User Blog: Cursed Posts made by Cursed on All year, the way our D got beat!!! Cursed Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:26:22 -0500 <p><br><br>All teams use the 2 minute drill against us to defeat our pass rush. We can't seem to overcome this issue. You see it every game. We control the ball over 35 minutes and still lose because we can't seem to replace the defensive players on the field. We can't slip in Sammy Hill to rest one of the 2 tackles.</p> <p> </p> <p>So we should have a formidable rush but can't get our guys off when we need to. The coaching staff hasn't been able to remedy this flaw. It becomes easy for our opponents to negate our strength on the defensive side of the ball.</p> <p> </p> <p>And I won't get into the Wide 9. If the DE's can't stop going 12 yards deep, anybody can run against us. Maybe the Wide 9 is intended for players with special skills but if all they try to do is sack the QB, no wonder we make average players look great.</p> <p> </p> <p>I understand the way our team is coached but to execute the system our coaches want, we need a whole lot more talent to excel in this type of defense. We get beat playing safe, 3rd and 11, zone defense and the receiver goes to a seam in between 3 defenders and they get a 1st down. We don't blitz, our secondary is filled with replacements (I do like Green and Houston).</p> <p> </p> <p>Playing it safe is great when you have the talent that fits the scheme but honestly, we are not there yet. Maybe they should take a risk here and there to keep our opponents honest. We just don't have that dominating defense because they can't find a way to replace Suh or Fairley when it matters.</p> <p> </p> <p>Sorry for the rant...</p> If the coaching staff sucks, so does the whole team! Get rid of Gym Shortz? Cursed Sun, 25 Nov 2012 01:05:15 -0500 <p><br>Stafford's mechanics have gone south, why not dump him, he's making the same mistakes as last year and the year before. He has regressed this year.</p> <p>Calvin has been dropping passes like never before since his concussion, why not trade him before he gets another? He is regressing this year, he can't find the end zone.</p> <p>Pettigrew can still block but he drops em, gets stripped easily, and fumbles. He has regressed this year.</p> <p>Scheffler was never a great blocker, tips balls, fumbles and frankly isn't any good at tackling after tipping the ball to the opponent. He has regressed this year.</p> <p>Best is MIA. Schwartz should have known better.</p> <p>Burleson got injured, that's Schwartz's fault. He must have regressed.</p> <p> </p> <p>Titus well let's forget about him. What was Schwartz thinking when Mayhew drafted him?</p> <p>Leshoure as stated during the GB game by the announcers (coming from Linehan) can't recover for the next game if he has more than 20 carries. That's why Bell cleans up for him. How could Schwartz not know that Mikel cannot carry the ball 20 times in 2 consecutive games?</p> <p>Apart from Calvin, most of our receivers have had a hard time getting separation from defenders. Looks like we're a one trick pony. The Broyle game is an exception. That has to be bad coaching.</p> <p>Delmas is always injured because he doesn't know how to tackle. I can't say he has regressed, we never get to see him. But, when he plays, you'll see him thrust his shoulder on an opponent's thigh, his knee hit the turf and the medical team come out. 4 Injury filled years and he's the soul of our defense, it says a lot about it.</p> <p>Avril at 10M a year is trying to learn to play the run. I can't figure this one out.</p> <p>So we have so much talent and a new coach will take these guys to the playoffs in a new system. Sure :)! Rebuild an aging O line, get 2 DE's, 1 Lb, a new secondary (2 safeties and a Cb), a feature back that takes less than 7 days to recover, 1 or 2 new TE, another WR that can find the opening and catch the ball.</p> <p>You also have to do it with respect to union guidelines.</p> <p>Maybe the players are not as good as you think they are and that is the head coach's fault. With the money Stafford, Suh and Johnson are getting, I can imagine how difficult it is to keep players and get high priced FA's.</p> <p> </p> <p>I wonder what a new coaching staff can do with this. I'll let them try to get Titus on track.</p> <p>We are what our record is because this is our true talent level. We miss on draft picks and it directly affects Schwartz, you coach who they give you and if the guy can't catch and fumbles, it's your fault, not the player.</p> <p> </p> <p>We screwed up this year, so what? Shit happens to all of us. If we learn from our mistakes (that we have been committing game after game, year after year) there still exists a chance we may get it right. Nobody will make a player who can't catch a good receiver. </p> <p>Just saying that maybe our talent level is not as high as we think it is. That reflects on the whole organization, not just the coach.</p> Stafford and Johnson the dynamic duo!!! Cursed Sun, 19 Feb 2012 23:14:08 -0500 <p>What about ARMageddon and Megatron? I seem to need 75 words so I'll start with Fuck <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Mark Sanchez</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p>It seems to me Staff could use a 5000+ yards nickname, sure beats Batman and Robbin. If we're to get that Super Bowl, let these guys wreak havoc in all opposing defenses.</p> <p> </p> <p>Staff deserves accolades which coincide with his immense talent, might as well start with a nickname that scares the competition.</p> <p> </p> <p>Let's see if you guys like the idea!</p> Thank You Lions for a great year! Cursed Sat, 07 Jan 2012 23:36:29 -0500 <p><br><br>We had the opportunity but we came up short.</p> <p> </p> <p>We lost to a team that was better tonight, they had a running game to complement the passing attack. Our defense couldn't get off the field.</p> <p> </p> <p>We got 2 fumble recoveries but no points out of it, that was the game there.</p> <p> </p> <p>We missed 2 interceptions, so I can't complain. Our destiny was in our hands and we fell short.</p> <p> </p> <p>Still, thanks guys for the great season, we all dreamed of going deep but it wasn't to be!</p> <p> </p> <p>Next year, we'll be there I hope!</p> What a refreshing change! Cursed Sat, 05 Nov 2011 12:05:11 -0400 <p>Have you guys noticed? Here we are in November and contrary to the previous years, there has not been one thread about the upcoming college draft next spring!</p> <p> </p> <p>I headed over to the <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Broncos</a> site and they're already into the prospects and the number at which they expect to select. It felt like déjà vu!</p> <p> </p> <p>Nobody's bitching about Schwartz and company except for Linehan's play selection.</p> <p> </p> <p>How times have changed and it was high time we got the monkey off our back!!!!!!!!!</p> Thank goodness Mayhew dislikes draft experts!!!! Cursed Sun, 01 May 2011 00:17:34 -0400 <p>This was not only an exciting but it was an unbelievable draft for the <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a>. Thankfully, the FO followed its course and not the writers ideas of what had to be upgraded on the Lions. There were good reasons for the picks they made.</p> <p> </p> <p>Nick Fairley was an obvious choice, none of us here on POD could have guessed he would have been available at #13. We've been mocking lesser players at that spot. Did this pick improve our ball club? Ask our rivals!</p> <p>The second round was dedicated to our franchise player Matt Stafford. I'll explain my view of the T.D. Young pick:</p> <p>This kid is fast, quick and has good hands. If calvin has double coverage, chances are Nate or T.D. is open. That affords Staff to dump the ball within the 3.5 second time limit. It may save him from further injury since he may not have to hang onto the ball for such a long time and take a vicious pounding like the one Peppers gave him.Aside from that, Young has value as a KR and punt returner. He can also be the gunner and spell Logan on the ST. If you don't call this value, I must be dumb. This kid can fill a number of positions and has added depth just as Logan's back up on special assignments.</p> <p> </p> <p>Mikel Leshoure first and foremost in my mind comes here as a good blocking back in pass protection. We didn't have this luxury last year in the first game when Peppers injured Staff. He can afford our QB more time to deliver the ball and get out of harm's way. What more do you want?</p> <p>He also averaged 6 YPC in college, is a bruising back with good speed and good hands as a safety valve out of the backfield. He is another perfect fit for the Lions. He was worth every penny of that trade with Seattle. Like Pettigrew, he will offer better protection for Staff's blind side and possibly free up Pettigrew for quick slants up the middle. His addition brings tremendous value to this team.</p> <p> </p> <p>For the defense, apart from Fairley, many are dejected we didn't address positions of need. Looking at the LB and CB crop in this year's draft, could it be that the FO firmly believed there was better value to be picked at other positions? Apart from Von Miller and Patrick Peterson, the drop off was significant in spite of the run on QB's.</p> <p>Looking at Pratt, Phonz, <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Prince Miller</a>, <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Tye Hill</a>, Vasher, Houston... what would have Brandon Harris brought us that we don't have right now? More of the same to me, not worth drafting. Our CB's are steadily improving so I don't think Harris was seen as a value pick.</p> <p>Akeem Ayers had a poor combine, a poor year on a bad team where videos of his performance showed that he was always late and quit on plays. Did you really think that he would be a fit in Detroit? I wish him well In Tennessee and am thankful we're not stuck with him.</p> <p>What I see is that we pick talent and versatility over need. I agree with the BPA approach and the way they make picks to suit needs without us not noticing what these athletes bring to the table.</p> <p>For those who say we should have gone for Herzlich, he is a wonderful kid, he's come a long way but the truth is that at this point he can't play professional football in any league. He is way too slow ( remember the Senior Bowl?), I think I could outrun him and I ain't no spring chicken. He's not back yet from that devastating illness and I'm pulling for him to make it to the NFL. He deserves it, maybe soon if his rehab progresses.</p> The ''System'' is in place!!! Cursed Wed, 05 Jan 2011 01:59:58 -0500 <p><br><br>The <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a> have finished strongly and on  both sides of the ball, the units gelled. We got the rushing we needed so badl y in the last part of the season. We blame Backus for Matt's injury but if you look at what keeps a QB healthy, it's a balanced attack. With no running game at the beginning of the year, teams prepared for the high octane Detroit passing game. With Matt in the pocket so much, he was the target opponents were shooting for. I don't blame Backus, he had a tremendous year. When the offensive line couldn't create holes for the backs, we were vulnerable to their pass rush/blitz (we were a 1 trick pony).</p> <p>As for the defense, they won 4 games with corners they got off the street. These new additions bought into the system, gave it their all and helped us on a 4 game winning streak! I hope you guys can see that Schwartz has a plan, a system around which the FO is building this franchise.</p> <p> </p> <p>As for the off season, I've come to realize that the Lions have the luxury of drafting the BPA. With our D-line and the way they pressure the QB, I don't think it's a smart move on the part of <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Chris Houston</a> to want to test the FA market. If I were a CB, I'd give a lot to play for the Lions, they would add years to my career with their pass rush. Same thing applies to linebackers. Detroit is a most enticing landing spot for FA's or college draftees. We don't need shut down corners or stud linebackers with a D-line like this. We just need solid players that make few mistakes.</p> <p> </p> <p>Schwartz and the FO are the ones who built the Lions from the ground up. Games are won and lost at the line of scrimmage, not in the backfield. The plan they created for the Lions is unraveling before us right now,  the future looks bright. They've hired good coaches, made great trades, brought in fresh new talent and actually designed a system that may be quite successful for years to come.</p> <p> </p> <p>Motown may never be the same because I can smell championship football for this town!</p> Good team, Bad team! Cursed Mon, 13 Dec 2010 11:56:48 -0500 <p><br>Well another week almost in the books!</p> <p>2nd string QB in KC, they get blown out 31-0. Fire Todd Haley!</p> <p>2nd string in relief for GB, they lose 7-3. Fire McCarthy!</p> <p>2nd string in Dallas, loss to Philly. Fire Garrett!</p> <p>3rd string in Tennessee, losses keep piling up. Fire Fisher!</p> <p>Whichever string in Carolina, bye bye Fox!</p> <p>Have we noticed just how bad a good team can be without its starting QB? Considering the way things have gone, we didn't get blown out and we win with our 3rd string QB. Yesterday, after Rodgers left the game, it sure looked like we knew the game was ours to win. Ugly wins taste good!</p> Champions are Losers that just don't QUIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cursed Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:14:08 -0500 <p>I'm going out on the limb with this one. The Lions have been losing for the past 50 years, so what? When they get their act right, they'll be just what you don't expect them to be, Champions.</p> <p> </p> <p>What's wrong with them?</p> <p>1-They need depth, not superstars. They have CJ, Staff and Suh, enough stars to build around.</p> <p>2- They need discipline. Yes blame the coach if you will. Why do you draw penalties? Because you cheat and why do you cheat? Is it because you're not good enough or are you trying to get an edge to carry the team so you can cover for weak players. The Lions have the weakest and shittiest linebackers in the NFL, they can't stop the rush because they can't tackle and they're out of position. They don't cover the pass very well at all. Maybe the same goes for Peterman on the O line, trying to compensate and get a bull rush to open holes (or he can't play the game at that level). You pay a heavy price if you want to do more than your job it seems. It's a team game.</p> <p>3- They don't have Continuity. Either we don't get the commitment of the FO for the present and future of the team or either they're idiots running the team. I said it before, it takes guts to take on a project with the <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Lions</a>. Do you really think Cowher who inherited a strong Pittsburgh team and took 14 years to take them to the Promised Land would try his luck in Detroit? I gues it would take him 228 years to get to the Super Bowl. Gruden? He'd butcher this team for the now moment with an over the hill QB and old veterans and redo a Marineli on us. Before we put names of possible replacements, look where they come from and what they built. Tony Dungy built the Bucs from scratch and Gruden won the SB with his team! So give Schwartz a fucking break, he knows what he's doing. He can't mask the lack of talent at critical positions on this team. It's been said many times, it takes time to rebuild a ball club from scratch.</p> <p>4-Salary Cap. Even though this year is uncapped, a financial budget has to be set. How many 10 M$ a year superstars can we afford? If you have 100M$ to spend on 53 players, the more superstars you have, less is left for the complementary players. It's simple math! You think we need a stud corner? I beg to differ, you need LB's on defense. If I were Mayhew, I hope they trade down and possibly out of the 1st round so we can get picks not necessarily for this year but subsequent years (Billichik's way fo keeping the Pats rolling). We don't need superstars but a stable of good to excellent support players we can afford. The more FA you bring in, less is left for the other players that are developing, you have to give up on them for purely financial reasons sometimes. If you guys think a top 5 pick with a stud corner is the answer, tell me how that compensates for poor linebackers? How the FO balances the equation of primadonnas (top 5 picks every year) versus getting solid support players is where the game should be played. Overpaid FA's don't always work out well when their best years are behind them.</p> <p>5-Special Teams. Here's a fact, every year teams overhaul Special teams because they get fresh new rookies on the field this way. This year, we got studs to play there because we haven't got the talent level that we need to be competitive. By this I mean, teams drop studs from ST's because they are developing rookies into good players whereas the ST studs can do little else for the team.</p> <p> </p> <p>You want wins? Take a number, they will come. Enjoy the games. Stats show how bad they are but after 3 quarters, they are often ahead, tied or very close. That's why I disregard them for now because I see the Lions hanging in there till the 4th quarter. That is enough for me when I look at their roster. Next year I want them to be in there for the whole game (they have hung in there till the end enough to get a passing grade from me).</p> <p> </p> <p>Sorry for the long post!</p> I hate losing but I hate the Bears even more! Cursed Fri, 26 Nov 2010 02:17:13 -0500 <p><br>Well I have a buddy at work, Mark who is like 6'3'', 320lbs and happens to be a huge <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Bears</a> fan. Everybody at work knows this and he makes sure you know! So practically, nobody likes the Bears at work. I love to tease him. When his cubbies lose, he doesn't show up at work to avoid the flak.</p> <p> </p> <p>So when I left for work, the <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a> are leading 17-10 and I'm feeling good. I get to work and stumble upon Mark and I ask him what's the score? Damn was I pissed when he tells me we're losing 45-21. Now I get his expert friggin advice: we have no corners, no linebackers, yada, yada, yada....</p> <p> </p> <p>The game ended and as usual, I have to put my foot in my mouth. So I say:'' The Lions are putting 40 on the Bears when we play them''. He quickly turns around: ''Say what?'' So I say: ''You heard me, we may lose the game but we're putting 40 on you guys''. He answers: ''No way, not with our defense, you wanna back it up?'' It's time for me to walk away but being the arrogant little SOB that I am,  I look at him and say: ''Yeah, how about  10?''  Well in no time he retorts ''You're on and you know what? If you do put 40, I'll double your wager.</p> <p> </p> <p>With an injured QB and RB, I figure I have to rely on the defense to score a few points for me to win my bet. I know we can take care of Dick Sukbutt's ( or is it Butkus, whatever) team. Stafford, Hill, Best, Johnson, Suh, Van Den Bosch never quit so I know the Lions are on the right track. Let's kick Chicago's butt!!!!!!!!!!!!</p> Reality Check! Cursed Tue, 23 Nov 2010 01:42:05 -0500 <p><br><br>Winning football is about making the fewest mistakes, I would hope we all agree on this.</p> <p>Winning football is about having ''depth'' at all positions if you hope to go deep in the playoffs. If we look at a team's roster of 53 players, we dress 45 for a game. But how important are the 8 leftover players (that aren't being dressed) to a team? If any of those 8 players would be good enough to become back-ups or regulars on most teams, I would surmise that this team is a Super Bowl contender on paper.</p> <p> </p> <p>Which brings me to our beloved <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a>. In their 2 year rebuilding process, I'm willing to wait a few more years to give the FO a chance to complete their plan. We have Stafford who (when healthy) elevates the quality of play of the whole offense. I dare say the same about Suh, the defense is so much stronger when he's on the field. That secondary that was the weak link has shown that with good pressure, they can cover the opponents quite well.</p> <p> </p> <p>There are many pieces missing to complete the puzzle as the franchise was depleted of its talent with the previous administration. This year's Lions have shown glimpses of greatness on both sides of the ball. The nucleus of young stars mixed in with solid veterans is getting there. Van Den Bosch has those defensive linemen chasing the ball carrier way past the line of scrimmage, he is an example of great veteran presence on a team.</p> <p> </p> <p>There are leaders emerging on this ball club but we still need to be patient with the Lions. Winning may be everything but right now, the team is still vulnerable to injuries, suspensions... as we have seen with the loss of Stafford. If Raiola is our best center, I wonder what his replacement is worth!  If Suh misses 2 games, can Sammy Lee, Fluellen be adequate replacements?</p> <p> </p> <p>In a long season of a very violent sport, we need 53 guys that help us win ball games. We can't always count on our 1st stringers to pull us through. This year has shown this, injuries have affected this ball club (and most other franchises)!</p> <p> </p> <p>I'm just making the point that you can't hope for a winning record or anything close when a few of our 1st stringers wouldn't even be dressed for a game if they were part of another organization. <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Larry Foote</a> is a back-up in Pittsburgh. Pick your ex Lion lol.</p> <p> </p> <p>I don't expect the Lions to win another game this season, the injures have hurt us badly but I sure as hell haven't lost hope. If we can steal 1 or 2 games, I'll be happy. I feel that when Mayhew took over, he had to find 48-50 players to build this club into a contender. He's done pretty good in such a short period of time. We have a good coaching staff but they can get so much mileage out of a few mules, you think Cowher can do better? I like to think that those who joined the Lions have shown the guts to start from scratch.</p> <p> </p> <p>Cowher got Noll's <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Steelers</a>, Gruden got Dungy's Bucs. Inheriting a good nucleus helps a coach get a reputation but it takes someone special to do it from scratch. That's why I stand behind the FO, Schwartz and his staff. Give them a chance!</p> Will the Lions bounce back against Dallas? Cursed Tue, 16 Nov 2010 01:47:38 -0500 <p><br>This is my 1st ever post and I am a die hard <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Lions</a> fan even though I'm in Montreal. Even here I get scoffed at but I don't care, it's just a game. The Lions, this year are one of the most exciting teams in the NFL (excepting the Buffalo game) even if they lose more games than they should. It seems to take time for them to learn how to win somehow. They do give a good show.</p> <p> </p> <p>The Buffalo loss was brutal. It seemed to remind me of the 1st game of the infamous 08 season when they walked into Atlanta thinking all they had to do to win was just to show up. They got their asses whipped and never recovered. The rest of the season became history. I hope they have been humbled to the point of correcting their mistakes for the next game because the Buffalo outing was downright ugly.</p> <p> </p> <p>This season, the running game has never been ignited. Can we blame the O line? Are they the most undisciplined bunch in the NFL? Raiola and Peterman seem to be in a contest as to which ends up with the most penalties. How do they protect their QB's? Well 1 left shoulder separation and 1 left broken arm  says enough about this O line or could it be the offensive formations that allow QB's to be disconnected from their body parts? How much is Linehan's fault or the O line's, I have no clue.  How can you blame the RB's when they hit a wall before or at the line of scrimmage?</p> <p> </p> <p>There's a lot of work ahead if we hope they beat the <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Cowboys</a>. Most losses this year were about the Lions beating the Lions. I actually see a big improvement in the defense this year with an awesome front four. Again, they've been handicapped by stupid penalties and poor tackling. Poor tackling is now part of the NFL, each team has big hitters and poor tackers. How many times did I see backs and receivers bounce off the big hit and tag another 10 yards (see the <a href="" class="sbn-auto-link">Jets</a> last drive of regulation time 2 weeks ago). The much maligned secondary (at the beginning of the year) has turned out to be pretty darned good. There is hope that the Lions show up with their A game.</p> <p> </p> <p>What does it take to win? Discipline 1st and foremost. If you're going to lose, make them beat you, don't give it away. No ground game equates to no possibility of winning at any level of football. Simplify the schemes, get 2 RB packages as you really need a lead blocker to search and destroy. Stick with the run, it'll break through. It will also open the passing game. Get Linehan to plan a game where the run/pass ratio is 50/50. That keeps QB's in the game and not on the injured list. Stafford is too good to be a target dummy. This kid has all the intangibles you wait 50 years to so see, he's that good. Don't ruin him with formations that will cripple his career because he has mediocre protection at best. You coach what you have and the O line is not good enough to protect a jewel like Stafford. I know Staff is not playing but the fact remains that the game is not about a coach's great intellect but using the resources at hand to get the most out of what you have. Running the football can get the job done, this is where they should concentrate on. At least this is my opinion, just hoping they show up for this one and prove us all wrong by controlling the clock and ramming it down their throats with the much needed ground game.</p>