Week #1: Seattle Seahawks

[racosun]

Talk about being thrown to the wolves. Coach Marinelli doesn't have much time to get his team together, as they have to face the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks in week 1. Can that D stop Shaun Alexander? Are the corners ready for Hasselback and Darrell Jackson? Is Kevin Jones ready to carry the load for this team all season? Is this team finally "cancer-free" now that bad boy Charles Rogers and perennial wuss Joey Harrington are gone? Will the team be able to grow any confidence at all if they get blown out by a very good team this week? So many questions, and only gameday can answer them. No matter what, this is a new team and a new season, so hopefully a new winning attitude can be started.

[racosun]

OUT
Lions - WR Shaun Bodiford (knee); TE Casey Fitzsimmons (wrist)
Seahawks - TE Jerramy Stevens (knee)

QUESTIONABLE
Lions - G Ross Verba (hamstring)
Seahawks - LB LeRoy Hill (shoulder)

PROBABLE
Lions - DT Shaun Cody (shoulder)
Seahawks - DT Russell Davis (foot); WR Darrell Jackson (knee); T Walter Jones (shoulder)

[racosun]

So far, the defense looks fabulous. We've managed to block two field goals, and made a couple nice red-zone stops. A few highlights are a sack by Shaun Rogers (who also blocked the first field goal attempt), two forced fumbles, and the two blocked kicks. The offense, on the other hand, looks flat. Roy Williams has yet to make a catch, and really only had maybe one or two balls thrown his way. Mike Furrey made a tremendous catch for a first down. He was clocked hard, but held the ball. Kevin Jones made a few nice moves, but otherwise looks like junk. He's dropped a third-down pass, lost a fumble, and is averaging less than 2 yards per carry. You can tell the schemes look good, it's just poor execution. If Roy Williams wants to be compared to Tori Holt, he's got to start running better routes. I doubt Holt had too many halfs with zero catches. Special teams looks good, as far as blocking kicks. The return coverage has been horrible. Seattle has had some great field position so far.

Overall, a good first half againt the defending NFC Champions. We're playing hard, and perhaps a good bounce or two will give us a great win to start the season. I'm sure we're turning heads already. More to come.

[racosun]

A 9-6 loss to a Super Bowl team isn't bad at all. These players shouldn't hang their heads one bit. Shaun Rogers was dominant, after a few media members called him one of the most overrated in the league. You can't block a kick and sack the QB twice if you're overrated. This defense overall was great. Seattle is a great offensive team, and we shut them down completely. Holding last season's highest-scoring team to three field goals (and blocking two) is a great effort. Too bad the offense was stale.

Roy Williams finally saw some throws come his way, and he managed to wrangle in a few (none of them difference-makers). Mike Furrey looks like he could have a good season, but just because he's a hard-worker on a team of misfits. Someone has to catch the ball, why not him? I hope Matt Millen really didn't expect the recievers to blow up this year. Our best guy, Roy Williams, is a slacker like the other two top-ten picks. He's also always injured, and takes plays off if the ball isn't coming his way. Mike Williams didn't even suit up today. What's up with that? Are we going to have to waste a roster spot all season just to avoid a cap hit? How is that winning football?

I think this game will be an eye-opener for teams across the league, that the Lions aren't push-overs anymore. That defense is going to be solid all year, barring injuries to the key parts. Ernie Sims and Boss Bailey look terrific, and Fernando Bryant played well until he got banged up. I think he'll be fine. Jon Kitna wasn't very accurate today. He had some good chances to move the ball, but missed wide open guys. There were also some drops that should have been catches, easy ones. So far, I'd say this defense is underrated, and the offense overrated. Special teams needs work, especially in coverage on kick and punt returns. Losing to Seattle on a last-second field goal isn't a bad effort at all. Things could be looking up, even after a tough loss. Let's see how well they bounce back next week.

[racosun]

Seattle Seahawks 9, Detroit Lions 6
Passing:
Lions - Jon Kitna, 21-for-37, 229 yards, no TD's, no picks
Seahawks - Matt Hasselbeck, 25-for-30, 210 yards, no TD's, no picks

Rushing:
Lions - Kevin Jones, 14 rushes, 35 yards, no TD's, 1 fumble lost
Seahawks - Shaun Alexander, 19 rushes, 51 yards, no TD's, 1 fumble lost

Recieving:
Lions - Mike Furrey, 5 catches, 55 yards, no TD's
Seahawks - Bobby Engram, 5 catches, 52 yards, no TD's

Kicking:
Lions - Jason Hanson, 2-for-3 fg's, no PAT's
Seahawks - Josh Brown, 3-for-5 fg's, no PAT's

[tigers527]

Look at you Raco...filling up a thread all by your lonesome. Before we go patting the backs of the Lions, over this loss. It should be considered that the majority of NFL games end up being decided by a TD or less (when I say majority, I mean more then 50%. I know it didn't help GB v Bears). Also, the Seahawks are replacing like 1/2 their O line (hence the sacks, and block FGs). Going to Chi-town next week seems to be on our way to an 0-2 record, at least recent history dictates. <shrugs> We hope the weather won't be a mess like it usually is on that field?

[racosun]

Yeah, it's a bit lonely here in the Lions forum, but hopefully it'll start filling up more and more as the season goes along.

Long-time Lions fans should be able to see the difference between this year's team and those of the past decade. Instead of the "just don't blow it" mentality, we're playing hard-nosed, aggressive football on both sides of the ball. That silly West Coast scheme is long gone, replaced by a "grab you by the juggular" style. Kevin Jones is going to really open up the passing game. How many times did he bounce off of two or three defenders and get a few extra yards? He's got to be one of the toughest backs in the league to bring down. His stats weren't all that great, and he probably could have given a better individual effort, but once he does, look out. He's such a beast that teams are going to have to choose between stacking the D-line to contain Jones, or keeping guys back in the secondary to try and contain the passing game. Like the Lions players believe, I think this could be an explosive offense. The offense was very impressed by thier teams' defense, and if those D guys can continue to play hard and make big plays, some of that will rub off on the offense and things will take off for this team.

I watched both the Lions game and the Bears/Packers game, and to be honest with you I think this defense can be as dominant as Chicago's. The Seahawks had a lineup after the game to get X-rays, and that's going to be in opponents minds for the rest of the season. The Lions are really hard-hitters, and Donnie Henderson's aggressive scheme is going to pay off very soon.

Yeah, a loss is a loss, but this was no ordinary loss. We managed to shut down the league's best offense, as well as dominate the league's second-best RB. Chicago better be a bit scared. We have a fairly comparable defense to them, and what I believe to be a much better offense than the Bears are capable of producing. I'm not going to go around hollering "Lions, NFC North Champs" just yet, but the tools are there if this team wants it badly enough. That losing culture is beginning to fade, even with another loss.

My biggest concern is special teams. We need better returns from Eddie Drummond. If he's going to use up all of his energy on his new offensive role, than we need to use someone else for returns (Brian Calhoun is a good option). Also, Millen should be fired due to his bungeling drafting prowess. He doesn't exactly have a good draft eye. Maybe this team should just cut Mike Williams if he isn't going to dress for games. Take the cap hit and absorb yet another hit to Millen's ego, because Williams is going to be a dark shadow over this team all year if he doesn't play.

[tigers527]

Yeah, it's a bit lonely here in the Lions forum, but hopefully it'll start filling up more and more as the season goes along.

Yeah, as the BB season wears down, I certainly will be a more active member.



Yeah, a loss is a loss, but this was no ordinary loss. We managed to shut down the league's best offense, as well as dominate the league's second-best RB. Chicago better be a bit scared. We have a fairly comparable defense to them, and what I believe to be a much better offense than the Bears are capable of producing. I'm not going to go around hollering "Lions, NFC North Champs" just yet, but the tools are there if this team wants it badly enough. That losing culture is beginning to fade, even with another loss.

The day I see the Lions go into a place like Solider Field (with a good team housed in it) and win, is perhaps, one more step to my I will believe it when I see it, attitude I have had with this team since Barry left.

Every since that dang Matt Millen took over the team, I am convinced that my neighbors think I am not watching the Lions, but am watching a team called the GDMFers. At least, that is what they hear through my windows.

[racosun]

The day I see the Lions go into a place like Solider Field (with a good team housed in it) and win, is perhaps, one more step to my I will believe it when I see it, attitude I have had with this team since Barry left.

Every since that dang Matt Millen took over the team, I am convinced that my neighbors think I am not watching the Lions, but am watching a team called the GDMFers. At least, that is what they hear through my windows.

You watch the GDMFers too? lol

I think the Lions have a good shot at winning in Soldier Field this year. They should have beaten the Bears once last season, but Jeff Effin Garcia happened to come off the Injury List at the perfect time. The Bears stayed at pretty much the same talent level, while the Lions made large improvements at a few key places (like the coaching staff, linebackers, secondary). Just getting players healthy again makes a big difference. I think this season could be to Lions fans what the summer has brought to Tigers fans. Times, they are a changin'.