***Happy Football Day Week 3***

[MDC 7,424]

1 hour ago, Voltaire said:

They're building to it. They beat an NFC team this week.

It was the Vikings. That was basically a battle to decide who wanted it less.

[Voltaire 5,316]

4 hours ago, MDC said:

It was the Vikings. That was basically a battle to decide who wanted it less.

I see that you watched the ending too.

 

[Mike Honcho 5,270]

 

I'm looking forward to the upcoming single "You fumbled our love away..."  

[Hardcore troubadour 15,429]

Now I remember why Mayfield sucks. Always wants to play hero ball.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

Just now tuning in. Wasn't expecting TB to be able to hang with Philly but it sure looks like that's what's been happening.

[Voltaire 5,316]

2 minutes ago, Voltaire said:

Just now tuning in. Wasn't expecting TB to be able to hang with Philly but it sure looks like that's what's been happening.

I jinxed it. Sorry NFC fans.

 

[MDC 7,424]

Eagles O still looking wonky.

Jalen Carter is already a MF monster. Many teams are going to regret passing on him.

[Voltaire 5,316]

12 minutes ago, MDC said:

Eagles O still looking wonky.

Jalen Carter is already a MF monster. Many teams are going to regret passing on him.

That was stupid to all involved.

I went apesh!t when the Lions passed on Carter but I feel better now.

Trading back got us both Gibbs and LaPorta for the Lions so that's not so bad, but only because LaPorta has shown enormous talent at TE right out of the gate, something we've always heard/seen says it takes TEs three years to adapt. He has set a record for the most receptions ever for a rookie TE after three games (18). 

I like Gibbs too but he was a stretch where they got him. 

[GutterBoy 2,899]

14 minutes ago, MDC said:

Eagles O still looking wonky.

Jalen Carter is already a MF monster. Many teams are going to regret passing on him.

Some teams were a little turned off after the drag racing death, can't blame them.

[MDC 7,424]

Just now, Voltaire said:

That was stupid to all involved.

Trading back got us both Gibbs and LaPorta for the Lions so that's not so bad, but only because LaPorta has shown enormous talent at TE right out of the gate, something we've always heard/seen says it takes TEs three years to adapt. He has set a record for the most receptions ever for a rookie TE after three games (18). 

I like Gibbs too but he was a stretch where they got him. 

I can’t blame teams for going QB early but the Seahawks and Bears should be kicking themselves. I couldn’t believe Carter fell to 8. Him and Jordan Davis are going to be wrecking game plans for a decade.

[MDC 7,424]

Just now, GutterBoy said:

Some teams were a little turned off after the drag racing death, can't blame them.

I’m glad they were.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

53 minutes ago, Voltaire said:

Just now tuning in. Wasn't expecting TB to be able to hang with Philly but it sure looks like that's what's been happening.

I showed up as TB was kicking off after tying the game at three adn thinking "oh, they're making a game of it." All I've seen since I tuned in is as asskicking.

[Voltaire 5,316]

Eagles and 49ers are still the top two teams of the conference. Looking around for help from other teams to knock them off has been futile so far.

The Lions gave the entire AFC a gift in week one but only Miami seems to have taken advantage of the situation.

[Cruzer 1,995]

Sometimes you just handed a good old fashion ass whoop'n - and that's what Dallas got. I'm not sure I've ever seen a less prepared, less inspired Cowboys team take the field. THis team was looking weeks into the schedule, thinking they could just show up and leave with a W. 

Hats off to the Cards, they kicked our asses on the field, from the booth, from the sidelines - you name it. Time to get back to work. 

[JustinCharge 2,397]

Belichick held the Dolphins to 24 points in week 2 by running a variant of his super bowl defense vs the McVay Rams.  Against the Rams that game, Belichick ran a 6 man front with 4 run stuffers and 2 high safeties.  He was able to clog all running lanes and mix up the safety coverages to confuse the offense and keep the big plays from happening.  Against the 2023 Dolphins, Belichick went with a big 5 man front and THREE deep safeties or the same 6 man front with 2 high safeties he ran against McVay.  The Patriots also made sure to play field position and pinned the Dolphins behind their 20 quite a few times.  The Dolphins were forced to march on very long drives and walk away with a field goal at best on several drives as this type of defense is to make the offense march 15 plays without making a mistake, something no NFL offense can do consistently. 

[listen2me 23 1,873]

2 minutes ago, JustinCharge said:

Belichick held the Dolphins to 24 points in week 2 by running a variant of his super bowl defense vs the McVay Rams.  Against the Rams that game, Belichick ran a 6 man front with 4 run stuffers and 2 high safeties.  He was able to clog all running lanes and mix up the safety coverages to confuse the offense and keep the big plays from happening.  Against the 2023 Dolphins, Belichick went with a big 5 man front and THREE deep safeties or the same 6 man front with 2 high safeties he ran against McVay.  The Patriots also made sure to play field position and pinned the Dolphins behind their 20 quite a few times.  The Dolphins were forced to march on very long drives and walk away with a field goal at best on several drives as this type of defense is to make the offense march 15 plays without making a mistake, something no NFL offense can do consistently. 

Should be a hell of a game in Buffalo this week.  Their front 4 rotation is playing pretty well thus far.  

[MDC 7,424]

9 hours ago, Voltaire said:

Eagles and 49ers are still the top two teams of the conference. Looking around for help from other teams to knock them off has been futile so far.

The Lions gave the entire AFC a gift in week one but only Miami seems to have taken advantage of the situation.

I still have the Cowboys up there too. They’re just good for a few McCarthy and Dak games a year. Hopefully one comes in the playoffs.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

1 hour ago, MDC said:

I still have the Cowboys up there too. They’re just good for a few McCarthy and Dak games a year. Hopefully one comes in the playoffs.

Yeah Dallas will still be dangerous.   But watching Dak from inside the 10 multiple times has to be scary for Dallas fans.  That was putrid.  They started pounding thr ball with 5 minutes left down 2 scores on the last trip.  Says it all.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

Lions and Packers are both banged up and meet on Thursday. It'd be nice to win in Lambeau and get both a game up in the division and a tiebreaker.

Need Decker to play. Glasgow is an adequate replacement at guard for Vaitai but at OT, the Lions are screwed without Decker. The backup Matt Nelson is mediocre and now he's likely done for the year, the emergency guy they signed off the street a few days ago, Skipper, was an improvement on Nelson, but then he got dinged too, so they had to move over their other backup guard Sorsdal to play OT the last two quarters. Expect the Lions to sign another OT off the street, maybe two, before the GB game.

 

[MDC 7,424]

7 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

Yeah Dallas will still be dangerous.   But watching Dak from inside the 10 multiple times has to be scary for Dallas fans.  That was putrid.  They started pounding thr ball with 5 minutes left down 2 scores on the last trip.  Says it all.  

I think they’re among the most talented teams in the NFL. I’m just banking on bad coaching and a Dak game being their undoing in the postseason.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

Just now, Voltaire said:

Lions and Packers are both banged up and meet on Thursday. It'd be nice to win in Lambeau and get both a game up in the division and a tiebreaker.

Need Decker to play. Glasgow is an adequate replacement at guard for Vaitai but at OT, the Lions are screwed without Decker. The backup Matt Nelson is mediocre and now he's likely done for the year, the emergency guy they signed off the street a few days ago, Skipper, was an improvement on Nelson, but then he got dinged too, so they had to move over their other backup guard Sorsdal to play the last two quarters. Expect the Lions to sign another OT off the street, maybe two, before the GB game.

 

Be nice to play this game at close to full strength for both teams.  Packers actually have a worse list than the Lions honestly.   But I have a feeling they kept a guy or 2 out Sunday with eyes on the short week and Lions game.  I expect Jones and Jaire back.  Flip a coin with Bahktihari each week for rest of the season.  Watson may be one of those career hammy WRs.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

1 hour ago, listen2me 23 said:

Be nice to play this game at close to full strength for both teams.  Packers actually have a worse list than the Lions honestly.   But I have a feeling they kept a guy or 2 out Sunday with eyes on the short week and Lions game.  I expect Jones and Jaire back.  Flip a coin with Bahktihari each week for rest of the season.  Watson may be one of those career hammy WRs.  

I don't know about that. Lions have already lost key pieces in CJ Gardner-Johnson and James Houston for the year and still have JaeMo suspended for another three more games. 

Thgis is what we're looking at, it's a mess:  Detroit Lions Depth Chart | ESPN

Vaitai is out. With Jonah Jackson hurt too, Glasgow is a fine backup OG but he can only replace one of them if Jackson can't play.   David Montgomery may be out at RB and the guys they rely on to supplement Gibbs against Atlanta were mediocre. Kirby Joseph plays his best ball against Green Bay and may be out.  Moseley hasn't played all year, including preseason. 

Decker might well play after sitting two games and that'd be huge at OT. Decker and Sewell make as fine a pair of OTs as exist in the league but the cupboards are bare after that. Inside, Vaitai is out at guard. Assuming Jackson can also go at OG, Glasgow can fill in for Vaitai and that works well.  But if Jackson can't go either they'd need Sorsdal to play and he's an unproven 5th round rookie backup OG. Sorsdal hasn't played a snap at OG yet but he did get some valuable experience as the emergency 4th string OT against Atlanta for half the game and looked decent enough there given the situation. It helps that the Atlanta DEs suck and couldn't take advantage of the Lions rotating cast of backup/emergency OTs.

Defense shut down Atlanta without CJGJ and Houston so that helped. The run defense is solid. Atlanta never got it going, nor did KC or Seattle either.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

5 minutes ago, Voltaire said:

I don't know about that. Lions have already lost key pieces in CJ Gardner-Johnson and James Houston for the year and still have JaeMo suspended for another three more games. 

Thgis is what we're looking at, it's a mess:  Detroit Lions Depth Chart | ESPN

Vaitai is out. With Jonah Jackson hurt too, Glasgow is a fine backup OG but he can only replace one of them if Jackson can't play.   David Montgomery may be out at RB and the guys they rely on to supplement Gibbs against Atlanta were mediocre. Kirby Joseph plays his best ball against Green Bay and may be out.  Moseley hasn't played all year, including preseason. 

Decker might well play after sitting two games and that'd be huge at OT. Decker and Sewell make as fine a pair of OTs as exist in the league but the cupboards are bare after that. Inside, Vaitai is out at guard. Assuming Jackson can also go at OG, Glasgow can fill in for Vaitai and that works well.  But if Jackson can't go either they'd need Sorsdal to play and he's an unproven 5th round rookie backup OG. Sorsdal hasn't played a snap at OG yet but he did get some valuable experience as the emergency 4th string OT against Atlanta for half the game and looked decent enough there given the situation. It helps that the Atlanta DEs suck and couldn't take advantage of the Lions rotating cast of backup/emergency OTs.

Defense shut down Atlanta without CJGJ and Houston so that helped. The run defense is solid. Atlanta never got it going, nor did KC or Seattle either.

Jameo is out but they can't miss a guy who has hardly been in.

Bakhtiari a top 5 T in thr league.  Elgton Jenkins a pro bowl LG.  2 best OL.  Zach Tom is Q leaving the game last week.  Thats the top 3 OL.  Jaire Alexander a top flight CB missed last week.  Aaron Jones the best offensive player on the team.  Watson the number 1 WR.  

Stokes the number 2 CB still on PUP from last year.  

These are more key players out than the Lions that isnt a question.   Literally a handful of the best players on the team. Take out the QB and the best players in GB are Jones Bahktihari Jenkins Jaire Gary Kenny Clark.  4 of those guys were out last week to go along with the top WR Watson.  

But like I said it may not be as bad as last week.   They are still injured.  But I expect 1 or 2 to come back.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

19 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

Jameo is out but they can't miss a guy who has hardly been in.

Bakhtiari a top 5 T in thr league.  Elgton Jenkins a pro bowl LG.  2 best OL.  Zach Tom is Q leaving the game last week.  Thats the top 3 OL.  Jaire Alexander a top flight CB missed last week.  Aaron Jones the best offensive player on the team.  Watson the number 1 WR.  

Stokes the number 2 CB still on PUP from last year.  

These are more key players out than the Lions that isnt a question.   Literally a handful of the best players on the team. Take out the QB and the best players in GB are Jones Bahktihari Jenkins Jaire Gary Kenny Clark.  4 of those guys were out last week to go along with the top WR Watson.  

But like I said it may not be as bad as last week.   They are still injured.  But I expect 1 or 2 to come back.  

These are all minor injuries and a lot missed the NO game but any number could return at any time, including this week. We'll see come Thursday. You expect one or two back, who knows.

No matter what though, Detroit has endured two critical season ending injuries to CJGJ and James Houston. Gardner Johnson was the biggest offseason free agent acquisition to rebuild the secondary and had been really effective against KC. Houston has been the best pass rusher opposite Hutchinson although in fairness the Lions do have some LB depth.

Against Green Bay, Vaitai will be out, Montgomery and Moseley are likely out. Hopefully those three come back in ten days. JaeMo is lost in space. Decker, Jackson, and Joseph are more likely to play. Vaitai can be replaced with Glasgow, but Montgomery was replaced with mediocre RBs off the practice squad and Jerry Jacobs' may as well be a practice squad guy. His ineffectiveness last year is why Moseley was signed in the offseason.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

1 minute ago, Voltaire said:

These are all minor injuries and a lot missed the NO game but any number could return at any time, including this week. We'll see come Thursday. You expect one or two back, who knows.

No matter what though, Detroit has endured two critical season ending injuries to CJGJ and James Houston. Gardner Johnson was the biggest offseason free agent acquisition to rebuild the secondary and had been really effective against KC. Houston has been the best pass rusher opposite Hutchinson although in fairness the Lions do have some LB depth.

Against Green Bay, Vaitai will be out, Montgomery and Moseley are likely out. Hopefully those three come back in ten days. JaeMo is lost in space. Decker, Jackson, and Joseph are more likely to play. Vaitai can be replaced with Glasgow, but Montgomery was replaced with mediocre RBs off the practice squad and Jerry Jacobs' may as well be a practice squad guy. His ineffectiveness last year is why Moseley was signed in the offseason.

Detroit may have longer injuries.  I am just talking who is hurt here and now.  Hell Gary is on a pitch count still coming off ACL.  Not injured but playing like half the snaps he normally would.  

Last week Packers by my count were out.... 8 pro bowls. 2 1st team all pros and 5 2nd team all pros.  Add in 2nd year Watson who is our number 1 WR.  Not to mention other things.  

Thats a ton of talent out.  The best of their best players.  

[listen2me 23 1,873]

If you want to dive further.  Campbell left game mid way.  Was 1st team all pro 2 seasons ago.  Could add that to my total.  Tom the 3rd best OL and RT left game.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

10 hours ago, listen2me 23 said:

Be nice to play this game at close to full strength for both teams.  Packers actually have a worse list than the Lions honestly. 

It looks like you may be right. Decker, Montgomery, and Joseph are trending in the right direction. Meanwhile Watson and Jones look to be trending to being able to go but the rest of the guys you list for the Pack are not.

[listen2me 23 1,873]

11 hours ago, Voltaire said:

It looks like you may be right. Decker, Montgomery, and Joseph are trending in the right direction. Meanwhile Watson and Jones look to be trending to being able to go but the rest of the guys you list for the Pack are not.

The biggest issue there qould be if all 3 OL are out.  GB has a good line and fairly deep but those would be the 3 best OL they have.  Lions aggressive defense and Aiden Hutchinson.  

Hopefully Rashan Gary can log more snaps for us on our defensive side.  He might be the most efficient pass rusher in thr NFL right now but hasn't played enough snaps.  He can wreck a game.  

May come down to which QB gets thr most time and doesn't turn it over.  Which is the case fot many games I suppose.  

[Voltaire 5,316]

Adam Schefter on X: "Green Bay ruled out tackle David Bakhtiari (knee), guard Elgton Jenkins (knee), linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (ankle) and safety Zayne Anderson (hamstring) for Thursday night’s game vs. the Lions. Aaron Jones and Christian Watson are listed as questionable." / X (twitter.com)

Packers are down four players:  Bakhtiari, Jenkins, Campbell, and Anderson. Watson and Jones should play.

Lions are down five/six) starters: CJGJ, Vaitai, Houston, Joseph, Moseley, (Jaemo) as well as Carbinda and Nelson. Montgomery, Jackson, and Decker should play. Really need Decker out there, as it's a huge dropoff at OT if he can't go.

Looks like it's kind of a wash with injuries.

Lions have won three in a row against the Packers. The 2023 Lions are much better than 2022 while the Packers are doing well with their young team but are going through 2023 without Rodgers. I feel pretty confident about this game. Usually the Lions need other teams to collapse in order to think there's a chance to win the division or, more likely, slip into the playoffs. This year, it shouldn't matter, they look like the best in the division and two teams are collapsing.