OT: Michigan Sports Talk V: Lions and Tigers and Wolverines and Spartans! Oh My!

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Shoalzie

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May 16, 2003
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They lead the division last year but faded. If this isn't "same old Lions"...they either hang onto the division lead or they play their way into the playoffs (and not back in). The defense is better than last year and I think Stafford has matured a lot this year in his ability to play well in a comeback role. This team shouldn't be counted out of any game. I'd rather see this team play from ahead wire-to-wire though.

This year is about as good a chance of making the playoffs as last year. Last year, you had the Packers without Rodgers and the Bears were so up and down. This year, the Packers may eventually overtake the Lions or the Week 17 game might be for the division but the Bears and Vikings are pretty much non-factors.

The NFC West is flipped on its head with the Cardinals on top and the Seahawks and 49ers in a chase mode. The South is about as bad as the NFC West used to be when they could barely get their division winner to break .500...only one team will make the playoffs from there because they have to. The East is pretty competitive with the Cowboys and Eagles leading the way. I think you're looking at 4-horse race for the two wild cards.
 

ArGarBarGar

What do we want!? Unfair!
Sep 8, 2008
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I would be a little concerned about the team's necessity to come back in games in order to win, as it has burned the team in other years.

That said, isn't the upcoming schedule supposed to be really easy?
 

newfy

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Jul 28, 2010
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I would be a little concerned about the team's necessity to come back in games in order to win, as it has burned the team in other years.

That said, isn't the upcoming schedule supposed to be really easy?

The next 2 games are gonna be really tough. Arizona and New England on the rad and both are top teams this year, Brady has been tearing lately. Arizona losing Palmer and having to start Stanton is huge for the Lions though. The Miami, Cardinals, Pats stretch is probably the toughest part of the schedule and theyve already picked up one win. Arizona is a winnable game for sure esepcially now with Palmer out. Brady in Foxboro is gonna be tough though. I'm hoping they squeeze at least one win out of the next 2.

After that theyve got the Bears twice, the Vikings and the Buccaneers. At most they should lose one of those games and lead to a potential game for the division against Green Bay to end the season
 

Shoalzie

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May 16, 2003
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That said, isn't the upcoming schedule supposed to be really easy?



At the Cardinals and Patriots the next two weeks won't be easy.

Then home games against the Bears (Thankgiving), Buccaneers and Vikings and at Bears could be a favorable stretch.

I just hope Week 17 at Lambeau won't be for the division title or have playoff bid on the line.
 

Ricelund

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Apr 16, 2006
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V-Mart's back, $68m over four years.

I'm happy and scared for 2017/18 at the same time.
 

Shoalzie

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I'm fine with that deal...the first couple years are the ones you want max productivity and hopefully a couple more kicks at that elusive title.

I'm trying to decide if I'm happy with the Melky Cabrera rumors. He would obviously replace Torii in the 2-hole...sounds like J.D. would move to right. I've seen stuff written about the idea of trading Kinsler. I think that would be a mistake.
 

ricky0034

Registered User
Jun 8, 2010
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a 4 year deal to someone that age is probably gonna look ugly at some point

pretty much the price they had to pay if they wanted him back after the year he just had though,i'm sure someone else would have done it if not the Tigers
 

Winger98

Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
22,756
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I'm fine with that deal...the first couple years are the ones you want max productivity and hopefully a couple more kicks at that elusive title.

I'm trying to decide if I'm happy with the Melky Cabrera rumors. He would obviously replace Torii in the 2-hole...sounds like J.D. would move to right. I've seen stuff written about the idea of trading Kinsler. I think that would be a mistake.

I'd be fine with Melky the player, but I'm less thrilled about Melky costing us our first round pick. I have more faith in turning that pick into a better asset through a trade than in signing Melky. at that point, I'd rather go into the season with a bigger question mark in the outfield, and looking to make a move, than throwing a good asset away to sign a guy.

The guy I think we should go hard after is that Cuban, Yasmany Tomas. the deal we hand out will look like a lot for a guy who has never played in the states, but it'll pale in comparison to what will probably be handed out to most other UFA. He's also younger, with more good years (hopefully, anyway) ahead of him than a guy in his early 30s. Also, as we saw with Cespedes, he could still carry some value in a trade if he doesn't work out for us.

With Kinsler, it depends if you think the second half is a shadow of things to come. If we think the next few years will more closely resemble the second half than the first half, moving him now would be a brilliant move - especially if it nets us some good, cheap talent to fill a hole or three.

And all of this is without mentioning the luxury tax, something that would have to start looming if we keep Kinsler, re-sign VMart, and still pursue other UFA to fill other holes.
 

Swervin81

Leaf fan | YYZ -> SEA
Nov 10, 2011
36,452
1,526
Seattle, WA
Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi
#BlueJays acquire second base prospect Devon Travis from #Tigers for Anthony Gose.

You guys are gonna love Anthony Gose. He has Rajai Davis speed and while he's a worse hitter than Rajai, he is a legit gold glove caliber CF defensively with a wicked arm.

Any feedback on Travis?
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi
#BlueJays acquire second base prospect Devon Travis from #Tigers for Anthony Gose.

You guys are gonna love Anthony Gose. He has Rajai Davis speed and while he's a worse hitter than Rajai, he is a legit gold glove caliber CF defensively with a wicked arm.

Any feedback on Travis?

Was the Tigers top prospect recently named by Baseball America. They had moved him to center. One concern for you guys would be he just had sports hernia surgery. I don't know a ton about him. Has a good average and plate discipline, but seems they wanted an outfielder by trade so they made the swap.
 

Shoalzie

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May 16, 2003
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From what I understand, Travis isn't exactly on the same level as recent top prospects (Castellanos, Garcia, et al). Considering the logjam in the middle infield, I don't see trading him as a big deal. They already gave up Adames as part of the Price deal. Hopefully they're set at shortstop for a while with Iglesias.

I know Gose more for his wheels but I'm sure he'd do well playing center at Comerica. I'd be fine with a Davis/Gose duo in center. I almost think of this as the Tigers getting their own version of Jerome Dyson.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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Not good stuff at all out of the Lions D today, just giving up every possible third down and not tackling. I am sure people will blame Stafford if this continues, but they are getting dominated in the trenches, they made the big pick but they have been getting torn apart by Drew freaking Stanton.
 

Shoalzie

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May 16, 2003
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Portland, MI
They got hosed on the reviews...what was the deal with them not being able to review that final first down by Fitzgerald? They get screwed because the clock bled down to the 2-minute warning?

Positives:
Defense was solid outside of the big plays in the first half...wasn't all that impressed with Stanton.
Joique Bell continues to prove why he should be the every down back.

Negatives:
The inability to get the ball in Johnson and Tate's hands.
A few too many penalties.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
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No doubt the Lions deserved that loss, but the officiating was straight terrible.

Agree on the positive side you do actually hear about NFL officials being punished for terrible calls and decisions. My opinion is they will get an extremely poor grade.

Oh well they need to play better than that. The D while stopping the avalanche of points after the first two drives could not get off the field on third down.

The offense struggled against a good secondary. Arizona is a very good team, I was impressed by them, our boys not so much today but they deserve a lot of credit for our offensive problems. Our problems defensively I have bigger issues with third and long shouldn't be converted like that and they looked totally unprepared at the start of the game.
 

guinness

Not Ingrid for now
Mar 11, 2002
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Missoula, Montana
www.missoulian.com
Not good stuff at all out of the Lions D today, just giving up every possible third down and not tackling. I am sure people will blame Stafford if this continues, but they are getting dominated in the trenches, they made the big pick but they have been getting torn apart by Drew freaking Stanton.

The defense gave up a couple big plays in the 1st quarter, but outside of a couple plays they did settle down, only gave up 14. (I was upset with the D for stretches too)

The offense has do something to help their team out, outside of Bell, there was super conservative play calling, going away from Tate for much of the game, which made little sense, considering how well he's been playing.

I didn't think Stafford looked particularly great TBH, and @ NE isn't going to be any easier, if not worse next week. And like the old Schwartz Lions, they took a ton of penalties (and the Cards got a bit of help from the refs).
 
Aug 6, 2012
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Stafford has been pretty meh all year and Lombardi is a terrible OC at this point so far. Those are the biggest problems with the Lions offense.
 
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