Thanks, Lions

**Motor City Sonics** · 01-07-2012, 11:18 PM

Bright future ahead.

You exercised a lot of old demons this year.

Hope you learned a lot from a really good team.

Hope you get stronger up the middle (on both sides of the ball).

You represented well this year.

Easy schedule next year.

**sagnam** · 01-07-2012, 11:37 PM

Yep, they needed to make the playoff so they could give up more yards that any other team in history. Another record in the books!

**Cylander** · 01-07-2012, 11:40 PM

At least they don't have the distinction of being the only team to lose to a 7-9 team in the playoffs.

**CapitalTigers** · 01-07-2012, 11:46 PM

Fun year, but horrible playoff game.

**DTroppens** · 01-07-2012, 11:58 PM

Right on track. Now it's time to really prove your value in this organization and take the next steps to legitimate contender. Good season. I enjoyed it.

**sagnam** · 01-08-2012, 12:00 AM

Originally Posted by Cylander

At least they don't have the distinction of being the only team to lose to a 7-9 team in the playoffs.

True. If they would have played a 7-9 team they might have actually set the record for most yards.

**pyrotigers** · 01-08-2012, 12:34 AM

Obviously the Lions need a lot of help in the secondary, and better run blocking on offense, but it's going to be a lot of fun seeing Stafford and Johnson with another year and hopefully improved play from Titus Young and whoever is at RB. If Stafford throws it nearly 700 times again next year could he break 5,500 yards? 6,000?

Fun year, it's just too bad the secondary was so bad down the stretch.

**Kdoogie24** · 01-08-2012, 12:38 AM

This year was a pleasant surprise. The 5-0 start was awesome, and it was great to see this team take matters into their own hands and clinch a playoff berth. Hopefully next year is even more fun.

**holygoat** · 01-08-2012, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by sagnam

Yep, they needed to make the playoff so they could give up more yards that any other team in history. Another record in the books!

I'd rather give up the most playoff yards in the history of the NFL than not make the playoffs at all. It's a disappointing loss, but I never thought they were as good as the Saints to begin with. I'm excited for their future, though.

**Motor City Sonics** · 01-08-2012, 12:51 AM

Yeah, I kind of meant this as a Thank You thread, not a "you still suck" type of thread. You can start that one if you'd like. But even though it ended badly, this was an entertaining season and the first in a long line of playoff appearances (hopefully).

You probably think Stafford is garbage too, eh?

**Vonlenska** · 01-08-2012, 12:57 AM

I'm kinda with sagnam right now. Tonight sucked.

**LineCrosser** · 01-08-2012, 01:01 AM

I'm on the "thank you" side. No one predicted this team would do what they did this year. What could have happened if Leshoure had provided a decent run game? Or if even half our secondary had stayed healthy?

This is not a one an done team. They are built to sustain and will only get better.

I say thank you Lions.

**Yoda** · 01-08-2012, 01:05 AM

What with all the whining??? It's the most fun I've had watching them since the mid-90s... and they have a very good chance to be one of the best Lions teams since the 50s in a year or two. Boo-hoo because they gave up a ton of yards to two unstoppable offenses :(((((

The good thing is they won 10 games and still have a few glaring deficiencies. That can be pretty easy to fix in one offseason. They obviously have as much drive to win as any Lions team I remember watching.... it isn't that hard to see them becoming an elite team over the next 5 years.

**Vonlenska** · 01-08-2012, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by Yoda

What with all the whining??? It's the most fun I've had watching them since the mid-90s... and they have a very good chance to be one of the best Lions teams since the 50s in a year or two. Boo-hoo because they gave up a ton of yards to two unstoppable offenses :(((((

The good thing is they won 10 games and still have a few glaring deficiencies. That can be pretty easy to fix in one offseason. They obviously have as much drive to win as any Lions team I remember watching.... it isn't that hard to see them becoming an elite team over the next 5 years.

I'm not whining. I'm just pretty pissed off. Yes it was a fun season.

**Cylander** · 01-08-2012, 01:08 AM

Stafford is 9 years younger than Brees. There's no reason to think this Lions offense won't be top 5 again next year.

**Vonlenska** · 01-08-2012, 01:09 AM

There's also no reason to think the defense will dramatically improve.

**sagnam** · 01-08-2012, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by Motor City Sonics

Yeah, I kind of meant this as a Thank You thread, not a "you still suck" type of thread. You can start that one if you'd like. But even though it ended badly, this was an entertaining season and the first in a long line of playoff appearances (hopefully).

You probably think Stafford is garbage too, eh?

I thanked them for setting another record. Why can't I crack a joke? Was what I said untrue? Lighten up.

I don't think Stafford is garbage. I did pick him as a AAL. Not sure why you felt the need to put that on me. Maybe you didn't fell your point was strong enough without adding that little nugget. You should change your username to Strawman.

**pyrotigers** · 01-08-2012, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by Vonlenska

There's also no reason to think the defense will dramatically improve.

The defense with the crap personnel it had this year was actually pretty good against the pass until the last few weeks. If they can find one good CB from somewhere and get a healthy year out of Houston and Delmas their is no reason to think their defense couldn't climb up to the level of 'a bad NFL defense' which looking at the Saints, Packers, and Patriots, is all it takes to be a superbowl contender.

**Mikeshoe21** · 01-08-2012, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by Vonlenska

There's also no reason to think the defense will dramatically improve.

Which would put them with all of the other top teams in the NFL. Look at the top teams in the league....the Packers, Saints, Patriots...they all have dominant offenses and no defense. Its the new NFL.

**sagnam** · 01-08-2012, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by Yoda

What with all the whining??? It's the most fun I've had watching them since the mid-90s... and they have a very good chance to be one of the best Lions teams since the 50s in a year or two. Boo-hoo because they gave up a ton of yards to two unstoppable offenses :(((((

The good thing is they won 10 games and still have a few glaring deficiencies. That can be pretty easy to fix in one offseason. They obviously have as much drive to win as any Lions team I remember watching.... it isn't that hard to see them becoming an elite team over the next 5 years.

Yes, there was so much whining in that one post on the subject. There was also an excess of boo-hooing in that single post as well, I'm grateful you came by to point it out.

Anyway, 10 wins was great. I disagree on the easy fix notion. See the 2012 Offseason thread. I think you are confusing "drive to win" with talent. They obviously have as much talent as any Lions team I remember watching. Agree on elite offensively. Defense needs a lot of help.

**Cylander** · 01-08-2012, 01:28 AM

The Lions defense still ranked higher than the Saints, Patriots and Packers defense. It was just 3 weeks this Lions defense held a good offensive Chargers team to 10 points. People are starting to overreact to two games.

**TartanLion** · 01-08-2012, 08:49 AM

For anyone who has been following the Lions for any significant amount of time ( late 80s, early 90s as a kid for me personally ), I struggle to see why you would not be positive after this season. Yes, last night was disappointing, but for the first time in a long time, we have a great QB and the nucleus of a very good team that will continue to become more and more relevant, as long as we also continue to make good choices in the draft, and be clever in player trades etc. Big off season ahead, and some big decisions to be made on where we should look to improve first and foremost

**DaBishop** · 01-08-2012, 08:50 AM

Congrats on a good season Lions fans

**Yoda** · 01-08-2012, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by sagnam

Anyway, 10 wins was great. I disagree on the easy fix notion. See the 2012 Offseason thread. I think you are confusing "drive to win" with talent. They obviously have as much talent as any Lions team I remember watching. Agree on elite offensively. Defense needs a lot of help.

Simply having talent doesn't prevent you from constantly giving up when down by 10+ points late in the game. They never stop fighting and that's a characteristic that the mid-90's teams didn't even have. I think there's a difference between that and talent. I'm not an intangibles guy at all, but things like that do matter in the NFL.

Also, the NFL is the easiest league to turn a team around. Whether by FA or by drafting, it's not that hard to replace a few crappy players. Eric Wright, for instance, has to be the most replaceable player in the league. I think Houston and Delmas are fine... add another decent CB and Safety and the defense gets a lot better. Certainly not one of the worst in the league.

**Mike** · 01-08-2012, 09:53 AM

Thanks for an entertaining season. The biggest way to improve for next season would be to fire Gunther Cunningham. Not only did Drew Brees do whatever he wanted against the Lions but they were also repeatedly torched by the not quite legendary Joe Webb and Matt Flynn.

**sabretooth** · 01-08-2012, 10:35 AM

I'll say thanks to Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford, particularly Stafford's health. These two made Lions football entertaining and competitive. Pettigrew became a playmaker in the second half of the season. Young showed some flashes. The rest of the receiving corps was a mix of plays and drops and what-not. The running backs did pretty well esp. given the injuries and general lack of talent. The OL did a respectable job, although they are nowhere near the caliber needed for a consistent plus offense.

On the downside, the DL has real talent and had some great games but also some gigantic screw-ups with the PFs, and had two non-existent games at the end when it mattered most. The LBs have depth but playmaking and run-stopping is inconsistent at best. Houston, Delmas and Spievey are not bad but none of them are great and there is absolutely nobody behind them.

Overall this team Stat of the year - the Lions were 0-6 against winning teams, including Green Bay's backup corps -- in the 5 other losses, they were in the game at the end in two of them (Atlanta and SF), two or more scores down against the others. At this point, fortunately, the Lions are scheduled to play only 5 teams in 2012 with a winning record from 2011...but if they want to win a playoff game, they are going to have to improve significantly.

**Motor City Sonics** · 01-08-2012, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Mike

Thanks for an entertaining season. The biggest way to improve for next season would be to fire Gunther Cunningham. Not only did Drew Brees do whatever he wanted against the Lions but they were also repeatedly torched by the not quite legendary Joe Webb and Matt Flynn.

Drew Brees pretty much did whatever he wanted to a lot of teams this year. I think Cunningham is fine. There were times when the defense actually overachieved. Gunther Cunningham wasn't the one missing tackles. They just need to get better players up the middle on both sides.

**Big Frame** · 01-08-2012, 11:08 AM

Best kool-aid and Cornbread I had in a while. This team's future is so bright, the fans might need to wear shades.

**Truth** · 01-08-2012, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Motor City Sonics

Drew Brees pretty much did whatever he wanted to a lot of teams this year. I think Cunningham is fine. There were times when the defense actually overachieved. Gunther Cunningham wasn't the one missing tackles. They just need to get better players up the middle on both sides.

Listening to the Lion's radio broadcast there were a couple of times that their sideline reporter relayed that Cunningham and
Schwartz had both gotten after the defense imploring them to make a play. Of course that had little on-field impact but what might have been had they made the interceptions that were there for the taking or several of the tackles for little gain or losses that they had in front of them? So I agree, that's a couple of guys away, not a new scheme or defensive coach.

Part of me thinks there is no shame in finally imploding under the force of the NO offense. Plenty of analysts have picked them to go all the way based on the strength of that offense. Part of me gives the Lions DL a pass given the times NO went to max protect, all of the underneath stuff they run and their close to across the board All Pro OL. The Lions are close though to taking the next step. They are just a couple of savvy moves away.

**Cylander** · 01-08-2012, 11:47 AM

The Lions were getting gashed in the running game all year based on their wide nine. That's scheme and not missing tackles. I'm not sure if Cunningham needs to be replaced, but that needs to be fixed next year.

**DTroppens** · 01-08-2012, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by Cylander

Stafford is 9 years younger than Brees. There's no reason to think this Lions offense won't be top 5 again next year.

You'd have to think it would be. Stafford proved way ahead of schedule in my book this year.

**lordstanley** · 01-08-2012, 01:53 PM

Not sure I need to actually thank the Lions, because they're professionals and they did their job. I'd thank them if one of them called me up and gave me 2 tickets to next year's season opener. But many players and coaches/mgmt deserve congratulations for a fine season and I see it as one of the most enjoyable Lions seasons of my lifetime, maybe the most enjoyable.

And anyone who watched Lions playoff games in the '80s and '90s knows that it is possible for a playoff game to be much much worse. When the Saints were facing a 3rd and 8 deep in their own end a couple of minutes into the 4th quarter ahead by only 3, it was still anybody's game. Not bad for a road game against a recent Super Bowl champ with a record-setting QB on a team that many consider best in the NFL.

**The Ghost of Neifi** · 01-08-2012, 04:01 PM

Take solace, Lions fans

It could be worse...you could be a Falcons fan

**number20** · 01-08-2012, 04:26 PM

I expected them to lose last night so it wasn't any big deal. Still a great season. I'm being cautiously optimistic about next year, though - not quite sure what to make of this group just yet. I've seen way too many young talented teams over the years experience sudden success only to flop the following year. Are we last year's Tampa Bay or is this for real? My hope is they keep this going, keep getting better and don't regress. It would be nice to finally see this franchise mature and join organizations like the Pats, Steelers and Packers as consistent winners.

Next season should be interesting.

**Sports_Freak** · 01-08-2012, 05:20 PM

It will probably be harder to get where they (and we) want to go than it was getting where we are now.
No more top 1-10 picks. But the experience at the skilled positions of QB and his posse of talented receivers makes me long for more and more Lions games.
Very well done this season. I look forward to a home playoff game at Ford Field!