Playoff Game 1: January 7, 2012 @ 8:00PM Detroit Lions -v- New Orleans Saints

[nd1377]

Positives for the game:
1. Lions should have lead 21-10 at half if not for a whistle.

2. The game didn't come down to seven points or less because then I would have gone crazy about the whistle.

3. New Orleans plays San Francisco next week and there is nothing I want more than San Francisco and Harbaugh to lose.

[EchO]

I'm not concerned about the offense.

I think the Lions over-achieved this season. Next year I think they could be better but not get into the playoffs.

So I think it's safe to assume a team that "could be better" would have a similar, if not better, record next year than this year. You think a 10-6 or 11-5 team doesn't make the playoffs?

If we can stay healthy, get LeShoure, Fairley, and Best back for a full season and have another above-average offseason I think it is very safe to say we can make the playoffs next year. This team is extremely young, and I don't think 2011/2012 was their prime year.

[sabretooth]

Best or LeShoure may come back and be fine, but a concussion and a ruptured Achilles are career-threatening. To rely on them would be like relying on Zumaya after his injuries.

I think this team should have a winning record and be in a good position to make the playoffs again, because of the seemingly weak schedule they have in 2012 (although you never can tell how good these opponents might be). But if some of the losers from 2011 improve themselves for 2012, the easy schedule could turn tough quickly.

[bigtenguy]

As someone who had a ruptured Achilles, Leshore will not be 100% until the 2013 season, if he works hard.

[Cylander]

The Saints were probably the worst possible matchup for the Lions. I feel they could've beaten the Giants. The DL was still top 10 in sacks and hopefully Fairley is healthy next year.

[ben9753]

Brees is the best QB I have ever seen play. I think he will go down as one of the three best of all time. Manning Montana Brees in no particular order.

[EchO]

As someone who had a ruptured Achilles, Leshore will not be 100% until the 2013 season, if he works hard.

Not to be a jerk, but did you have the ability to take a year off of work and get the absolute best medical attention that money could buy?

[Scottish caveman]

Can anyone explain where Cliff Avril was for the last two games ? Other than jumping off side, he disappeared, must be not making the Pro Bowl, made him pout !

[bigtenguy]

Not to be a jerk, but did you have the ability to take a year off of work and get the absolute best medical attention that money could buy?

It's not a jerky question by the way. And no I did not. If you look up the injury and tommy john surgery as well, the prevailing opinion is the first year back you aren't at 100%.

I'm not saying LeShoure won't play or even play well but history says his first year back will be played somewhere between 85-90% of his previous ability.

In his second year back, IMO, they will get the LeShoure they thought they drafted.

[KleShreen]

This pass D, and D in general, didn't deserve to be in the playoffs. They weren't going to beat the Denver Tebows with the way this defense was playing for the last month sans San Diego. I don't know if it was the inconsistency in the defensive secondary or what, but even with Berry/Houston/Delmas back, the D looked even worse. It's so infuriating watching the opposing team pick up 15 yards on every 2nd and 14 or 13 yards on every 3rd and 12. Absolutely inexcusable for a team in the playoffs. And not even covering guys on two separate plays? Are you kidding me?

I'm happy with the Lions season, but what a disappointment considering what could have been. The team overachieved, but also underachieved considering the mistakes that were made. It's just mind boggling that in the playoffs you leave two receivers uncovered on one play and then leave another receiver uncovered on another play. I don't know if that's on the coaches or on the guys on the field, but either way it shows that this team wasn't ready. The top teams rarely make those mistakes and it seems to be a habit with the Lions.

[DTroppens]

Not to be a jerk, but did you have the ability to take a year off of work and get the absolute best medical attention that money could buy?

I think bigtenguy is right. Maybe he did or not, but he probably also didn't have to go against the elite in the NFL after his injury.

Even if he plays, it'll probably be another year before he's close to 100 percent. That's probably a fair statement. Anything better than that would be gravy.

[Ingefanclub]

I think the worst moment was when New Orleans failed to get a 1st down in the 3rd quarter. It was 24-21 I believe. The WR was half yard short at around the 18 yard line but the official gave him the 1st down by half yard. The Lions had a chance to throw a red flag but nobody got the news to Schwartz in time. In the end it did not matter as we gave up 600 yards but that was a costly mistake. The refs blew it at least it should have been a measurement to give the Lions more time to challenge the spot.

[EchO]

I think bigtenguy is right. Maybe he did or not, but he probably also didn't have to go against the elite in the NFL after his injury.

Even if he plays, it'll probably be another year before he's close to 100 percent. That's probably a fair statement. Anything better than that would be gravy.

Fair enough point, but based on my very limited knowledge of the injury I was under the impression that it isn't an injury that you would necessarily need to worry about re-injuring so long as it was repaired surgically and the proper and gradual rehabilitation was followed. I was also under the impression that the recovery time would be around 9-12 months at which point the tendon would be back to near 100%. I think his tendon will be fine, I could however see him lose a little bit of his explosiveness due to lack of full speed/contact training. So in that regard, I would probably agree.

[Nastradamus]

Offense today: 28 points against the 28th ranked defense in the league.

4 TDs
3 Punts
2 INTs

Fail.

4 TDs and we failed? The NO D has been much better of late and the 2 INTs came at the end with Stafford needing to pull a miracle.

[Nastradamus]

It's not a jerky question by the way. And no I did not. If you look up the injury and tommy john surgery as well, the prevailing opinion is the first year back you aren't at 100%.

I'm not saying LeShoure won't play or even play well but history says his first year back will be played somewhere between 85-90% of his previous ability.

In his second year back, IMO, they will get the LeShoure they thought they drafted.

I know Donald Butler, LB for the chargers, loooked pretty good coming bakc from it this year.

[bigtenguy]

Pretty good is what I would think Leshoure will be next year. My point is whatever the Lions get next year from him won't be as good as the following year based on players who have had this injury in the past. In my opinion two factors are in his favor. One is his age, I believe he was 21 at the time of the injury and two, it happened in August so, he has been rehabbing all year. He should be ready for contact drills in late May.

[The Ghost of Neifi]

You can't fix everything in one year. For the Lions to make the playoffs and go 10-6 this year is impressive no matter what they did in the playoffs.

Biggest thing is to now continue building and learn from this. This team obviously still has many holes and will be a borderline playoff team again next season.

After watching Atlanta do squat against New York, I feel even better about the Lions performance this season

[Cylander]

The Green Bay Packers only average 2 more yards per game rushing and had a worse ranked defense than the Lions. I think people are overstating the "holes" on the team. I've rarely seen teams who dominate in all facets of the game. The Lions need to work on being dominate in a few areas and be at least average in a couple others.

[John_Brian_K]

I am REALLY surprised at how average our D line played in this game and in stretches through out the year. Schwartz nailed in his postgame (of course he nailed it he knows whats up) we had opportunities to make plays and didnt finish..the coaching staff put the player sin position to make the plays and they didnt make them. The missed interceptions were critical. The defense didnt do enough which pressed the offense to take shots.....that INT with 7 or 8 minutes left from Stafford was the biggest play of the game. We somehow march down the field on that play and score...it is a different ball game.

The whistle killed us on that fumble....I didnt understand why it took the ref so long to blow it....the ball was bouncing around, a couple saints players were in the vicinity going for it, and we come up with the ball and all of a sudden the whistle blows.

NBC live streamed the game and I downloaded a screen capture program and have the whole game on my hard drive to go back and look at....during the game it was hard to look past the whistles that killed momentum for us and I didnt pay as much attention to the whistles the saints got, but that is why I taped it so I can go back and take a look without the emotion.

A couple spots were suspect on the thiiiird and fourth down plays...one in particular, but I think it was only thiiird down so they would have went for it and most likely made it anyway.

Still real proud and impressed with what the Lions did this whole year...shore up that defense and hopefully get our top 2 RB's back next year and still have Smith in the mix it could be a special year.

[lesgoblu02]

It's not often that referees can screw both teams on one play. Saturday night, NFL officials managed to do so. It's time for full time officials.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

It's not often that referees can screw both teams on one play. Saturday night, NFL officials managed to do so. It's time for full time officials.

If full-time referees -> fewer errors, I am all for it. The league makes more than enough revenue to pay for it.

[Who is the Drizzle?]

You can't fix everything in one year. For the Lions to make the playoffs and go 10-6 this year is impressive no matter what they did in the playoffs.

Biggest thing is to now continue building and learn from this. This team obviously still has many holes and will be a borderline playoff team again next season.

After watching Atlanta do squat against New York, I feel even better about the Lions performance this season

Safety depth, RB talent/depth are the current holes, IMO. Could be some additional issues of course depending on who is or isn't resigned.

The thing that matters overwhelmingly tho is the QB, and I feel our QB took some incredible steps forward the last 4 games or so of the season. I had issues with his play even when we were 5-0, but if he carries over the level he played at the the last 4 or so games, we'll be better than everyone but Saints/Packers/Patriots/etc., because it is all about the passing game right now.

[Cylander]

I'm not sure why the complaints on the DL. The Lions hardly ever blitz. They only blitzed less than 10% of the time in this game. It's hard to get consistent pressure when you never call a blitz.

[lesgoblu02]

I'm not sure why the complaints on the DL. The Lions hardly ever blitz. They only blitzed less than 10% of the time in this game. It's hard to get consistent pressure when you never call a blitz.

Against a top 3 OL in football.