Lions @ Packers - Game 4

[TSE]

I rewound that snap on the miss and it came in tight and was a tough late adjusted handle and it threw off Hanson's timing perhaps. Besides, whether he came up short or not on that kick, coach knows darn well that Jason can hit that kick, and the odds are going to be really close to a 50/50 shot of him making the kick. By punting, we take a big risk to not get the ball back, whereas with a FG try we have a guaranteed 50/50 shot to take the lead with similar time on the clock for GB's last possession. The main difference between the scenarios is we have a freeroll chance to try and take the lead versus not having that coin flip chance at all. Yeah we lose some field position, but that field position isn't big enough to trade away a coin flip, as making up those yards in the air when you control the ball and the play selection isn't that insurmountable to be worth more than a 50/50 FG try.

The 4th down play from the 9 it's still in our best interest to attempt the TD, packaged with great field position if we don't make the score. Basically, if we don't get the TD our odds to stop them from the 9 and get a TD are higher than to stop them from the 30+ and get a FG in conjunction with the clock also being alive for us to even try. Although the difference is not gigantic, but math logic still favors taking the risk and taking that guaranteed opportunity to go ahead.

We also had a chance to use a TO with 1:00 left instead stopped it with 55 seconds, not to mention there's no special reason to wait 'till 3rd down to use it once you see the team run the ball on 1st and 2nd down, cause there is no guarantee they will continue to run it if they are stupid, which they proved by attempting a pass during that drive when they should have just ran it every time.

Also I still think that despite being ripped off by the refs a lot, that we still would have been more likely to win had we played Drew Stanton. I was shocked to see how many people on other boards were touting on about Hill playing well when he did not, he missed that run for 4 extra pts with a wide open TD, he threw a 40 yard pick 6, and a few of the big pass plays we had were just made by the receiver and not because of his good play. He hurt us in this game a lot more than he helped us, and that was just enough to make the difference. No guarantees we would have won with Drew, but Shaun Hill is just an illogical play for so many reasons in addition to not even giving us the best chance to win the game. We did everything in our power to try and keep GB in it, a truly sickening game.

This loss is again on Mayhew and Jim, Mayhew for allowing Jim the opportunity to even choose an illogical QB play in addition to other shortcomings of the team with our roster design, and Jim for making countless mistakes that have no excuse other than not being able to understand logic and strategy and mathematical probability at a high level. He doesn't even need to understand all that if he would just hire a guy to sit in the booth and figure that stuff out for him. These guys are screwing up our team badly, and it's a real shame.

[kellmellus50]

In the NFL you need to have a running QB like Micheal Vick it gives you that extra threat to win games .If the lions would have picked him up a year ago instead of Hill we would be 4-0.

Drew Stanton can run and i like that in a QB why don't the coaches see that and let him play that one play hill could have walked into the end zone but choose to pass it,Stanton would have ran and made that touchdown.

"We've got to score touchdowns. We got too many field goals and we need six (points),'' said Lions center Dominic Raiola. "It's plain and simple, that's it. It's that game in a nutshell ... the big, bad Packers.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/20 ... ckers.html

[TSE]

And then what would happen to Mayhew's job if it looked like the Stafford pick was a waste and could have been spent on something else? That would potentially embarrass the team and put us in an awkward position of what to do with this highly paid guy who is now under contract for a long time, and nobody would trade us a fair price for that contract when they see we are handcuffed to a QB picked. So why not try to win with Shaun Hill instead of Stanton, what if Mayhew felt that Drew only gave us a 1% higher chance of winning? Why take a huge personal risk for a lousy 1% bonus, when if you win with the bonus you have to answer much tougher questions. He didn't know he was going to be 0-4, but it's much more convenient for him to win with Hill than win with Stanton, so it's a small price to pay for him to choose Hill as the better option. Besides, Drew's game is like Vick's in a way that he is susceptible to a lot of hits and potential injuries, so it could create the appearance of a controversy without the security of the position, you really need to have 2 QBs if you are going to play with Stanton. It's just way too much risk for major headaches for Mayhew. Which is why I wanted to play Drew a long time ago so that we could figure out the optimal solution set of what to do with him, create a possible trade market, and possible clearer definition of what to do with our draft picks, etc. etc.

Bottom line is that not playing Drew is just one of many problems, it's a complete mess of poor logic and bad decision making, and that requires further illogical and poor decision making to try and justify the bad spot we are in and the bad path we are taking. It's just like a poker player who makes a big mistake early on and keeps firing bullets and praying, praying really hard that his card comes up before he runs out of chances. Screw the math, we are already too far invested and it's desperation time to try and justify ALL the terrible decisions and terrible actions.

That's just the way stupid people and losers operate. They are too ignorant and selfish to do the correct thing and the right thing. And now our whole team is full of losers, cause our management and coaches MAKE them into losers. I see this behavior all the time, in politics, in the corporate world, in the sports and tv/entertainment world, and thus I complain about it because I'm sick of incompetent people screwing up my pursuit of enjoyment of life. I expect better and demand better, but nobody ever listens to me, cause the people in power are greedy and afraid to admit that they don't deserve the jobs they have.

[Liqourish]

I was okay with the game for the most part. No one picked us to win. In fact we were supposed to get thoroughly embarassed. Instead we had a chance to pull out a win with 6 minutes left but Schwartz decided to punt when we only need a few more yards for Hanson to get in field goal range. IMO, that was a very bad call and cost us a chance to win the game.

Our offense was actually good. Shaun Hill didn't try to do to much. He really worked the short yardage game and got our TEs and RBs involved with screen passes that GB never adjusted to. And if GB isn't going to defend that, keep doing it. Yes, Shaun Hill should have ran for the TD when he was 4 yards out, but he didn't. We had other chances, but that hurt us.

Our defense didn't do to badly. One of GBs TDs was on Woodsons INT return. Our defense wasn't on the field much, but made their presence felt. 2 sacks, a few QB hits, a few TFL, a couple INTs (not counting Houstons first INT that was called back by a penalty). Chris Houston looks like a solid #2 CB and Alphonso Smith looks like a good nickle CB. We still need a #1 though. Jonathan Wade and CC Brown are our worst DBs. I'd rather start Spievey next to Delmas.

Our linebackers are horrible. Maybe even worst than our secondary. Follett doesn't look good out there unless he's blitzing. Levy can't seem to get on the field and Peterson is only one guy. Palmer has looked good on special teams, but we need at least two more LBers before we can be solid there.

Our offensive line didn't do too bad. They were on the field ALOT. They mostly did bad in penalties than in actual protection. Peterman has to STOP the false starts. He's a very good run blocker.... but damn man... slow your roll. Cherilus had a personal foul hitting guy on the ground after the play was dead. His first big mistake this year. He hasn't really been too bad, but that wasn't good to see.

We got Calvin involved more, especially in the end zone. Nice to see them remember what a freak he is and toss it up there for him. We really need another WR to take long attention away from Calvin. Hopefully when Burleson gets back healthy, he'll fill that role, but right now it's hurting us. Pettigrew and Scheffler have been very good for us this year. They are the best TE tandem in the league this year statistically. Scheffler ran some good routes that confused the defense and got Calvin open. And Pettigrew is growing as a blocker. If they can continue finding their rhythm, they could be a strength on offense, even without getting targeted.

Overall, it sucks that we're 0-4 instead of 1-3 or even 2-2, but this team has shown alot of improvement, on both sides of the ball. We need to get Stafford back healthy and continue expanding the playbook, on both sides of the ball, but I'm liking the growth I see. This team is on the rise. Now we just gotta get some wins.

[kellmellus50]

Same old story for years (but this team has shown alot of improvement, on both sides of the ball.)

everybody has been saying this after every game they have to stop.were the most improved team in the nfl the way people are talking.

Wins show improvement not losses,people wake up and smell the coffee!!!

"I like what Jim Schwartz is doing, the people he's brought in," Billick said, "but I gotta tell you, the way they're carrying themselves right now, they feel like a defeated football team, like they're waiting for that next bad thing to happen

http://www.freep.com/section/BLOG21



7. The hump: In his post-game interview Sunday, Schwartz talked about his team being close to winning, and how it has to “get over the hump.”I’d agree that they’re close, but amend the coach’s comment slightly. They have to get to the hump first. And that hump looks like Mt. Everest


29. Lions (0-4): The best of the 0-4 teams. (I have heard that before)
the rams who only won 1 game last year are 2-2 now thats improvement.

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20101004 ... ms-but-won’t-repeat-winless-season-of-’08#ixzz11RTweGdg

[Icness]

This was a winnable game lost because the team, from coaches to players, doesn't know how to win and doesn't handle end-of-game situations well. You have to try that long FG and show some faith in the defense if Hanson misses. The red zone plays were too predictable too.

I thought Hill looked very good but some of that is a function of how terrible GB's secondary and LBs are. I would have rode Pettigrew more, they had absolutely no concept of how to defend a TE more than 5 yards down the field.

OL looked better overall but the penalties were costly. This line is built to play better against 3-4 fronts and did so.

Chris Houston impressed again. He belongs as a starter. Smith is still very hit/miss but he is aggressive after the ball anyways. IMO Delmas had a poor game and his undisciplined style is wearing thinner all the time.