Duds and studs, Lions

[OldSchool101]

Wicks maybe why they gave Melton some PT yesterday. They need to get better. You are correct that Love is more like Favre in thar he throws into coverage and double coverage expecting the receiver to make a great play. Throw to someone who is open or throw it away. Pull it down and run like Willis.

Well yeah I agree. However Love is injured. All I needed was to witness that look on his face between plays. He’s wincing in pain and that’s likely after some mild pain meds. It was very obvious he was playing hurt and his strong point of mobility is now a weaker point. I’m not sure I want him running at all, but I understand your point IF he recoups from multiple injuries.
I just think this game with a bye approaching was a gift opportunity. Start Malik and still have an adequate chance in terrible weather to Win. Instead we forced our star QB into a compromising situation. My only hope is we didn’t delay Loves ability to heal. There will be no more “free gifts of rest” to turn down going forward. He’ll be forced to play now. This game was one of a very few that Running the ball heavy would’ve been a logical choice. We chose to force dangerous throws instead. It didn’t work and anyone watching the game knows that. Regardless of our position on who to start we failed to execute the proper game plan. Our Running game was working well and once again we went away from it.

 

[chemist]

Wicks maybe why they gave Melton some PT yesterday. They need to get better. You are correct that Love is more like Favre in thar he throws into coverage and double coverage expecting the receiver to make a great play. Throw to someone who is open or throw it away. Pull it down and run like Willis.

Wicks maybe why they gave Melton some PT yesterday. They need to get better. You are correct that Love is more like Favre in thar he throws into coverage and double coverage expecting the receiver to make a great play. Throw to someone who is open or throw it away. Pull it down and run like Willis.

And there you go. Love couldnt pull it down and run. That was the dimension we were missing. It allowed the lion D to play more players in pass defense. With willis in there they would have had to account for him taking off, which would have opened up more passing lanes. MWs style of play is exactly what we needed in that miserable weather.

 

[MJS]

I also like to try and do three in each...stretched it on stud *

Studs
Truthfully outside of a few bad missed tackles the defense kept the Lions to less than 150 yards through the air (when Goff continued to play MVP level efficiently) and kept their rushing game under 125, and only allowed 17 points...you told me we did that going into the game I'm predicting we won 100 out of 100 times.

Josh Jacobs - dude is just legit good.

*OL blocking...this group sucked at pre snap penalties and clean play elsewhere but just blocking they made it a winnable day.

Duds
Jenkins at center - yes was a terrible day to have to do a new position where you start everything...but sorry Elgton you got a L there.

Skill position players NOT called Josh Jacobs - Little harsh on Brooks, dude is overachieving for what he should be, but every single other person I believe had a drop.

Quay Walker - A missed tackle happens...but I gotta rewatch because a few folks I trust said four happened...that's inexcusable as your starting off ball.

I think this is the first comment I've seen regarding Quay Walker. I did not see the entire game, but have seen most of them this year, especially those he played in. Is it just me or has he seriously regressed? It just seems every week he's getting beaten and is not nearly the playmaker they were hoping for.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I figured there would be a lot of negatives here and people wanting to blame this player or that coach or......

The bottom line is this. The Packers made way too many mistakes yesterday to win games. Statistically, the offense played really well, but big mistakes cost them a ton of points. I don't even think the defense played all that bad. 7 of the Lions points were off the pick 6. Where the defense played poorly was untimely penalties and forcing zero turnovers in a wet, windy game. Layer that with Ben Johnson knew exactly how to extract needed yards to keep drives going and the Lions offense did enough to win the game.

I posted this in another thread, but yesterday triggered one thing in me that has been brewing for a long time. Lions OC Ben Johnson absolutely schooled the Packers defense and totally showed me why MLF needs to give up play calling and bring in a skilled and proven OC that can do it in 2025. I used to blame Adam Stenavich for poor calls, but I am now pretty sure it is MLF calling all the plays. Don't get me wrong, I think MLF has a brilliant football mind, but I'd prefer a separate coach calling the offensive plays. I think MLF has gotten a bit predictable, not all that creative and doesn't make a lot of in game adjustments. When a defense is shutting you down on swing passes or runs up the middle, figure it out, go to something else.

So much going on in the game of football, I just think a HC should manage the game and not worry about managing the calls on offense.

 

[Sanguine camper]

While it was a woeful performance, at least the Packers weren't manhandled and pushed around by the better-coached Lions. If they can ever gets disciplined, it bodes well that it appears the only team that can beat the Packers are the Packers themselves. That said, I'm not confident MFL can get his act together to get the team's head out of its a**. MFL has a track record of letting season killing issues linger. Just look at special teams in 2021. He did next to nothing all season while it was obvious that train wreck would eventually cost the season.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Dud: The NFL if they don't fine Branch big time for that targeting call. Not sure why anyone was surprised that Branch was tossed from the game. I would have been surprised if he hadn't been.

Loved the 2nd penalty on him, what a clown.....

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[OldSchool101]

Dud: The NFL if they don't fine Branch big time for that targeting call. Not sure why anyone was surprised that Branch was tossed from the game. I would have been surprised if he hadn't been.

Loved the 2nd penalty on him, what a clown.....

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It was clearly intentional spearing. The announcers were doing their best to convince us otherwise. Unfortunately for them we have instant replay so we don’t have to “take their word” that is was “more shoulder” and undeserving as intentional. Branch literally Tee’d up for a malicious spear of his head area. Then backed up his own ignorance with a classless double middle fingers to the crowd. Brian Branch had got a lot of 2022 Quay Walker in him. Uncontrolled, Arrogant and hurtful to his own team.

 

[milani]

Well yeah I agree. However Love is injured. All I needed was to witness that look on his face between plays. He’s wincing in pain and that’s likely after some mild pain meds. It was very obvious he was playing hurt and his strong point of mobility is now a weaker point. I’m not sure I want him running at all, but I understand your point IF he recoups from multiple injuries.
I just think this game with a bye approaching was a gift opportunity. Start Malik and still have an adequate chance in terrible weather to Win. Instead we forced our star QB into a compromising situation. My only hope is we didn’t delay Loves ability to heal. There will be no more “free gifts of rest” to turn down going forward. He’ll be forced to play now. This game was one of a very few that Running the ball heavy would’ve been a logical choice. We chose to force dangerous throws instead. It didn’t work and anyone watching the game knows that. Regardless of our position on who to start we failed to execute the proper game plan. Our Running game was working well and once again we went away from it.

And they way it likely would go is that the Lions would be very difficult either way to beat but it would better served to give Willis the PT. And he would have given the Lions a slightly different offense to face. Who knows? On the wet track Malik may have taken off a few times.

 

[Magooch]

It seems pretty clear to me that the team seems to think Love's injury is less impactful than it really is, but I wonder if Love doesn't feel that way, too. He's made some boneheaded decisions for sure but some of them have almost felt like it's half poor decision making and half his body just not quite being able to do what he wants it to do. I know he didn't really see Joseph on his pick-six, but it was also like you could watch in real-time Love realizing that he didn't have the mobility he needed (or that he perhaps thought he had) to make a better situation out of that play.

And so it feels like he is hampered by injury and wanting to play through that, but it's making him a more limited player...while at the same time finding himself/us in situations that are making him feel like he needs to play hero-ball. And playing hero-ball is one thing when you're 100% but when you're less-than-healthy it's just a recipe for error. I know sometimes folks got on Rodgers for extreme risk-averseness when it came to throwing picks - he'd dance around in the pocket for what felt like 20 seconds before taking a risky throw and would end up getting sacked - but I think we can all admit taking a sack is always going to be preferable to some of these absolute prayer-passes Love has been chucking up this year.

 

[chemist]

While it was a woeful performance, at least the Packers weren't manhandled and pushed around by the better-coached Lions. If they can ever gets disciplined, it bodes well that it appears the only team that can beat the Packers are the Packers themselves. That said, I'm not confident MFL can get his act together to get the team's head out of its a**. MFL has a track record of letting season killing issues linger. Just look at special teams in 2021. He did next to nothing all season while it was obvious that train wreck would eventually cost the season.

There has been much negative talk about the lions game, me included and righly so. The more I thought about though and just looking at the big picture it was a 24-14 game and if you take away that stupid pick 6 its a 17-14 game on a day when the packers played their worst game of the year against a team that was blowing everyone else out of the water. That says to me we have the talent to compete with anyone and the things we lack are in our purview to fix, like to many penalties, to many drops etc.

 

[milani]

It seems pretty clear to me that the team seems to think Love's injury is less impactful than it really is, but I wonder if Love doesn't feel that way, too. He's made some boneheaded decisions for sure but some of them have almost felt like it's half poor decision making and half his body just not quite being able to do what he wants it to do. I know he didn't really see Joseph on his pick-six, but it was also like you could watch in real-time Love realizing that he didn't have the mobility he needed (or that he perhaps thought he had) to make a better situation out of that play.

And so it feels like he is hampered by injury and wanting to play through that, but it's making him a more limited player...while at the same time finding himself/us in situations that are making him feel like he needs to play hero-ball. And playing hero-ball is one thing when you're 100% but when you're less-than-healthy it's just a recipe for error. I know sometimes folks got on Rodgers for extreme risk-averseness when it came to throwing picks - he'd dance around in the pocket for what felt like 20 seconds before taking a risky throw and would end up getting sacked - but I think we can all admit taking a sack is always going to be preferable to some of these absolute prayer-passes Love has been chucking up this year.

Now I could see playing Love if your backup is Brett Hundley or Scott Tolzien. But Willis gives you about the same chance of winning with the injury and the weather conditions.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Now I could see playing Love if your backup is Brett Hundley or Scott Tolzien. But Willis gives you about the same chance of winning with the injury and the weather conditions.

That is 100% correct.

I think for me the bigger part of why they should have sat Love was his injuries and the coming bye week. Ever since coming back from his knee injury and now the groin, he has looked shaky out there at times. Almost like he isn't trusting his body to hold up. 3 straight weeks of rest and treatments would have gone a long way for the rest of the season, IMO.

At least he now gets 2 weeks and hopefully spends most of it in the training and film rooms.

 

[Pugger]

Dud: The NFL if they don't fine Branch big time for that targeting call. Not sure why anyone was surprised that Branch was tossed from the game. I would have been surprised if he hadn't been.

Loved the 2nd penalty on him, what a clown.....

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No kidding. Hubby taped the game and we are now watching it. I lost a lot of respect for Brady who acted surprised the #32 was ejected. Branch and the Lions should be glad the NFL doesn't have targeting like the NCAA.

That weather yesterday looked miserable. I remember a playoff game against SF in conditions like this in the 90s. It took me 2 days to dry off and warm up.

 

[Pugger]

I think Love deserves the dud as well. The pick 6 alone warrants the designation. He did make some great throws, but you can't make that mistake when you are up against a team you need to beat.

Crazy how we lost when you look at yardage totals, let alone getting beat bad.

Mistakes, mistakes, and more mistakes at critical times.

On that pick 6 I could see what Love was trying to do. Jacobs was right there so it was the right decision but crappy execution on the throw.

 

[Pugger]

Studs: Jacobs, then they stopped giving him the ball. Reed had some nice catches.

Duds: Really just comes down to Love. His level of play did not allow anyone to be a stud. That pick 6 was the 2nd worst pick 6 I have seen in my life. The worst one was Love throwing that pick 6 against the Rams. I'm really disappointed in his level of play. They clearly are not getting their return on their investment with him. He has to get the interception thing figured out. While he says he needs to be aggressive, that doesn't mean take a chance every time you're under pressure. Just awful decision making.

Yup. There are moments to be aggressive and others when you throw it away to live for another play.

 

[Pugger]

There has been much negative talk about the lions game, me included and righly so. The more I thought about though and just looking at the big picture it was a 24-14 game and if you take away that stupid pick 6 its a 17-14 game on a day when the packers played their worst game of the year against a team that was blowing everyone else out of the water. That says to me we have the talent to compete with anyone and the things we lack are in our purview to fix, like to many penalties, to many drops etc.

For me the penalties are a bigger issue than the drops, especially in those conditions. You are making it awfully on yourself to be constantly playing behind the sticks.

 

[OldSchool101]

And the way it likely would go is that the Lions would be very difficult either way to beat but it would better served to give Willis the PT. And he would have given the Lions a slightly different offense to face. Who knows? On the wet track Malik may have taken off a few times.

True. I don’t think we could’ve done any worse and my guess postgame is he would’ve torched The Lions and possibly avoided that INT. Had we held them to 17 I think it was very likely an elevated ground attack would’ve kept us inside 1 score much of the day.

 

[OldSchool101]

For me the penalties are a bigger issue than the drops, especially in those conditions. You are making it awfully on yourself to be constantly playing behind the sticks.

I’d have to disagree. I think both were hurtful, but our RB dropping a TD pass at the 3 yard line and Wicks not making that grab thrown slightly behind him in the paint likely cost us 2 TD’s. Those added points easily put us in this game without any other help and also would’ve allowed us to not press the throws as it would’ve been 7-10 at halftime. Thats after the INT.
It’s also likely the clock runs more and this game is never more than a 1 score game to the end. Those drops change the way the game unfolded.

 

[Team Ronny]

Dud: Nixon, ran his mouth after his decent kick return and cost the packers 15 yds to start the game, he sucked in coverage. ALL GAME!

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Let me start by saying I'm gonna have someone on both lists for different reasons this week, so nobody come at me.

Studs:

Defense: Kept the Lions under or around 300 yards and with as abysmal as the team played yesterday the Lions should've easily doubled that.

Offensive Line: So THAT'S what it looks like to not have a Center get thrown at Love's head, and not be totally lost in open field? Is THIS what it looks like to not have the middle of the O-Line get shoved back in short yardage? WOW!

McDuffie: I see very little in this guy but I have to give credit when it's due. He made a couple great plays, again though in the running game

Duds:

Love: He was arming every thing and barely able to step into his throws. It looked like Rodgers at times the last 5 years of Rodgers' time as a Packer. The INT made no sense at all, as to what he THOUGHT he saw.

Skilled Players: 322 drops in a game is too much, no discipline, unacceptable and I hope LaFleur puts them all outside in the elements with the jugs machine and makes them catch 100 wet balls in a row before allowing them inside to dry off.

Announcing: Brady is abysmal, he didn't know WHICH black guy was playing Center for us...read a number Tommy.

Officiating: On the opening kickoff the 15 should've gone against Detroit NOT Nixon.

Elgton Jenkins: Have to clean it up, you may be the answer at Center, gotta learn to snap a wet ball.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Brady was critical not only of Love's judgment but MLF's play sequences. It was like Coaching 101. " Down and distance, weather conditions, the score, the clock. " I criticized MM in Atlanta today but MLF did not have a leg on him.

Brady is horse **** as an announcer and can't get any better because the league won't allow him to while he owns the Raiders.

 

[DoURant]

Officiating: On the opening kickoff the 15 should've gone against Detroit NOT Nixon.

I thought the same thing, also. Nixon was shoved well out of bounds. My only thought is he retaliated afterwards and it wasn't caught on the broadcast.

 

[gopkrs]

Agree
Should have been a penalty on the guy that pushed him. It was actually dangerous

 

[gopkrs]

Just wanted to say that I didn't have a problem with Brady. And am wondering about objectivity here.

 

[Sanguine camper]

What has me more concerned about the Packers isn't so much their talent level which is good but their attitude. They're not playing, hard-nosed, fast football with their head in the game. They look like a team through nine weeks that is just happy to sneak into the playoffs, rather than be the best they can be. The team is being carried by a hardful of players which is unsustainable and gets exposed when they play a good team and they don't have all hands on deck. I'm most concerned about the D line. Other than Wyatt, they've disappeared. LVN is a ghost at this point and Gary is playing like a 5th round draft choice. Clark has faded and Brooks appears to not have any type of second year jump. Unless the pass rush improves dramatically, the Packers will get bounced out of the playoffs if they make it that far.