Detroit Lions @ Oakland Raiders

[Skulley]

Detroit +1 over Oakland is what the line is saying just a few hours before an all important game for both teams.  Oakland needs this win today at home as much as this is a must win for the Lions on the road.  Both teams have a lot at stake.  The Lions are riddled with injuries as well as controversy.  Can the Lions do it on the road in the unfriendly confines of the Alameda County Coliseum or are the Raiders going to be as physical and get the job done??  Both teams are known for their physical play.  It's what its going to take to get the job done today.  Ndamukong Suh fresh off a two game suspension will certainly be tested today.  The Raiders will do what they can to get under his skin.  Suh will have to show veteran restraint after the whistle as this young 2nd year player will have to rise to the occasion with maturity.   

Both teams need to win.  This will be a battle.  The Lions right now can be at least 8 and 8 for the season but will have to lose all the rest of their games.  I hope they do better than 8 and 8 but the bottom line is making the playoffs.  They can't look past the Raiders right now because the Raiders need to win today too so that their chances for a wild card can be realized.  This will be the most important game of the year for both teams and a crossroads to the play-offs.......or not.   


BD                           

[dartag]

At least they are close after the first half.

[Durand Dan]

AND ANOTHER WIN!!

[Waterfoul]

Winning that game in the last 2 minutes shows how much drive and fortitude the Lions have.  Take away the mental lapses they had in the games they lost and it would be much different.  They played an "ok" game today but didn't commit the DUMB penalties they are no famous for.  Some of the penalties called on them today seemed to mabye be due to their "reputation" for committing dumb penalties and if it were any other team might not have been called at all.

[djkimmel]

I didn't see the game but I got a text as soon as the record field goal attempt was blocked from cameraguy saying "LIONS WIN!"

[t-bone]

It really was a big win on the road against a team hungry for a playoff spot. The Lions put some distance between them and the rest of the wildcard hopefuls today. The third quarter was a bit odd today when both teams seemed to decide to focus on the running game and slow the game down. They have the Chargers at home and the Packers on the road. Both games are winnable. The Packers maybe looking to rest and get healthy for the payoffs now that they aren't going for a unbeaten season. They took a pounding yesterday and I bet that scared their coaching staff a bit for the playoff run. The Chargers are hot right now but they haven't done great on the road and they've lost to some so-so teams like Miami and Chicago.
Go Lions!

[blakstr1]

cardiac cats......

although i have been disgusted at times this season, can honestly say i have never lost hope.  Now they are on the cusp of the palyoffs and a double digit win season -- the franchise is turning around, although sometimes i admit it has seemed like an extremely WIDE turn!  GO LIONS!

[LAPORTE]

that 10 and 6 is starting to look better and better

[Skulley]

A win is a win no matter how pretty or ugly it is or for that matter how lucky it is.  They are better than my 8 and 8 prediction.  If they make the playoffs which looks pretty good right now.........I may be eating the best crow ever............can I get a little mustard on my crow please???



BD                    

[djkimmel]

Try cheese! Cheese makes everything easier to swallow...!!

You do sound happier - you said a win is a win. That's the spirit!

[Mojo]

May have been the greatest lions drive in the last 50 years folks ... 98 of em with no time outs. !!!!!!!!!  I have rewinded this last 5 mins a dozen times now - we have a pro football team in Michigan!!

Look we know they aren't built to go deep into the playoffs - no matter. They are competitive.  If they can buy 2 secondary agents like an Asonte Samualson or a CRomarte. And draft some O line these guys are going to be scary for years.  Good job Schwartz !!!

[Skulley]

You do sound happier - you said a win is a win. That's the spirit!

Let's not get carried away DK. A win is a win........but it's not a "good" win. By a "good" win, I mean that the Lions did not dominate through the majority of the game. They still commited stupid penalties. They were lucky to get out of Oakland with the "W". They play the same way against San Diego this coming week, they will get beat. San Diego has really come on in December and they have a shot at a playoff spot too. So the Lions are in for a tough game Saturday and they need a win. A win this week will be bigger than the one in Oakland.


BD.                       

[djkimmel]

C'mon... don't back peddle on me. Later on, all people see is another notch in the W column!!

[Skulley]

C'mon... don't back peddle on me. Later on, all people see is another notch in the W column!!

Looking at how they got to the result is not back peddling.  It's being non-committal.  That game could have easily gone in favor of Oakland.  Oakland was knocking at the door in the end.  If Suh had not gotten his hand on the ball for the field goal in the final seconds, that could have been a 65 yard field goal and history repeating itself.  Ever since Dempsey beat Detroit with a 63 yard field goal, I always wondered if history was going to repeat itself......and it almost did.  I was actually rooting for Oakland to make that field goal.  My son got mad at me.  I am happy history didn't repeat itself................however you can not look past the San Diego Chargers right now.  They are a December team and they are playing real good.  Let's hope they don't march into Ford Field Saturday and open a can of whoop butt on the Lions.  As I said at the beginning of the season, the Lions can have a winning record, but it's nothing unless they make the playoffs.  They don't even have to make it past the first round, they just have to get there and then I will start taking them seriously.  Until that happens.............they are the same ole sad sacks that they have been since they last made the playoffs so many years ago.  I think last time they made the playoffs, I didn't have any grey hair.  That was an awfully long time ago.  I got to hand it to the young whipper snappers on this forum for the faith they have in them.  Of course, a lot of them are quite a bit younger than I am and haven't suffered through losing season after losing season that I have.  That is why I am a bit hesitant to jump on the Lions band wagon just yet.

I will be at the game Saturday.  Hopefully I won't jinx the Lions.  I have been to 3 home games this year and I am 2 and 1.  I would like to be 3 and 1 after Saturday.  Even 2 and 2 would be better than what I have been over the past few years............that's for sure.


BD                      

[Mojo]

May I add they have gotten to this point playing 9 of their last 11 opponents who have non losing records. In the parity NFL that's pretty good. Bought my first Lions tickets to support their product. Sooooooo who is going to admit they predicted 7-9 ? Does anyone think they will fair well in the playoffs ? They will face 2 if not 3 teams they have already seen,,,,, and lost to  . Thoughts?

[djkimmel]

I say they win them all. How's that for not being noncommittal?!?

[t-bone]

I've been committed to 10-6 since we started voting.
I'd like to stop with the woulda coulda shoulda stuff. Who cares when they win, if they coulda lost. They have plenty of issues to clean-up but so does Green Bay and New Orleans. But winning does ease those concerns because they are compensating for those issues to get the W. It could be worse, we could be colts fans.

I'm one of those "younger" whipper snappers who see a lot of progress this year and a lot to build on for next year - even if they fall flat and don't make the playoffs.

[djkimmel]

Yup! We can't change the past but maybe we can influence the future. That's what's cool about the future - it can be what you make it!

A W is a W looking back! There is no 'good' win, 'bad' win column! TGWACF! (Thank God we aren't colts fans!)

[Mojo]

Ok. Ok. So I'm taking family and friends to the game. Where is the best place to do family stuff plus throw a ball around?

[Skulley]

I've been committed to 10-6 since we started voting.
I'd like to stop with the woulda coulda shoulda stuff. Who cares when they win, if they coulda lost. They have plenty of issues to clean-up but so does Green Bay and New Orleans. But winning does ease those concerns because they are compensating for those issues to get the W. It could be worse, we could be colts fans.

I'm one of those "younger" whipper snappers who see a lot of progress this year and a lot to build on for next year - even if they fall flat and don't make the playoffs.

And they may just be 10 and 6 when this is all over t.  Green Bay and New Orleans don't have the issues that the Lions have had because of consistency.  Okay so the Pack lost to the Chiefs.  It was bound to happen when you are undefeated and then think the next game is a cake walk.  If the Pack had treated the game against KC more seriously and not been flat footed, they probably would have won.  New Orleans gets wins when they absolutely have to have one.  Teams like that get it done when it has to be.  Teams like the Lions are just figuring it out.  It's all about consistency.  Sorry I can't get off the shoulda woulda coulda stuff T.  As an "old timer", I will tell you that I am that way because I have seen the Lions start out real good and come up with a winning record and then do a complete 180 degree turn right back to the toilet.  So please, understand how skeptical us "old timers" are about this team.   Surprisingly, I am still a season ticket holder the way I talk.   

As for Colts fans, they expect winners unlike our fans who have over the years said "oh well, same ole Lions".

Yup! We can't change the past but maybe we can influence the future. That's what's cool about the future - it can be what you make it!

A W is a W looking back! There is no 'good' win, 'bad' win column! TGWACF! (Thank God we aren't colts fans!)

The past can not be changed, however the future can be influenced because of the fan base at Ford Field.  The fans have not given up on them.  I may talk negatively, however, I still have my tickets, and I have really not given up on them.  If I had, I would have been selling all the tickets this year at a profit taking advantage of the fans that have not been through what this fan has over the last 35 years.  35 years fellas...........that's a heckuva long time.  Please bare with me, a winning season for the Lions may be a little hard on my blood pressure.  If they gradually got there and not so quickly as they have, I wouldn't have to take all the blood pressure meds.

Now when you talk to the football experts, aka the media that writes about them and talks about them on the radio, there is a difference between a "good" win and a "bad" win.  One thing you can say about the Oakland game is that this time the Lions came away with the win.  The old Lions would have blown it.  Even though I expected the Lions to go down in the last seconds, they showed some moxey and won.  Imagine that.      However in order for the Lions to be taken seriously, they need to win games like that more than once or twice.  Colts fans are having a tough time being winners all the time in the past years.  Now they are losing and the fans are not happy.  So Colts fans, how does it feel because Lions fans have been put through the mill for 35 years with only inklings of a winning team.

Ok. Ok. So I'm taking family and friends to the game. Where is the best place to do family stuff plus throw a ball around?

The Eastern Market area is a good place to do family stuff.  Some of the stores are open in the area like Rocky's Peanut Company.  You can buy your peanuts there.  They are fresh roasted and cheaper and sold in small paper bags just like the old days outside of Tiger Stadium back in the day.  Much better than the cellophane bags you buy from the vendor in the stadium.  A lot of you never saw the Lions play at Tiger Stadium.  I got to see Dick Butkis play there as well as Gale Sayers, Altie Taylor, Steve Owens, Mel Farr, Mike Lucci, and the list goes on.  Let's not forget Charlie Sanders and Lem Barney.  Bart Starr, Paul Hornug.........should I stop now.  I am dating myself big time here.  Then there was the Silverdome years.  Some of those players played there too but specifically I saw O.J. play against the Lions at the Dome on one Thanksgiving Day when he rushed for over 200 yards and the Lions still won.  But back then, the Bills were very Lion like.  So you see fellas, I have endured a lot as a fan.  I went off on a tangent there again trying to help Mojo find some family stuff to do.  The Eastern Market is where all the tailgating is.  A lot of families hang there as well as the "hard core" Lions fans.  That's where I'll be starting on Saturday.

One more thing...........

May I add they have gotten to this point playing 9 of their last 11 opponents who have non losing records. In the parity NFL that's pretty good. Bought my first Lions tickets to support their product. Sooooooo who is going to admit they predicted 7-9 ? Does anyone think they will fair well in the playoffs ? They will face 2 if not 3 teams they have already seen,,,,, and lost to  . Thoughts?

I said 8 and 8 at the beginning of the season.  I would still stick with that except they have now exceeded my expectations.      I am surprised, but above all, I am happy.  I will be even happier if they can do even better next year and in the years to come.  It's hard to say who they will face if they make the playoffs.  Whoever that is, they can't worry about the games in the regular season.  The new season starts in January and you can't lose there or you're OUT!!  Only one chance.

So if you're at the game Saturday, I'll be the fan shouting loudest for the Lions success eating a crow sandwich with cheese and mustard.

It's going to be the best game on the Saturday schedule again this week.   

                                                                                   GO LIONS!!!


BD