Week Seven: Detroit Lions (1-4) @ Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 10/23/2022 1:00pm EST on FOX

Site: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX

Weather: Climate Controlled (Retractable Roof - Sunny, 86°, 20mph winds if open)

Opening Spread: Cowboys -7

All-Time Series Record: Cowboys lead, 15-11

Last Meeting: 11/17/2019, Cowboys won 35-27

 

Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy (16th Season: 147-94-2)

Projected Starting QB: Dak Prescott (7th Season: 53-33)

Last Week: 26-17 L @ Philadelphia Eagles (6-0) (on SNF)

Looking Ahead to Week #8: Sunday v. Chicago Bears (2-4)

 

Your Detroit Lions (1-4)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (2nd Season: 4-17-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (7th Season: 46-41-1)

Last Week: BYE (following 29-0 L @ New England Patriots (3-3))

Looking Ahead to Week #8: Sunday v. Miami Dolphins (3-3)

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Saints @ Cardinals (TNF), Steelers @ Dolphins (SNF), Bears @ Patriots (MNF)

1:00pm: Browns @ Ravens, Packers @ Commanders, Buccaneers @ Panthers, Falcons @ Bengals, Giants @ Jaguars, Colts @ Titans

4:05/4:25pm: Texans @ Raiders, Jets @ Broncos, Chiefs @ 49ers, Seahawks @ Chargers

BYE: Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles

[MichiganCardinal]

The NFL is fickle. The Cowboys are a better team than the Lions. But they are coming off a tough primetime loss, and adding their QB back into the equation. The Lions are coming off the bye week and have heard nothing but how much they suck for two weeks.

I expect a close game. Not willing to make a prediction until I see the Lions injury report.

[buddha]

56 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

The NFL is fickle. The Cowboys are a better team than the Lions. But they are coming off a tough primetime loss, and adding their QB back into the equation. The Lions are coming off the bye week and have heard nothing but how much they suck for two weeks.

I expect a close game. Not willing to make a prediction until I see the Lions injury report.

seriously.  will swift, st brown, and chark actually play?  

[buddha]

getting cominsky back would be a real help.  he was their best pass rusher and freed up hutch on a lot of those stunts.

[RedRamage]

Last game was the first time I really worried that Campbell might not be the coach of the future.  Obviously he's had bad games many times already, but that game was the first time I felt like he didn't have a good handle on the players or on the game.

This week I want to see a better game plan, I want to see the players giving it their all for him, and I want to see progress. If we see all that and still lose... I won't be happy, but I'll at least feel better then I did after the Pats game.  If we don't see any of that and we lose, well, then Campbell's seat is getting hot in my opinion.  I love the guy and I love how he motivates the team, but that HAS to translate to wins on the field or it's all for nothing.

I don't think there is anyway he gets fired this season.  And I'll frankly be a little shocked if he gets fired before the 2023 season starts even if he finished with 3 wins again.  But, if he gets 5 wins or fewer (outside of losing Goff) I suspect his seat will be very, very warm come 2023.  I could see him getting fired halfway through 2023 if this year ends up a bust and if 2023 doesn't start off hot.

[TP_Fan]

I’d be very surprised if the lions are within 10 points. I expect something like 31-17.  

[Hongbit]

I have no idea what to expect.  The only thing I’m confident about predicting is there will be multiple horrible calls that go against the Lions.  

[Mr.TaterSalad]

On 10/17/2022 at 10:04 PM, buddha said:

seriously.  will swift, st brown, and chark actually play?  

This is they key question for our offense. Will any of our playmakers actually play this week? If they don't or a majority of them don't it's going to be ugly going up against a good Dallas defense.

[Hongbit]

I expect Parsons to come out with extra motivation when he’s lined up against Sewell.    I hope Penei is fired up too.   

[Tigeraholic1]

Very curious to see the Injury report today.

[MichiganCardinal]

 

No word from him on ASB yet.

[MichiganCardinal]

 

[Tigeraholic1]

45 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

 

🤕

[buddha]

1 hour ago, MichiganCardinal said:

 

chark beginning to look like a waste of money.

williams should be ready soon, which could alleviate the need for chark.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

1 minute ago, buddha said:

chark beginning to look like a waste of money.

williams should be ready soon, which could alleviate the need for chark.

Baring a turn around here over the next 4-5 weeks, Chark is a player who is not showing improvement and is trending in the one and done direction. I hope he turns it up a notch because right now he's averaging about 2 catches and 37 yards a game. No way am I paying a guy like that to come back if he stays on his current pace and has under 40 catches and under 500 yards at season's end.

[MichiganCardinal]

There is a reason Chark signed a prove-it deal. If he doesn’t prove it, as it seems, cut ties at the end of the year. JayMo would take his touches away anyway next year.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[NYLion]

On 10/19/2022 at 2:23 PM, MichiganCardinal said:

 

That's an odd tweet but Birkett is known for that.

"Bye Week didn't do wonders for their injury situation". Uh, their two best offensive players are back at practice. The other guys are fairly inconsequential in comparison, Chark might as well have not played at all this season, pretty much a non-factor. Another dud of a free agent signing for Holmes in a long line of them.

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by NYLion

[MichiganCardinal]

1 hour ago, NYLion said:

That's an odd tweet but Birkett is known for that.

"Bye Week didn't do wonders for their injury situation". Uh, their two best offensive players are back at practice. The other guys are fairly inconsequential in comparison, Chark might as well have not played at all this season, pretty much a non-factor. Another dud of a free agent signing for Holmes in a long line of them.

 

I think your last line does what you accuse Birkett of doing lol. Holmes has stayed away from big free agency moves.

[Motown Bombers]

Curious on this long line of free agent duds. Chark was an injury prone receiver who signed a 1 year prove it type deal because *gasp* the Lions are still rebuilding. Holmes could have signed Allen Robinson or Kenny Golladay instead I suppose. 

[NYLion]

28 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I think your last line does what you accuse Birkett of doing lol. Holmes has stayed away from big free agency moves.

His two "big" free agency signings last offseason didn't even get on the field and were subsequently cut. Chark has been ineffective when on the field and is oft injured himself. Maybe he turns it around but as of now, Holmes has done nothing to help the team in free agency, or at least very little. All duds. No long term commitments but duds nonetheless. I haven't touched on his propensity for drafting injured players but that's another rant for another time.

I know it's a rebuild but Holmes hasn't really done anything of note outside of drafting St. Brown and Rodrigo which is partially why I have a hard time putting all the blame on the coaches. It's one of the worst rosters in the league, compounded by injuries. 

Edited October 21, 2022 by NYLion

[Motown Bombers]

He signed cast offs to one year deals. They were literally duds before they signed. They were filler while the team rebuilds. 

[NYLion]

6 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

He signed cast offs to one year deals. They were literally duds before they signed. They were filler while the team rebuilds. 

It doesn't matter. These were his notable FA signings and they failed, a dud is a dud regardless of length of contract. Chark looks to be another one since it doesn't appear he'll be back anytime soon based on his comments.

I get that it's a rebuild but it doesn't mean that Holmes should be free of criticism. Two offseasons and two drafts and his only notable acquisitions/picks making impacts in Year 2 are St. Brown and to a lesser extent, Rodrigo. Ah, Sewell too but that one fell into his lap. All the others are either ineffective or injured.

Edited October 21, 2022 by NYLion

[MichiganCardinal]

7 minutes ago, NYLion said:

His two "big" free agency signings last offseason didn't even get on the field and were subsequently cut. Chark has been ineffective when on the field and is oft injured himself. Maybe he turns it around but as of now, Holmes has done nothing to help the team in free agency, or at least very little. All duds. No long term commitments but duds nonetheless. I haven't touched on his propensity for drafting injured players but that's another rant for another time.

I know it's a rebuild but Holmes hasn't really done anything of note outside of drafting St. Brown and Rodrigo which is partially why I have a hard time putting all the blame on the coaches. It's one of the worst rosters in the league, compounded by injuries. 

Holmes can say what he wants publicly, but this team was not built to win in 2022. They clearly have a plan that extends beyond 2022.

There is an argument to be made that the team Campbell has been presented is better than their 1-4 would show, but these first two years has been a lot of "let's throw cheap talent at the wall and see what can stick"... It's why Rodrigo might be here next year rather than a free agent LB that could have been signed instead of him.

[Motown Bombers]

Man, I didn't realize Sewell was ineffective and injured. 

I see the post was edited after I mentioned Sewell. I wouldn't say "fell into his lap" It certainly wasn't a slam dunk pick. The Lions already had a good LT and Fields and Smith were available and no one would have been upset at the time if the Lions took either one. Even Parsons could have been taken there. 

Edited October 21, 2022 by Motown Bombers