The Deroit Lions will...

[BackHerUp]

Roy Williams does it again! He makes another spectacular one-handed grab versus Washington in the first half...

[Chad711]

Yeah he is good, unlike the rest of the team

[Ole #1]

Hey backherup,

How does that crow taste? Even if the purple lose tonight,which they won't, they're still in 1st place.

The lions don't have a chance this year, you might as well

start rooting for the purple.

Ole

[fishinphilth]

BackHerUp-

I noticed that you have said anything after the first half. What happened. Like I said before the Lions are a better team this year, but not a good team. I mean they lost to the Redskins. What was their record before this game? Anyways, we have the 2 best offence's against the 2 worst defence's tonight. Should be a shoot out even though Moss is out.

[buzzsaw]

Ohhh booo hooo hoooo, those Lions were overmatched and BEAT by poor Redskins squad! Like I continue to say... The Lions are NOT as good as you wish they were! The Colts will be tough for us tonight, but they are sooo much better than the Redskins!! Waiting paitiently for your eloquent response as to what happened to your motor city kitties.

[BackHerUp]

Sorry...I had to go to work. Had to take a set of 28' trailers to Des Moines. But anyway...getting back to football

The difference between me and you (all of you)...I can still enjoy my Lions, after all Detroit's a much improved team over last year! The fact that we're still in the running (Detroit is locked in a three-way tie with Green Bay and St. Louis for the second and final wild-card spot) makes it that much more fun for me.

The fact that the Vikings are backing up to the rest of the NFC North is of no surprise to me and also brings Green Bay right into the mix (one game back). And the way the Bears destroyed the Giants, I wouldn't count them out!

Still, with all that went wrong Sunday against the Redskins, the Lions outproduced the Redskins in total yardage, first downs, third and fourth-down conversions and passing yards. That's a positive and shows improvement in some key areas...

It's the running game that has to improve. For that I blame Mariucci for spending so much off-season practice time on pass protection and for calling the plays in spite of having an offensive coordinator in Sherman Lewis.

Frankly, I don't know what to think of Lewis, (even though he's credited with Brett Favre's developement) and I'm not fond of the "west coast offense"...but as a fan, I can only watch and cheer...

We got Jacksonville this week and they're without Byron Leftwich...we gotta take advantage of that.

Vikings will get destroyed by Green Bay this weekend...

[buzzsaw]

Way to break down the game film! See any mismatches in this weeks blowout of Jacksonville? I say you guys win by like 10 points, what do you think?

[BackHerUp]

How about this statistic...the Green Bay Packers are 21-7 (.750)in November and December in the last 3 1/2 years...that doesnt' bode well for the Vikings or the Lions since Minnesota has yet to play them (twice!) and Detroit plays them in Green Bay (December 12th)...

For a team that's 5-3 and has four comeback wins, the Jacksonville Jaguars, surprisingly post a zero in the crucial "takeaway ratio" -- surrendering three fumbles and seven interceptions.

“We’ve been much better at protecting the ball, but not quite as good as Detroit, which leads the league with only six giveaways," says Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio. "But we’ve reduced our number in half from where we were last year. Protecting the football has been big and will remain an emphasis for us.”

Detroit's defense has been stellar in certain categories, racking up 23 sacks (including 5.5 by defensive end James Hall) and collecting 16 takeaways this season (a plus-10 overall rating). And linebacker Earl Holmes has tallied a superb 80 tackles in eight games.

Needing a win to hang with NFC North leaders Minnesota (5-3), Detroit (4-4) still has a partial-inside track to a wild-card spot, tied with Green Bay and St. Louis.

[BackHerUp]

Ok...now this one hurt...a lot! Joey Harrington just keeps getting worse and worse. Granted Stephen Alexander dropped an easy catch in the end zone and Corey Schlesinger dropped the 4th down attempt (that would've got the 1st down)...but my lord(!) how many times is Harrington going to miss open receivers by throwing it in the dirt, or behind a guy (almost getting Roy Williams decapitated) or into double-coverage or how about holding on to it for so long that the receivers are no longer open. His decision-making is pathetic. It takes him too long to survey a play as it unfolds before him...and by the time he sees it...the receiver is no longer open...and he throws it anyway!

He's so streaky...its no longer funny. I'd like to see Mariucci start Mike McMahon but Mooch said in the post-game press conference:

"We're just not where we need to be, for a variety of reasons," Mariucci said.

"He's only one part of the passing game," Mariucci said. "He's got the ball in his hands. There's more to it.

"It comes down to three hours on Sunday. We've got to be better than we are."

Mariucci said he is not considering changing quarterbacks.

"The change...is to be better," Mariucci said.

Ha! Easier said than done there partner!

What an incredible one-man show Eddie Drummond was. Two (2) punt returns for touchdowns in the 4th quarter!!

And that poor defense has got to be exhausted. Every game they perform relatively well, not giving up a lot of points (well, except to the Eagles and Packers) for being on field so long! All because Joey Harrington can't keep the chains moving!! Arrrrrrrrrgghhh!

Well, the good thing is we play the Vikings next week and I believe their defense has allowed even more points!!!

[buzzsaw]

I can't wait til next week! The purple should finally break out of their Mossless funk! If the Vikes defense was ANY good we would have won the last couple games... 3 point losses as time expires against the Colts and Packers on the road is not horrible... but nontheless are two losses. As usual it will probably go down to the last week of the season.

P.S. The Lions are OK, I agree that Harrington just bites! Kevin Jones ran hard and the defense played decent (albeit against a backup QB).

What's your predeiction Backherup?? I say 31-17 Vikes.

[BackHerUp]

28-24 Lions (Joey Harrington and Kevin Jones will have great games, only because they're due)...and by the way:

--------------------------------------------------

NFL.com wire reports

Moss likely out another game for Vikings...

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (Nov. 15, 2004) -- Randy Moss will probably miss at least one more game for the Minnesota Vikings, whose All-Pro receiver hasn't caught a pass in a month because of a torn right hamstring.

Coach Mike Tice said that Moss is progressing well, but won't be allowed to play again until he completes a week of practice. The Vikings (5-4) have lost three straight, although Daunte Culpepper passed for 345 yards without Moss in a 34-31 defeat at Green Bay.

Tice said he doubted Moss would be ready to play this Nov. 21 against Detroit, but a return for the Nov. 28 game against Jacksonville is "more than likely."

-------------------------------------------------

The NFL Network stated that it was a "hamstring tear" and not a "strain". He also has hemorhaging at the injury. Not good. I wouldn't have played him against Saints and Giants. Big mistake, but that's just my opinion.

[buzzsaw]

Okay I've got to say (even after all the smack talk) that I feel sorry for the fans of Michigan football teams this weekend... first the Wolverines get popunded into submission by their arch rivals the Ohio State Buckeyes in a way down year flor OSU! Then they are cruising after three quarters against a Minnesota team that looked lost and played horrible for most of the game... only to have Culpepper jam it down their throats like a Jenna Jameson video! On top of all of this the Detroit Pistons stud Ben Wallace starts a fight with Artest... who gets bombed by some [commercial-or-naughty-word] Detroit fan with a cup of ice.. goes into the stands and does the unthinkable! If Wallace was a man and not a bad hairdo wearing sore losing [commercial-or-naughty-word] he would have taken the dumb Artest foul and moved on... instead we got to see how classless the Pistons fans are, as well as Wallace! Artest, Jackson and O'neal are all just stupid for getting sucked into the Detroit black hole!

LOSER CITY PERIOD!

Backhgerup, don't take this personally because I did feel bad for you this weekend in all sincerity. What are your thoughts? maybe we should start a basketball thread for the banter I just spewed.

[huskiesplayer15]

I like Jenna Jameson...Shes HOT

[wade22]

During the collapse of the Motor City Kitties Sunday, I asked myself the question, "Just how pathetic are the Detroit Lions?"

Let's see....so many bad things to focus on. The GM, Matt Millon, may be the biggest bonehead in any position in the NFL, ever. The Olandis Garry experiment went about as successfully as the Scotty Mitchell one. I bet Mooch realizes by now that Joey Harrington ain't no Joey Montana. Have you seen a worse quarterback in the NFC North since Charlie Ward? Great pick, Lions, great pick. Watching Harrington throw 8 yards short on a 9 yard pass to the flats is what his talent is all about.

Beyond all these factors, however, is the overall picture. The Detroit Lions are so pathetic they drove the only player they EVER had into early retirement rather than rack up the most numbers by any running back ever. Can't blame Barry Sanders though. If you had to wear a blue lion on your helmet you'd feel pretty ridiculous too.

[buzzsaw]

I'm looking forward to watching Peyton Manning thrash the Lions today, it will be like taking candy from a baby. Lets see how close the kitties will keep this game.... maybe there will be a Roy Williams sighting today... I guess that depends on if Hipple or Landry show up because we all know how painful it is to watch Harringbunk. How come Backherup hasn't made a comeback after the Vikes loss??? Hmmmmmmm probably on the road huh?

[mnvikingsfreak]

what happened to the lions winning 10 games? the lions are so bad the packers could beat them!

[Down to Earth]

what happened to the lions winning 10 games? the lions are so bad the packers could beat them!

So what does that say about the Vikings? They're so bad they got beat by the Vikings as well.

[BackHerUp]

Well...there's not much I can say to that, except that the Lions can still finish 9-7! They can win the last 5...it's not impossible!! After all they face the Vikings (hee-hee), which they lost to by 3 points and could've won if not for Harrington!, the Cardinals, the Bears, the Titans and the Packers. All of them are losing (except for the Packers, who are on a roll). The Vikings...like the Lions are going to be golfing in the southern states in January...where I'd like to be!

Ben Wallace didn't get into the stands because he wasn't fighting with the fans, you see. That's why he's only suspended for 6 games. The real jerk is Ron Artest (did you see NBC's "Today Show" interview?), he can't put a sentence together to state his case, he's that ignorant. They also showed his history dating back to high school suspensions involving his penchant for fighting. Anger management? Give me a break...judging from the interview he never went to one session. He thinks it's all funny and also shows no remorse when asked (and I'm paraphrasing) "how does this impact the kids watching the sport at the event and the on TV?" He wouldn't admit he did anything wrong...it was the fans fault, and that NBC shouldn't have shown the replay!

Don't get me wrong...I believe a couple of fans were equally responsible for the incident (the tape shows one man in particular underhanding the cup of ice, which hit Artest when he was laying on the courtside table, which started the whole ugly melee. He's had his season-tickets revoked and will probably see criminal charges when they are determined)...

I also believe this would have happened anywhere, including Minneapolis. The proximity with which fans sit to this sport, and the inclusion of alcohol meant something like this was inevitable. The fact that it happened in Detroit is unfortunate, since people like you tend to believe "you're above that". Believe me...you're not. Just look at the way you react towards me? If you had a cup of ice 15 posts ago (buzzsaw) you would have thrown it at me!!

One (positive?) Lions note: Kevin Jones is the real deal now that they are giving him the ball more than 6 times a game. 99 yards on 12 carries? That's 199 yards on 25 carries the last 2 weeks! That's awesome...however, Mariucci stated again, Harrington is the starter! Harrington needs to be benched. Mike McMahon has outplayed him the last 2 pre-seasons (including the last 6 games of the season before Harrington was drafted). But the pressure to start Harrington is coming from the front office, since Harrington is multi-year/multi-million and McMahon's only paid 1.3 million a year (for 2 years). I just wish they would start the better athlete...oh well, "there's always next year".

A phrase you Vikings fans are very familiar with too!!

[Down to Earth]

Quote:

---

Well...there's not much I can say to that, except that the Lions can still finish 9-7! They can win the last 5...it's not impossible!! After all they face the Vikings (hee-hee), which they lost to by 3 points and could've won if not for Harrington!, the Cardinals, the Bears, the Titans and the Packers. All of them are losing (except for the Packers, who are on a roll). The Vikings...like the Lions are going to be golfing in the southern states in January...where I'd like to be!

Yes the Lions CAN still finish 9-7, but they will not. They will finish 2-3 at best in their last 5 games to finish at 6-10.

[BackHerUp]

FYI:

The Lions never punted once in the first half...

The Lions moved the ball and entered the "red zone" 3 times (where they had one of the leagues best red zone efficiency ratings), in the first half...but you can't exchange TD's for field goals...

Kevin Jones had 89 yds rushing in the 1st half...

Ok...now the bad:

The Lions fumbled once this year, coming into this game. They fumbled 4 times! (they fumbled 4 times all of last year!). Very uncharacteristic of the Lions who have protected the ball better than anyone up until yesterday...

...because of that, Peyton Manning had short fields to work with and a tired defense out there...

Eddie Drummond has broken his shoulder blade and is out for the season...

[vikingtom]

A lost is a lost, weather by 3 0r 103. I said the lions could lose 9 in arow awhile back. Since then the lion's are 1-4. Moss is back and we'll be right back in it.

[Guest]

Hey, got an idea....

Why don't we all get together and throw beers at each other...the one who catches the most beer in their mouth wins!!

Hey Tom, the Vikes were never out of it to begin with. Now that Moss is back, It's time to open the lead a little bit. We'll be at the game Sunday, can't wait to see Daunte throw the long ball to Moss again.

Back her up, You guys havnt had a good coach since Fontes. He just had a horrible team to work with. Things wont change till you get someone in the front office that knows what they are doing, Millen is a joke. Not totally convinced Mooch is the answer either after some of the decisions he's made recently.

[BackHerUp]

The real important thing about this weekend is not the football, but Thanksgiving, the holiday and the opportunity it affords us all. To reflect on what we have...family, friends, freedom, peace and hope.

Remember too, that Americans are dying as we speak in Iraq (6 more today), and to give thanks for their efforts to do the right thing...in spite of politics.

I truly wish all of you had a good Thanksgiving and had the chance to give thanks, as I know I did (in spite of "the game")...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you all!!

----------------------------------------------

Tom Herman: I have to agree...fans in Detroit have wanted the Ford Family to get out of football, and sell the team. The Fords have been content fielding mediocrity knowing Detroit Lions fans will continue to sell out every home game, every season. The Fords don't spend money on high-slary players if they don't have to...and they don't.

As far as Fontes goes ('88-'96)...he was a players coach...but not a good teacher or disciplinarian. The players would party hard the night before games and he couldn't control them...He had the talent too. All-Pro's in Barry Sanders, Herman Moore, Chris Spielman, Benny Blades (SS), Lomas Brown (T), Jerry Ball (NG), Mel Gray (KR), Brett Perriman (WR), Al "Bubba" Baker (DE), and a record setting offense with Scott Mitchell's 4,000 yds. passing the year Moore and Perriman became the first to each catch more than 100 passes in a single season...they lost to the Redskins, the 49'ers and the Cowboys in the first round, (to the Redskins and 49'ers by missing last-second field goals!). I think they were a head coach away from winning it all, back then...

http://www.detroitlions.com/document_display.cfm?cont_id=46222

[Guest]

Thats cool to know. Seems ya never know about a head coach till ya hear it from a local fan. I remember a few years ago we went down to watch KC play the Vikes in KC. his was the year after Shotenheimer left. We talked to a number of fans and we would always say I bet you were sorry to see Marty go. And every one of them would say pretty much the same thing, that they were glad because he could not control his players. This was after the media kept saying how good of a coach he was, etc. etc.

[buzzsaw]

Ahhh the love! I wouldn't have tossed a beer at you bud, I'm just defensive from time to time and love to debate sports... as we all obviously do. It seems like the group of guys in this chat thread are decent, I don't think I can give you a hard time about the Lions anymore, they're just falling off too fast. I like Kevin Jones and a few of your wide receivers.. and DB Dre Blizzeye. The Mastermind Millen needs to either make great trades or rebound with a few great years in a row of drafts... like this past season. I still owe you a 12 pack... maybe sometime when your down in the cities I can hook you up. Good luck the rest of the season, I have to go rile up some Packer fans now. ( :

P.S. Didn't Manning take a seat when they were up like 41-9 and two minutes were left in the third qtr?? Imagine how many more points they would have scored on the Kitties... scary eh?!