Lions Are in the Playoffs!

[Egret]

Excuse me while I channel Menudo:

 

 

From the shadow of Barry Sanders,

A new team has emerged.

Welcome your new commanders,

The Lions whose curse has been purged.

 

Raise up your Lions flag,

Take off your bag of shame.

Papa's got a brand new bag,

The Lions are worthy of acclaim.

 

A new breed of players has swept in

From Stafford to Calvin and even Pettigrew

The Lions have learned to win

In the silver and blue.

 

 

[Furd]

Another year.

 

Another playoff berth.

[Bier Meister]

[Bronco Billy]

Congrats!

[Phat Rugby]

Unless they play San Fran, I think a road trip is in order. Already took the time off, now just waiting to see where we are heading.

[Seahawk]

Congrats Lions fans well deserved.

[boltnlava]

Congrats on your victory.

[Menudo]

[BeeR]

Props to em. Maybe they should lure Barry Sanders out of retirement now.

[giantsfan]

Here is the question. Do the Lions go all out for the W at GB Sunday? I would 100%.

 

Win and they play at the Giants/Cowboys. VERY winnable game.

 

Loss and they play at NO. No shot game.

 

If Rodgers and the GB starters play more than 1 Q I'd be SHOCKED. Very winnable game.

 

And don't give me if Atlanta gets the L Sunday the Lions get 5 anyway. They are NOT losing at home to TB. They could play their C team and beat TB.

 

And don't give me if SF gets the L at the Rams then NO is the 2 seed. SF is not losing at the Rams with no Bradford and a bye on the line.

 

So to me pretty simple. Win at GB, who will be playing their backups most of the game, and you get the Giants/Cowboys (Det favored to win that game IMO). Lose at GB and you get NO (maybe a 10% chance at best to win that game).

 

Do they play all out Sunday? I would...

[stevegrab]

Congratulations.

 

It gives this fan of his hapless team hope that maybe we too one day can rebuild from the ashes. Maybe we need a Millenesque period of front office management before we can do that (not that the group of buffoons so far have been that much better). I think a real coach would probably help too.

 

GO LIONS!!

[whomper]

Good for them A full year with Stafford paid off.

[giantsfan]

I'll add one other comment.

 

You add:

 

Another OL. Healthy RB's (Leshoure really). Another DB and this team could be really good and a legit contender next season.

 

With Staff, Calvin, Young, and Pettigrew on O. And that great DL on D, they are right there with a few medium pieces added that I called out above.

[Slugs3511]

Congratulations to all Lions fans.....I am STOMPING my feet in joy for you and yours....and PATTING you on your back.....

I cannot wait til you guys get embarrassed in the playoffs week 1 or 2 and your coach allows an all out brawl to ensue.....

[Chief]

Congratulations to all Lions fans.....I am STOMPING my feet in joy for you and yours....and PATTING you on your back.....

I cannot wait til you guys get embarrassed in the playoffs week 1 or 2 and your coach allows an all out brawl to ensue.....

 

 

Well, it's not like anyone has to worry about the Bills...

[delusions of grandeur]

Lose at GB and you get NO (maybe a 10% chance at best to win that game).

Geez, you sound like Falcon fans after last night being so reactionary.... The Falcons were an overtime conversion away from beating the Saints the first go round, and the Lions could have too if they'd brought their A game and gotten a few breaks. Drew Brees is still prone to mistakes if you make him, just like anyone else... I have a deep respect for both GB and NO, but 10%? If the Packers can lose to the Chiefs, then any team can beat any team on any given week....

 

That's why I'm not fretting too much over last night's game. The Saints may now have to beat the Falcons for a 3rd time, and I don't care how good you are, that is an extremely tough task.... Hell, the Falcons had more yards than the Saints and won the turnover battle last night. They just couldn't capitalize, along with the D playing extremely bad (unlike they had been the last few games).

 

Especially the way the Lions are playing ball right now, they've proved that they can hang with anyone when they're hot like they have been.

 

(ETA: Congrats Lions fans, BTW... We Falcon fans know what it's like to have your dreams crushed, but a few great players can quickly change your luck, as you see now. I'll be rooting for ya if the Falcons don't make it deep into the playoffs.)

Edited December 27, 2011 by delusions of granduer

[giantsfan]

Geez, you sound like Falcon fans after last night being so reactionary.... The Falcons were an overtime conversion away from beating the Saints the first go round, and the Lions could have too if they'd brought their A game and gotten a few breaks. Drew Brees is still prone to mistakes if you make him, just like anyone else... I have a deep respect for both GB and NO, but 10%? If the Packers can lose to the Chiefs, then any team can beat any team on any given week....

In that building the Saints are very difficult to beat. How did the Falcons do last night? Or the Giants when they went in there? Or the Lions when they went in there.

 

Don't give me the Falcons were an OT conversion away from a W. Aside from that not being the case for sure (if they convert they win for sure?), that was in Atlanta. How did they look last night? If you told me the Lions could host the Saints I would feel differently.

 

Bottom line is at the Giants or Cowboys is a toss-up game. At the Saints is a 85-90% L IMO.

 

As a Falcons fan are you seriously telling me you aren't rooting for the Lions to lose at GB so you get the 5 seed instead of the 6 seed and another game at NO (again I give the Falcons a pretty sure W this week against TB)? I have a strong feeling you will be a big Packer fan this weekend. I can say if I was a Falcons fan I would be for sure.

[delusions of grandeur]

In that building the Saints are very difficult to beat. How did the Falcons do last night? Or the Giants when they went in there? Or the Lions when they went in there.

 

Don't give me the Falcons were an OT conversion away from a W. Aside from that not being the case for sure (if they convert they win for sure?), that was in Atlanta. How did they look last night? If you told me the Lions could host the Saints I would feel differently.

 

Bottom line is at the Giants or Cowboys is a toss-up game. At the Saints is a 85-90% L IMO.

 

As a Falcons fan are you seriously telling me you aren't rooting for the Lions to lose at GB so you get the 5 seed instead of the 6 seed and another game at NO (again I give the Falcons a pretty sure W this week against TB)? I have a strong feeling you will be a big Packer fan this weekend. I can say if I was a Falcons fan I would be for sure.

No, as a Falcons fan, I would obviously prefer a percievably easier matchup. I'm just disputing your assertion that the Saints are somehow unbeatable... Again, the Falcons had more yards last night and won the turnover battle. It was just the difference that Brees was playing out of his mind making the Falcons D look even worse than they played, and connecting on the TDs the Falcons weren't, but they're not invincible. Heavy favorites, yes, but any given Sunday in the NFL... The Lions are also capable of better pressure up front, which was part of Brees having a very high 3:2 TD/INT ratio last year.

 

I will give credit where it's due that they'll be very hard to beat when Brees plays like that, but I guess we'll have to disagree about the chances of a playoff-caliber team to beat them there.

Edited December 27, 2011 by delusions of granduer

[Puddy]

[MTSuper7]

If the Lions win at Green Bay, and by all means it could happen, I like their chances of winning on the road at either Dallas or New York. These NFC East teams just look so beatable.

[giantsfan]

No, as a Falcons fan, I would obviously prefer a percievably easier matchup. I'm just disputing your assertion that the Saints are somehow unbeatable... Again, the Falcons had more yards last night and won the turnover battle. It was just the difference that Brees was playing out of his mind making the Falcons D look even worse than they played, and connecting on the TDs the Falcons weren't, but they're not invincible. Heavy favorites, yes, but any given Sunday in the NFL... The Lions are also capable of better pressure up front, which was part of Brees having a very high 3:2 TD/INT ratio last year.

 

I will give credit where it's due that they'll be very hard to beat when Brees plays like that, but I guess we'll have to disagree about the chances of a playoff-caliber team to beat them there.

You mean like the 4 playoff teams they already beat in there (Giants a maybe playoff team). I guess their 7-0 record AND beating the Falcons/Giants/Lions/Houston (all playoff teams maybe), pretty easily for the most part, in that dome doesn't speak for itself.

 

OF COURSE nothing is 100% guaranteed, but like I said I would say 85/90% the Saints win that first game at home in their crazy dome. AND the main point still stands...MUCH MUCH MUCH better road to open at NYG/Dall then have to play NO in their building. That is the point here mainly. If I was Detroit I would be playing to win this week for sure to face NYG/Dall instead of NO.

Edited December 27, 2011 by giantsfan

[delusions of grandeur]

You mean like the 4 playoff teams they already beat in there (Giants a maybe playoff team). I guess their 7-0 record AND beating the Falcons/Giants/Lions/Houston (all playoff teams maybe), pretty easily for the most part, in that dome doesn't speak for itself.

 

OF COURSE nothing is 100% guaranteed, but like I said I would say 85/90% the Saints win that first game at home in their crazy dome. AND the main point still stands...MUCH MUCH MUCH better road to open at NYG/Dall then have to play NO in their building. That is the point here mainly. If I was Detroit I would be playing to win this week for sure to face NYG/Dall instead of NO.

The Falcons, Browns, and Bucs beat them in the Superdome last year.... But more to the point, this isn't the regular season. It's the playoffs, and as we've seen, homefield advantage is just as often a non-factor in who makes the big game. More important for the Saints is that they can continue this momentum to beat the Lions or Falcons for a 3rd time.

 

And as for the Lions playing to win, of course, but that doesn't mean they don't try their hardest for it anyway in a divisional rivalry game, also wanting to keep momentum going into the playoffs. I think they'd do just the same if it meant that they'd play the Saints.

[Chargerz]

Congratulations to all Lions fans. You guys suffered for many years. It's about time you had a good season!!!

[giantsfan]

The Falcons, Browns, and Bucs beat them in the Superdome last year.... But more to the point, this isn't the regular season. It's the playoffs, and as we've seen, homefield advantage is just as often a non-factor in who makes the big game. More important for the Saints is that they can continue this momentum to beat the Lions or Falcons for a 3rd time.

 

And as for the Lions playing to win, of course, but that doesn't mean they don't try their hardest for it anyway in a divisional rivalry game, also wanting to keep momentum going into the playoffs. I think they'd do just the same if it meant that they'd play the Saints.

Aside from the fact that I couldn't care less about last year when the Saints were clearly not as good as they are this year (BTW...how did they look in that dome 2 years ago on the SB run?), I think you are missing the point.

 

The point isn't oh the Saints are unbeatable in their dome (although they have been this year and have beaten 4 playoff teams there as well), the point is that is a 50 times harder game for Detroit or Atlanta than playing at the Giants or Cowboys is.

 

My point is if I were the Detroit coach I would 100% play to win Sunday and avoid playing at NO. Obviously you agree since you said the same from a Falcons POV.

 

Where we disagree is I think NO would be VERY difficult to beat in their dome. You seem to think it would be a tossup game despite their 7-0 record and their whipping of my team and your team in there. The %'s are whatever. I say the road team has maybe a 10-15% chance to win in there. Meanwhile it is pretty much a tossup, and maybe even Det/Atl favored at the Giants or Boys. Guess you seem to think it would be only a small edge to play NYG/Dall instead of NO. I think it is a HUGE edge and something worth playing for on Sunday for Detroit.

 

I hope Detroit wins so Atlanta goes there again, and if they get whipped in there again I wonder what you will say then.

 

We'll agree to disagree I guess.

Edited December 27, 2011 by giantsfan

[delusions of grandeur]

I hope Detroit wins so Atlanta goes there again, and if they get whipped in there again I wonder what you will say then.

I'll say "that sucked".

 

I didn't say it was an easy place to play... So please don't put words in mouth, like that I said it was as easy as an NFC East team to play. All I was saying is I don't think they're as unbeatable there as you do (10% is pretty extreme for a playoff game). But yes, please let's agree to disagree and drop it, before you make any more unfounded suppositions about things I haven't even commented on, and devolve this into a pissing contest no one wants to read.

 

But I'll let you get the last word if that helps end this stupid semantical argument.