You and I are on the same page on this one.
If they really think the talent level is top 10 (even with adding Sutton) then how do you have a defense 32nd for the first half of last season?
I already know some will say we got Paschal back and Houston came on, but come on, 32nd roster to top 10 with no real changes
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It’s why we call them “fanatics.” Logic and reasoning goes by the way side lol. During the season it’s “we can’t possibly be good because of the low talent level, these coaches are amazing for working with what they have!” After the season it’s “we should go undefeated next year, our roster is looking amazing” with the same roster.
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The defense isn’t good (certainly not Top 10 LMFAO) and AG doesn’t appear to be a good coach. Nothing about this has changed since last season. The biggest move they made was bringing in a real coach (John Fox) to help out AG.
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I was thinking the same thing until we closed out the season on a 8-2 run.
We were playing a LOT of youngsters (1st and 2nd year) Aiden, Alim, Houston, Rodrigo, Jacobs, Kerby, Pashal. They got better as the season went on. One can only expect them to be even better this year.
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The play of the players improved - yes, but again, and I’ll keep repeating this until I’m blue in the face. The defense during the run benefitted GREATLY by the offense playing mistake free football. They lost only 4 turnovers during that stretch, which was first in the NFL by a WIDE margin. If the offense had not been that secure with the ball, the improvement in scoring would have looked a lot like the improvement in yards per game - marginal.
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As of right now it has the potential to be “good” like it was the last half of the season(minus Carolina of course). The question is if you believe that the defense the last half of the season was a fluke or not? Honestly it’s hard to say without seeing them at least play to the level that they played at the last 10 games of the season for an entire season.
I don’t think it’s a fluke - there was some improvement, but I think a lot of fans and talking heads are ignoring the part where the offense was a big reason the defense allowed less points. I hope to god the offense can continue playing mistake-free football, otherwise I fear that a lot of people are going to be blindsided when the defense isn’t nearly as improved as they think it is.
I think that’s true to a “certain extent” I know Goff and the offense, in some games, didn’t exactly “light it up” particularly during road games where the defense had to step up and kept them in it.
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Sure, there are times when the defense stepped up when they needed to. But even when the offense didn’t “light it up” scoring points, they still weren’t turning the ball over and repeatedly putting the defense in that position.
Over the last 10 games:
Passing Yards Allowed: 2509 (28th during that span), 7.6 Yards/Completion (29th)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 1407 (26th), 5.3 Yards/Carry (32nd)
Total Yards Allowed: 3721 (30th)
Total Points Allowed: 202 (10)
One of these things is not like the other…I think a lot of people just look at the improvement in the scoring numbers, but aren’t looking at the context surrounding them. The defense did play better, but they still weren’t good. If the offense hadn’t been #1 in turnovers over the final 10 games (4), I don’t think that improvement in scoring would have happened based on how bad the rest of the
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RB is definitely a huge need, but that doesn’t mean you have to address it in the 1st. Especially not in this class.
If we draft Bijan and I mail you a dreadlocks wig will you wear it?
I would wear it whether we drafted him or not.
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Anything but a cheesehead is my ethos as well
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You conveniently leave out the part where the defense forced 16 turnovers in the last 10 games giving our offense more opportunities.
Was the defense world beaters? Nope. Did they improve the last 10 weeks? Yep. The last 10 weeks of the season the lions had the 9th ranked DVOA.
Yes our offense only turned it over 4 times. You say that stopped other teams from scoring, or could it have stopped the defense from getting more turnover and sacks? 16 turnovers and 27 sacks the last 10 games from a bunch of 1st and 2nd year players IS improvement.
We have added better talent in the secondary and getting Walker back. Stability at the linebacking core and IMO they will add 1 or 2 more vets, along with Cominsky
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Young players improving - tons of first & second year guys
Health
Scheme change (xidn’t have the horses to run a 4 man front)
Buggs, Commish, Houston, Jacobs, Paschal - all came on @ the end of the season…AA even improves
…& yes, we had an easier schedule
Conclusion → truth is in the middle
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Sutton to the Lions make ARich at 6 a shade more likely.
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Yeah I guess. I feel he is head and shoulders above the rest of the backs. His shiftyness and elusiveness and ability to make the 1st guy miss are the best I have seen in years. His receiving skills are ++. Like I said just my opinion
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He’s the best prospect for sure, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other badass prospects for much cheaper. Zeke went 4th overall in 2016, Derrick Henry went 45th. Fournette and McCaffrey went top 10 in 2017, Dalvin Cook went 41st. Barkley went 2nd overall in 2018, Nick Chubb went 35th. As prospects there was a wide gap between all of them but as pros they’ve all been good.
This is the @thats2 version of the classic commercial.
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When you are talking most RB’s I generally agree with you. There are very few RB’s I would consider “special” in the NFL. Some may have special traits, but there game is not complete (like Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry).
Christian McCaffrey is a special player at RB. Barkley may be considered a special player as well, but I am on the fence with him. I also think Kenneth Walker has the chance to earn that distinction, but he isn’t there yet. Thats the entire list for me. Chubb is special running the football, but is a mediocre blocker and non-existent as a pass catcher. Derrick Henry is a better blocker then Chubb and as good running the football, but also offers nothing as a pass catcher.
I personally don’t view guys like Dalvin Cook, Jonathan Taylor, Tony Pollard, etc as special.
Bijan has a chance to be special in all phases. His floor is pro bowl RB, his ceiling is one of the all time greats, IMO. Maybe my opinion of him is higher than most, but thats how I view it. That is why I would gladly pull the trigger at 18, and wouldn’t even be made if we dropped down into the early teens and took him.
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