Kevin Smith: Lions WILL make playoffs this season

WesDawg said:
And if Favre shows up in Minny, that question becomes extremely more interesting this year.
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Cutler, Rodgers, Favre, and Culpepper/Stafford

I'm a Favre fan, and a Cutler owner from last year, but this ain't last year, and i would likely take Rodgers if that question is being asked now. I'm basing that a lot on team chemistry and Offensive scheme.
 
Rodgers for '09 for sure, but Cutler's just got more talent for the long run IMO. Once they develop targets for him, he'll get back to his Denver production.

As for Detroit being this year's Miami, I just can't buy it. All the stars would have to align perfectly for that to happen. Brady's week 1 injury, and the late season collapses of Buffalo and the Jets had more to do with Miami's record than raw performance. Counting on those types of things happening in the NFC North this year is just unrealistic.
 
WesDawg said:
Rodgers for '09 for sure, but Cutler's just got more talent for the long run IMO. Once they develop targets for him, he'll get back to his Denver production.

As for Detroit being this year's Miami, I just can't buy it. All the stars would have to align perfectly for that to happen. Brady's week 1 injury, and the late season collapses of Buffalo and the Jets had more to do with Miami's record than raw performance. Counting on those types of things happening in the NFC North this year is just unrealistic.
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I agree on the talent, but you also need to have a gameplan to take advantage of it. Rodgers is set up to be a pretty darn good fantasy Qb for years to come. I want to see how things shake out for Cutler this year before I spend too much.
 
WesDawg said:
First off, Favre doesn't compete head to head with the opposition's QB. Secondly, regardless of Miami's 2007 season, they finished 11-5 and won the division. The Brady-less Pats also went 11-5 and missed the playoffs. The Bills started out 5-0 before collapsing down the stretch and were a .500 team for all intents and purposes.
The NFC North on the other hand, had the first team ever to not win a game, and lost out to the AFC East in total victories, 38-25.
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WesDawg said:
As for Detroit being this year's Miami, I just can't buy it. All the stars would have to align perfectly for that to happen. Brady's week 1 injury, and the late season collapses of Buffalo and the Jets had more to do with Miami's record than raw performance. Counting on those types of things happening in the NFC North this year is just unrealistic.
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Thought these were 2 somewhat contradicting quotes.

On one hand you say how amazing the AFC East was last year in comparison to the NFC North. You point out how tough the Patriots were without Brady. You also mention Buffalo as starting hot and being a .500 team. This was all coming from a thread where I was being told how amazing the AFC East was last year, and how the NFC North couldn't possibly be as difficult.

Then on the other, you call Miami's run a fluke based on injuries and the other team's collapses. Almost calling out the division as soft and that being the reason Miami was able to bounce back and have a successful year.

Then on top of that, you're saying that you can't buy into the NFC North being a soft division where Detroit can have a big bounce back year.

So which is it? Is the NFC North that tough that Detroit can't win, or are they the soft division that Favre could easily run over en route to a Super Bowl? Was the AFC East a super division full of tougher teams than the NFC North or was Miami's run a fluke based on the other teams falling apart?
 
How is it contradictary? First off, I never referred to the AFC East as "soft", I mentioned that Miami was the only team that didn't have extenuating circumstances impacting them, and coupled with their offseason improvements they took advantage. They're not winning 11 games again this year, in my opinion. Simply put, from '07 to '08, they improved their personnel on the field and off and they received a bit of luck along the way.
Now, during this offseason the Lions overhauled their front office and made some decent personnel additions. Only problem is the other 3 teams in their division made significant upgrades, or at the very least, didn't have any glaring losses. Favre would fill the Vikings only glaring hole, Cutler, Pace, and a great draft will keep the Bears above .500, and the Packers retain most of their '08 roster and had an awesome draft.
The Lions won't go 0-16 again, but they're not winning 11 games either.

You can continue dissecting my statements and trolling for a debate, but I'll have to respectfully decline. You win.
 
WesDawg said:
You can continue dissecting my statements and trolling for a debate, but I'll have to respectfully decline. You win.
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Don't take it so personally Wes. I just read your post in this thread and thought back to how we had discussed these same 2 divisions only a week earlier and your opinion was quite different.

You very clearly state how you feel that the AFC East is a superior division, going 38-25 vs. the NFC North.

Then in this thread you're claiming that there is no way Detroit could have the same success that Miami did.

Well if the NFC North is an easier division, then why couldn't Detroit have the same kind of success?
You said it yourself that they(Detroit) have made some nice additions in the offseason, much like Miami did.

Would it really take a major QB injury within the division to give the Lions a chance at a successful season? Because Miami still split with the Patriots, its not like Tom Brady going down handed Miami 2 wins.
 
Oh and by the way Kevin, there has only been 1 big time prediction to come true as of late that I can remember.

Plax predicted that the NYG would be victories against the undefeated NE Patriots in the Super Bowl.

He even came very close with his predicted final score.

So Plax predicting the impossible 1st defeat of the undefeated and you predicting wins for the winless.

You might be in luck.
 
ExperiencedRookie said:
You very clearly state how you feel that the AFC East is a superior division, going 38-25 vs. the NFC North.
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Herein lies the same conversation as in the other thread. I'm talking about what DID happen vs. what COULD HAVE happened. Last year, the AFC East was statistically better than the NFC North, for reasons already identified. An 0-16 team will obviously drag your numbers down.

Then in this thread you're claiming that there is no way Detroit could have the same success that Miami did.
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I'd never say never. But I won't sit here and predict/forecast injuries and collapses for '09 unless there's some evidence pointing me in that direction. My opinions are based on the here and now and might change based on situations developing between now and week 1.

Well if the NFC North is an easier division, then why couldn't Detroit have the same kind of success?
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First off, they're farther away from the playoffs after a disasterous 2008 then Miami was after a disasterous 2007, and Miami wasn't that far removed from a playoff year. Secondly, I don't expect the same disparity between the 2 divisions as there was last year.
New England(12-4) over Minnesota(11-5), Chicago(10-6) over Miami(9-7), Green Bay(9-7) over New York(8-8), Buffalo(6-10) over Detroit(3-13)
Those are my early projections, which would bring the win totals to 35-33 in favor of the AFC East.

Would it really take a major QB injury within the division to give the Lions a chance at a successful season?
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Depending on your definition of "successful", yes. Amongst many other things, just like Miami last year. Not impossible, but highly unlikely.
IF they continue with another good offseason/draft after this year, and Stafford emerges as a serviceable QB, I can see them reaching .500 as soon as 2010.
 
Hey, let it be known that I have a great many flaws, but I always pay close attention to other people speaking/writing about the same things I love to ramble incoherently about.

LOL
 
WesDawg said:
Hey, let it be known that I have a great many flaws, but I always pay close attention to other people speaking/writing about the same things I love to ramble incoherently about.

LOL
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My biggest problem is that Im so prone to debate, that sometimes I'll debate for an argument that I don't even support just for the sake of debating.

It builds good theories and ideas. It also tests other people's passions.

I find that good debate can resolve a great many issues and bring new thoughts and facts to light.

I'll debate Miller on just about anything because something good always seems to come of it.
 
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