Matt Stafford is the suckiest suck to ever suck

[froot loops]

The Lions have not had the collection of players, coaching staff and talent over the years. Sometimes franchises with bad ownership and bad teams can luck into a great team but that hasn't proven to be the case. That the Cowboy playoff loss looms large is indicative of how bad the franchise has been. Sure that game was winnable, they got hosed by a bad call and they probably choked but if they won they weren't winning the next game. It wasn't a Super Bowl contender and it was maxed out for cap purposes. That team was certainly the best team since Wayne Fontes was the coach, but that isn't saying much.

We could only wish that the Lions were in the class of franchise of the Red Sox prior to 2004. That team had only 5 losing seasons in the previous 37 seasons. They had plenty of teams capable of winning the World Series but always came up short. Since the late-60's Red Sox fans always had reason for optimism when the season began. Their losing seasons have been so anomalous they could probably list them off, conversely the Lion good teams have been so anomalous Lion fans can list them off.

Every Lion fan truly knows this, so some of them treat the quarterback position as a deus ex machina to solve all of their ills and get mad at Stafford when he isn't that.

[Futureshock]

The Lions have not had the collection of players, coaching staff and talent over the years. Sometimes franchises with bad ownership and bad teams can luck into a great team but that hasn't proven to be the case. That the Cowboy playoff loss looms large is indicative of how bad the franchise has been. Sure that game was winnable, they got hosed by a bad call and they probably choked but if they won they weren't winning the next game. It wasn't a Super Bowl contender and it was maxed out for cap purposes. That team was certainly the best team since Wayne Fontes was the coach, but that isn't saying much.

We could only wish that the Lions were in the class of franchise of the Red Sox prior to 2004. That team had only 5 losing seasons in the previous 37 seasons. They had plenty of teams capable of winning the World Series but always came up short. Since the late-60's Red Sox fans always had reason for optimism when the season began. Their losing seasons have been so anomalous they could probably list them off, conversely the Lion good teams have been so anomalous Lion fans can list them off.

Every Lion fan truly knows this, so some of them treat the quarterback position as a deus ex machina to solve all of their ills and get mad at Stafford when he isn't that.

Great post.

The ONLY thing I would sort of change is that the Lions have had great players at every position through the years. They have just not had them at the same time. IF MS, Suh and Calvin were on that Fontes team that won the last playoff game I think they had a real shot at beating WAS and taking it all.

The coaching? Yeesh

[dwt1]

Well said. The Lions of 10, 20, 30 years ago are not a factor. The Lions team last year is not even a factor. Every NFL season bad teams come up - good teams fall. Surprises happen. Even the mighty Pats were once cellar dwellers. This years Lions should be evaluated by and defined by this year. Not 1974.

Exactly......They'll be mediocre, just as they've been for the last 10 years

[dwt1]

The Lions have not had the collection of players, coaching staff and talent over the years. Sometimes franchises with bad ownership and bad teams can luck into a great team but that hasn't proven to be the case. That the Cowboy playoff loss looms large is indicative of how bad the franchise has been. Sure that game was winnable, they got hosed by a bad call and they probably choked but if they won they weren't winning the next game. It wasn't a Super Bowl contender and it was maxed out for cap purposes. That team was certainly the best team since Wayne Fontes was the coach, but that isn't saying much.

We could only wish that the Lions were in the class of franchise of the Red Sox prior to 2004. That team had only 5 losing seasons in the previous 37 seasons. They had plenty of teams capable of winning the World Series but always came up short. Since the late-60's Red Sox fans always had reason for optimism when the season began. Their losing seasons have been so anomalous they could probably list them off, conversely the Lion good teams have been so anomalous Lion fans can list them off.

Every Lion fan truly knows this, so some of them treat the quarterback position as a deus ex machina to solve all of their ills and get mad at Stafford when he isn't that.

They have never had anything better than a mediocre QB since Bobby Lane.......that is all you need to know.

[Fraquar]

Sorry, but after watching Seattle last year, there are no individual excuses as to why the Lions are who they are. For the vast majority of my lifetime they have been an organization whose problems have been systemic - from ownership all the way down to the locker room. Their only really good HC was Joe Schmidt, and the Lions pretty much ran him out of football the way they were running the team from the top - he couldn't take it anymore.

The only question is, will it continue going forward.

[dwt1]

A lot of truth to that.

[wcfwtf]

Amen

[TheLondonLion]

[Dan V]

Went to the game with my son. Thought at least we were done with Caldwell after that and they brought him back the following year.....Pain

[Fraquar]

Meh, they needed too many teams to fall on their sword after Week 13.
SEA was 2 games up
CAR was 2 games up - and had a tie-breaker advantage
ATL was 1 game up - and had a tie-breaker advantage

Lions chances were slim at best, and Slim decided he'd had enough and left town after they got trucked by BAL.

[dpatnod]

Exactly......They'll be mediocre, just as they've been for the last 10 years

Just like your packers?

[Malto Marko]

Sorry, but after watching Seattle last year, there are no individual excuses as to why the Lions are who they are. For the vast majority of my lifetime they have been an organization whose problems have been systemic - from ownership all the way down to the locker room. Their only really good HC was Joe Schmidt, and the Lions pretty much ran him out of football the way they were running the team from the top - he couldn't take it anymore.

The only question is, will it continue going forward.

I agree with your assessment on coaching hires. They did try to give a few that had rings a chance but they all decided they could not get to the holy land with the camels they have been given.

I am in total agreement with Schmidt.

[Futureshock]

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/former-lions-wide-receiver-golden-tate-reflects-on-time-in-detroit

[dpatnod]

But Tate has played with Nick Fekkin Foles....wth?

[wcfwtf]

Players never say he wants to win. Tate says Stafford wants to ball
Yeah we know he likes to play, so frigin what. Everybody wants to play, but not everybody wants to win.