Playing Devils Advocate: Detroit Lions

[RobBase]

Which side are you on? Pick a side then try to make an honest argument for the opposite.

Positive outlooks:

* The Oline will be fine.
* Matthew Stafford will return to form.
* Reggie Bush is going to open things up for Megatron.
* We'll finally have a decent run game.
* The Dline will be better.
* Ansah is an upgrade over Avril.
* Weed and DD arrests are a thing of the past.
* Schwartz is a good coach.
* Lions are going back to the playoffs.


Negative outlooks:

* The Oline is a mess.
* Stafford is going to get killed.
* We still don't have a running game.
* This team is riddled with guys who get injured.
* Ansah just leaned how to put on a helmet.
* This team is a bunch of thugs.
* Schwartz is the worst coach in the league.
* The Lions will be lucky to win 7 games.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

........................

Tough to actually pick a side, as there is some truth in both the positive and negative.


Positive outlooks:

* The Oline will be fine.
Oline will have issues this year -- there is really no way around it, as they are going to have so many new starters. Once they get a couple games under their belt, they could actually be better than what we've seen in recent years.
* Matthew Stafford will return to form.
I think Stafford is going to be just fine. He may have some issues early, if the OL struggles in pass protect, but if they get a reliable #2 -- he will put up big numbers.
* Reggie Bush is going to open things up for Megatron.
Agree 100%. Defenses are going to have to account for Bush out of the backfield.
* We'll finally have a decent run game.
Tough one to call -- I think the addition of Bush helps the passing game, but if he doesn't have holes to run thru, it doesn't matter who is back there. All depends on the new guys on the OL.
* The Dline will be better.
I don't agree with this one -- they will be more athletic, but very inexperienced.
* Ansah is an upgrade over Avril.
Maybe in a year or two, but I just can't buy into as a rookie. Sky is the limit, but I think he has the normal rookie struggles.
* Weed and DD arrests are a thing of the past.
Don't care, as long as they perform on the field.
* Schwartz is a good coach.
Thank you -- I needed a good laugh
* Lions are going back to the playoffs.
If 8-8 gets you in the playoffs -- They have a chance. Too many new pieces this year, but they are definitely going in the right direction.


Negative outlooks:

* The Oline is a mess.
Not a mess -- Just an inexperienced group that will take time to gel.
* Stafford is going to get killed.
Nah -- He is good at getting rid of the ball.
* We still don't have a running game.
That is a possibility, but it has never stopped us before.
* This team is riddled with guys who get injured.
It is the NFL -- everyone deals with injuries. That is why depth is so important.
* Ansah just leaned how to put on a helmet.
While he has a lot to learn -- how to put on a helmet isn't one of them. Should be fun to watch him grow if he picks up the game as quickly as they have said.
* This team is a bunch of thugs.
Nothing new -- a ton of players in the NFL are thugs. Detroit just has a nice little core to work with. If it ever came down to a gang fight to see who gets to the playoffs, I think Detroit and Cincy wins in a landslide.
* Schwartz is the worst coach in the league.
If he isn't -- he has to be pretty close. I'm guessing he is on a short leash this year. As a 1st time head coach -- I'm sure he was given some time, but he doesn't have much time left if they have another year like last.
* The Lions will be lucky to win 7 games.
I think 7 is in the right ballpark. They should win 7-9 games. They have too much talent to be a 4-12 team.

 

[JDM]

Bush will help. He was overrated in the draft and in New Orleans but he's a solid back and you're a great fit.

As for stafford, slightly overrated IMO but he has the right skill set to take advantage of megatron. A strong arm and the ability to drop it in to him. Accuracy is slightly suspect.

 

[Thruthefog]

I'm usually a pretty optimistic guy, but I couldn't run with all the statements on the positive side. I'd have to start a menstrual cycle to run with all the comments on the negative side.


Positive outlooks:

* The Oline will be fine.
I expect them to struggle some in pass protection early in the season. When the OL gets that much younger, that fast, it will take some time to rebuild a cohesive unit.
* Matthew Stafford will return to form.
If the OL can put a stop to the rush up the middle it would help. Aside from that, it's up to Stafford to see if he can bounce back from, which for him, was basically a soph slump.
* Reggie Bush is going to open things up for Megatron.
Megatron will get his. Bush is going to help Stafford more than CJ.
* We'll finally have a decent run game.
I think so. As good as the Lions OL has been in pass protection, they struggled in the run game.
* The Dline will be better.
Absolutely.
* Ansah is an upgrade over Avril.
From his first defensive snap.
* Weed and DD arrests are a thing of the past.
I wouldn't hazard a guess.
* Schwartz is a good coach.
He has at least one more year to prove that to me.
* Lions are going back to the playoffs.
They have as good a chance as anyone outside of 49ers, Packers, and Falcons.


Negative outlooks:

* The Oline is a mess.
Not a mess -- Just an inexperienced group that will take time to gel.
* Stafford is going to get killed.
Nah -- He is good at getting rid of the ball.
* We still don't have a running game.
All the talk has been about Bush, and rightly so. The opposition has to respect a game breaker. But LeShoure will surprise many. He should have some explosion back this year.
* This team is riddled with guys who get injured.
It seems every year our secondary players get hurt. Maybe that's why so many think they are so bad.
* Ansah just leaned how to put on a helmet.
And he does it very well.
* This team is a bunch of thugs.
If you listen to the media.
* Schwartz is the worst coach in the league.
A little harsh. But he could certainly use a growth spurt.
* The Lions will be lucky to win 7 games.
The Lions have never been lucky.

Go Lions!!!!!

 

[broncosmitty]

Are Staff's cans a positive or negative?

 

[Thruthefog]

Are Staff's cans a positive or negative?

I'm going to go with positive. Since referees let opposing DL drive their helmet into his chest and up through his chin without a flag, he needs all the padding he can get.

 

[broncosmitty]

I can follow your logic there. Is motorboating a 15 yarder?

 

[lionscanWIN]

okay yall know i am drenched in honolulu blue kool aide. i am officially calling super bowl
IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. if i have to break brees brady rodgers and the other 31 QBs knee's to make it happen i'll do it.

bush will open up the underneath routes, making the whole passing game much more dynamic restoring stafford, which also creates a balanced run game. quinn is a great stay at home SS who controls the big plays and ansah will have more one on one's than almost any other dlineman in the game.

sorry i know this post was about taking the opposite side but what can i say when i am this jazzed about our SB team

anyways why it wont work

schwartz while far from incompetent has proven he is a bad in game coach. he does not seize momentum, gets caught up in his emotions, is not smart with his challenges (excluding turkey day as we found out in week 16 that rule only applies to teams that play for detroit cause the packers did the exact same thing and got away with it) or his TOs. schwartz is unfortunately good for two losses a year. delmas needs to stay healthy or else we lose our playmaking ability on the backend. our DBs are not shut down and unseasoned. ansah may take to long to warm up.

the neutral
the oline is fine fuck off anyone who says otherwise. god forbid a rookie is unable to instantly unseat backus who had started for 10 years or take over half way through the year at RT a position he had not played in 2 years. reiff having gelled in the system will step in and play a high level LT and worford like i have said before is going to have to actuvely fuck up to be one of the 3 worst olinemen in the entire NFL like peterman was before. still need beef at C but that is what the 3rd round of next year's draft is for.

 

[Thruthefog]

I can follow your logic there. Is motorboating a 15 yarder?

It depends on whether or not the motorboat has a Lions insignia on it.

 

[Rollingthndr]

Which side are you on? Pick a side then try to make an honest argument for the opposite.

Positive outlooks:

* The Oline will be fine.
* Matthew Stafford will return to form.
He should be better than last year but not as good of numbers as 2011 (4400/32/15)
* Reggie Bush is going to open things up for Megatron.
* We'll finally have a decent run game.
* The Dline will be better.
The Dline will be much better with the presence of Fairley alone. Guy seems focused, Avril and KVB were pretty much airballs last season.
* Ansah is an upgrade over Avril.
Ansah will definitely be an upgrade over Avril. Avril was one of my least favorite players along with Delmas.Dude offered nothing except a random sack at unimportant times of a game.
* Weed and DD arrests are a thing of the past.
* Schwartz is a good coach.
LOL
* Lions are going back to the playoffs.


Negative outlooks:

* The Oline is a mess.
* Stafford is going to get killed.
* We still don't have a running game.
* This team is riddled with guys who get injured.
* Ansah just leaned how to put on a helmet.
* This team is a bunch of thugs.
* Schwartz is the worst coach in the league.
Schwartz is the one thing holding this team back. His game plans are conservative and he (and Mayhew) placed all the pressure of Stafford with no running game or Oline since he entered the league.
* The Lions will be lucky to win 7 games.
My guess is 8-8 and Schwartz will be served his walking papers and possibly Mayhew as well.

haha

 

[Vader]

Which side are you on? Pick a side then try to make an honest argument for the opposite.

Positive outlooks:
* The Oline will be fine.
I think the run blocking is better but pass blocking not as good

* Matthew Stafford will return to form.
Throw it like an NFL QB and not a MLB pitcher and he will be

* Reggie Bush is going to open things up for Megatron.
Megatron will open it up for Reggie Bush. I believe the Lions will lead the league in receptions and receiving yards from their RB's. teams will still be concentrating on CJ who will be way downfield when we dump it off and they will have a lot of open space to run.

* We'll finally have a decent run game.
Better than 2012

* The Dline will be better.
Yes, much better

* Ansah is an upgrade over Avril.
I'm an upgrade over Avril

* Weed and DD arrests are a thing of the past.
For me or the Lions players, coaches, and front office?

* Schwartz is a good coach.
No. Simply answer. He just plain isn't. Sorry.

* Lions are going back to the playoffs.
Hoping so but once I settle into the reality of things I don't see it happening.


Negative outlooks:

* The Oline is a mess.
Far more worried about the LT spot than I am the RT spot, and Raiola still sucks

* Stafford is going to get killed
Reiff is a HUGE risk IMO.

* We still don't have a running game.
We will be better this year.

* This team is riddled with guys who get injured.
No more so than other teams

* Ansah just leaned how to put on a helmet.
True, but now that he knows how to he'll be the DROY.

* This team is a bunch of thugs.
No, but we certainly have the lowest team Wonderlic average

* Schwartz is the worst coach in the league.
Not the worst, but close

* The Lions will be lucky to win 7 games.
They have the talent to win 14 but their lack of discipline and questionable coaching are big question marks. Fix both those and they could go places.

 

[themuzzer]

* This team is a bunch of thugs.
No, but we certainly have the lowest team Wonderlic average



Havn't bothered to look it up. Do we actually have the lowest Wonderlic average? God I hope not. That would explain alot of the problems if the coaches can't coach mentally challenged kids.

 

[gandydancer]

Which side are you on? Pick a side then try to make an honest argument for the opposite.

Positive outlooks:

* The Oline will be fine.
* Matthew Stafford will return to form.
* Reggie Bush is going to open things up for Megatron.
* We'll finally have a decent run game.
* The Dline will be better.
* Ansah is an upgrade over Avril.
* Weed and DD arrests are a thing of the past.
* Schwartz is a good coach.
* Lions are going back to the playoffs.


Negative outlooks:

* The Oline is a mess.
* Stafford is going to get killed.
* We still don't have a running game.
* This team is riddled with guys who get injured.
* Ansah just leaned how to put on a helmet.
* This team is a bunch of thugs.
* Schwartz is the worst coach in the league.
* The Lions will be lucky to win 7 games.

The Oline will need a few games to gel. This in turns means to me Stafford will probably see some hits and sacks early. I will judge the Oline near the bye week.

The run game should improve. Not that Bush is a 30 carry guy. Bush has homerun speed and moves. Many carries last year by LeShoure and Bell were bowling ball types. Bush or Best types finally get some 20+ yard runs. I see us being middle of pack league wide. 110-120 a game.

Injuries are part of the game. Yes we have some guys...cough cough Delmas who can not stay on the field. This not on management in no way. Gronk is not Bellichecks fault. Folks here feel Broyles was bad pick. Talk to me after this year. He gets injured, good riddance.

Ansah has high ceiling yes. I see about 6-8 sacks this season. TOO MUCH emphasis on sacks. Will he tackle a RB?( Avril did not) does he bat balls? With Suh and Fairley does he wreak havoc in pass game without sacks and has a ton of QB hurries. IMO the DE on oppisite side will be key this season!!

Arrests are league wide. They are human. Kids puff the good stuff. Titus Young I put on staff for taking. These other kids had no reason to question character.

Gym Shorts was a great DC. Some guys are better suited for DC or OC or position coaches. This might be him. This is his last season for me. WIN or bye bye! He is bottom third for sure.

I see 8-8 maybe 9-7.

 

[Kreton]

The O line can be in for a long season, but Bush may be extremely helpful with that. We you have back that is a threat on the screen and getting outside, it helps keep teams from blitzing as much with LB's. And with CJ back there, safeties may not blitz too much either. Our O line may not be the most talented, but they are in a good situation.

 

[gandydancer]

One big thing I did not talk about, but truly is happy about is a punter. Not worth the 5th we used with what was out there FA wise.
This could be key to a couple W's this year. To be able pin teams deep. He flat out sucked last year. Evident with them using a pick to get their guy.