L, Detroit 13 - Green Bay 34
This one I held a small sliver of hope for. Green Bay had nothing to pay for and Detroit had squeaked out a victory last week so maybe a bit of pride would surface. Maybe the Lambeau jinx would be broken before Brett Farve retires. Maybe I'll win a trip to the moon! Yeah, right.
The Lion players had already punched out and packed up their gear mentally for the end of the season. Green Bay had their starters in so fast you wondered if they worked it out in advance with Rod Maranelli. Even Green Bay's third string quarterback had multiple scoring drives to add insult to injury. Another bitter season comes to a close. The promise of the first half. The pain and despair of the second. What is it going to be?
The media seems to be harping on the fact the offense is pass happy; The offense turns it over too much; and the defense was horrific. Will coaches dissapear? What players won't be back? Questions, questions, questions...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Turn off the Lights on your way out
Can you Stop the Rain?
W, Detroit Lions 25 - Kansas City 20
Vegas is the place. The in-laws are in town and that means a trip to Las Vegas. I'm not a gambler, but I'm betting on the fact that the Lions will be able to win this week's game against Kansas City at home. Although K.C. is having a down year, I would worry if the Lions had to be played their. A sigh of release for the confines of Ford Field.
Unfortunately, when a team doesn't have anything to play for who knows what will happen. And true to form, the Lions struggled mightily. Tony Gonzales ripped up the Lion defense and even though the starting Chief QB was knocked out the back-up came in and (you guessed it) had a career day.
From a sports book I looked on and clutched my seat as the Lions hung on for dear life as the Chiefs outgained them 407-236 and one offensive touchdown by T.J. Duckett and a special teams score to get a victory that was way overdue.
On the Road Again
L, Detroit Lions 14 - San Diego 51
We've be everywhere man (thanks Johnny Cash)! Oakland, San Francisco, Phoenix, Anaheim, Dallas and now San Diego. When the Lions change time zones, we try to get there. Some locations more than once, but this trip I was really looking forward to. Unfortunately, when I got the tickets the Lions were rolling. Last time the Lions were in San Diego, it was a Monday night with Barry and I couldn't afford tickets and couldn't get the time off (a mistake in retrospect). But now all is lost and today looks like another butt whipping.
San Diego has gotten it together and are on a moderate win streak and have last year's look so beware. The stadium looks cool from the outside but we can't seem to find a spot to park that is close. Game time approaching so we need to get what we can. LA Fitness will do and we began to huff it.
The fans were cordial and we (mainly Keith) flapped gums with a few die-hards but the talking ended quite quickly as the Chargers just gave it to LT and the touchdowns began to add up. The Lion defense couldn't do anything right (AGAIN) and before you knew it San Diego was on cruise control and resting starters. How insulting -- I wonder if the Lions get pissed at stuff like that in week 14?
Even the Charger back-up running back had a big day (Darren Sproles had 122 yards on 25 carries)! Looking at our road record when we're in attendance (1 - 8), I turned my attention to the 4 hour drive home -- UGH!
The Deal Breaker
L, Detroit Lions 27 - Dallas Cowboys 28
Just one win. One stinkin' win. The Lions can salvage what is turning into an incredibly splintered campaign that took us to the height of heights and to the depths of the low. One win and their back in control in the playoff hunt. Is that too much to ask?
Well, all deals will be off if we can't win this one today. I had been looking forward to this game all year (in addition to the Thanksgiving Day game) for a couple of reasons. One is that there are fans of all teams littered throughout my office and a colleague nearby is a big fan. Nothing against him but it is us or them today, sorry.
Expecting to win
My wife is a big Yankee fan and for the same reasons that I hope they lose each fall, I do the same for the Cowboys. My wife isn't enamored with the fact the pin-stripers have been to the playoffs 12 straight years playing in the fall classic maybe a half-dozen times she isn't happy unless they win it all. And with the Dallas team and their fans (even to a more flamboyant and obnoxious) their birthright is even more glaring. So victory is that much sweeter.
This game showcased the promise of tomorrow. Detroit moved the ball extremely well and took a lead into halftime (20-14) but a sense of unease lingered in the air. A late Dallas score with less than 2:00 minutes left swung the momentum. T.O. wasn't effective so you'd expect the Lions be further ahead but as the game unfolded the Cowboys hung around and the drama built.
To rob Peter (stopping T.O.) the Lions had to pay Paul (Jason Witten). Tony Romo hit the talented tight-end fifteen times (for 138 yards) throughout the day but his last reception, a touchdown with 2:15 to go in the game was one catch too many.
Scotty ain't got no brakes!
L, Detroit Lions 10 - Minnesota 42
Growing up we had a gentleman who was the neighborhood drunk, Scotty. Being cruel kids, we would have fun at his expense and he would angrily was us away. We even made up a theme song that he enjoyed as he entered our area. We'd sing, "Scotty ain't got no brakes (and hoot our horns)" to which he'd do a little dance for us. It was all love but this weeks game was a throwback as well.
Minnesota has been a comedy of horrors that I wish I could swat away with an arm or dance, but everyone on the planet knew what was coming this week. A good old fashioned butt whipping. The Vikings obliged too. I almost didn't watch because . I held out hope that a pre-game speech or a week of practice and an injured Adrian Peterson would mean we had a chance. Road rule: Lions defense makes sub-par performers look like All-Pros. This was true today as well as QB Tavares Jackson shredded the Lions, dominating time of possession (37:02 to 22:58) and almost double their offensive output.
The Vikings exploded in the second quarter scoring 28 points and I think it is officially time to press the panic button...
Unsettling stat of the week - Detroit has given up over 30 points in every loss on the road this season. Lack of preparation, inexperience or lack of leadership? Maybe if I apologize to Scotty for teasing him, that will change things...
A Familiar Script
L, Detroit 26 - Green Bay 37
Big game in the Motor City. Thanksgiving. National Audience. Two Playoff teams? This holiday is my favorite holiday because it doesn't mean crazy uncle Robert or aunt Suzette or traveling to the in-laws crosstown. For me it means my team for everyone to see. Most of the time, no one wants to see them and by this point of the season their season is OVER.
If you know me, you know there is one team each year, even more than my dislike of Minnesota, that I'd trade just about anything for. A win against Green Bay at home would be nice, but to break the long road streak and end the curse could get our fortunes going in the right direction. Before Ford Field, the Lions would torment Brett Farve, sacking him into loads of turnovers but since the move he has done very well in Detroit.
I didn't feel good when the Lions quickly scored twice and even moved all the way down to the one yard line on a drive. After outplaying the Packers in the first quarter one scored by the Pack erased all doubt and began gathering dark clouds over the season.
The defense looked anemic, unable to stop the pass or run and by half-time I turned off the set. Farve connected on 20 consecutive passes and set a record for 3-TD games. This season has changed dramatically and I began searching the schedule for our next win...
A Game You're Supposed to Win?
L, Detroit Lions 10 - New York Giants 16
As mentioned a while back, there is always a close game you win that you shouldn't and one the you should. This game falls into the later category. You'd figure after the bitter taste of last week's game would result, if this team is indeed a playoff team, they've GOT to win this one.
The Giants are a very good team but they are struggling a bit right now so my hopes were up. Unfortunately, you quickly see that the Lions are uptight and fall behind. This game is similar to the early Bears game where you expect the offense to come alive in time to snatch victory from a demoralizing defeat. No one told the G-men though. The sacked Kitna over and over and over and controlled the tempo of this sluggish game.
Afterwards, Jon Kitna expressed an arrogant opinion (from a team still trying to define itself) by saying "we are better than this team" in the locker room. It is my hope that Michael Strahan's retort is true (he said that this [Detroit] was the worst 6-2 team he had faced). We'll see.
A Must Win?
L, Detroit Lions 21 - Arizona Cardinals 31
I'm vacationing this week in Catalina Island and I'm jonesing for football. To get to the island you must take an hour long ferry from Long Beach out into the Pacific Ocean. The ship has televisions but the closed circuit was showing the Green Bay and Minnesota game instead of the real one.
Detroit is in the desert this weekend and although they are sporting a great record going into the second half of the season, this is a big game in my opinion. They could send a message to the rest of the league and be only three wins away from Jon Kitna's 'prediction'.
Unfortunately, the defense (and offense) didn't get the message and AGAIN were asleep at the wheel. When on the road, this era's team usually make third stringers and back-up QBs look like all-pros and this game was no different. Kurt Warner looked like a Ram again and by the time I saw a score, the game was over already. UGH.
Best Game in Years
W, Detroit Lions 44 - Denver Broncos 7
What in the world is going on?!?!! There is a playoff team masquerading as the Detroit Lions!! Call the cops -- there may be some guys in the studio recording corny theme songs! This team is the surprise thus far of the NFL season and today's game was scintilatting!
From the opening kick-off , the Broncos looked like a deer in the headlights. The Broncos have struggled lately and the Lions roared in the second quarter and the only drama was whether the Broncs would avert a shut-off in the fourth quarter. Jay Cutler was knocked out early and the Detroit scored three touchdowns on offense and two on defense, a good day at the office I must say.
The Formula for Success
W, Detroit Lions 16 - Chicago Bears 7
Is the defense coming around? Will the team lay another egg on the road? Will the miraculous first half run continue. Another cool thing about being a fan is when your team is the talk of sports talk radio. Usually the Lions are chatted up in the pre-season (like the Arizona Cardinals as teams to watch that never seem to pan out) and the talk ceases three weeks into the season. Nice to hear Lions talk on national shows on my morning drive, I must admit.
After for interceptions and a road win almost at the midway point of the first half (is that the best in start in team history?), I started daydreaming of the possibilities or Detroit's formula for success...
I've mashed up a number of things I've seen or hear that would mean playoffs for this team:
- Win each month (Dennis Green) - Sept. 3-1, Oct. 3-1;
- Win the majority of your intra-division play, winning one or ideally two season series - won the Chicago series and have one win against Minnesota (3-0);
- Win or split your out of conference match-ups
(1-0 vs AFC West); and - Win or split your inter-conference match-ups
(1-2 vs NFC non-conference Phil, Wash and Tampa)
A Game You're Supposed to Lose?
W, Detroit Lions 23 - Tampa Bay Bucaneers 17
Every year it is the same - there is at least one game through the course of each season that your team should lose and doesn't, one it should win but won't and the mark of the upper echelon teams is that they win either scenario. Today's game was one that the current team would find a way to lose.
Jeff Garcia returned to Detroit after getting the Marinelli and Millen silent treatment (just ask Tatum Bell) and shown the door even though he was injured. He played as though he had a chip on his shoulder and the stats reflected it. Garcia led a well balanced Tampa attack (reserve back Earnest Graham gained 191 all-purpose yards (92 rush, 99 receiving) with over three hundred yards passing and the game was for all intents and purposes, dominated by the swashbucklers.
Detroit was again opportunistic and that was the difference in this one, holding the Bucs late rally enough to secure their FIFTH win of the season. Is it time to get excited yet?
My highlight of the game was the end around by Calvin Johnson for a 32-yard touchdown run. Man is he big quick and strong!
Rewriting History
0 for forever. I been a fan a long time and talk around the water cooler was about my hopes being guarded until the Lions win on the road and begin changing history. Early season talk on the sports tv networks was nice but a win in Washington would mean a lot.
After the first quarter the pain all rushed back and I remembered the last two games in DC as if they happened was yesterday...
It was week 8 in the 1995 season and we landed at the National Sports Grill & Bar in Torrance, California with a good friend I ride the bus to work with. Carlton was a native of DC and we decide to drive over (my brother among others) to take in some football in the days before the Sunday Ticket.
As usual, the place was packed with Dolphin and Cowboys fans repping their colors and we were lucky that we copped a spot before our television channel was commandeered. The game was going great and the touchdown dance was in full effect. Carlton was quiet and all was right with the world. Barry Sanders was doing ok and we had a slim lead going into the final moments.
I'll never forget how my jubilation turned to stunned silence as the Redskins scored late to rip victory from my hands.
Do you think the coaches talk about things like this? I imagine the pregame talk with Coach Marinelli smashing a clipboard into the chalkboard and swearing up a storm about how this proud franchise has NEVER won a game against the Redskins in their stadium.
A Fourth Quarter to Remember
W, Detroit Lions 37, Chicago Bears 27
The best thing about being a sports fan is the memorable moments that add up during the season - a great catch here, an interception to the house (in this game) or a missed field goal (Eddie Murray against San Francisco for the right to play in the Championship Game back in the day).
Explosion
After three quarters of a struggle against the NFC Champs, scoring only 3 points, the Lions EXPLODED in the fourth quarter with an NFL record 34 - one for the ages. Up until that point, the offense was stymied with sacks (seemingly 2007's biggest worry) and an inability to move the ball on the ground seemed to put this game in jeapardy. Fortunately, the defense showed up big taking a Brian Griese pass to the house and a dormant offense began dropping long passes on the Bears secondary like a military strike.
The outburst seemed 'Greatest Show on Turf' days - the tempo picked up and the Bears secondary and defense looked anything like the team that rolled to the Super Bowl just eight months earlier. Speedy Shaun McDonald caught one and the game turned on the dropped of a dime and tomorrow again looks bright.
Surprise Fools!!!
L, Detroit Lions 21, Philadelphia Eagles 52
NWA, the groundbreaking and controversial rap group had a sound sample of an ambush at the end of '100 miles and Running' that seemed to be on loop in my head right from the kick-off in this one. I traveled down to my brother Keith's house in Carson, CA to see if this 2-0 start was something to get excited about.
After three possessions, I wanted to get in the car drive to the corner, pull over and vomit. Maybe it was the alien costumes the Eagles were sporting, poor coaching or the team being less talented or too full of themselves. Whatever the reason, this was the old Lions all over again! Maybe we'll make some improvement, but just not a Super Bowl type leap.
Flat as a pancake
Maybe the Lions got dressed in a freezer - they were unable to stop anything the Eagles tried and has been their pattern on the road - were looking at a double digit deficit by the mid-point of the first quarter. Detroit's offense was highlighted by continued great play from their receivers (Calvin Johnson was injured on a spectacular catch along the sidelines). Shaun McDonald, a new addition with Mike Martz ties, had another great game as well.
Key stat for another sorry defensive effort -- Philadelphia had 15 possessions and scored 8 touchdowns (not field goals mind you). That won't get it done D...Where is MC Ren when you need him?
A History of Defeat
W, Detroit Lions 20, Minnesota Vikings 17 (OT)
One depressing thing about being with the boys in baby blue is history. Numbers don't lie someone once said. You are how they think you are when it comes to rivals and series history. Growing up in Highland Park, Michigan I once played on our middle school hoops team. There were only two such schools in the city and the other school was the home of what I'd later find out were ALL of the star high school basketball players. The feeling I (and the opposite for them) had going into the game knowing that the game would just provide layup practice for the team from Ferris must be the same for Central Division teams when we're on the schedule. I wonder if things like this are thought of? The only way to avoid repeating history is to be aware of it.
Black and blue
Detroit has been around as an NFL team for years (as the Lions since 1934) and a member of the "Norris Division (thanks Chris Berman)" most of those years. Seeing the series numbers between teams is sad, seeing that Minnesota has beaten us 10 straight times (longest current streak vs division rival) and historically we're 30-61-2 so more often than not we've been on the wrong side of the law.
This game was uneventful and eventful at the same time. The offenses struggled; Detroit because Jon Kitna got blasted and was woozy till a seemingly risky entrance back into the game late; and Minnesota's young QB looked like a second year player turning the ball over four times. So surprisingly (or maybe not), Minnesota took the game into overtime and threatened to keep history moving in the wrong direction.
Detroit prevailed though as Jason Hanson nailed a 31 yarder to pull victory from the jaws of defeat.
Breaking the Mold?
W, Detroit Lions 36, Oakland 21
Opening Day - that one time each year when EVERY fan can believe. Everyone is even (0-0) and dreams of playing in the Super Bowl and going from worst to first burns brightly in a true fan's heart. Today is such a day for myself.
I am a die-hard Detroit Lions fan and this spot is where I come to express myself. Everyone needs an outlet right? So this is mine and you're welcome to join me. Are you the type of person that likes a certain musician that none of your friends or co-workers dig? This blog is that sort of place.
If your sports history has a bit more definition and depth than saying that you can only be great if you win a championship - stop by some some Honolulu Blue and Silver love. My brother Keith and I (and now his son Jr and wife Christina) are Lion fans number one and two in the dictionary (look it up and you'll see our pictures next to 'Lion Fan') travel to left coast to every game we can find. I report back here and hope there are more of you out there.
Kicking off 2007 The first game of the season is special, but this one was a bit more so. The preseason news was quarterback Jon Kitna's 'guarantee' so I looked on intently as the Lions got it going, I had hope. Although we decided not to attend this game (we've traveled to the Coliseum in the past), we were there in spirit.
This was the first true test. As you read these entries you see sport cliches and isms dropped in (but without this disclaimer). My first is that this team needs to win on the road. The poor teams of the past decade couldn't beat my mom's knitting team at her house so a weak Oakland team (amazing that they were in the Super five short years ago) was winnable.
Spoiling the Party?
They didn't disappoint either. After dodging a bullet after an end zone interception and a missed Oakland field goal, Detroit took a 10 point halftime lead and tack an additional seven on in the third quarter. I had friends over for a kick-off/birthday jam and things got a bit tense in the third quarter when the Raiders erased this deficit and took a 21-20 lead halfway through the fourth. Was this the old Lions or will this team break the mold?
Jon Kitna (27-36 for 289 yards passing) and the Lions answered emphatically with two touchdowns wrapped around a field goal and a couple of forced turnovers to seal the victory. AWESOME!