Lions News

[froot loops]

I just watched that Barry documentary and I don't get what Scott Mitchell was melting down about.

[chemiclord]

I just watched that Barry documentary and I don't get what Scott Mitchell was melting down about.

I think he was melting down about people taking shots at him on social media all over again after watching the documentary.

[whatever_gong82]

I think he was melting down about people taking shots at him on social media all over again after watching the documentary.

He definitely deserved being ripped, he of the 0-2 record in the Playoffs, 1 TD and 5 Interceptions.

He of the lifetime 32-39 regular season record.

He simply sucked as a starting QB, plain and simple.

The Detroit Lions screwed the pooch by giving this softie that big contract back then.

[froot loops]

Ok, but reading his comments, I expected Jeff Daniels or Eminem to say derogatory about him in the documentary. He wasn't even mentioned. He is extrapolating what Wayne said about getting Warren Moon or Joe Montana. First off Montana would have been well before Mitchell. It's unclear when Moon would have been available, but Mitchell is living in some alternate reality where he is in the same zip code as those two quarterbacks. Plus, it was probably Wayne telling a tall tale.

You don't hear Rodney Leete, Erik Kramer, Charlie Batch, Gus Frerotte or Bob Gagliano complaining about it.

It was a great look back at Lions of the 90s, it still never answers why he retired other than because he didn't want to play anymore. I had some sympathy for Mitchell going into it because I figured he got criticized. He didn't and he needed to STFU. It wasn't about you Scott.

[whatever_gong82]

[jaadam4]

Ok, but reading his comments, I expected Jeff Daniels or Eminem to say derogatory about him in the documentary. He wasn't even mentioned. He is extrapolating what Wayne said about getting Warren Moon or Joe Montana. First off Montana would have been well before Mitchell. It's unclear when Moon would have been available, but Mitchell is living in some alternate reality where he is in the same zip code as those two quarterbacks. Plus, it was probably Wayne telling a tall tale.

You don't hear Rodney Leete, Erik Kramer, Charlie Batch, Gus Frerotte or Bob Gagliano complaining about it.

It was a great look back at Lions of the 90s, it still never answers why he retired other than because he didn't want to play anymore. I had some sympathy for Mitchell going into it because I figured he got criticized. He didn't and he needed to STFU. It wasn't about you Scott.

Seriously? I haven’t seen the doc. The way he came out swinging with F bombs I thought it was really hard on him. What an absolute tool if that’s the case

[jaadam4]

Both the female report and blondie at the end of this clip looks like their minds are blown for what just happened.

Great stuff

[whatever_gong82]

Analytics mirroring production: PFF finally recognizing Lions linebacker's performance



Justin Rogers
The Detroit News



Allen Park — Alex Anzalone just wanted to have a conversation.

Back during training camp, different national media members were rolling through town daily to get a closer look at a Detroit Lions team that might be pretty good, after finishing the previous season winning eight of their final 10 games. Within that contingent of outsiders were two of the top guys from Pro Football Focus, the analytics site, that for more than a decade, has attempted to grade every play, by every player, in every NFL game.



Pro Football Focus has ambitiously dared to elevate the conversation around football, to provide media and fans nuance and context that previously didn't exist through traditional statistics. But, they've also exponentially expanded the debate about what constitutes good and bad within the game.


With Anzalone, a seven-year veteran linebacker, there was probably no point in debating his 2021 season, his first with the Lions. Playing a different style than earlier in his career, surrounded by young and inexperienced teammates, he particularly struggled as a tackler, whiffing 21 times. His 21.2% miss rate led at his position. Not surprisingly, PFF graded him harshly, ranking him 53rd among the 58 linebackers who played at least 50% of their team's defensive snaps.



But when Anzalone seemingly turned the corner a year later, smashing previous career-bests in tackles, tackles for loss and quarterback pressures, all while playing adequate to above-average in coverage, Pro Football Focus didn't show him much love, ranking him 36th out of 52 linebackers meeting the same 50% playing time qualification.

For better or worse, PFF's evaluations have become a regular talking point around players. They undoubtedly shaped outside conversation about Anzalone's value heading into free agency, before the Lions finally committed to him with a multi-year deal after consecutive years of one-year, prove-it contracts.



So, yeah, he wanted to have a conversation. Not to complain, per se, but to understand what they were seeing when evaluating his performance. You have to understand, there's not a player on Detroit's roster who has a better understanding of defensive football, but even he admits he gets tripped up watching opposing schemes, trying to decipher his counterpart's responsibilities on plays. How then, even with former players, coaches and coaches on their staff of 600 part- and full-time graders, is PFF accurately breaking down the execution of his own assignments every play, every game?

To a degree, Anzalone got validation through the chat.



"They admitted linebacker is the hardest position to grade because a lot of times, it's a guessing game with what they're supposed to be doing," he said.

But the true vindication has come through his 2023 performance, where Anzalone has only built on last season's success. Through 10 games, he's tallied 81 tackles (54 solo) and a career-high 3.0 sacks. All those numbers are up from his pace through 10 games a year ago, and for the first time, PFF is recognizing him as one of the game's better linebackers. He's coming off a game in which he was Detroit's top-graded defender and currently, he checks in 12th at his position, overall.


But has that much really changed since last year?

"I don't know," Anzalone said. "It's hard to tell, but it doesn't feel too far off. ...I do feel like I'm playing well, but it's not like I played that far off (from this level last year), either."



Anzalone laughed at the idea his conversation with the PFF employees influenced their perceptions of him. He suggested the possibility that a different set of eyes could be grading Lions games this year. Perhaps the previous evaluator had a bias against his style of play and a new one likes it, based on their own playing or coaching experiences. Who knows?

He's honestly not worried about it.



And, to be clear, he has nothing against the publication, which the team's social media regularly uses to tout player performances and the scouting department uses to begin the evaluation of upcoming opponents and college prospects.

"I feel it's a tool, just not an end-all-be-all," Anzalone said. "A lot of times, they probably are right, but it's too subjective, overall."



jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

[chemiclord]

He definitely deserved being ripped, he of the 0-2 record in the Playoffs, 1 TD and 5 Interceptions.

He of the lifetime 32-39 regular season record.

He simply sucked as a starting QB, plain and simple.

The Detroit Lions screwed the pooch by giving this softie that big contract back then.

Oh sure, the dude was trash.

But it's like... literally a quarter century ago. At some point, people have to let it go rather than keep needling him on Facebook. It's not like he was the only Lions QB over the last 60+ years of ineptitude.

That said, he really needs to let it go too. As others have noted, he's not even mentioned by name. That some twerps on a social media site decided to use the documentary to torque him again really has nothing to do with the documentary or Barry or anyone.

[whatever_gong82]

Oh sure, the dude was trash.

But it's like... literally a quarter century ago. At some point, people have to let it go rather than keep needling him on Facebook. It's not like he was the only Lions QB over the last 60+ years of ineptitude.

That said, he really needs to let it go too. As others have noted, he's not even mentioned by name. That some twerps on a social media site decided to use the documentary to torque him again really has nothing to do with the documentary or Barry or anyone.

I've let it go when it comes to him.

But, as long as he's blasting people like Barry, who put in 10 high quality years, while he only had one fluky career year that turned into a pumpkin once the old Houston Oilers and then the Philadelphia Eagles found out the chink in his game, and he never got better, he needs to look in the mirror.

Like to paraphrase what Bill Parcells said, your record is what you are.

[-Deborah-]

The local NBC station had a special on last night called The Last One. It was all about the Lions' last playoff win. Tons of video footage from back then and a lot of interviews, it was great. Seeing Utley and Andolsek was tough. The noise level at the Silverdome was unbelievable! Let's do that again!

[The Ken]

The local NBC station had a special on last night called The Last One. It was all about the Lions' last playoff win. Tons of video footage from back then and a lot of interviews, it was great. Seeing Utley and Andolsek was tough. The noise level at the Silverdome was unbelievable! Let's do that again!

What is the stations name?

i would love to see if they are on you tube, I had no luck finding them by The Last One, it might not be on you tube.

happy thanksgiving

[wcfwtf]

Just type in Detroit Lions last playoff win
that should bring it up