Making The Saints Look Like Fools In The D

I tried to tell myself that when writing this blog, I would not write about the same team until I was forced to by the way games are played each week. This is a special case because the Lions performance this past Sunday was astounding! A comeback win from being down 2 touchdowns, and the best defense statistically stopping a future Hall Of Fame quarterback. Have a day Detroit, have a day.

I winced every time the camera was put on Calvin Johnson that was not dressed to play in Sundays game against the New Orleans Saints. The Lions were praying that their group of talented wide receivers would show up to the game. That receiving core brought all of it's talents and impressed me to the point of almost smiling to see Calvin on the sideline. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe that Johnson wouldn't have helped the cause against the Saints. Heck he probably would have added on another TD or a few hundred yards. I just loved seeing the other receivers doing work out there even though that big leader was standing arms crossed, and hoping for the W. Golden Tate and Corey Fuller were showing off their big hands and quick feet. Golden Tate with 10 receptions, 154 yards and his longest catch of 73 yards for the TD. Tate put up 87 of his career-high 154 receiving yards after the catch. Tate averaged 8.7 yards after the catch, which is the most of anyone with 10 receptions in a game this year. Corey Fuller also had 3 receptions for 44 yards averaging 14.7 yards a catch, with one huge winning touchdown topping the comeback for the Lions. Stafford was also on his game with 299 passing yards making 27 of his 40 pass attempts. His two interceptions were a sight for sore eyes. However he pushed his offense to the max in this comeback. Matthew Stafford also made a day for himself by a tie with Bobby Layne for Detroits career lead with 118 touchdown passes.

I would expect nothing less from the Lions to have some sort of setback with a great win on Sunday. Reggie Bush spent most of his time on the sideline into this game. It appeared that he may have tweaked his ankle but don't take my word for it. It could have been anything. Luckily Joique Bell like the Lions receiving core, was ready to take charge when a fellow teammate at his position was out. Joique did not see many yards with 48 on 18 carries, but he also scored a 1 yard run into the endzone on an 80 yard Detroit offensive drive. The Saints are obviously struggling losing their "Killer Instinct" as it was put in an ESPN article. Four injuries have been critical for the Saints play on game days. Tight End Jimmy Graham played with a shoulder injury but did not catch a pass all day. The Saints Center Jonathan Goodwin left in the second quarter with a leg injury. New Orleans lost Nose Tackle Brodrick Bunkley in the second half with a concussion, and his counterpart on the defensive line of Glenn Foster with a knee injury. Being 0-4 on the road, the Saints need to find a spark to get this 2-4 team into the playoff picture.


LIONS KICKER UPDATE:

YES! Prater put one through the uprights! Even though he barely made it in. With a loud BONG made the "Kickers Music" by placing a shot directly on the goal post. Making me more nervous about his future play. Maybe his teammates held him to only a few shots of whiskey before the game and not the whole fifth? Lets just hope he strays little by little from that.

Ravens 'Toss' Around Bucs in Tampa

The Ravens and Joe Flacco showed up to play in Tampa on Sunday. The Ravens were looking to get a shaky looking season back on Track. Baltimore could not have played any better to show that the whole team was all in for a better season. Flacco and the Ravens offense put on what had resembled a record setting performance in the first half. Their defense even showed up against the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Though losing a tough 48-17, the Bucs were not all terrible on the stat sheet. Besides the 1 win and 5 losses, 3 being at home. Tampa's offense wasn't awful, but no where near any good.

Flacco lead his Ravens in the first half scoring on six straight possessions. He was the first NFL quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in the first half since Tom Brady in 2009. He threw TDs to four different receivers and completed passes to 5 other Raven receivers. Torrey Smith caught the first 2 TD's in the first 6 minutes of the game. That was more than what he had in his previous 10 games combined! Kamar Aiken, Steve Smith and Michael Campanaro would follow for a lead early in the second quarter putting the score at 35-0. The Ravens running game also came to Tampa with Forsett rushing for 111 yards on 14 carries, with his longest being 52 yards. Pierce also rushed for 32 yards on 15 carries. Flacco's passing was a pretty outstanding stat on the post game sheets. However one of the more important in my eyes is the "Sacks-Yards Lost" going 0-0 on the day for the Ravens. Meaning their offensive line put a whooping on the Bucs defense. Being a retired Center myself, that always puts me in a good mood! I think it's safe to say that Flacco's arm was better Sunday than the Buccaneers Pirate Ship cannons in the North Endzone. Giving the Ravens the edge in this game.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the other hand were not up to the challenge on Sunday.  With Cornerback Alterrraun Verner and the Bucs shaky defense gave up a staggering 48 points. You can really only describe it as sloppy play and nothing else. The Bucs offense was riddled all game as well. The same stat of Sacks-Yards Lost that the Ravens did so well in, was the downfall of the Buccaneers. Tampa Bays offensive line gave up 5 sacks for a loss of 37 yards.The Bucs quarterback Glennon was sacked or put under duress on 26 of his 49 dropbacks. YUCK. If you do the math that's 53% of his drop backs that were disrupted. That is absolutely a garbage performance by the long time struggling Buccaneers. The only good stat that I can think of is Glennons performance despite being chased more than half the time of possession. Matt Glennon threw for 2 TDs, 314 yards completing 53% of his passes and only 1 interception. That is really all I have to say about the sad looking team. The Bucs are the first team in the last 14 seasons to be outscored by at least 35 points in a half, twice in single season.

NFC North Beat Down

Everyone in "Packer-Land" was told to relax by their great leading quarterback Aaron Rodgers after a shaky set of starts for Green Bay. Rodgers was right to calm everyone down. The Packers have started their roll in the NFC North. Since his most recent statement, Green Bay has put up 38 and 42 points in their last 2 games. Both games were also wins against teams in the NFC North. The Chicago Bears and the most recent Minnesota Vikings. I like the big scoring games so we'll stick to the whooping of Minnesota this past Thursday.

The Minnesota Vikings were without their new star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater this week. Relieving any chance of a win against the Packers. Last week Bridgewater had 317 yards, sparking a huge flame under the Vikings showing that they finally have someone to keep running the offense. It really shows how momentum of one player can lead to a victory or a loss. Many people think kickers in football are just headcases and cannot be coached out of their nerves. Honestly I believe every player on a team, professional or not, is a headcase at some point. It all wages on the performance of players. Not having the new quarterback and bringing in the old (Christian Ponder) would send their heads spinning into a 42-10 loss. Minnesota had given up 2 interceptions and a fumble, along with 9 penalties for 91 yards, and any chance of their offense to roll against the Pack'.

Eddie Lacy ran for a season high 105 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win against Minnesota. Lacy ran more balls up the middle in Thursdays game than he did in the first 4 games this season. The Packers averaged 37.3 rush yards before contact per game in the first 4 weeks. Through 2 drives against the Vikings, the Packers already had 39 rush yards before contact. A season high game and probably one of the best for a top running back like Lacy in the NFL.

Lacy was moving like a tank on the ground all night but that doesn't mean the offense didn't have some struggles. Rodgers and the Packer offense were not at their best performance. Rodgers only connected on 12 of his 17 passes for 156 yards on the night. There were several three-and-outs with a few touchdown drives.  Randall Cobb was the first to strike on Thursday night with an 8 yard pass from Rodgers for the touchdown. Cobb would finish his night with 2 other receptions for 26 yards. Jordy Nelson also had a 66 yard touchdown that would be his only reception on the night.

In all the scoring of the night for the Packers, even Linebacker Julius Peppers found himself crossing the goal line after a 49 yard interception. This also granted him his first Lambeau Leap that every Green Bay Packer takes after scoring on an opponent. Peppers with his Pick-6 would also put him over a major defensive feat. He became the first player in NFL history with 100 sacks and 10 interceptions.

LIONS KICKER UPDATE: I'm not getting into detail on this because it's so very frustrating to see. Can they just find someone to put the pigskin through the uprights?! Please and thank you! They will need it after seeing how Green Bay is stepping up their game in the NFC North. The Lions will need all the help they can get to defeat Green Bay and win the division this year,

Charles and Chiefs Dominate New England

Coming into the new week for the NFL I saw the Monday Night game to be the most interesting. Two teams with great Quarterbacks, but one who I knew from the start had more personnel, would come out to be victorious. I didn't expect such a blow out from Kansas City however. These guys were rolling. They had to roll, having only one win and two losses, one f which was at home. The Chiefs needed the spark to light the fire under their backside. That spark came from a returning leader to the field Jamaal Charles. Coming off an injured ankle Jamaal said to coach Chip Kelly that he did not want to be the only running back without a touchdown. Without Charles the Chiefs have used all they have, every Chiefs running back that has touched the grass this year has scored a touchdown besides Charles . So Jamaal made up for it against a shaky Patriots team. Even with Knile Davis getting more yards on the day, Jamaal Charles had more touches and a touchdown on the night. Just enough for the Chiefs to fire something up. Charles wasn't stressed at all for scoring last night because the rest of his Chiefs team help out immensely.

 The Chiefs putting up together a staggering 41 points to the 14 of New England was quite enough of a boost for the Chiefs. Chiefs defense had two interceptions, one for 6, and a fumble recovery. Brady and the New England offense definitely did not have the kind of night they hoped for. Too many people already within the next morning have said Tom BRady is not an elite Quarterback, especially since his interview in the past weeks when he said, "I'll retire when I suck". Which indeed this monday night he sucked. I don't believe myself that Tom Brady is finished. A lot of people expected him to flourish with new young guns running the field alongside Gronkowski which seemed to be one of his only used targets this season. Brady says he just needs to gain some trust in his young receiving core, but the film says they just need to get open. Brady finished his night completing 14 of his 23 passes for 159 yards, a touchdown, two interceptions and a stripped fumble. That's quite a mouthful for an elite quarterback like Brady, I bet you he also had a mouthful that tasted sour when Coach Belichick pulled Brady to give back up quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo sometime on the field. Belichick commented on the decision with a firm, "Just wanted everyone to play." Which is every coach's job to make sure your backups get the reps they need. Maybe to search for the same flame that Jamaal Charles should be burning under Tom Brady and the rest of the New England teams ass to get them moving after the embarrassing loss on a Monday Night game. They all need some work, get in that film room, find every hole in their very young offensive line, every flaw in the offense against the Chiefs big defense. Change is needed, anyone could tell you that.

DETROIT LIONS INJURY UPDATE:

Joseph Fauria the Lions tight end hurt his ankle not at practice, not at a game, but in his apartment. Chasing his 3 month old puppy attempting to potty train it, Fauria took a bad step and sprained his ankle. Of course he did. Only a Lion could put himself through such a ridiculous injury. From Fauria now slipping in dog pee, to Tulloch tearing an ACL with an on the field celebration and the classic Nate Burleson breaking his forearm trying to stop a sliding pizza in the seat of his car. injuries that only make the Lions look more and more like an old character from a movie I once saw...

A Super Bowl Rematch

There was no doubt in my mind what game I was going to pick to write on this week. Of course I watched the Lions beat up on the Packers and the Packers foolish Offensive Line got my guy Stephen Tulloch on a nasty looking celebration. Tulloch is now out with a torn ACL. I couldn't focus on any other game but the demanding rematch of the top 2 teams of last season.

The Broncos started out Super Bowl XLVIII pretty rough, with miscommunication and a snap flying over Peyton Mannings head, into the endzone for a safety. As you can imagine, that pretty much destroyed any momentum they had and they played like a middle school team the rest of the night. However in the new 2014-2015 season rematch, the Denver Broncos came to play ball. In a much closer game, it would need extra time! The Seahawks have the best home record of 16-1 since 2012. After battling for almost a full 4 quarters, Peyton Manning hits Jacob Tamme in the end zone with only 24 seconds to go in the final quarter making Manning's 100th career touchdown pass with Denver. With the score now 18-20 with the Seahawks lead the Broncos convert on 2 points after the touchdown to send this one into overtime. The Broncos overcame a 2 touchdown deficit going into overtime but there luck would run short.

 The Seahawks win the coin toss and put their outstanding offense out on the field with Russell Wilson. Wilson already with over 200 yards, rushes for 21 yards in overtime. Stretching out twice for first downs making those plays count in a close game and not sliding as quarterbacks do to protect themselves. We all know Peyton Manning can make those plays just as well with his arm, but where was his overtime play at? We did not see Peyton in overtime because he had no chance! With 1st and Goal the ball on the 6 yard line with 9:18 left to go in overtime, the Seahawks Marshawn BEAST MODE Lynch punches the ball in for a game ending touchdown. The final score at 20-26, a Seahawks victory in the second Super Bowl XLVIII. Peyton can only look onto the field in disbelief. The Broncos end this one with Peyton Manning making 31 of 49 pass attempts, not an uncommon day for man with a cannon on his shoulder. He finished with 303 yards total, 2 touchdowns and one interception. The Broncos Tight End Jacob Tamme finished the day with 2 receptions for 22 yards and that 4th quarter touchdown catch. The Seahawks end this win with 384 total yards. Quarterback Russell Wilson going 24-34 passing with 258 total yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Marshawn Lynch also being a key player with 88 yards, a game winning rushing touchdown and a reception for a touchdown.

This game definitely satisfied my uneasy feeling of a blown out Super Bowl XLVII. Heck this game should have been played last February! I would rather see a crazy overtime showdown over a blowout in one of the most watched sporting events in the world. Even though now we can expect the head of Richard Sherman to expand bigger than any of the hot air balloons at the festival in Midland, Michigan these past few weeks. Along with a slouching Peyton Manning and lawsuits against Welker with his drug problems.

Monday Night Football Giants vs Lions

Oh the wonderful Detroit, Michigan. It's September 8th, 2014, a beautiful day in the Motor City. The city is bustling with cars, buses and tailgate-goers filling the local parking lots. Stuffing themselves with not only the Rib Rub Pubs famous ribs, but also a lot of doubt in their beloved Lions. I was fortunate enough to snag a few tickets off of StubHub for this great event. However, some people thought it was a waste.

 My buddy and I started taking the long haul to the stadium, and heard nothing but a downpour of jeers on the lions. "Man that Stafford really needs to step up this year or he's done. And that Caldwell guy? HA, I don't even think he knows a football from a pylon." I was surprised in all these statements form the fans of the streets. The Lions have done well in building their team this offseason. A new Head Coach Jim Caldwell from the Baltimore Ravens. The new offensive coordinator, Joe Lombardi and his New Orleans inspired offense. Not only with new great coaches, but the addition of key players like Wide Receiver Golden Tate, who caught all six passes from Lions quarterback Matt Stafford for a solid 93 yards. It has been said and shown by his performance this past Monday opener, that he is one of the "most sure-handed receivers" in the league. 

It was not a surprise to see the returning players and vets putting in their hours on the field as well as the new guys. Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford's dynamic duo lit up against the Giants defense in the first ten minutes as the best statistical first quarter of their careers. Johnson had 7 receptions for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns on the night, not an unexpected performance coming from the franchise Wide Out. I can't blame hecklers for being down on Mr. Stafford. Not saying that I dislike the guy at the position for the Lions. The last 3 years he's had over 14,500 yards passing, which is an eye-opener of a stat for the caliber team he's played for in those 3 seasons. Being in his 6th season in the NFL, there's still something about him that catches my eye. As a football player, you can usually tell what goes through any players mind during a game, whether it's a 12 year old playing Pee Wee football or a seasoned Quarterback in the NFL. When I watch the Lions Stafford, he seems, skittish. He knows what he's doing, but he rushes things way too quickly. That's just the guy he is, look for one deep route with Calvin and the run to the sideline and pray for someone underneath. That skill did pay off when he made a Giants defender look like a fool, that made everyone in the  building cringe. That is acceptable in some cases of course. It is, however, nice to see a quarterback sit in the pocket too look for more than a Calvin Johnson down the field. That is something he's always been looking to work on along with his arm strength. To many a surprise, he did just that on his spectacular decision making and strength in his arm throwing without his feet set. Stafford going 22 completions on 32 attempts with 364 yards and a rushing touch down. The Lions defense managed to hold New York to 14 points and 2 interceptions from an acrobatic Linebacker DeAndre Levy, concentrating on the nearly impossible snag and the Free Safety Glover Quin on the goal line from the driving Giants. George Johnson also with a notable sack against a very disappointing Giants offensive line. 

As I walked out of the stadium after the Lions first victory of the season, chest puffed out with pride, with a grin on my face from ear to ear. I knew that the streets of busy Downtown Detroit would be buzzing with hopes of a playoff run in the months ahead.

Let The Games Begin

Being a life long fan of football, and playing it successfully throughout high school, gives me good reason to start a blog on one of the most popular professional sports played today. Football is my kind of game, whether I'm watching football on TV with NFL Sunday, College Football Saturdays, Friday night lights at a high school game, or being a volunteer referee at the local Flag Football games. I hope to coach at least some High School Football some day. I love this sport. It's the hot blood in my body that keeps me chugging along in this world. If football was the sun, I would still watch it even if it made me blind. Just so I could still tell the story's of games I witnessed to other people.

By now you're probably thinking, "Wow, his love for football makes him a poetic mess. So he's crazy." Yes, this may be true. However, Joe Namath said it the best. Football isn't just 22 guys on a field, hurling their body's at each other, it's all about life. Learning life lessons. I've learned most of that from playing the game myself but I've also learned a lot from other people who play in the NFL. That's why I picked to write about the NFL. The NFL sticks out to me the most not just because of life lessons but I like seeing the inside aspects of the game. I've never participated in a fantasy league, but watching over my buddies shoulders, and seeing the shows about all the stats behind the leagues and highlights of the game have always intrigued me. Why did the Quarterback throw the ball to the post and not the out route? Why did the coach call a zone and not a man to man coverage on defense? What kind of drills are used in practiced to slow down a high paced offense? These are some of the aspects I would like to bring to this blog, not only learning more about the game myself, but for the reader as well. Along with stats and highlights of different teams playing every week in the NFL. Starting with my home town the Detroit Lions after attending their Monday Night Football season opener against the New York Giants. Hopefully coming back with good things to say about the Lions , considering their past few, if not all the seasons I've had to watch in agony my whole life.