Here is an interesting story in which a SF writer predicts that SF will be 2-1 after beating the Lions...and also refers to Boss Bailey as our biggest ifseason loss. Your humble blogger, being a real prick at times, couldn't resist responding. I'll post my response below in case a moderator there decided he couldn't handle the truth, or decides to edit it a bit:
DetFan1979: Not really sure you "know thine enemy" if you are only reading pride of detroit. I write a well respected Lions blog, and there are some good things on Martz's offense you can chew over, and then write about after you find out they're right (unless he has totally changed, which I doubt.)
BTW - Boss Bailey was barely holding his starting job, when healthy (which wasn't very often) and the Lions gladly let him go. If anything, S. Rogers would have to be the "biggest" offesason loss, but one that was made up for with the additions of Fluellen and Darby -- Mentee and Mentor. Half the Dline was injured (Redding and White) in the Denver game, precipitating a dropoff compounded by a much tougher second half schedule than first.
BTW -- if you think Martz will suddenly mold Alex Smith into a passing machine, why don't you take a look at how wonderful he did with Drew Stanton, and all the great ways he helped Dan Orlovsky...or maybe not. If Alex Smith struggles early, be ready for JTO to be starting, not holding a clipboard. But you don't have to take my word for it...just wait and see.
One other point is while it is easy to take pot-shots at Millen, Marinelli is weilding more influence. And have you looked at Nolan's drafts? And your FA pickups? How is Nate Clements, the 80 million dollar man working out? Neither Franchise has exactly been stellar in personnel moves since 2001, in case you hadn't noticed. At least the Lions have improved in that area over the last couple of years. Could be a good game, or really lopsided either direction as the Lions have been very inconsistent on the road the last two years, while building wins mainly at home. However, by that time I'm banking on Martz having the 49ers Offense as confused as he had the Lions Offense. Throw in the fact the Detroit Defense will know how to defend it better than SF knows how to run it, and all signs point to a Lions victory.
The Lions had dismal rushing yards because they were also last in the league in attempts -- but in the top third of the league for YPC. There is no real knowledge of how well the Lions O-Line will run block...because for the last two years, they really haven't.
So get ready to hear about how it's the WR running wrong routes led to the INT...you had to keep passing because the game was just a shootout because of the D when the game could have been close...Frank Gore to be ticked at his "role reduction" while he "learns the offense" and loses carries to A. Cason after SF picks him up off the waiver wire when Det cuts him later in the ifseason because "he knows the offense"...lots of 3 and outs keeping the D on the field tiring them out...a huge number of sacks...and a few dazzling plays now and then. (it isn't all bad)
Be ready for your O-line to suddenly drop to "worst" in the league in every measureable category. Don't worry -- If Alex Smith doesn't play his way into JTO (a Martz favorite) starting, he'll likely get knocked there after about his 15th seven step drop in a row, 5 of which will be sacks. Oh, and since your owner isn't as patient as WCF -- at least you can also look forward to a new front office and coaching staff next year. June 28, 6:47 PM
9 comments:
well good sf has a beat writer who picked there team to win against detroit-im curious how our media guys pick it-from what im hearing most all of them think were gonna stink next year.
i think the biggest factor is its a road game and we have trouble on the road. we need to beat atlanta 1st to get some confidence there. actually i see it as an even up game that hopefully we pull out and win-i also hope we do beat gb at home-if we do manage to do that we could well be on our way to a playoff spot. the only game id like to win worst than the sf game is beating the pack at there place. winning the sf game will shut the martz lovers up-but losing that game the lions will hear big time how stupid they were to let martz go-lets hope that dont happen.
We need to keep that 1st drive alive - I'll explain what I'm talking about.
Since Millen has taken over as president of the Lions it seems that "if" our very 1st drive of the game goes 3 and out, we lose that game most of the time. In games where we can sustain a drive for a couple of series even if we don't score, we seem to do much better in those games.
Usually all a Lion fan has to do is watch the 1st minute of the game and pretty much predict the outcome, and thats sad.
When I see that 1st drive stall, I say to myself, here we go again.
Please Lions! keep that 1st drive alive and the momentum usually helps the Lions spirit.
Example: Riolas chop block against Greenbay last year was a huge penalty. We would have been on the 1yd line but instead it backed us way up. This is exactly what I'm talking about.
So detfan, CanOpener says you Can beat the 49ers or any other team out there if you Can sustain that 1st drive for a couple of series. The Lions have to build confidence and sustain it.
Just a sinking observation.
Lion Fan, Can
Hey everyone back from vacation with a lot of catching up to do reading here. Just wanted to share a link quick http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10877567
Not that I really respect all sportswriter's opnions all that much but in CBS sportsline's opinion one of our Lions is one of the Top 40 players in the game today. I know it doesn't get us wins but at least Ernie is getting props for giving it his all on every down. Hopefully Roy or Calvin will crack that list this year with a breakout year and maybe next year we can get someone else from the defense...secondary perhaps? You just never know haha GO LIONS.
I loved the discussion about Martz an article back. JJLion nailed it -- from 1998-2000, Faulk was absolutely the best player in football, and combined with a smart, accurate QB, Warner and Faulk makde Martz look like a genious.
For the season, the 49ers QB situation will sink Martz. For the game, I fear Martz will actually come out with a running attack, using Gore as he should have used Jones, and our run "D" will not stop it....just my $.02
KCLion Fan
KCLion
Yeah, I agree. I don't like our defense against NFC Norris teams-especially against the Vik-Queens. Side-to-side this defense can hunt with the best of them. I am really worried about what happens when 330 pound linemen start pounding on our 300 pound tackles and 280 pound ends.
I see the Martz thing as a total disaster waiting to happen in San Francisco. And I see Joey Harrington as a total flop in Atlanta, just holding the pieces together until they sneak in Mr. Ryan.
Unfortunately, I also see the Martz inspired offense doing well and Joey getting some football Viagra against their former team.
The only saving grace, is that this defense has so many new wrinkles and new players, Martz doesn't know them.
One new starting safety, two new corners, possibly two new linebackers, and a new DT.
The other thing I would like to touch upon is the fact that the Lions want to use some bread 'n butter plays this year.
This may also lead to Coletto scripting the first ten-fifteen plays. This will bring familiarity to the huddle, and will also allow for those first drives to hopefully be more successful.
We did that in high school and in college and it worked very well.
The other thing that helps, is changing the tempo of the game. If they can go hurry up or no-huddle for one or two drives; that will be huge.
Marinelli is a BIG historian, and if you look at successful teams in the NFL, some of them have done this as it "locks" the defense into certain personnel groups, or makes them burn their timeouts.
Now that I am done with baseball, (and unfortunately, already gearing up for hockey) I can't wait for the end of July to get here.
TODD
Welcome back. Hopefully your vacation was better than my weekend this past weekend. The Car Show in St. Ignace saw great cars, spotty to poor weather, and very little crowds. This also means very few women after it gets dark outside as the crowds cruise.
-nubs
This is the Examiner writer. I actually write ninersnation.com, a 49ers blog, and just started writing at examiner.com, so I'm not a beat writer.
Drew Stanton: Considering he injured his knee in late July, I'd have to argue Martz didn't exactly have a ton of time to work with him. I don't think Martz is gonna turn the 49ers QBs into studs, but I do think the passing game will improve (really there's nowhere to go but up).
Free agents: The $80M that Clements signed for is actually worth more like 60 at most because the last two years are huge cap figures but are not team options. And considering how bad the team was, Clements had a very solid year considering he was in the top 5 in most passes thrown to. Justin Smith is being utilized all over the field and should bring some quality. He only had a couple sacks last year but when he's lined up as a defensive lineman, his job is to open up holes for linebackers, not get sacks.
Drafts: The jury is still out on Smith at QB which certainly doesn't help. Of course, if they'd gone with Braylon Edwards as some argued, they would have had nobody to throw to him. Tim Rattay, Ken Dorsey and Cody Pickett were not quite the answers. But the 49ers have done ok elsewhere. Frank Gore was a 3rd round steal, Joe Staley is looking to anchor the defensive line for the next decade, Delanie Walker has flashed a lot of potential and could fill in if Vernon Davis moves on. Just from last year's draft, 4th round pick Dashon Goldson is pushing for a starting position and 5th round pick Tarell Brown is looking like a long term answer.
Rushing: Lions were not top third in YPC, they were 19th out of 32, so more like closer to bottom third (http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/statistics?stat=teamrush&sort=avg&pos=off&league=nfl&season=2&year=2007).
I do agree this game could go either way though. As far as Aveion Cason, I'd buy a Cason Lions jersey if he ended up in San Francisco. Frank Gore gives Martz a Faulk-esque running back (Gore led the team in receptions the last two years) and Deshaun Foster gives a great backup option.
Saw this link where Mooch took a shot at Millen, found it slightly entertaining:
"Matt Millen has changed 58 coaches already, and he's now finally changing players," Mariucci said. "Sure I've stayed in touch with some of them and some of the coaches, and on occasion Bill Ford Jr. - I respect the heck out of Bill, he'll take that team over some day."
At least he has confidence in Bill Jr? His take on the division this year seems fair enough:
"Brett Favre leaving the Packers, and Minnesota without a veteran quarterback, and the Bears - I think the Bears hit a high water mark a few years ago and kind of leveled off a bit - I think the division is up for grabs. But it's been an interesting seven or eight years down there."
Although no matter who is at QB, I think the Vikings will still be pretty solid. Jackson held his own back there last year and when you have that Oline (no not AP, yes he's great, but that Oline is what makes him look amazing), they are going to pound the ball.
Great come back DetFan on that other blog. I agree it could go either way because of our wishy washy showings Away, I hope its not another Arizona game. I think our players will be more fired up about getting revenge then the Niners will be, as we have 11 on 0.5 fired up ratio as how much can Martz really do being fired up from the sideline? Either way like Nubs said if they pound the ball with Gore it's going to be tough. As it will be all year with our smaller dline but if our guys hit their gaps correct it should counter that at least to an extent.
NUBS-- I was in Palm Beach, Flordia and as far as women staying out, I was at Vince Neil's Motley Crue bar most of the nights and it was a hell of a time. Vanilla Ice was even hanging out there 2 of the nights so you know it was the place to be haha.
Great, thanks.
The only thing I saw that closely resembled boobies was a 350 pound man that was wearing a white T-shirt and got drenched during the 15 minute rain storm.
'Rock the mic like a vandal'
-nubs
Foochie
Nice to have you on board. San Fran was my sneaker last year to make the playoffs, and they were decimated by injury. With Martz, your offense will need a few games to get kick started. To say its complicated, well...and Smith is fragile. He started it here with a vet in Kitna. I tihnk it may take a little more there. And Martz will pull his JT O' card quickly.
My little brother lives in San Mateo and works for Iliad on the other side of the Bay.
A few things:
1. Watch Martz in the media. At first, low profile, kinda quiet and polite. 2. When a few losses start piling up, watch him try usurping Nolan's authority.
3. Our local boys out there will do better this year. Staley will be a beast---on the Offensive line (I think that's what you meant).
Stanton - I'd like to see him develope, we'll see. The jury's still out on him.
RUSHING. The Lions averaged 4.042 yards per carry. That is 12th in the league. And TJ Duckett's average yards per carry was third in the league for any back with more than 40 carries.
(www.nfl.com/stats/rushing/07/regularseason)
Justin Smith was the most athletic defensive end that they could move to linebacker because the 49er linebacking corps was decimated by injury last year. If Paris and the bunch (yes, guys...the Niners have a linebacker named Paris, too) stay healthy I truly believe you guys have the BEST linebacking corps in the league. Patrick Willis, Harelson, and the bunch are young, hungry beasts.
I don't think Smith will move at all this year (or very little) as long as everybody stays healthy out there.
The Niners were my second favorite team. I was a huge fan of the draft they had last year; but you can have Martz. Truly, he reminds me of "Brain" from the Pinky and the Brain cartoons and he will try taking over the world. Wait until year two when he publicly starts pouting. There is a reason he has that outer ring of "crazy" on his eye balls. It's like Henry Winkler's role in Waterboy.
"He roles right and fakes the ball; NO!!! he roles right and THINKS about FAKING the ball." He overthinks things all the time, and has horrible use of timeouts. If you are a serious fan and love getting into football, it will drive you crazy. Look at his use of timeouts, especially in the second half.
And I also agree with you on Gore. The first half of the year his numbers receiving were hurt because he had that club on his hand. Frank Gore is a beast and was definately a steal. Hopefully, come week 3, you'll be saying the thing about our "24K". I think he was the steal of the draft, despite what our blogger "CHIEF" says.
-nubsnobber
Post a Comment