Looking ahead to @DET
 

The lions currently have the number 1 defense in the NFL. Yes, you read that correctly they have the number 1 defense in the NFL. Let's take a look at the offenses they have faced to earn that number 1 spot:

NYG 18th
CAR 24th
GB 27th
NYJ 26th
BUF 25th


So, what does this list make you think about the number 1 rank defense in the NFL?

The Saints currently have the BEST offense in the league. Yes, folks the Saints who have yet to play their best ball have the best offense in the NFL. Now they do tend to leave points on the field with turnovers but that can be fixed. Let's look at the Saints opponent's defensive rankings:

ATL 29th
CLE 31st
MIN 15th
DAL 22nd
TB 30th

Not all that impressive, right?

It should be an interesting match up. This game could right the Saints ship or sink the boat, because the divide between 2-4 and 3-3 is vast.

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

Well the bills just won in that place.

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

Any Given Sunday...

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

The Lions have allowed 16 sacks in the past four games. They have hit just 4 of 12 field-goal attempts. Like us they have some issue.

The bye should help us focus on some recurring issues like knowing when a sack is better than a pick 6 and understanding that a defensive turnover for us means means stop. Do not continue. Go down and play dead.

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

I know that this is :deadhorse2:. But, we need to develop a "road personality". Perhaps review of our major gaffes on the road and promise not to commit, at least, those. O-line protection issues immediately come to mind. And, run the damn ball.

I loved the way we won in OT today.

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

OL needs som major work. Armstead looks allright and Grubbs too but Evans is surprisingly bad at the moment. To go from being an All-Pro to his current performance is quite astonishing.

DL needs a swift kick in the arse. They were doing a decent job against the run against TB but the pressure needs to get better when the QB drops back.

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

Can't agree more with some of the observations. I think yesterday's games speak volumes at what, IMO, will determine the outcome of this game ... "chutzpah". The Lions simply don't have it & the Saints may have finally found theirs this season in Tampa Bay.

I did entertain the idea (briefly) that the new player additions & coaching staff would give the Lions a chance at beating the Saints, and there is the whole "Saints aren't road warriors" theory that I'm still kinda' clinging to, ;), but fact of the matter is (as pointed out), the Lions simply haven't beat anybody of note (for a long time) and starting with Wk #7, their schedule will tell their story.

Don't get me wrong, I luv me some Reggie Bush, Joique Bell, Calvin, MattFord, Jed Collins, N-drama-kong Suh, Nick Fairley, Golden "Mr. YAC" Tate III, DeAndre Levy, Eric Ebron, Jim Caldwell, Joe Lombardi, Jeremy Ross and all the rest, they're just being over-hyped once again, :neutral:.

It may not be the 45-28 second half blowout as the last playoff meeting between the two teams was, but the end result should be the same as the Saints are playing a little below potential, it's on the road & the Lions have improved in some critical areas that will test the Saints defense & offense.

After years of Eddie Murray, Jason Hanson & one of the consistently best kicking games in the league, we're somehow left with kickers (where's Kickalicious when you need him?) that couldn't hit a field goal or any one of the Great Lakes from <50yds, so keep it close and win it at the end with a well-placed kick ... Buffalo did it, :rolleyes:.

Should be a good game, :) ... if things had continued this week as they had been going, I would have given the Lions a better chance, but the OT win is the start of the Saints getting their moxy back, the bye week just reinforces it & is the opportunity to rest and the Lions are just another stepping stone to NO returning to form, <sigh> ... and I did have such high hopes this year, at home, :lol:.

Calvin may be out, Graham? ... injuries have decimated the Lions defensive backfield (that wasn't that great to begin with) and may be a factor also (for both sides), but there's no denying the key to the game, IMO ... it all goes back to the number "1" ... the number of playoff games the Lions have won in 50yrs and the number of SuperBowls the Saints have won ... "chutzpah" my friends, "chutzpah". :)

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

Will be interesting to see how Reggie Bush plays, we did pretty well stopping the bucs running game but former players seem to play their best against us

He's still kinda prone to putting the ball on the turf when gang tackled though, hopefully our D plays with the same sort of emotion as yesterday and brees can do his best to throw to people in the same uniform as him.

Re: Looking ahead to @DET
 

For now i don't trust this team. OT or not they should have man-handled the Bucs. They fought back, but it was against the Bucs. Not impressed until they rally against more quality teams, and can get everyone on the same page for one game. Then I believe they have their mojo back to where it should be.