The Lions

[Kleins]

Are you sure you live in Michigan? Lots of us in detroit are still hardcore lions fans. I'm one of those those guys that says this is our year. They are on the right track though.

They are just a few trades and a good a few draft picks away from having a seriously beastly team next year.

[Banemorth]

Excatly Kleins! If they scored 7 more points each game they would have won 6 of them I believe. They are so close to being an incredible team.

[Kleins]

Excatly Kleins! If they scored 7 more points each game they would have won 6 of them I believe. They are so close to being an incredible team.

Seven points at most man! Most games were by a mere field goal , once we pick up a few studs in this off season the team is going to be solid.

[ItachiZaku]

Jordan as in michael jordan? If thats the jordan you mean then you can't be series can you? Sanders never won a championship and in addition there were other people who were considered as good as him at the time. Jordan had no equal when he played. Kobe is considered the best player in the nba today and yet he isn't even considered near the level of jordan.

Plus I still think its funny that barry sanders threw a temper tantrum and whined how the lions suck so he retired and then as soon as he was gone the lions started doing better.

It is true though. Ask anyone the top 3-5 RBs ever and Sanders has to be in there, just as if you ask anyone the top 3-5 NBA players ever, Jordan has to be in there.

[Kleins]

It is true though. Ask anyone the top 3-5 RBs ever and Sanders has to be in there, just as if you ask anyone the top 3-5 NBA players ever, Jordan has to be in there.

Was he really saying that Barry Sanders wasn't one of the top RB's? Does the guy even know football? Barry Sanders has the 3rd highest rushing yardage as a running back... not to mention that he had one of the WORST offensive lines in the league and managed to put up those numbers. If had the elite Cowboys offensive line like Emmit Smith had he would've been the best running back by far.

[Jahoota]

Lions vs Bengals next years Super Bowl?! They both have had some tough fucking schedule this year and went neck to neck with the franchises best. Their record does not show how good of a team both these teams are.

The Bengals are the Lions are in the same boat. They are pretty good teams but they don't win it in the end. Good teams win those games, bad teams find a way to lose. Look at, my team, the Falcons. We never beat teams solidly but we always find a way to win (I hope this is a new era for us because we've been bad for a long time).

---------- Post added 2010-12-11 at 10:56 AM ----------

Jordan as in michael jordan? If thats the jordan you mean then you can't be series can you? Sanders never won a championship and in addition there were other people who were considered as good as him at the time. Jordan had no equal when he played. Kobe is considered the best player in the nba today and yet he isn't even considered near the level of jordan.

Plus I still think its funny that barry sanders threw a temper tantrum and whined how the lions suck so he retired and then as soon as he was gone the lions started doing better.

He didn't win a Super Bowl because one man can't do it alone. Football is too much of a team sport and Barry Sanders was alone on that team. His ten years playing they never put anything around him. He had 11 dudes after him every play because he was the only play maker. 10 years of football, no help.

How many years did he run for under 1,000 yards? None? Would "none" be the right answer? Did he have a good passing game behind him to take the heat off of him like Emmit Smith? Nope. Did he have a Pro-Bowl O-line like the Cowboys had? Nope. It was Barry against 11 other dudes, every game. 10 years of busting ass, with ownership that couldn't give a flying flippidy f***. Besides Jim Brown (<- monster, not considered human), Barry Sanders is the greatest running back ever.

Let's not even get started on what Jordan had around him. Yes he is the greatest ever, there's no question about that but he had a few variables stacked in his favor.

[DentalFlaw]

Lions vs Bengals next years Super Bowl?! They both have had some tough fucking schedule this year and went neck to neck with the franchises best. Their record does not show how good of a team both these teams are.

This. Both are solid teams with some good players. Lions almost beat the Jets, quite a feat (I think it went into OT, don't remember for sure).

However, that is not enough. Games are four quarters, not two or three. Teams need to keep their heads in the game the whole time. As a Browns fan, trust me, I have seen leads slip away. They get sloppy near the end sometimes, fumbling or throwing interceptions.

I don't understand how the Bengals went from playoff material to tied for second to last in the NFL. I don't follow that team much, but it looks like they aren't losing in blowouts. Most of their losses were close. Does Cincinnati share the Cleveland curse? Maybe it is an Ohio thing.

[Herecius]

I grew up in Michigan and I just gotta say... go Lions. I grew up spending my evenings at the Silverdome with my dad watching Barry Sanders tear up the turf. I love that team dearly, despite the incredibly hard knocks they've been through.

[Jahoota]

The Vikings and the Giants are going to play in Detroit on Monday night. Finally a game at Ford Field that the Lions wont lose!

[ItachiZaku]

Lions took out the Pack last night. Strong pitching performance other than the 3 run homer.

[Bamboozles]

They are just a few trades and a good a few draft picks away from having a seriously beastly team next year.

Do you watch the same Lions games as everyone else? They're getting absolutely destroyed every game. They need to rip the team apart, starting at management if they're going to be competitive within the next 5 years. Sure, they have a few talented young guys, but they can't carry a team into the playoffs and eventually to the Super Bowl. They need more than a few trades and a few draft picks.

[Gladiator2009]

Do you watch the same Lions games as everyone else? They're getting absolutely destroyed every game. They need to rip the team apart, starting at management if they're going to be competitive within the next 5 years. Sure, they have a few talented young guys, but they can't carry a team into the playoffs and eventually to the Super Bowl. They need more than a few trades and a few draft picks.

6-10 is hardly "getting destroyed every game". On the year as a whole, they scored 7 less points than they allowed. They only lost 3 games the entire year by more than a touchdown. They played in the division that had both NFC championship teams, as well as a Vikings team that was nearly identical to the team that was a play away from the Super Bowl a year before. Their AFC draw was the east, which had some good teams in it.

So the real question is, what games are you watching exactly? Or is there maybe a CFL team named the Lions maybe you're thinking of.

[Reapermd]

See its probably because i am a lions fan but i actually expect them to contend in their division next year. Maybe not win it, but contend as long as Stafford comes back at full health and we pick up some secondary help on the defense its not that absurd for them to actually be a good team. I mean we went 6-10 with a horrible secondary but we have a great front four and we have quite a few offensive weapons and the o-line could use a upgrade as well. Go LIONS!

[Badpaladin]

The difference was Ndamukong Suh. They won two games the previous season, now they have six. That's not exactly something to shake a stick at, but his presence was huge.

[Bamboozles]

6-10 is hardly "getting destroyed every game". On the year as a whole, they scored 7 less points than they allowed. They only lost 3 games the entire year by more than a touchdown.

Not to be a nazi or anything, but it was four games. The four games they lost to, 3 of them were utter rape. Sure, they took some tough teams down, but they still have a 6-10 record. I don't see where the Lions are becoming a good team.

They played in the division that had both NFC championship teams, as well as a Vikings team that was nearly identical to the team that was a play away from the Super Bowl a year before. Their AFC draw was the east, which had some good teams in it.

The Vikings had Favre, which hurt them more than anything. They had the same roster, sure, but not the same level of play. I think their record will reflect that.

The AFC East is always good. The Jets and Pats were guaranteed playoff spots, though. Miami was never really in the running.

So the real question is, what games are you watching exactly? Or is there maybe a CFL team named the Lions maybe you're thinking of.

I'm watching a few Lions players that are up-and-comers. The rest of the team is awful and needs to be scrapped.

The fact that you saw I was from Canada and automatically went CFL makes you an ignorant clown.

[Trollsbane]

Barry Sanders is the only running back to have 10 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. And he only played 10 years.

If he had not retired, he'd have blown away every rushing record there is. For most categories, he is less than a single season from breaking all of Walter Peyton's records. Emmit Smith would never have caught up.

And all that was while playing for (Sorry Detroit) one of the worst lines and teams in the league.

[Gladiator2009]

Not to be a nazi or anything, but it was four games. The four games they lost to, 3 of them were utter rape. Sure, they took some tough teams down, but they still have a 6-10 record. I don't see where the Lions are becoming a good team.

Going from 6-10, to 10-6 is not that big of a stretch. Teams do it every single year with less talent than the Lions have. Look at the turn around Kansas City had this year, with more or less the exact same roster as the year before. Or even look in their own division with the Bears. To say one of the youngest starting teams in the league, with the players they have at the skill positions on offense needs the rest of the team to "be scrapped" is ridiculous. The "scrapping" already happened, when they went 0-16. And now they're in the process of being one of the up and coming teams in the NFL.

I'm not trying to make some argument that the Lions are somehow a soon-to-be NFL powerhouse that will have their opponents cowering in fear at the mere thought of playing them, because they're not. But it's not a stretch of the imagination to say that they could easily be a contending team in the near future, without imploding their team and starting over. And that is exactly what the NFL is about.

I'm watching a few Lions players that are up-and-comers. The rest of the team is awful and needs to be scrapped.

The fact that you saw I was from Canada and automatically went CFL makes you an ignorant clown.

Very defensive one you are.

[Robbyjawz]

Stafford and Best need to stay healthy. If that happens then good lord, they would be contending for the NFCN Title at least, a few more good drafts to go before you pass up the Bears fully, but as long as they have Cutler you have a chance if you keep it close. Beastly draft for you guys this year with Suh alone, if Best stays healty he'll be incredible, if you get a draft this year like last year's, you will definitely have things looking up. Suh will be an anchor for years, and a beast for that entire time if he keeps playing like this season, right now I would even compare him to Ngata, who is another monster.

I hope that my Ravens get a good receiver in the draft and sign Gaither to a contract, playing mix-em-up on the O-line was a nightmare, Oher is better at RT, I'll take Gaither at LT. Receiver is a need Cornerback a want and Center is a pick up to learn the ropes behind Birk, who isn't getting any younger unfortunately, cause he is a awesome center.

[Badpaladin]

Oh, and just to give the Lions a little hope:

Stafford is one tough motherfucker. Yes, he got injured, but he also won a game with a totally messed up shoulder. Grit.

[bearxfoo]

I live in Michigan. I just....... don't even know anymore.