needs to do for this team to be successful.  Before the season, I thought he just needed to be slightly above average around the 12th or 13th best in the league.    He’s been doing that and maybe even a little more.  

Yesterday was a great example of what he can be.  Nobody questions the arm strength.  He made some big time throws into tight windows and was smart with the football.  He’s not mobile but he was good in the pocket and didn’t get happy feet.  Most importantly he’s making smart decisions. The challenge for him is not being quite consistent enough and missing some hard throws that the better guys make.   Still, he’s been almost night and day from where he was at to begin last season. 
 

His biggest weakness has been the deep ball and that was on display again yesterday.  He’s just not very accurate on those 45+ yard bombs. The reality is this isn’t a high percentage play in the first place. If you had to pick a weakness this one may be preferable.  It’s easy to game plan around without taking away from the offense.   He hasn’t proven himself as the future guy yet but he’s on his way to doing that if he can keep this up.  He’s got the weapons around him now that’s for sure.  

What's even more encouraging is that the offense hasn't been whole yet and several guys are underachieving. They have this dynamic nuclear weapon on the shelf waiting to be used in Jamo then you have guys like Chark and Hockenson who have more to give so there's still big growth potential even beyond what they've done these first two weeks. An offense like this will give them a chance to win most games.

As usual in the NFL, most of these games will have razor thin margins that will decide most games but at least the Lions now have the horses, on offense in particular, to compete every week.

Edited September 19, 2022 by NYLion

[RandyMarsh]

I don't know if game manager is the right term for him since after all they are scoring a bunch of points but I think Goff has been extremely smart with the ball and risk adverse. He knows who is playmakers are in Swift and St. Brown and he is making sure he is getting them the ball in space.

He isn't forcing things and when things aren't there he essentially is just throwing the ball away by putting it somewhere that the defender can't get to, maybe a time will come where he will have to get more aggressive but until that time comes he can keep doing what he is doing and they should be fine cause of some of the weapons they have on the team and there ability to run after the catch. 

[sabretooth]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

I believe it means the player with the 3rd most sacks which I assume is Hutchinson. 

ok

[MichiganCardinal]

4 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

He knows who is playmakers are in Swift and St. Brown and he is making sure he is getting them the ball in space.

I would give equal credit to Ben Johnson for this.

[sabretooth]

11 minutes ago, NYLion said:

What's even more encouraging is that the offense hasn't been whole yet and several guys are underachieving. They have this dynamic nuclear weapon on the shelf waiting to be used in Jamo then you have guys like Chark and Hockenson who have more to give so there's still big growth potential even beyond what they've done these first two weeks. An offense like this will give them a chance to win most games.

As usual in the NFL, most of these games will have razor thin margins that will decide most games but at least the Lions now have the horses, on offense in particular, to compete every week.

Yeah even 1 or 2 of the half dozen injuries that they've suffered would have been used in the past as an excuse for 6, 12, or 18 point games..... And we would have also heard "well just wait till Williams gets here".

 Instead they're banged up and at half strength with some players not performing well, and they're still putting up 35 plus points.   And a running game that would be the envy of the University of Michigan going up against 2nd rate team.  Hell I haven't even seen an average running game for Detroit since Barry left.

I am ***super*** impressed by this offense so far.   I realized they've had some bad stretches and could do better but they have far exceeded my so so expectations.

[Motown Bombers]

Holmes had talked about using GPS and going by game speed vs just straight 40 times.

 

[buddha]

goff is holding the offense back.  i love the idea of jaymo being a game changer, but can goff deliver a good deep ball?  he missed a wide open chark yesterday.  he seems to have forgotten how to pass the ball accurately deep.

despite that, he's played ok.  i cant help but think that the offense would be so much better with a guy like lamar or just with a better qb.

[buddha]

you really have to give the oc and the offense credit.  they had 2/5 of an oline and were pulling guys off the practice squad and waivers and they put up 30+ on a decent defense.  and a defense whose front 4 is its strength (even if they were missing chase young.)  it was a helluva showing.

[MichiganCardinal]

32 minutes ago, buddha said:

goff is holding the offense back.  i love the idea of jaymo being a game changer, but can goff deliver a good deep ball?  he missed a wide open chark yesterday.  he seems to have forgotten how to pass the ball accurately deep.

despite that, he's played ok.  i cant help but think that the offense would be so much better with a guy like lamar or just with a better qb.

You can see why LA wanted Stafford... you can also see how the right team could win a lot of games and go very far with Goff under center.

[djhutch]

I am still convinced that the key to Goff's success is and will be who is in his ear.  I think it's why Campbell took over play-calling last year & why they went ahead & hired Ben Johnson as the OC in the off-season.  Goff is one of the many who does not respond to yelling or macho head games - Having a coaching staff in place that is not tied to scheme, but in making the best play calls and decisions for the personnel they have. 

[Jason_R]

Has a team ever finished the season averaging 7.2 yards per rush? 

I’m as excited as the next fan, but this is the NFL. Teams will start scheming for what they see in the running game and the Lions will have to prove they can respond. 

Also, Swift is good, but he is not Barry Sanders. And he is already fighting another injury. He will almost certainly miss time, and Jamaal Williams has not impressed. 

[MichiganCardinal]

2 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Has a team ever finished the season averaging 7.2 yards per rush? 

I’m as excited as the next fan, but this is the NFL. Teams will start scheming for what they see in the running game and the Lions will have to prove they can respond. 

Also, Swift is good, but he is not Barry Sanders. And he is already fighting another injury. He will almost certainly miss time, and Jamaal Williams has not impressed. 

The record is 5.5, set by the Ravens in 2020.

Now get out of here with that negative energy and don't come back until we lose another game! 😉 

[Tigeraholic1]

[sabretooth]

2 hours ago, buddha said:

goff is holding the offense back.  i love the idea of jaymo being a game changer, but can goff deliver a good deep ball?  he missed a wide open chark yesterday.  he seems to have forgotten how to pass the ball accurately deep.

despite that, he's played ok.  i cant help but think that the offense would be so much better with a guy like lamar or just with a better qb.

Yeah, the deep game needs to be there and/or mobility...if there's a better QB out there that they can acquire and plug in then great.  I hope they can do that.

[Sports_Freak]

4 hours ago, djhutch said:

I am still convinced that the key to Goff's success is and will be who is in his ear.  I think it's why Campbell took over play-calling last year & why they went ahead & hired Ben Johnson as the OC in the off-season.  Goff is one of the many who does not respond to yelling or macho head games - Having a coaching staff in place that is not tied to scheme, but in making the best play calls and decisions for the personnel they have. 

Exactly. Putting players in the best position for success. Building confidence and having their backs is the sign of a good coach. It's been awhile since we've had that. Wayne Fontès?

[Motown Bombers]

Hurts is picking apart the Vikings defense so far.

[RandyMarsh]

Hurts looking like an MVP candidate through 6 quarters this season.  

[Jason_R]

8 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Hurts looking like an MVP candidate through 6 quarters this season.  

Yes, but he will have to finish the season. That’s always a question mark with a running QB. 

[RandyMarsh]

Speaking of running QBs it looks like Malik Willis may be coming into the game tonight with the Titans down 41-7. 

[Motown Bombers]

Almost 3 quarters done and Cook only has 17 yards and Cousins has 2 INTs.

[buddha]

lions open +7 against the viqueens.

i had place a little number on the lions.  i suspect that number goes down after tonight.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

Cousins just chucks it when he gets pressure.