Tag: NFL

2020 Starting QB Power Rankings

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BY:DALTON

I typed out this list in a group chat so I don’t want it to go to waste and will post it here. This is assuming each QB is healthy and I will separate by tiers.

TIER 1:

  1. Patrick Mahomes- Chiefs

TIER 2:

2. Lamar Jackson- Ravens

3. Dashaun Watson- Texans

4. Russel Wilson- Seahawks

TIER 3:

5. Drew Brees- Saints

6. Dak Prescott- Cowboys

7. Matthew Stafford- Lions

8. Carson Wentz- Eagles

TIER 4:

9. Matt Ryan- Falcons

10. Cam Newton- Patriots

11. Jimmy Garoppolo- 49er’s

12. Aaron Rodgers- Packers

13. Tom Brady- Buccaneers

14. Ben Roethlisberger- Steelers

15. Kirk Cousins- Vikings

16. Kyler Murray- Cardinals

TIER 5:

17. Phil Rivers- Colts

18. Ryan Tannehill- Titans

19. Josh Allen- Bills

20. Baker Mayfield- Browns

21. Jarred Goff- Rams

22. Joe Burrow- Bengals

23. Derek Carr- Raiders

24. Teddy Bridgewater- Panthers

TIER 6:

25. Gardner Minshew- Jaguars

26. Drew Lock- Broncos

27. Daniel Jones- Giants

28. Sam Darnold- Jets

29. Tua Tagovailoa- Dolphins

TIER 7:

30. Justin Herbert- Chargers

31. Mitch Trubisky- Bears

32. Dwayne Haskins- Washington

 

JBDC 2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

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BY: DALTON

 

The first round of the NFL will be held on Thursday, April 23rd.

Pick 1- Cincinnati Bengals- Joe Burrow- QB

Lets not overthink this one too much, folks. Burrow is the best QB in the class this year all things considered. Cincy needs a QB and it just so happens that the guy who had the best individual season in NCAA history is available.

Pick 2- Washington Redskins- Chase Young- EDGE

Ron Rivera wants to 1) give Haskins a test run because it buys him another year in the event that Haskins is a bust and 2) as a defensive minded coach, drafting the best overall prospect who happens to be a defender is too sweet for the new DC Coach to pass up.

Pick 3- Miami Dolphins (Trade w/ Detroit)- Tua Tagovailoa- QB

Rather than gambling that other QB needy teams jump into this spot, the Dolphins make their move and get their quarterback of the future. They send Detroit the 5th and 26th (from Houston) overall picks along with a Day 2 and Day 3 pick. If they truly believe that Tua can be “that guy”, this is a win-win trade for both sides.

Pick 4- New York Giants- Isaiah Simmons- LB

Many other pundits believe that the Giants are going to go offensive line here, but I see Simmons as the guy who garners a lot of hype leading up to April 23rd. He covers the field like a safety and can bang at the line like a traditional linebacker. The Giants do need help everywhere and a prospect as versatile as Simmons could fill a lot of gaps.

Pick 5- Detroit Lions (Trade w/ Miami)- Jeff Okudah- CB

The Lions gain extra draft capital and still get their man. Judging by all their offseason moves, they are locked in on Okudah. He won’t be Darius Slay right out of the gate but he has all the tools to become a CB1 on any team in the league.

Pick 6- Los Angles Chargers- Justin Herbert- QB

A Chargers insider has indicated to me that they are locking in on the Oregon QB. While he’s not Tua; 32 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and almost 3,500 yards in his senior season is nothing to be upset about. He is the heir apparent to the Rivers throne but L.A. will be content with sitting him and letting Tyrod “The Toolman” Taylor take the reins for a year.

Pick 7- Carolina Panthers- Tristan Wirfs- OL

You can never have too many good offensive lineman and Wirfs is the first off the board. Carolina will have their pick between him, Wills, and Becton. I feel they take an OL and, personally, I think Wirfs is the best of those three but any of them is an instant plug-and-play starter.

Pick 8- Arizona Cardinals- Mekhi Becton- OL

The Cardinals continue to invest on offense after their steal of a trade for DeAndre Hopkins. Becton, like I said in the pick above, is one of three top offensive lineman in this draft. Not as sexy as the Hopkins trade, but it makes everything better on offense. You would have to imagine that Cardinal fans from Phoenix to Chicago and everywhere in-between will have dreams of an explosive offense.

Pick 9- Jacksonville Jaguars-  Derrick Brown- DL

After dealing Calais Campbell to the Ravens, the Jags need to fill in that defensive line. While there were questions about Brown’s athleticism after the combine, the tape speaks for itself. He was a beast at Auburn and can potentially turn the Jags back into “Sacks-onville”

Pick 10- Cleveland Browns- Jedrick Wills Jr- OL

Cleveland was 22nd in both offensive and defensive efficiency last year but their major investments are on the offensive side of the ball so they are going to take the third offensive lineman in the last four picks. This is a make or break year for Baker Mayfield, if he can’t get it done with all those skill players and an improved offensive line, it may be time for another rebuild.

Pick 11- New York Jets- Jerry Jeudy- WR

Adam Gase, supposed quarterback whisperer, gets the best available weapon for young QB Sam Darnold. I absolutely love Jeudy as a prospect and think he could be the biggest “star” of this entire draft. I feel like this is a steal for the Jets.

Pick 12- Las Vegas Raiders- Javon Kinlaw- DL

The Raiders were dead last in the NFL in defensive efficiency. Kinlaw is the best defender available. The 6’5”, 320 lbs Gamecock is a physical specimen and shined in the Senior Bowl 1-on-1 drills. He has the potential to be an absolute game changer.

Pick 13- San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis)- CeeDee Lamb- WR

As one of many teams with multiple first round picks, the 49ers splurge on Lamb. Obviously, the 49ers don’t have many holes to fill coming off of a Super Bowl run and retaining all but a couple pieces. CeeDee was unstoppable as the main target at Clemson, there’s no reason he can’t make an immediate impact on a team that already has a budding star in Deebo Samuel.

Pick 14- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Andrew Thomas- OL

Tampa invests in its line to protect new free agent acquisition Tom Brady (formerly of New England). Thomas is a big body (6’5, 320 lbs) and acted that way at Georgia. He mauled people then and, while he won’t necessarily be able to do the same in the NFL, he should still be a brick wall on the line.

Pick 15- Denver Broncos- Henry Ruggs III- WR

It appears that the Denver Broncos are going to make Drew Locke the quarterback of the future. They give him the 3rd best receiver in this draft. Ruggs has the speed to take underneath routes a long way and take the top off of a defense.

Pick 16- Atlanta Falcons- Patrick Queen- LB

A prototypical linebacker for today’s NFL. His speed allows him to cover linebackers and his strength allows him to engage at the line of scrimmage. Should be a day one starter and an excellent pick for the Falcons halfway through the first round.

Pick 17- Dallas Cowboys- CJ Henderson- CB

The Cowboys brought back basically everyone on offense so their focus here should be on the other side of the ball. Henderson should be able to start in man coverage packages on day one but there is still a little left to be desired in the tackling department.

Pick 18- Miami Dolphins (from Pittsburgh)- Grant Delpit- S

Winner of the Jim Thorpe award for the best collegiate safety, Delpit is South Beach bound. Miami already got their quarterback of the future and they dip back into the SEC for their quarterback of the defense. Delpit hits hard and should be a fine starting safety for years to come.

Pick 19- Las Vegas Raiders (from Chicago)- Justin Jefferson- WR

The Raiders love first round wide receivers and it actually fits this time. They have a nice slot in Hunter Renfrow and now need the receiver and can go up and get the ball. Jefferson is exactly that. He was the big play maker at LSU and Vegas Raiders are gambling that he can be the same guy for them.

Pick 20- Jacksonville Jaguars (from LA Rams)- Trevon Diggs- CB

Diggs is physical and plays the same way. This can leave him burnt at the line sometimes but with the right coaching, he should be able to adjust to the NFL just fine. If he has trouble in the secondary, at the very least he should be an elite special teams player.

Pick 21- Philadelphia Eagles- D’Andre Swift- RB

The Eagles dont really have a running back on the roster that they can trust. Enter Swift. An extremely consistent runner who is coming from Georgia, which has slowly become Running Back U. What he had shown in college, his pedigree, and the current situation in Philly should make Swift the starter the moment he’s drafted.

Pick 22- Minnesota Vikings (from Buffalo)- Jordan Love- QB

The Vikings were looking to wait a little bit to draft Kirk Cousins successor, but with the Patriots right behind them, they jump on Jordan Love. Love has all the physical tools to become a franchise quarterback. Learning from Cousins for a year or two should benefit both Love and the Vikings.

Pick 23- New England Patriots- K’Lavon Chaisson- DL

It would surprise me if the Pats trade back here, but as of now I feel they try to stock back up on defenders after losing many pieces on defense this offseason. Chaisson has the potential to be a beast once he finishes filling out. Any player going to New England should have Pro Bowl potential.

Pick 24- New Orleans Saints- Kristian Fulton- CB

Fulton could be the biggest risk we see here in the first round. He has great size for a CB at 6’0 and 200 lbs, but lacks a little bit of speed. He definitely benefited from playing on an all-time great LSU defense but there is enough there to vault him into the first round.

Pick 25- Seattle Seahawks (Trade w/ Minnesota)- AJ Epenesa- DL

The Seahawks know that the Lions are looking for more defensive line help so they jump two spots and grab the edge rusher from Iowa. He can fit any defensive scheme because of his motor, but his fine skill will need to be tuned up if Seattle wants him to become a force on the edge.

Pick 26- Detroit Lions (Trade w/ Miami from Houston)- Tee Higgins- WR

Seeing the best defensive line prospect taken just ahead of them, Detroit looks for receiver help. This is a little bit of a luxury pick but the Lions don’t have a wide out signed past this season. At 6’4, Higgins and Golladay will cause matchup nightmares for defensive coordinators.

Pick 27- Minnesota Vikings (Trade w/ Seattle)- Denzel Mims- WR

No ones stock shot up more at the combine than Mims when he ran a scorching 4.38 40. After dealing Diggs to the Bills, the Vikings are thrilled to pick up Mims in this spot. Some have questioned his love of the game, but at the 27th pick, the Vikings are more than willing to take the risk on the 6’3 speedster.

Pick 28- Baltimore Ravens- Kenneth Murray- LB

At 6’3 240lbs and with good speed, John Harbaugh should be able to find a way to use Murray in his defense. Murray is a play maker and has a real nose for the football. He can be a bit aggressive but thats easily correctable.

Pick 29- Tennessee Titans- Austin Jackson- OL

After losing starting guard Jack Conklin, the Titans will need to fill that hole so they can keep their ground game as punishing as it was last year. He has the size (6’5, 320) to be an elite guard but is still raw in his technique. It doesn’t matter to Tennessee though, Jackson has too much upside for him to slide past them.

Pick 30- Green Bay Packers- J.K. Dobbins- RB

Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting any younger and offensive minded Matt LaFleur wants to get him all the help he can get. Dobbins might just be the best running back in the draft with his speed, size, and pass catching ability. He torched the Big Ten at Ohio State for the last few seasons and will look to continue his success in the Midwest.

Pick 31- San Francisco 49ers- Xavier McKinney- S

The knock on McKinney is that he doesn’t exceed in anything, but does everything at an acceptable. With a 49ers team coming off of a Super Bowl run where they leaned on their defense, they make a bit of a luxury pick. McKinney will boost the 49ers other play makers by being so rock solid.

Pick 32- Kansas City Chiefs- Jeff Gladney- CB

The last thing the Chiefs need is help on offense. Thats why Gladney is the pick here. I’ve seen other mocks that have him going as high as the 12th pick. He is a little small for a corner but has all the athletic tools and right mindset to be a fine starting corner in the NFL.

 

 

 

 

 

Friday Football Preview (10/4)

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BY: DALTON

Iowa @ Michigan: A couple of thoughts on this game. 1) This is the turning point of Michigan’s season. If they come out and look good, the Wisconsin game will seem like a fluke and that Harbaugh has this ship back on the right course. If they come out and stink it up, then the season is wasted and Warde Manuel has to take a long hard look in the mirror on what he wants Michigan football’s legacy to be under his tenure as athletic director. 2) No outcome of this game will surprise me. A close game either way or a blow out either way. Every single possible result is on the table because we’ve seen a little bit of good and a whole lot of bad out of Michigan this year. Also, I may be much higher on him than others, but I think Nate Stanley is a really really good Big Ten quarterback. He will be tough to fool defensively. It hurts me to say this, but I think Iowa wins in a close one.

Michigan State @ Ohio State: If we are being completely honest right now, Ohio State should be the number one team in the country and I dont think its particularly close. They are steamrolling any team that they share the gridiron with. Michigan State’s only chance is that the defense travels and plays the game of their lives. MSU needs to muck up this game and hope for a few short fields and that the offense executes every big opportunity it gets. What MSU cant have is a series where they cause a turnover defensively then get zero points off of it. OSU is just so good everywhere. Give me the Buckeyes in a land slide.

Lions BYE: The early bye is actually favoring the Lions this year. They have a lot of injuries that this extra week will help. The only problem is that now the Lions need to play 12 consecutive weeks. We will worry about Green Bay on next Friday’s Football Preview but for now, lets just hope everyone gets/stays healthy through the bye.

 

 

NFL Gambling Picks:

Season Record (11-9)

Since gambling is all the rage online now, here are my picks for the weekend. Spreads are courtesy of Bovada:

Baltimore (-3.5) @ Pittsburgh

Minnesota @ New York Giants (+5)

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans (-3)

Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5)

Cleveland (+4) @ San Francisco

Friday Football Preview (9/20)

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BY: DALTON

Michigan @ Wisconsin: This is the first big test for the Wolverines this season. After squeaking by Army, Michigan took a bye week to try and get their offense straightened out. To me, this is the second biggest game of Harbaugh’s tenure at Michigan. That offense the first two weeks looked putrid and, honestly, it looked like Harbaugh still had a lot of influence on the play calling. Run after run after run after run. No creativity and no speed in space. But, on Saturday they can dispel all the negativity with an offensive outburst. It wont be easy considering Wisco had the number one defense in all the land, but Michigan just needs to show us an ounce of offensive creativity and I think the majority of the Michigan faithful will be back in on Gattis. Defensively, it will be interesting to see how Michigan does upfront against this Badgers’ offensive line. Wisconsin always has and always will have a great line to run behind. Stopping them and Heisman hopeful running back Johnathan Taylor will be difficult to put it lightly. I really don’t like this match-up for Michigan considering they have a speedier defensive front. The size might be too much. Unless the offense can be all that we dreamed it could be at the beginning of the season, Wisconsin might roll. I think Wisconsin defends its home field by a field goal.

 

Michigan State @ Northwestern: Oof that was a rough one last week for the Spartans. Just when everyone thought that Dantonio and the offense had figured it out, they set football back by 15 years. I really dont know if its coaching or lack of talent but something is seriously, seriously wrong on the attacking side of the ball. At this point, you have to wonder if MSU would just be better off only playing defense all game and trying to score via pick six. The defense is still as advertised. Did they give up a game winning drive to Arizona State in the final minutes of the game? Yes, but they played so strongly throughout the whole game that the levy was going to eventually break at some point. The offense did them absolutely no favors. As for Northwestern, I have no clue what kind of team they have this year. I just know that Pat Fitzgerald at home is never any easy out. Just off of recency bias for MSU and a general perception of NU, I think both Michigan based colleges take a loss on the road this week.

 

Lions @ Eagles: What a sloppy but fun win for the Lions last week! Not often do we see the Lions snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Typically the other way around. Maybe, just maybe, the tie with Arizona was a wake up call for this team. While the game against the Chargers wasn’t the most inspiring of performances but there were a lot of positives to take from it. All that being said, I like the Lions this week against the Eagles. On paper, the Eagles are a better team. No doubt about it. But they have an injury report a mile long and this early in the season, I think it means even more when a team is injured. They say that in early season football, games are won in the 4th quarter. Which ever team makes the most plays in the final 15 minutes typically wins the game i.e. Lions vs Chargers. So with Philly having so many key players out, I am going to favor the Lions in this one. Having to rely on backups to make big plays is a dangerous game. All the Lions need to do is get a little pressure on Wentz and they can walk out of Philly unscathed.*

*record wise, any team or fan that goes to Philly is at risk of being beaten to death because they uttered the word “Detroit”.

 

NFL Gambling Picks:

Season Record (4-1)

Since gambling is all the rage online now, here are my picks for the weekend. Spreads are courtesy of Bovada:

Detroit +6 @ Philadelphia

Houston @  LA Chargers -3

LA Rams -3.5 @ Cleveland

Chicago @ Washington +4

Miami @ Dallas -23.5

 

Friday Football Preview

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BY: DALTON POTOCKI

There are reasons that I missed some usually scheduled blogs the past few weeks. That reason? Work. Yea, I have a job where I make money. Not a lot of money, but enough to pay the bills. I have a free 20 minutes or so, so heres the first Friday Football Preview of 2019!

 

Michigan vs BYE: Thank god. If Michigan played Wisconsin this week, they might lose by 100. This is the perfect time for the offense to get their shit together, hold on to the ball, and actually start calling some different plays. It has been so frustrating watching this team. Yea, they are in shotgun but they still run it in between the tackles every play so has anything actually changed? The defense is fine.

Arizona State @ MSU: The Spartans might be legit this year. We all knew their defense was gonna be one of the best in the Big 10, but now they have a shot at being one of the best in the nation at the end of the season. The biggest surprise though was the offense last week. It looked pretty fresh and Lewerke showed why people were so high on him after his senior season. I expect MSU to absolutely roll this game.

Chargers @ Lions: The Lions tied, yes. But, believe it or not, there were a lot of positives to take away from the Cardinals game. The offense looked good and the play calling was balanced for 75% of the game. The “time out” drive was pretty impressive for the fact that the Lions were able to run the ball very well despite Arizona knowing they were trying to run it. The defense looked great until they took their foot off the gas. It just seemed like the errors in that game were brought on by the coaching staff and those errors are much easier to fix than having players who don’t make plays. The Chargers are pretty beat up coming into this one but Phil Rivers and his merry band of children still can move the ball up and down the field. The defense is quite good too with Bosa and Ingram on the line. If Decker cant play or plays like he did last week, it will be a long day for Stafford. All that being said, I like the Lions a lot in this spot. Big time “prove it” week for both the players and the staff.

 

 

NFL Gambling Picks:

Since gambling is all the rage online now, here are my picks for the weekend. Spreads are courtesy of Bovada:

Green Bay -3 vs Minnesota

Miami +19.5 vs New England

Lions +1.5 vs Los Angeles

Jaguars +8.5 @ Texans

Browns -7 @ Jets

 

Hope Returned

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BY: DALTON

The blazing summer sun has significantly cooled and the sweeping winds bring a certain bite. But what is it exactly in the wind that you feel? Is it the changing of the seasons? Its certainly possible. With the season change comes cooler weather. But, I don’t think that’s what is giving this invisible gust its tinge. There is an energy that follows the late summer gales. From experience, that isn’t the start of school. No, this unidentifiable force is something that brings along the heights of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the depths of the Mariana Trench. This is no fleeting feeling. These winds bring something to stay. In the whirlwind of changing seasons, football stops, stays, and takes over every tangible breath.

Every new season brings the one thing that most fans lose after a couple months; hope. Maybe, just some way, there is a path for your favorite team to capture the championship. Whether it be through pure dominant force or that every other team had a slew of injuries, there is always a way. Sure, you can lie to everyone and say your team is “going through a rebuilding year” or that “if they catch a lucky break they might be able to contend”, but deep down in the pits of your soul, you’re thinking there’s a way. It’s this weird thing we do with sports. The saying goes “expect the best but prepare for the worst” and it is a mighty fine way to live life. In football though, its sort of flipped. Prepare for the worst but expect the best.

Do I know that the Lions will not win the Super Bowl this year? Yes. I do. It sucks. BUT, maybe.  What if Patricia’s defensive philosophies continue to grow and the Lions have a top 5 defense? What if Bevell is the coordinator that can finally maximize Stafford in his 10th and most important season? Hell, Kerryon Johnson was one of the best backs last year before he got hurt and in this fan’s mind that is certainly a sustainable pace. The Lions got better this off season, that’s not me just slurring my words while drunk on Honolulu Blue Kool-Aid. Sure, a lot of other teams in the NFL got better too, but that’s not fun to think about. Then I start thinking about past seasons. The Eagles came out of no where to win the Super Bowl, same thing with Ravens a few years back. I tell myself that the NFL is this weird and wacky league where anything can happen. If you come up and ask me how I think the Lions will do this year, I’ll probably tell ya 8-8 because I know that’s the right prediction. But, if you asked my soul, you may have to lock me up into an insane asylum. Hope. 

It feels like Michigan will never be able to beat Ohio State. I told myself after last year’s implosion that I’ll never get excited for Michigan football until they actually beat OSU. Then all of a sudden here comes Josh Gattis and this new offense that will be the best of all worlds. It will have big plays, tempo, ball control, and Speed in Space™. That receiving group is too good to fail. Don Brown says that he’s done some soul searching and knows what he did wrong. He is going to go to more zone and respect the speed of opposing offenses. Dax Hill is just Jabril Peppers but bigger. I mean, yea, the defensive line lost its stars, but the depth of this years team! Now there is nothing but anticipation and National Championship aspirations. That’s whats great about college football too. Each season can be drastically different. You’re not dealing with contracts and free agents. You’re dealing with boys turning in to men. A crap shoot on genetics. There is this aura of the unknown that blankets college football like Jourdan Lewis on George Rushing. Weird, right? 8 months ago I thought Michigan would never be able to cross the bottomless pit of morals that is Ohio State. I was corpse of a fan. Now? There isn’t a doubt in my mind that we run them off the field in November. Its crazy. Its wild. It cant be measured or captured. Hope.

While it is so much fun to let the mind run wild, wanna know the best part about football season? Its the ride. The ups and downs of a 12 and 16 game season. If your college loses on Saturday, maybe your favorite NFL can win on Sunday and salvage the weekend. If they both win, you cant wait until next weekend. If they both lose? Lord help you. It’s watching games that may help your team in a tie breaker down the road. Its rooting for The Citadel to put a scare into Florida to knock them down a couple spots in the polls. Think about that for a second. Not rooting for the Citadel to WIN, it would be awesome if they did, but rooting them to just keep it competitive for 75% of a football game so 12 humans in a remote location may read the narrative that your favorite team is inherently better than a different team based on nothing but perception. The texts between four different group chats that are all essentially saying the same thing, either the sky is limit or its crashing down harder than the NCAA on a student athlete who put non-approved peanut butter on his bagel. That’s a 4-game suspension! The tailgating hours and hours before a game. The copious amounts of food and beer consumed while telling war stories about the best and worst games you’ve been to in person. Giving a complete stranger a hug like you’re seeing a long lost sibling for the first time in years simply because a man, who gets paid more in a year than you’ll ever make,  kicked an oblong ball through two poles from 126 feet away as an arbitrary amount of time ticks off a digital display. The best part about football is everything about football. Will both of my favorite teams season end short of where I want them to? Probably not. But, hot damn, am I gonna have a good time along the way. 

Recapping Each Lions Draft Pick

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BY: DALTON

So, the NFL Draft happened a few days ago. First off, I would like to thank Mr. Crespi for hosting/cooking for me. Secondly, Nashville looked like there was no less than a trillion people there for the draft.

Here’s how shit is gonna go down in this blog, I’m going to touch on each round, give each a grade, and give an overall grade at the end. Fair warning, I will probably be higher on a few of these picks than others because, for some reason, I am a Lions optimist. Obviously, these are subject to change if each pick becomes a perennial pro-bowler but all we have is now so deal with it, I guess.

  • First Round: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa, Pick 8
    • Let me be perfectly clear, Hockenson will be a fine NFL player. There is no reason to think he wont be an instant competitor and could possibly be a top 10 TE by the end of the season. This pick just hurt a little bit for a couple of reasons. The first being that we almost had UK pass rusher Josh Allen. He was an absolute dream scenario. The other is that Ed Oliver could make this pick exactly like Ebron/Aaron Donald. In Patricia’s system, Hockenson will be a valuable asset but considering the recent TE draft history, if Oliver becomes an All-Pro, Hockenson will always be remembered as the guy we picked instead of Oliver or even Devin Bush. As fair or unfair that it is, its the way it will be. All that being said, they addressed one of their biggest needs with the best TE in the draft, so its worth something
    • GRADE: B-
  • Second Round: Jahlani Tavai, LB, Hawaii, Pick 43
    • After the collective “who?!?” from the Lions overly-loyal fan base, the research into the Lions newest LB commenced. From all sources, it looks like this pick was a reach. Some analysts said he would be there in the late 2nd/early 3rd or even Day 3. But the Lions saw something in Jahlani that fit their mold. He is big, physical, and aggressive. His 2018 was cut short due to injury but I guess the tape was good enough for Quinn to reach. This is the ultimate “wait and see” pick. The 2nd round isn’t exactly the round for “wait and see” picks but if he fits the mold, fills a need, and might not have made it to them in the 3rd round then I guess that’s good enough for the Lions’ front office.
    • Grade: C-
  • Third Round: Will Harris, S, Boston College, Pick 81
    • I don’t know a whole lot about this pick either but he seems like a HARD hitter. It is never a bad thing to draft a safety who is able to fly all over the field and is willing to throw his body at anything that moves. This dude is a leader too, being a captain for his senior season at BC. He will likely replace Glover Quin when his time is up in Detroit. Hopefully he isn’t called on to play safety this season but can contribute on Special Teams
    • Grade: B
  • Fourth Round: Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson, Pick 117
    • Not a whole lot to say about the Bryant pick. He was a member of that Clemson D-Line (three players were drafted in the top 17 picks), but his season was sort of derailed with a pectoral tear. He opted to get surgery after the season. That could be why he wasn’t as hyped up as his teammates on the line. Hopefully he will be fully healthy and ready to prove himself in training camp. Still, for someone who played multiple positions on one of the dominant groups in the nation, pretty decent value to get him in the 4th round.
    • Grade: B
  • Fifth Round: Amani Oruwariye, CB, Penn State, Pick 146
    • This is by far my favorite pick in the draft. Hes big (6’2) and rangy. He emulates his game after Darius Slay. Many draft experts had him projected as a Day 2 guy. Hell, some of them had him as a top-4 corner in the draft. For the Lions to get him in the 5th is an absolute steal. I fully expect him to come in and compete for that second outside corner position.
    • Grade: A
  • Sixth Round: Travis Fulgham, WR, Old Dominion, Pick 184 and Ty Johnson, RB, Maryland, Pick 186
    • All I really know about Fulgham is that he was a deep threat for Old Dominion. It looks like if he is any good he might be the replacement or a stop gap for when Marvin Jones leaves in a few years. As for Ty Johnson, this is another pick that I absolutely love. While he had his senior year at Maryland held back by some injuries, when healthy he averaged 7.7 ypc and has explosive speed. Something the Lions have lacked since Jahvid Best. He might not contribute right away, but he could be an excellent compliment to our future beast, Kerryon Johnson.
    • Grade: B+
  • Seventh Round: Isaac Nauta, TE, Georgia, Pick 224 and PJ Johnson, DL, Arizona, Pick 229
    • They’re 7th round picks. They will fight for roster spots and to contribute on special teams. I could see Nauta taking the Michael Roberts role and I could see PJ Johnson being a heavy-package interior defensive lineman. These late picks and UDFAs are like free gambles. There isn’t much into them and maybe you find a diamond in the rough. Simply because the Lions made picks and didn’t let the clock run out…
    • Grade: B

 

For me, it was a pretty lackluster first couple of days and the back end of this draft really saved it, for now. Obviously we have to let everything play out but this draft kind of stuck with what Quinn had done in the draft in his time in Detroit. Pick high character/high floor guys who will contribute. I would have liked to see him and Patricia try to swing for the fences in the first round with Oliver or Bush, but I guess I will be content with constant singles and doubles.
OVERALL GRADE: B-, simply off the strength of 3rd round and on.

Lions Schedule Release Predictions

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BY: DALTON

The NFL Schedules were released last night. This year, teams were actually very entertaining when posting. I will include the best announcements at the bottom of the blog. But first, lets break down the Lions schedule:

 

Week 1 @ Cardinals: The Lions have always had issues in the desert. With a new coach and maybe a new quarterback, the Cards will be tough to scout. But, I feel the Lions talent is greater than theirs. PREDICTION: Win, 1-0

Week 2 vs Chargers: The Chargers were a phenomenal team last year and I expect them to be just as good during the regular season. Tough home opener for the Lions. PREDICTION: Loss, 1-1

Week 3 @ Eagles: Going on the road to Philly means only bad things will happen. Both to the Lions and any visiting fans. PREDICTION: Loss, 1-2

Week 4 vs Chiefs: Last year the Lions defense balled out against the higher powered offenses. Hopefully they can do the same and keep it competitive. PREDICTION: Loss, 1-3

Week 5 Bye: Rough start to the season. The good news? The first four games are the toughest of the season.

Week 6 @ Packers: In Lambeau but the Lions have kinda dominated the Pack lately. Gonna get cocky here and say Patricia starts 1-0 vs LaFleur. PREDICTION: Win, 2-3

Week 7 vs Vikings: This has been the toughest one to pick thus far. The Vikings could snap back to being the team that they were in 2017 or they can continue the step-back year that had in 2018. Since its at Ford Field… PREDICTION: Win, 3-3

Week 8 vs Giants: Revenge game all over the place for the Lions. The Giants strength is in their running game, obviously. Combine that with Eli still at the helm and no OBJ, this might be the Lions easiest win of the season. PREDICTION: Win, 4-3

Week 9 @ Raiders: The road wont be kind to the Lions in this one. I dont think the Raiders will be particularly good this year, but they have retooled a little bit and I feel like Gruden will get a little more with the times. PREDICTION: Loss, 4-4

Week 10 @ Bears: This is going to be a classic NFC North bout. Not many points and probably some pretty ugly football. Two strong defenses against a couple of QBs people still arent really sure about. PREDICTION: Loss, 4-5

Week 11 vs Cowboys: Does anyone know if the Cowboys are going to be good this year? They have weapons, but they also still have Jason Garrett. What ever, this is going to be a classic Lions loss. I can feel it deep in my plums. PREDICTION: Loss, 4-6

Week 12 @ Redskins: Just a couple of miserable franchises going back and forth in what will likely be a game Fox only airs in the teams’ respective markets. I think the Lions are actually a little bit better team here. PREDICTION: Win, 5-6

Week 13 vs Bears: The Lions will avoid the 4th straight loss to the Bears and defend their turf on Thanksgiving to keep their meager playoff hopes alive. I am not sure how but they will find a way to keep us interested.  PREDICTION: Win, 6-6

Week 14 @ Vikings: Minnesota has a real home field advantage. They will use it to full effect and propel Kirk Cousins to go 16-28 for 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Just enough to get by a sleeping Lions team. PREDICTION: Loss, 6-7

Week 15 vs Buccaneers: I probably couldn’t name 4 Bucs players. For that reason, I am going to assume they are trash. The Lions are also home. PREDICTION: Win, 7-7

Week 16 @ Broncos: Denver air is another strong home field advantage that the Lions will have to try and overcome. Huff and Puff as they might, the Lions wont blow this house down. PREDICTION:Loss, 7-8

Week 17 vs Packers: Aaron Rodgers? More like AARP-on Rodgers, this man is old, fragile, and basically retired with how many games he’s been missing. I’m still scared of him like I am scared of how a WWII Vet could kick my ass still, but finishing with a losing record in my predictions would be dumb. PREDICTION: Win, 8-8 and no playoffs

 

As promised, here are my favorite schedule announcement videos:

 

Lions Free Agency Day 1 Grades

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BY: DALTON

What an amazing first day for the Lions in free agency! It seemed like it was one after another after another after another. Schefty and Rappaport were BIZZY with the Lions news in the early afternoon. While free agent signings don’t win games in January, it sure is a lot of fun in March. This effects their draft strategy immensely, but lets worry about that later. Lets talk about the Lions winning the first day of free agency.

Danny Amendola

Contract: 1 year/ $4.25 million base + $1.5 million in incentives

Thoughts:

This was the first deal of the day for both the Lions and the NFL. While Amendola isn’t the same player he was in New England, the Lions are still getting a solid slot receiver and veteran. Did they pay a little more than they should have for a year of 33-year old Danny Amendola? Yea, probably. But if he hits all his marks and earns that extra $1.5 million, he will be worth it. This is obviously just a stop gap solution for a looming problem, but the Lions could certainly have done worse. He will fill the Golden Tate role of being a chain-mover and Stafford’s safety blanket.

Grade: B-

Justin Coleman

Contract: 4 years/ $36 million

Thoughts:

When this move came across the twitter feed, I think I heard a collective “Huh?” from the Lions faithful. After doing a little research, like the hardcore journalist I am, this move is a strong one. I was puzzled to learn that the Lions cut Nevin Lawson. I thought he was an average corner for most of the year. But, Bob Quinn went out and got the best nickle corner on the market while also paying him like it. Coleman is the highest ever paid nickle corner, but in today’s NFL the nickle scheme is being used more and more often. To be able to have the best one is a huge plus for this defense. Did they over pay? Yes. But I feel like Detroit has to overpay for these types of things. The best part of this deal? The fact that he is only 24 years old. We will have him locked up through the prime of his career.

Grade: B+

Trey Flowers

Contract: 5 years/ $85(?) million

Thoughts:

The crown jewel of this years free agency. As I was doing my research on the Coleman deal, my phone started to get flooded with updates from twitter, group chats, and individual texts. I was pretty taken aback. I knew the Lions were in the running but last I heard was that Flowers wanted to go play down in Miami with Brian Flores. I was very surprised and very excited. While the exact numbers of the deal haven’t been announced yet, it is strongly rumored to be in the $17 million/year range. It is a hefty price, but when you consider the Lions were paying Ansah that same price last season, it isn’t that hard of a deal to stomach. My favorite part of the deal, much like the Coleman deal, is that we will have one of the best players at their position locked up through their prime. The price tag may look high, but I think Flowers will be worth every penny.

Grade: A+

Jesse James

Contract: ???/???

Thoughts:

Since we don’t know any of the contract details yet, it is kinda tough to give this deal a true grade. But, just based off player skill and need, this isn’t a home run but it is a bases-clearing triple (hell yea, cross sport reference). The Lions had a glaring deficiency at tight end last season and Jesse James was the best TE on the market this year. He can block well and is someone a defense has to pay attention to in the passing game. I’m assuming they over-payed for him because that is the way the free agency has been going thus far, hopefully they didn’t over-pay too badly for him though. This also should take Hockenson off the board for the 8th pick in the upcoming draft.

Grade: B, for now

UPDATE: Jesse James deal is being reported at 4 years/ $25 million. Above average pay for an above average player. Changing my grade to a B+.

I’m Ready for Charlie Weis

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BY: DALTON

I’m sure that by now, you know that Jim Bob Cooter was not brought back as the offensive coordinator for the Lions. What a weird tenure as OC he had, right? When Lombardi was fired, JBC was a breath of fresh air. Then, he absolutely lit it up the next season. His second full season as OC was alright. In his third and most recent season, he was awful. It was certainly time for change. Obviously, injuries and scheme changes played a big factor in what/how JBC called a game, but it was clear that he cant work in the Patricia system. I know JBC is highly thought of through out the league and I can guarantee he will have another OC job by 2021.

There are a lot of names out there to fill in the Lions OC vacancy. Adam Gase is the ideal hire but I HIGHLY doubt the Lions will be able to get him. He is already getting interviews for head coaching positions and should get one considering how many positions are open. The only way I see Gase coming to Detroit is if he thinks to himself that he cant succeed at the OC. Even then its a long shot because, after the year Stafford had, there area few more enticing OC jobs available. There are a few other names in the mix, a few Rams assistants, an in-house name, and a couple retreads. All of those names are irrelevant.

The next Offensive Coordinator for the Lions is going to be Charlie Weis. It just seems too perfect with all of his connections to Patricia and Quinn. It also seems like a very Lions thing to hire a coach who hasnt coached football in 5 years and coached in the NFL in 9. Do I think Weis is the right move? Not at all. Will I be intrigued to see ol’ Chucky Dub back on the sidelines? You betcha. The man is a character in every sense of the word. From being huge to having a parrot that attacks his house guests, the man is football guy through and through. I really don’t think a Charlie Weis hire will help the Lions but considering how poorly Patricia’s first year went, I’m not sold that the Lions are set up for future success. Again, I dont want the Lions to hire Weis, I’m just ready for it.

The Lions Have Quit & So Have I

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BY: DALTON

This year’s Lions team is absolutely pathetic. I have never seen such a lack of effort in a game. I don’t know if it’s just me getting older or if the Lions have finally done it, but a wave of calmness and disgust washed over me today. Now, now I can clearly see. I can see that the Lions will never win. I really shouldn’t waste my Sundays anymore watching these perennial losers. If they don’t want to play on Sunday, I shouldn’t watch. Am I saying that I’ll never watch again? Of course not, I’m hooked for life. But as for this season, I will no longer plan my Sundays around watching the Lions. If someone comes to me with plans for Sunday afternoon, I’ll take them. Literally, anything is better than watching this team right now. Stafford has played like shit this season, the playcalling has been awful, the defense can’t stop anyone, and the special teams might as well be playing no arms or legs. I feel like the end of the Jim Bob Cooter era is coming to a close. This offense stinks to high heaven. I just don’t understand how there can be such little creativity despite having playmakers littered across the offense. I would probably say that Jim Bob gets fired after this season. It’s inexcusable how bad this side of the ball has been.  I really don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been said on this blog or any respectable news outlet. I’m just done. Fed up. Sick of it. Whatever phrase you can think of, apply it.

The Lions, of course, made a little push back in the second half. But, it is not going to fool me. This is a bad team that has seemingly quit on the season. I usually try to write around 500 words for a game recap but you can only write “This team fucking sucks” so many different ways/times. So, until the Lions decide they want to play for 60 minutes, I will not be writing 500 words. If you want more content from me, don’t yell at me, yell at the Lions. This is their fault.

Friday Football Preview

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By: DALTON

Ohio State @ Michigan State, Noon, FOX: This is my biggest upset alert for any team ranked in the top 25. Michigan State is getting healthier and at home. Now, the Buckeyes are still going to be the favorite but this is clearly Urban’s worst team at Ohio State. They struggled with a trash Nebraska team. If Dantionio actually wants to put together an offensive game plan, then the Spartans should be in it right to the end. When an underdog hangs around in a game, they usually can find a way to pull off the upset, especially at home. OSU’s season is over at about 3:30 pm. PREDICTION: OSU 21- MSU 24

 

Michigan @ Rutgers, 3:30 PM, BTN: The fact that the line on this game is only Michigan -39 is all the motivation this years Wolverines should need. The only thinking on this game I have to do is will Rutgers have more yards than Michigan has points? PREDICTION: UM 62- RU 0

 

Lions @ Bears, 1:00 PM, FOX: With the Lions looking like absolute garbage against a good pass rush last week in Minnesota, they dont inspire much hope going into Chicago going against an even better pass rush. Now T.J. Lang is officially out so I dislike their chances of stopping Khalil Mack even more. Slay was also announced as OUT for Sunday so the defense is going to be down one of their top play makers. The good news for the Lions? The Bears offense can be stopped. The bad news? They have to stop the running game. The Lions can win this game if they can contain and force Trubisky to throw. That and a little bit of protection for Stafford should make for an interesting Sunday. But, dont get your hopes up folks. The Bears defense will be the best one the Lions face this year outside the Rams. Lions fans should just hope that Stafford makes it out of Chicago with the ability to walk. PREDICTION: DET 13- CHI 24

The Season is Over

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BY: DALTON

Just 10 days after I wrote that I was going all-in with the Lions this year, they swiftly kicked me in the balls and punted away the season. I am thankful that they did it quickly instead of dragging it out until Week 15. This team, we can now comfortably say, has taken a step back this year and this means Bob Quinn has some questions to answer. You cant fire Caldwell after claiming a 9-7 wasn’t good enough and then hire your buddy from New England and look the way that the Lions have looked. Am I saying that Quinn and Patricia are on the hot seat? Certainly not. BQ still has a pretty solid draft record and this class is looking like his best yet. The Snacks trade is right up there with one of the best in recent Lions’ history. So, Quinn has bought a little bit of cushion on his seat. But, that doesn’t mean he gets a free pass for this season. Make no mistake, he hitched his GM tenure in Detroit on Matt Patricia and so far, the wagon has yet to leave the barn. Now, you could point at Philadelphia and see that Doug Peterson struggled his first year then figured it out his second year once his system was in place. Ya know what? I’ll buy that argument a little bit.  But I don’t remember the Eagles EVER looking as bad as the Lions have this season.

While Patricia has a few more years before his seat gets super hot, Jim Bob Cooter might as well be sitting on magma. What the hell is this offense right now? Unimaginative, predictable, mistake prone, and boring. The offense has scored 23 points in the last two games and only one touchdown. While the Vikings and Seahawks have formidable defenses, that is simply inexcusable. Stafford has returned to his mistake prone ways. The running game is as fickle as Michigan weather. What happened to the extended hand-offs, short passes, and quick routes? The Lions offensive line was absolute garbage on Sunday. When you give up 10 sacks, there is plenty of blame to go around. Most goes on the line, some goes on Stafford, and the rest go on Jim Bob Cooter. While they couldn’t block if their life depended on it, JBC did nothing to help them. Throw some slants or curls or screens. Do SOMETHING to get the ball out of Stafford’s hand quickly. Stafford doesn’t have time and in turn tries to do too much and in turn makes dumb mistakes. Help your team, help yourself Jim Bob.

The defense I actually didn’t think was that poor. Outside of their “once-a-game” huge run they gave up, I thought they did a nice job stopping the run. They got multiple stops in the second half that left a window open for the offense to come in and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Alas, the offense never came. Teez Tabor is, in fact, awful still. Still the 144/144 rated corner in the NFL per PFF and is also the only corner back in the league that is allowing a perfect passer rating when he is targeted. In layman’s terms, the Lions would be better off sticking me out there.

The only way I can end this article without seeming like and angst-y teen who hates his parents is this, I’m happy Michigan football is back in my life. I’m happy that I have a dominant team in my life. I might even just start blogging about them only because the Lions suck beyond belief and Michigan, especially their defense, is amazing beyond belief. So, here’s to the Lions getting a little bit better to still lose but show improvement and to Michigan kicking the ever living shit out of Ohio State.

Friday Football Preview

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BY: DALTON

Michigan, BYE: Glad there is a bye to give a week cushion between coming down from MSU and getting focused for Penn State next week.

Purdue @ Michigan State, Noon, ESPN: Michigan State is hurting. Both in terms of personnel and coaching innovation. After getting dominated by Big Brother last week, this week doesn’t get any easier for Dantonio and Company. Purdue may be the hottest team in the entire B1G Ten right now. The offense is firing on every cylinder they have. BUT, they are in a prime “let down” spot. On the road, after a huge upset of Ohio State, against a beat up Spartans team, and possibly looking ahead to next week against Iowa that will have major implications in the B1G Ten West race.  Now, if the Michigan State coaching staff decides to put together an actual game plan, they stand a chance. But, from what I’ve seen this season, it looks as though they keep trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I think this game is going to be much closer than it should be, but Purdue pulls it out in the 4th quarter. PREDICTION: PUR 27- MSU 20

Seattle @ Detroit, 1 p.m., FOX: The big story into this game will be if Damon “Snacks” Harrison will be able to play for the Lions. The recently added run stopper will help bolster the 30th ranked run defense going forward. Today, Matt Patricia said they were trying to get him up to speed with the system. As of now, he will be a game time decision but I would be mildly surprised if he plays. Luckily, the Lions probably wont need him this week. The key to stopping the Seahawks is to stop Russel Wilson’s ability to scramble/improvise. The Lions defense should be able to do so if they remain disciplined up front and the defensive backfield continues to play the way they have been. There are not many offensive threats on this Seattle team outside of Wilson. As for the Lions offense, they should have no problem moving the ball if they remain as balanced as they were last week. These aren’t your Seahawks of 2011-2016. The Legion of Boom is no more and, while they rank 2nd in the NFL in total defense, the only potent offense they have played this year is the Rams. It wont be a cake walk for Stafford and the rest of the offense, but if the running game can stay on track and the offensive line continues to be a top 5 unit, there should be no real issues. PREDICTION: SEA 17- DET 28

The State of the Lions

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BY:DALTON

Instead of writing a recap of the absolute beat down of the Packers last week, I decided to wait until the Lions were out of their bye to see where they stand as a team, in the division, and in the NFL. Before I start this thing of an article, let me say that this has been one of the oddest starts to an NFL season that I can remember.

LOOKING BACK:

The first five games of the season were puzzling. They were frustrating, joyous, “Hey, Patricia has this team ready”, and “Same Old Lions” all at the same time. So, we don’t know who they really are. I would say the Lions are probably most like the team that lost in Dallas. Offensively strong, still has Stafford, but the defense will have frustratingly bad lapses this season. Maybe they are good though? Outside of the Jets game, they had a chance to win in San Francisco, even after the bogus defensive holding call brought back an interception return down to the three yard line. They also were ahead late on the road in Dallas before giving up a game-winning field goal. But, this is the reasoning of a Lions fan so this team could be absolute dog shit too. Before the season, I figured the Lions would be 2-3 by the bye week but I did not think the wins would come against the Patriots and Packers.

WHERE THEY ARE NOW:

Capture

The Lions do find themselves in the cellar of the North right now, but it is still a tight race with a lot of season left to play. This team has shown they can put together dominating performances and are already through the toughest part of their schedule. I’m not saying they can make a run at their first NFC North title in 24 years, but I’m also not, not saying that. But, as a Lions fan, I know that the Packers/Vikings tie is going to somehow fuck us over at the end because that’s just what happens.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Capture2.JPG

As I mentioned earlier, the toughest stretch of the Lions schedule is behind them. Looking at this schedule, the Lions should be favored in at least six games (@Dolphins, Seahawks, Panthers, Bears, @Cardinals, @Bills). They could be favored in more or less depending on health/how the rest of the season plays out but if I knew that, I wouldnt be working a 9-5. I’d be living on a yacht somewhere off the coast of the Maldives with my gambling winnings. But, if all things stay relatively similar, the Lions should be looking at an 8-8 finish. Who knows though, maybe they get hot and win a few that they shouldn’t. It is tough to look forward because 1) Any given Sunday and 2) They are the Lions.