Yes, yes -- everyone wants me to preview the Green Bay game. However, I still have a few leftover thoughts from week 1.
amazingly, JJLions, I actually agree with you on Alexander. While I still expect him to spell Smith (who is a little older) I would like to see him get more time to develop without the pressure of starting. When I referred to him and Bullocks as starters, I was thinking long term. Alexander does need some more development, but he can definitely contribute in rotation as he improves. The Lions are also in fine shape if Smith gets injured. It's also nice to see Bullocks back -- he appears fully recovered and confident -- and picking up where he left off before the injury.
As for Cohen, I somewhat disagree -- I don't think he should be starting over Darby. However, if Cody continues to disappear all the time, I'd like to see him given a shot at some playing time -- we may all be surprised at how well he does. Also, with the trouble they had stopping the run, I'd like to see IAF activated. He was getting good penetration on the inside and outside, and also was doing very well stopping the run in preseason on passing downs while pressuring the QB. I'd like to see him get a shot at some more PT -- but will trust the coaches to have the best guys on the field.
One interesting thing that I read that bore both thought and repeating is about Cherilus. While he is about equal with Foster already, he can play both left and right, according to the coaching staff. Is it possible they are holding him back to keep pressure not just on Foster -- but on Backus as well? Sure, Jeff is an average LT -- but Cherilus was doing fine on the left when he was in there pre-season. With some development he may even be able to man that spot in the future. He was drafted as a RT for now -- but if he can be a LT for years to come, should he be rushed? I don't buy their lame excuse about him being the only "swing" tackle. If he's playing on the right, and gets injured -- Foster steps in. If Backus gets injured, Cherilus slides left, and Foster mans the right. There is more going on that we know about, but don't always assume it's negative. He was pushing Foster this ifseason. What if he has elevated his game enough to be pushing Backus next?
Dizon did well in his limited action, but I'm advocating more rotation ie have him in for a series or two -- or three, depending on how he is playing. That way he keeps getting game experience to go along with his practice and put it into practical use. Practice and watching only go so far. I would be disappointed if he is outright starting before the bye unless he is just lights-out phenomenal. If he is starting (other than that), it's just because Paris is playing like week 1 Paris instead of Preseason Paris. I want to see Dizon develop and exceed what Paris brings at MLB, not just step in because of incompetence.
I read about Barry showing the players film...not of missed tackles, but every player who missed tackles got to sit in the room with the entire defense and watch film of themselves making tackles. That had to be one long film session!! However, I think it is an interesting approach -- it simultaneously called out the guys who were missing tackles while not only telling them they could do better -- but showing them doing so. If that doesn't really drive home the point that they can do better than the pathetic effort they made, then I don't know what will.
One thing I'd like to see this weekend (among many): Brandon Middleton taking a Kick-Off, think about fair catching it, and then take it and run it back for a long gain to show the coaching staff they were right in bringing him back, and that offensive life is better when you start near/past the 50.
Preview of GB game tonight. No game blog again tomorrow, as I will be catching the game on "tape delay" (VHS) tomorrow evening. Feel free to post your in-game thoughts here, as well as your own quarter-by quarter analysis, thoughts, what you saw, etc. I will create a "game blog" for this purpose -- it will be interesting to see how differently we each view key plays etc -- and then break it down on the film and look into it further.
Go Lions!
5 comments:
I've been a lurker on the MLive forum for years. I'm an old Geezer that saw the championship years of the 50s. I first started following the Lions in the mid forties with my dad when I was about ten, and have been a fan ever since. I appreciate the knowledge and insight all of Y'all bring to this site, and thanks Fan 1979 for creating it. It's one of the first sites I look at each day. I'm living in Cryboy country, a bit south of Foat Wuth, However, my heart is whereI grew up in So Western Michigan, rural Allegan County, between Kazoo and GR. I have several siblings and their spawn I visit on occasion. BTW, some of Y'all have a fantastice sense humor, albeit sarcastic at times, keep it up. Dang, I want to see another championship before I croak. RL
This Cherilus business is toooo bizarre! Why the mystery? What is going on? If he is better than the current RT, then start him. If he is better than the current LT then START him. Any development that brings him better than the starter should dictate him starting. Why is this so difficult? If he is better at RT now, then start at RT. If he is better later than the starting LT, then move him there at that time. Other franchises don't seem to have such confusion and difficulty. We drafted him for RT, didn't we? The what-iffing doesn't do anything for the here and now. Here and now is where it ALL happens. What ifs happen on monday mornings. We are tired of playing MMQB for our Lions.
I've said it before, I'll say it again.
Tom Kowalski is guessing. All he does is educatedly guess about what he thinks the Lions will do. The title of Insider is due to self-proclaimation. Rod will tell us when he (Goz) is ready. And (news flash) it won't happen with a press conference...it'll just happen.
-nubs
I'm sorry if I seemed to be perpetrating rumors about Cherilus. My main goal was to threefold:
1. There are lots of possibilites
2. They aren't all negative - far from it
3. We won't know til someting happens
This coaching staff under Marinelli keep sthing sin house -- they rip players in private, not the press. They congratulate players in private - not the press. Same with promotion/demotion. Nubs and JJ are right in that we won't know til it happens.
As for playing MMQB, analyzing and guessing...well, umm...that's what I do here. I don't have insider information -- just what is out there. I'm just putting it forth with my opinon, or possible analysis. Nothing more.
I'll let others brag about/pretend to have secret ties to the organization. I do not have such. I'm merely a fan creating a place for other fans to look at, critique, and offer reasoned analysis and opinion. (Baby Bear style - not too hot, not too cold... not too positive, not too negative. Juuuust right.)
I think we do a pretty good job of it too!
It is a good thing that Rod & Co. keep things in house. It builds respect in the locker room. Decades of futility can make the best of us jaded and cynical. For many of us, as fans we wear our hearts on our sleeves (guilty as charged). We want desperately to see forward progress and any little bit of "insider" information we greedily gulp down in the hopes of a brighter future. I truly enjoy this blog and in no way intended to show disrespect or criticism with my MMQB comment. I meant it with respect to second guessing a game after the fact in a loss. I applaud detfan1979 for this site and the reasoned logic and insight shown here.
To me, it feels like we're on the cusp of something real, something meaningful, something for other teams to respect. I know that's a lot of kool aid, but I think respect is a great place to start. And that feeling of "almost there" can drive me nuts. I want to see more signs that I'm right, not just wishful thinking.
Post a Comment