ESPN: Lions among NFL's 2011 playoff teams to miss this year

Detroitlions703 · Joined: 22 Dec 2008 Posts: 9594 Location: Michigan

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2012/07/espn_analysts_detroit_lions_am.html#incart_mrt

LionsFan630 · Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 11149

I don't trust the Bears either but I wouldn't be shocked if we missed the playoffs.

No concerns with the offense really. As long as Stafford and CJ stay healthy we should be solid there. LeShoure and Best hopefully being 100% should provide a boost as well as Young's improvement and the addition of Broyles if he plays.

Defense I still have question marks particularly the secondary though we weren't great at stopping the run either at times. Our D-line generating pressure and cutting down on penalties would go a long way to helping the secondary.
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Go_LiOnS · Joined: 07 Mar 2009 Posts: 2229

well our D was somewhat exposed last year and we did very little of change on that side of the ball. plus i dont see the start we had last year and i personally see a tougher schedule. if we can get another 10 wins ill be happy...plus when you look at the lions all you see is injuries in already weak areas. we have the talent to make the playoffs no doubt but other teams got better also and the bears being one of them. i think we will really see what this team is made of this year. but im still not expecting a SB yet either...they need to get this D up to par before the word SB even comes out my mouth. and im leaning on the fence weather we will even make the playoffs..D is the key imo. im hoping another year with the same players and exp on D helps tighten things up. but our depth in our secondary is just bad and im assuming someone will get hurt back ther..
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LionsFTW · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:33 pm Post subject:

I don't get it! Bears are not that good. Yeah, they added Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffrey, but their OL still sucks, Forte has still yet to sign and is unhappy with the organization and their defense is running out of steam! Tillman is 31, Briggs is 31, Peppers is 32, Urlacher is 34.

No. I don't see it. Every year, their defense will be weaker than the one prior whereas the Lions will continue to progress due to our best players being youth and the organizations tendency to add talent to our strengths.
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LionsFTW · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:40 pm Post subject:

Go_LiOnS · Joined: 07 Mar 2009 Posts: 2229

LionsFTW · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:58 pm Post subject:

Go_LiOnS · Joined: 07 Mar 2009 Posts: 2229

TL-TwoWinsAway · Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 24074

If you aren't winning your division, you can always miss the playoffs. I don't see us topping GB, and there's always a chance that you finish on the outside of the wild card race.
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Nathanakin · Joined: 24 Dec 2010 Posts: 235

ESPN is nothing more than E! with sports players. They like to call themselves analysts but they really aren't. They are just a bunch of starstruck biased faces that talk. Seriously no real analysis at all.

People fail to see that we have upgraded the secondary. We've added veteran depth for safeties with Coleman and Jones. Are real problem toward the end last season was lack of depth and health. We have starpower on the Defensive line, but Nick Fairley hardly played.

Injuries had such a huge impact on the Lions deficiencies, any real analyst would mention that.

Our defensive will give up yards, but in a passing league all of those numbers are going to be inflated.

Louis Friend · Joined: 07 Apr 2010 Posts: 7135

It's always a possibility that any team can miss the playoffs. All it takes are a few injuries to key players.

The only issue I ever have with this debate is when people try to make the claim that the Bears were better last year "when both teams were healthy". Without realizing that Stafford was injured while the Bears made their mini-run.

Could the Lions miss the playoffs? Yes they could. Could the Bears make the playoffs? Absolutely. But come up with reasons that actually are based in truths.

skatebeanz · Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:40 pm Post subject:

RyanFuller003 · Joined: 07 Jan 2007 Posts: 19881

Not surprising. The Bears were ahead of us in the playoff race before Cutler and Forté both got injured and they appear to be a deeper all-around team this time around, especially because they added some huge pieces in Michael Bush and Brandon Marshall. Meanwhile, the Lions have an extremely tenuous defense and there are legitimate questions about whether they can control their tempers on the field or their bad habits off the field.

I do think we're the third best team in the NFC North, but the NFC North is the best division in football and it would be no surprise to me if they sent three teams to the playoffs. The only other wildcard situation that scares me at all is the NFC South, but the Saints are undergoing some turmoil as it is.
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Nnivolcm · Joined: 07 Aug 2008 Posts: 5269 Location: Montana

Stafford2Calvin · Joined: 13 Feb 2011 Posts: 137

doesn't surprise me that people think we'll miss out on the playoffs this year. We didn't make any big time acquisitions so it doesn't look like we're any better, but I think we have roster upgrades coming from within.

I think we have a ton of talent on defense, that just hasn't been ready to shine. Delmas needs to stay healthy, and Spievey needs to continue to get better. Neither one of those things is an unreasonable expectation, and if they happen, the secondary will be better. Chris Houston is chris houston, I think he's pretty much hit his ceiling, but Berry could easily do what Eric Wright did for us last year, he could even be better. Alphonso smith has a chance to bounce back and provide some depth, and we have some athletic rookies, who might be able to provide depth.

The linebackers should be at least as good as they were last year. Hopefully Durant is a little more consistent, and Levy continues to improve because he's still pretty young. Between Hogue, Palmer, and the rookies, there should be some depth. Hogue and Palmer are both really young and athletic and have plenty of room to get better.

I expect the Dline to take a big step forward, and make the whole defense better. CW, KVB, and Avril need to keep doing their thing, and the young guys need to step up. Suh needs to get his act together and start making plays again, which I think he will. We only really saw Fairley for one quarter last year against New Orleans, and the kid was simply dominant. No other way to say it, he dominated the best guard combination in the league. If he's healthy and plays hard, we've got another star on our hands. AND Sammie Hill, Willie Young, and LoJack have been forgotten. We've got some quality young depth, and I expect them to take on a bigger load going forward.

The defense will be better next season.

Offensively I think we'll also be better. The only question mark is the Oline, but I think Reiff is ready to fill in wherever needed (except Center). If the Oline holds up, the offense will be better.

Truth is Stafford still has room to grow, which is scary cuz he was real good last season. The emergence of Titus Young will be huge for this offense. Having a deep threat on the other side of Calvin will open up the passing game even more.

Mikel Leshoure should add a dimension to this offense that we haven't had since Kevin Jones was good. Having Mikel at runningback should keep Jahvid available for more games.

Soooo, yea.

As far as making the playoffs, the NFC is the most competitive it's been in a loooong time. If the Lions stay healthy, and our young players develop like they're supposed to. We have just as good a chance as any team to make it to the postseason...but predictions don't mean anything, we just gotta play out the season....god I miss football
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