So, if you’re looking for deeper meaning in Detroit’s preseason, don’t. In 2008, Detroit went 4-0 in the preseason, the only team that year to do so. They followed it up by going 0-16.
I’ve never paid much attention to pre-season football. They’re on a roster of 90 right now, which will be cut to 80 this week, and then down to 53 before the season begins. Dropping over a third of the people playing in the pre-season means a significantly different dynamic come Week 1, never mind the whole pre-season mindset of “these games don’t really count”. It’s fairly trivial to go for it on 4th and 5 in the pre-season, because, well, who cares if it works or not? It’s another down to practice. During a regular season game? MUCH different.
The meaning I take from pre-season is that 1) it is a continuation of their good performance from the end of last season, 2) they are playing very well in general, not just winning and 3) Stafford finally seems to have come into his own.
Ignoring the pre-season, they were expected to be much better this year (again, on the strength of the late season last year, when everyone was finally healthy). Do you some reason to believe otherwise?
Well, I was telling you last fall, before that win streak, that the Lions are a team on the rise.
Doesn’t mean they can’t stumble. And all a big preseason win means is that their first, second, third, and long-shot strings mostly played better than the other team’s equivalents. Things change when it’s four quarters of first team.
Nevertheless, the Lions have a better shot at respectability this year than they’ve had in a long, long time. It’ll be an interesting year for their fans – one way or another!
1. It is the preseason
1a. The Patriots left a good chunk of their first string defense at home
2. The Lions are a team on the rise
2a. Lots of top draft picks over the past decade, all they need is for the talent to gel.
Or not.
So, if you’re looking for deeper meaning in Detroit’s preseason, don’t. In 2008, Detroit went 4-0 in the preseason, the only team that year to do so. They followed it up by going 0-16.
I’ve never paid much attention to pre-season football. They’re on a roster of 90 right now, which will be cut to 80 this week, and then down to 53 before the season begins. Dropping over a third of the people playing in the pre-season means a significantly different dynamic come Week 1, never mind the whole pre-season mindset of “these games don’t really count”. It’s fairly trivial to go for it on 4th and 5 in the pre-season, because, well, who cares if it works or not? It’s another down to practice. During a regular season game? MUCH different.
The meaning I take from pre-season is that 1) it is a continuation of their good performance from the end of last season, 2) they are playing very well in general, not just winning and 3) Stafford finally seems to have come into his own.
Ignoring the pre-season, they were expected to be much better this year (again, on the strength of the late season last year, when everyone was finally healthy). Do you some reason to believe otherwise?
Well, I was telling you last fall, before that win streak, that the Lions are a team on the rise.
Doesn’t mean they can’t stumble. And all a big preseason win means is that their first, second, third, and long-shot strings mostly played better than the other team’s equivalents. Things change when it’s four quarters of first team.
Nevertheless, the Lions have a better shot at respectability this year than they’ve had in a long, long time. It’ll be an interesting year for their fans – one way or another!
1. It is the preseason
1a. The Patriots left a good chunk of their first string defense at home
2. The Lions are a team on the rise
2a. Lots of top draft picks over the past decade, all they need is for the talent to gel.
2b. Matt Millen has been gone for three years now