Feasted at al all-time rate. 8th all-time (or however far they went back tracking the stat) in DVOA halfway through the season. Easy schedule might explain our win-loss record, but not our all-time statistical paces. We weren’t the only team to play a soft schedule over the first half of the season, but we were one of the only ones ever to do it in such a dominant fashion.
I do believe that was our year, then the football gods fisted us. Again.
But there’s no reason we can’t have more years.
That cornerback room in 2023 even when healthy wasn’t good and that room is why they didn’t win the Superbowl. Big holes in important positions that just played above their heads until they couldn’t
I think the 2024 team was the best team in the NFL roster talent wise that team had the talent ro win the Superbowl.
100% accurate. That Lions team was the most dominant team in football on offense. The Chiefs also were 15-2, but no one was convinced on that. Even Chiefs fans were hoping to not have to deal with us in the Super Bowl.
They 2023 CB’s were healthy, they just weren’t good. It was Cam Sutton, and then a combo of Vildor/Dorsey/Jacobs. The safeties were solid with an emerging Joseph and rookie Branch. The defense was in big trouble though, teams had figured out our corners sucked ass. Then Glenn started swapping Iffy in and having him and Branch rotate at blitzing safety to force QB’s to throw the ball quick and not pick on the corners as bad. Magically, all of a sudden the defense started playing better again. It’s funny what pressure can do for hiding weaker CB’s. It’s equally funny what no pressure does for even great CB’s.
Branch was switched to safety in 2024. He played slot his rookie year.
This is probably just semantics on my side, but for 2023 Branch played primarily in the slot, and then would drop back to deep safety on occasion to change up looks. When Iffy emerged, basically they would alternate who would play deep safety and who would blitz. Sometimes it was Iffy, sometimes Branch, basically just keep the offense guessing.
In 2024, Campbell said they wanted Branch to play more deep safety, and Iffy spent most of the year on IR. I think Branch CAN play deep safety (prior to achilles), but I think it really takes away what he does best. I think Branch is extremely effective at diagnosing runs, dodging blockers on blitzes and causing chaos near the line of scrimmage. Moving him deep just cuts into those opportunities.
With Branch coming off of an achilles which may hurt his long speed, I am sincerely hoping that when he comes back, the Lions move him back to playing more slot/nickel safety and let him cause the chaos near the line, and protect his deep speed by using guys like Harper and Maddox. I think Izien is basically Branch lite until Branch is back, and I always did like Izien with Tampa Bay. I thought he always gave us fits as the “whose that guy?” type player.
I prefer grass for sure. But how many teams actually play on grass these days in the nfl? Seems to be less and less.
That’s it. The first time he asked the question it was fair, but he came back to it again, and again. It’s what he does these days, for whatever his reasons are.
It’s the only way he can get people to talk about his work anymore.
I disagree. He lead with a strawman and then asked the same question multiple times and they were all full of assumptions.
It reeked of Birkett (who i respect) had a prewritten article already keyed up that will now have the headline of “Brad Holmes defensive when asked about his corners”.
We are not even talking about the fact the TA is currently embroiled in legal controversy and that is only going to encourage an already tight lipped regime that dislikes getting questioned even more tight lipped.
I think one thing about the TA situation.
Initially it was probably believed by Brad and TA, waaay back in March when this started coming out. That IFFFF TA were even to get charged, he would take some kind of plea deal.
Like he would plead guilty to some misdemeanor charges for probation or minimum jail time. Then be back by week 8.
However once he had his bail hearing, and there was no plea deal yet and the Prosecutor was still pushing the full felony charges. He was cut shortly after.
Now that does fall on Brads shoulders if Brad was assuming he wouldn’t face the felonies. Its his job to contact the Prosecutor, its his job to have the team or NFL lawyers investigate.
But back in march the vast majority of legal experts said that TA would at a minimum miss most or all season because of the investigation or jail. And they didnt add an outside corner all off season.
Clark and Izen replace Branch and Kerby.
mccreary replaced Robertson.
Everyone else was on the team last year or UDFAs
So who replaced TA?
Freep gonna Freep
I mean Rock was better than TA last year anyways. He gone, time to move on.
Right but again. Rock, rake, Dorsey and whiteside were all on the team last year.
Sure TA was horrible. But your handicapping yourself. Now your depth is thinner because everyone moved a spot up.
CB3 to CB2 : CB4 to CB3 Etc thats making your depth thinner
Did you go into free agency and the draft planning on Arnold playing for the team?
When did that change and what led to the decision to release him?
In hindsight would you have addressed the secondary differently knowing Arnold would not be on the team?
These are all legitimate questions that should have been asked, even if they result in a non answer or no comment. The whole “he’s a kid who made a mistake” is what you say about people who get caught speeding, not someone with multiple potential felonies.
Instead we get “Brad, Ray - I love ice cream. We all love ice cream. What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”
Ray will take this one - “well you know I just can’t say enough good things about ice cream.”
Cookies and Cream. Thanks for asking.
That’s my favorite too!!!
Seriously take all the soft ball questions and just replace the guy they’re talking about with ice cream. It lines up - kinda like dark side of the moon and the wizard of oz!
I vote for press conferences to just have a baskin Robbins set up in the back for everyone.
Does baskin Robbins still exist?
too late, i saw it, you political animal you! (lol)
I just KNOW someone would get their panties in a bunch