| 12 September 2009
Kickoff: Sunday, September 13, 1 p.m. EDT
Stadium: Louisiana Superdome
Television: WJBK-TV FOX Ch.2
Play-By-Play: Chris Meyers
Color: Trent Green
Lions Radio Network Flagship: 97.1 FM The Ticket (WXYT-FM)
Play-By-Play: Dan Miller
Color: Jim Brandstatter
Sidelines: Tony Ortiz
2009 Preseason Records: Lions, 3-1; Saints 3-1
2008 Records: Lions, 0-16; Saints 8-8
What I'm watching: NFL football, and the Detroit Lions! Though I'm not sure they are one and the same...
Our true national pastime, the NFL is back, and I feel fine. Then I realize this also means the Lions are back, and I suddenly feel sick to my stomach.
I've been mostly positive about the Lions this past off season. I've been fairly complimentary regarding the personnel moves Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew made since January. Considering they were left nothing but smoking ruins and scorched earth manned by players who would have trouble making an AFL2 team, I cut the new regime some serious slack.
The time for slack has passed. The time for the Lions to show some serious improvement is nigh. Hell, even a little improvement would be acceptable. First and foremost though, what I want to see is a win.
But that win is not going happen against the Saints. Why?
The Lions defense is awful. Not historically, legendarily awful, like last season, but awful all the same. Detroit's D sure as Hell won't be able to stop Saints QB Drew Brees from cutting them into tiny, little, confetti-like shreds with his arm. The new, Schwartz schemed defense is unfinished, a work in progress which won't start getting the players it needs till the coming off season, a good 6 months away.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and a defense coming off a season in which they gave up the 2nd most points in NFL history can't be fixed in one season. It's impossible. Won't happen.
At least the Lions' offense has weapons at it's disposal, specifically Calvin Johnson's hands, and Kevin Smith's legs. But can rookie QB Matthew Stafford, bazooka-like arm and all, utilize those weapons any better than the 5 QB's who worked under center during the past season of our discontent? Not at first, and not consistently. I'm sure I'll be singing a different song in 2010 or 2011. But it's 2009, and Stafford is, as the New Orleans defense considers Stafford nothing more than "fresh meat."
I'm positive we'll see flashes of Stafford's prodigious talent, enough to put points on the scoreboard. But we'll also see a 21 year old kid struggle to acclimate himself to the speed and talent of NFL defenses. We'll see passes bad enough to even make fans who refuse to take off their Honolulu blue and silver glasses cringe in sheer horror. What we'll see is an unfinished work in progress.
We'll also see another painful, aggravating loss. 17 in a row, and counting.
Prediction: Between 1 and 4:15 on Sunday, expect my language to be blue, and my mood to be foul.
You'll see plenty of the following from me...
ANGER!
SHOCK!
SORROW!
WTF DID I JUST SEE?
Such is life as a Lions fan.
Live blogging to commence Sunday at 1PM EDT.
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