Week Three: Detroit Lions (1-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

[Hongbit]

It’s a point of emphasis this year on calling illegal contact when a DB puts hands on a WR starting his cut.  They don’t even have to push or re-route them.   Amani had some type of brain freeze yesterday where he just couldn’t stop doing it.   I’m not ready to give up on him.  I think he had a really tough game and completely lost his focus.    

[1984Echoes]

54 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Okudah is most definitely the best surprise for the Lions but of course to offset that Amani has taken a major step back. After his play last year he looked like he was on the cusp of being a legit number 1 DB.

It's going to be time, in next year's draft... to look for Amani's understudy and eventual replacement. Unless that's Melifonwu?

[Motown Bombers]

10 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

It's going to be time, in next year's draft... to look for Amani's understudy and eventual replacement. Unless that's Melifonwu?

I think they view Melifonwu as a safety and he will likely get some time now at Safety with Walker out. 

[1984Echoes]

So I see that as a top need.

I agree with the sentiment that Amani is an OK CB if the other CB's are weaker and they, not he, is getting picked on. But with Okudah emerging this year, I think we are going to see all year long what Amani's weaknesses are as opposing teams load up on passes his way... And Will Harris is also not the answer.

It doesn't have to be a top 10 1st round pick either... 

[Motown Bombers]

I'm pretty certain one of the 1st round picks will be used on a defensive back. It depends on how the board shakes out. I would also go for a pass rusher opposite Hutchinson. 

[Hongbit]

 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

See, this is not good coaching. You need to run the clock down as much as you possibly can late in the game when you have a lead. I didn't think to realize this while watching the game yesterday because I was so caught up in the rest of the game.

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[Motown Bombers]

I noticed it during the game but I assumed that was on Goff. Is Campbell telling him in his helmet to snap it with over 10 seconds on the clock? 

[RandyMarsh]

Another reason to do it is to potentially catch the defense off guard if they know you're gonna be snapping it at 1 every time they're gonna be ready but snapping it at 5 or 10 may cause just enough of a delayed reaction by them to create a hole so you can get the big first down or more.  

[MichiganCardinal]

I noticed the play clock as well. It goes back to the style of play for me. Either you’re being aggressive, keeping the pedal to the metal and letting your offense win the game (in which case I’m okay not running the play clock down), or you’re getting conservative and saying “we have enough points and we need to run it out” (in which case it should be run down to below 3 seconds).

I don’t like splitting the two how they did. Don’t get conservative with the play-calling while you’re not milking the clock.

Edited September 26, 2022 by MichiganCardinal

[RandyMarsh]

As Mike Ehrmantraut would say "no half measures", pick a mindset and go all the way with that. 

[Sports_Freak]

28 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Another reason to do it is to potentially catch the defense off guard if they know you're gonna be snapping it at 1 every time they're gonna be ready but snapping it at 5 or 10 may cause just enough of a delayed reaction by them to create a hole so you can get the big first down or more.  

Didn't work. We were losing yards on conservative run plays anyway. Campbell already took responsibility for bone headed play calling at the end, trying to run the clock out with a lead. We needed ONE more first down to seal the game.

[Jason_R]

6 hours ago, Motown Bombers said:

Jamaal Williams ranked 1st among all backs.

Thread

 

Oh please. Arguably Williams wasn't even the best RB in the Lions-Vikings game. The Bears had a guy go for 157 on 20 carries with two touchdowns. Cordarelle Patterson carried 17 times for 141 yards. Nick Chubb went for 113 yards on 23 carries. Are you telling me that you really, honestly, truly believe that Williams had a better game than those three? And there are a handful more who also arguably had as good a game as Williams. So if Williams was the best RB on Sunday, how awful did the Lions OL grade out to make his performance more impressive than those? 

Williams had a good game on Sunday, for a backup running back. But the explosive offense was all coming through Swift. I hope we get to a point where we don't need to pick up running backs in free agency. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

2 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I noticed the play clock as well. It goes back to the style of play for me. Either you’re being aggressive, keeping the pedal to the metal and letting your offense win the game (in which case I’m okay not running the play clock down), or you’re getting conservative and saying “we have enough points and we need to run it out” (in which case it should be run down to below 3 seconds).

I don’t like splitting the two how they did. Don’t get conservative with the play-calling while you’re not milking the clock.

I think you can still stay more aggressive and attack through the air while still milking the clock before the play start. Being aggressive doesn't mean you need to be in a hurry up offense.

[Motown Bombers]

Good to see our future QB is doing well.

 

[sagnam]

Did we talk about the Dalvin Cook butt fumble?

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, sagnam said:

Did we talk about the Dalvin Cook butt fumble?

Fun things are prohibited from being discussed until 36 hours has passed after a loss. 

It’s in the bylaws.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I think one of the things that really hurt thus team on Sunday and hasn't gotten enough talk is the WCF patch still on the side of the jersey. We all know William Clay Ford is the worst owner in the history of sports and it really feels like that patch is cursing them and holding them back from beyond the grave. Maybe get a patch that says SOL instead of WCF? Cousins throws an INT at the end and Seibert makes that kick if the WCF patch had been removed.

Edited September 27, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[RandyMarsh]

BTW the radio just cited the analytics of that 4th down FG decision and according to the site they used(I think it was called 4thdown.com) our win probability if we went for it was 81%, 79% for the FG and 73% if we punted so not a real major difference between any of them particularly the first two. 

Of course this doesn't take context into things like it being a career long kick for an unproven kicker or Swift/St. Brown being banged up if they went for it but it gives you a general idea of what the analytics said. 

[buddha]

this game still makes me sad.

[MichiganCardinal]

40 minutes ago, buddha said:

this game still makes me sad.

I feel like if we have this type of game next year, I will be livid. We need to be getting to the point where we are the better team for 60 minutes. Not 40-50.

Do I wish we hadn’t completely shat our pants? Of course. It’s a game we should have won. But I also understand that in full context, we are likely not going to be competing for championships this year. I’d rather we have the mistakes we experienced on Sunday happen this year than next, when I think (with some improvements) we can be competing for the NFC North, and beyond. This year, we still have a little time to learn and grow.

[MichiganCardinal]

47 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

BTW the radio just cited the analytics of that 4th down FG decision and according to the site they used(I think it was called 4thdown.com) our win probability if we went for it was 81%, 79% for the FG and 73% if we punted so not a real major difference between any of them particularly the first two. 

Of course this doesn't take context into things like it being a career long kick for an unproven kicker or Swift/St. Brown being banged up if they went for it but it gives you a general idea of what the analytics said. 

If you have a Hanson, Prater, et al., you are probably up 6 in that situation (not having hit the post on the field goal in the 1st quarter). In such a situation, a field goal becomes a much better option, because it puts you up two scores.

If there is an Evan McPherson type they like - who they think can be the kicker for the next 15 years - in the 5th or 6th round, I wouldn’t be opposed to picking up one. It’s such a variable that can turn games like this one in either direction, and I think it’s slightly more valuable than more late round depth somewhere else.

[buddha]

the game makes me sad that we lost, but i also think we're overreatcing just a bit.  we lost a close game on the road where we were a td underdog.  the vikings are not a bad team and the lions hung with them and should have won. and it wasnt a game they were behind all day and made a late push to make it close either, they were the better team for much of the day. that's progress.

otoh, it should the warts on the team.  they still dont have a significant pass rush other than bringing blitzes.  the linebackers are still poor.  they struggled to stop the run at times.  they lost yet another important player to a season ending injury.

the team is still young and growing.  there are lots of teams that lost heartbreakers the last couple weeks, not just the lions.

next week is pretty important.