WEBVTT 00:00:06.540 --> 00:00:11.980 This is the Litterbox, a Detroit Lions podcast 00:00:11.980 --> 00:00:15.660 with your hosts, Chad West and Bill Patterson. 00:00:18.780 --> 00:00:22.500 Litterbox Lions fans, thanks for joining us once 00:00:22.500 --> 00:00:25.260 again. We have cleared baseball season. We are 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:28.920 in the throes of football season. And we just 00:00:28.920 --> 00:00:33.179 watched a wonderful 24 to 9 win by your Detroit 00:00:33.179 --> 00:00:36.420 Lions at home on Monday Night Football over the 00:00:36.420 --> 00:00:38.840 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who up until this game 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:41.619 were being bandied about as a possible number 00:00:41.619 --> 00:00:44.899 one in the power rankings, a Super Bowl contender 00:00:44.899 --> 00:00:48.520 and a quarterback who was to be MVP. Our Lions 00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:51.259 looked great and did it against a good squad. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:55.899 We had some incredible play by what is basically 00:00:55.899 --> 00:00:59.340 a second string. defensive backfield and we had 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:02.479 some at times what looked like incredible play 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:04.900 from an offense and then at times looked extremely 00:01:04.900 --> 00:01:06.760 frustrating. We're going to talk about the bye 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:08.659 week after we get through all that and what the 00:01:08.659 --> 00:01:12.019 Lions need to do to get healthy in the coming 00:01:12.019 --> 00:01:14.900 10 days or so. And we'll touch a little on the 00:01:14.900 --> 00:01:17.700 NFC North after that. Bill, I want to start with 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:19.340 you and I want to start with a question today. 00:01:19.709 --> 00:01:22.849 Who on the defense gets your game ball? First 00:01:22.849 --> 00:01:25.629 and foremost, it's got to be Kelvin Shepherd 00:01:25.629 --> 00:01:32.090 for organizing a D that was man -heavy taking 00:01:32.090 --> 00:01:36.650 advantage of the Buccaneers lack of regular starters 00:01:36.650 --> 00:01:39.469 at skill positions. So he gets my first game 00:01:39.469 --> 00:01:43.530 ball. My second game ball has to go to Meek Robertson 00:01:43.530 --> 00:01:47.170 who was everywhere. He played all 69 snaps on 00:01:47.170 --> 00:01:54.170 D and was everywhere on the field and The game 00:01:54.170 --> 00:01:57.450 balls I know Jim Kibbs had an amazing day chat 00:01:57.450 --> 00:02:00.510 he did all gay all game balls need to go to the 00:02:00.510 --> 00:02:03.430 D on this one because the Buccaneers have given 00:02:03.430 --> 00:02:07.170 their job they've given the Lions fits the last 00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:11.969 few times they've played and I Have to give a 00:02:11.969 --> 00:02:15.129 shout out to Todd Bulls their head coach who 00:02:15.129 --> 00:02:18.550 is a defensive coordinator by trade. Man, if 00:02:18.550 --> 00:02:20.710 Tampa Bay ever gets crazy and decides to let 00:02:20.710 --> 00:02:23.310 him go, I hope Dan Campbell's the first one on 00:02:23.310 --> 00:02:27.889 the phone because he gives our offense fits. 00:02:28.330 --> 00:02:30.189 But let's get back to the - We may not need him 00:02:30.189 --> 00:02:32.789 though when we have Shepard, Kelvin Shepard. 00:02:32.969 --> 00:02:36.030 I mean, you want to cast Kelvin off already, 00:02:36.069 --> 00:02:37.509 although he's probably just going to get hired 00:02:37.509 --> 00:02:40.530 away like Aaron Glenn. So it's - We don't have 00:02:40.530 --> 00:02:44.669 them that long. What I'm suggesting is that your 00:02:44.669 --> 00:02:47.370 next Miami Dolphins coach might be one Calvin 00:02:47.370 --> 00:02:49.469 Shetley. Gotcha. I see where you're going. So 00:02:49.469 --> 00:02:52.770 that's my game ball. But you could go around 00:02:52.770 --> 00:02:56.310 the D. Welcome back, Aline McNeil. He was nothing 00:02:56.310 --> 00:02:59.129 short of fantastic. He was beastly, beastly in 00:02:59.129 --> 00:03:03.229 the middle. And Shet, he didn't show up in the 00:03:03.229 --> 00:03:06.889 stat sheet. It was like one tackle, one, I think, 00:03:07.250 --> 00:03:10.830 pass kind of deflected. Chet, he was on the field 00:03:10.830 --> 00:03:16.550 for 44 plays and he disrupted from play one until 00:03:16.550 --> 00:03:19.389 he was off the field. He demands two offensive 00:03:19.389 --> 00:03:22.069 linemen. I mean, you notice how often he's getting 00:03:22.069 --> 00:03:24.370 doubled. That leaves some space for somebody. 00:03:24.650 --> 00:03:27.150 Would be a great time for Tylek Williams maybe 00:03:27.150 --> 00:03:29.669 to step his game up if he's not being replaced 00:03:29.669 --> 00:03:33.430 by Ali McNeil in the line. All right, so defense. 00:03:33.789 --> 00:03:36.469 You're giving game balls to Shepard. I agree 00:03:36.469 --> 00:03:38.409 with that. I give it to the whole defensive back, 00:03:38.430 --> 00:03:40.830 the whole second string defensive backfield as 00:03:40.830 --> 00:03:46.110 they lay well above. Whom? The Legion of Whom 00:03:46.110 --> 00:03:48.189 is what we're calling these guys. I like that. 00:03:48.189 --> 00:03:52.990 That's good. That's very good. Poetry. Poetry, 00:03:52.990 --> 00:03:55.150 if you will. Yeah, go ahead. Who else would you 00:03:55.150 --> 00:03:57.250 give that game ball to, Bill? Who's the next 00:03:57.250 --> 00:04:01.969 game ball winner? Jack Campbell. He was all over 00:04:01.969 --> 00:04:05.689 the field, Chet. I mean, he might have single 00:04:05.689 --> 00:04:10.330 -handedly ruined Tampa Bay's offensive game plan 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:13.550 for the fact that whenever Baker tried to move 00:04:13.550 --> 00:04:16.569 up, Baker Mayfield, that is, in the pocket, he 00:04:16.569 --> 00:04:19.129 was there to meet him or he was there to play 00:04:19.129 --> 00:04:23.129 spy. And I'm not a big fan of spy. Usually doesn't 00:04:23.129 --> 00:04:27.329 work in Shepard. Kelvin, that is, said that he's 00:04:27.329 --> 00:04:29.750 not a big fan of spy, but it worked. That's all 00:04:29.750 --> 00:04:34.699 I can say. I'm a little curious about the Buccaneer 00:04:34.699 --> 00:04:39.180 strategy for this one. They didn't have a lot 00:04:39.180 --> 00:04:42.500 of short throws over the middle to wide receivers. 00:04:42.680 --> 00:04:46.100 K .Dotten got his share. But I'm shocked that 00:04:46.100 --> 00:04:49.560 they were not going for the shorter throws over 00:04:49.560 --> 00:04:52.899 the middle to get wide receivers getting covered, 00:04:53.019 --> 00:04:54.579 or at least getting their wide receivers covered 00:04:54.579 --> 00:04:58.600 by our linebackers. The Chiefs excelled and succeeded 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:01.300 at that all game long. It seemed like between 00:05:01.300 --> 00:05:04.319 Jack Campbell and Anne Zalone, And Derek Barnes, 00:05:04.480 --> 00:05:06.980 somebody had to cover a wide out on almost every 00:05:06.980 --> 00:05:09.879 play on a little short intermediate throw, and 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:13.420 they got beat every time and pass coverage. Kate 00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:15.560 Otten had a little bit of a game on us, but they 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:17.959 didn't go to him that much. They went to him 00:05:17.959 --> 00:05:21.560 about maybe a half dozen times, maybe. But I 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:22.959 feel like if you're going to beat the Lions, 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:25.360 it's a short intermediate throw over the middle, 00:05:25.660 --> 00:05:27.699 getting a linebacker in coverage because our 00:05:27.699 --> 00:05:29.879 guys can't pass cover. But they didn't do that. 00:05:30.139 --> 00:05:31.959 They kept trying to go down the line. I think 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:36.689 they thought. We got these weak second string 00:05:36.689 --> 00:05:38.750 deep backs in there. We're going to try and attack, 00:05:38.889 --> 00:05:40.790 attack, attack those guys. And it didn't work. 00:05:41.089 --> 00:05:44.310 Hence who our game balls go to. Thoughts? A couple. 00:05:44.850 --> 00:05:48.189 So let's talk about who the best receivers are. 00:05:48.370 --> 00:05:51.370 I mean, you've got Mike Evans, who I think, and 00:05:51.370 --> 00:05:53.670 I said in our preview is going to be a future. 00:05:54.209 --> 00:05:57.319 He should be a Hall of Famer. Really sad to see 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:00.519 him go out with a broken clavicle. That was not 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:03.319 the way we wanted to see this game go You let 00:06:03.319 --> 00:06:05.040 go of that ball. You knew something was wrong. 00:06:05.139 --> 00:06:07.800 I was like he got he got hurt somewhere badly 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:10.600 there He knew he was probably on the ground and 00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:14.779 I hope it's not like career ending but I'm seeing 00:06:14.779 --> 00:06:17.980 things on social media that say that he might 00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:20.860 be done done. Yeah And I hope that's not the 00:06:20.860 --> 00:06:23.220 case because he has been nothing short of a warrior 00:06:23.220 --> 00:06:25.660 for the I don't even know what we call them. 00:06:25.939 --> 00:06:31.399 The the tan and or the sunset tan and white. 00:06:31.459 --> 00:06:35.759 The Buccaneers. Yeah. The pewter and the pewter. 00:06:35.899 --> 00:06:38.560 I believe they're pewter and red or pewter. And 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:40.279 I know. But which one do we go? I don't even 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:43.560 know. I love their old school unit. Yeah. So 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:45.500 let's talk about the rest of this, though. Yeah. 00:06:46.040 --> 00:06:49.529 Chris Goodwin Jr.'s out. Yeah. Chris Godwin's 00:06:49.529 --> 00:06:53.889 out. So he's not. The rookie Ekbukwa is not a 00:06:53.889 --> 00:06:56.310 hundo. No. He's dealing with a hamstring. You 00:06:56.310 --> 00:07:00.389 can kind of tell. Yep. Bucky Irving's out, who... 00:07:00.389 --> 00:07:02.870 The difference between him and White is the fact 00:07:02.870 --> 00:07:05.550 that White might be great between the tackles, 00:07:05.769 --> 00:07:09.970 off guard, running the ball. He is not the threat. 00:07:11.149 --> 00:07:14.550 They are not the one to punch the Sonic and Knuckles 00:07:14.550 --> 00:07:17.220 are, that's for sure. And if Montgomery... Had 00:07:17.220 --> 00:07:18.800 to carry the whole load. He would have done a 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:20.620 heck of a lot better than White did yesterday 00:07:20.620 --> 00:07:24.720 in that role. So and then to finalize your question, 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:27.800 the exclamation point, Luke Haggard, their starting 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:32.600 right guard was out and he is a difference maker. 00:07:33.220 --> 00:07:36.620 So I'm not excusing everybody has injuries. Everybody's 00:07:36.620 --> 00:07:39.000 got injuries. Here's the other thing the Buccaneers 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:42.240 got to five and one Through a little bit of smoke 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:45.279 and magic and comebacks and all that and the 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:50.019 Lions I know it was 14 nothing at one point and 00:07:50.019 --> 00:07:53.399 then it was 14 nine at one point Going into the 00:07:53.399 --> 00:07:56.600 half chat. Did the game ever feel tight to you? 00:07:56.800 --> 00:07:59.360 No, and I don't know if you've been watching 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:04.029 the show chat powers recently but There's an 00:08:04.029 --> 00:08:05.750 assistant coach on the team happens to be head 00:08:05.750 --> 00:08:08.509 coach his daughter and she makes a con makes 00:08:08.509 --> 00:08:11.069 a comment. He says, we're only down by 10. You 00:08:11.069 --> 00:08:12.970 want to do something crazy? And she goes, you 00:08:12.970 --> 00:08:16.620 know, when being down by 10 feels like. Three 00:08:16.620 --> 00:08:19.819 or seven and being down by ten feels like thirty 00:08:19.819 --> 00:08:22.279 like there's a difference It was I always felt 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:24.800 like we were up by a lot more than just ten when 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:28.740 we were up So I was very you know I kind of had 00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:31.279 that mindset I was like this isn't just ten points 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:35.129 or five points or nine whatever It felt like 00:08:35.129 --> 00:08:37.149 a lot more than that because it seemed like the 00:08:37.149 --> 00:08:39.389 Bucks just had such a hill to climb. But don't 00:08:39.389 --> 00:08:41.289 get me wrong, at any moment, I was like, we can, 00:08:41.509 --> 00:08:43.409 this thing can blow apart and they can figure 00:08:43.409 --> 00:08:45.350 out what to do to our defense and bust us. But 00:08:45.350 --> 00:08:47.769 they never did. Should we touch on the offense 00:08:47.769 --> 00:08:50.450 a little bit? Yeah, let's move to the other side 00:08:50.450 --> 00:08:52.049 of the ball. I mean, like we should totally ignore 00:08:52.049 --> 00:08:55.909 the offense. We did have a monumental rushing 00:08:55.909 --> 00:08:59.399 performance. What do you know about Mr. Gibbs' 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.539 rushing performance that puts him up on, like, 00:09:02.580 --> 00:09:04.620 everything I've seen today is, you know, you 00:09:04.620 --> 00:09:06.840 had Billy Sims, then you had Barry Sanders, and 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:09.700 now you've got Jameer Gibbs on the Mount Rushmore 00:09:09.700 --> 00:09:12.559 of Lions running backs. What are your thoughts? 00:09:13.019 --> 00:09:16.279 Love Gibbs, and he has entered the Mount Rushmore, 00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:20.179 which is only three statues, as far as I'm concerned, 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:24.340 for Lions running backs. It would be Barry Sanders 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:27.379 in whatever position he wants to be in. Billy 00:09:27.379 --> 00:09:31.360 Sims number two and Jamir Gibbs third with that 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:40.200 218 all -purpose yards, that's crazy Game ball 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:43.620 and offense has to go to mr. Gibbs. He was outstanding 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:47.039 I'm gonna answer the question that a lot of our 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:50.159 listeners want to know no, I don't think there's 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:53.159 a running back controversy. No, I don't think 00:09:53.159 --> 00:09:58.379 there is a reduced role outside of what you're 00:09:58.379 --> 00:10:02.399 already seen for one. Knuckles, David Montgomery. 00:10:03.059 --> 00:10:05.299 Here's the thing. When the weather gets nasty 00:10:05.299 --> 00:10:08.320 and the Lions do play three of their last four 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.419 on the road, one's in a dome. Actually two are 00:10:11.419 --> 00:10:14.080 in a dome, I guess. So it's only really the at 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:17.759 Chicago game. Still, they're going to need. Monty's 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:20.240 going to have his moments. And so rest of the 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:23.360 offense, offensive line. I thought did well. 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.570 My favorite play of the game. Happened to be 00:10:26.570 --> 00:10:30.129 And I'm laughing to myself. I'm really sorry 00:10:30.129 --> 00:10:35.889 Sonic takes it and goes and 78 yards or whatever 00:10:35.889 --> 00:10:40.549 it was Sewell decides to just go and yet doesn't 00:10:40.549 --> 00:10:44.950 really block anybody, but he's just hauling His 00:10:44.950 --> 00:10:49.190 rear down and he tries to block guys eight yards 00:10:49.190 --> 00:10:53.370 that was so anyway a hole at like 50 miles an 00:10:53.370 --> 00:10:55.929 hour They timed it at one point in the downstream 00:10:55.929 --> 00:10:57.549 and the back stretch of that run. He was doing 00:10:57.549 --> 00:11:01.350 23 miles an hour I can't ride a bike 23 miles 00:11:01.350 --> 00:11:04.110 an hour. I have no clue how he gets going 23. 00:11:04.789 --> 00:11:07.769 That's That's fast. That's the fastest. What 00:11:07.769 --> 00:11:10.029 was the fastest touchdown the NFL in three years? 00:11:10.190 --> 00:11:14.049 Yeah crazy The rest of the offense Sam Brown 00:11:14.049 --> 00:11:16.590 does what Sam Brown does Jared Goff was good 00:11:16.590 --> 00:11:19.750 when he had time Todd Bowles is really really 00:11:19.750 --> 00:11:23.500 good at disrupting Jared Goff and He didn't do 00:11:23.500 --> 00:11:26.019 it as much today. Hey, Chet, what month is it? 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:28.700 I don't know. October? Is that where we are now? 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:33.899 Brocktober. Brocktober. So, interestingly enough, 00:11:34.179 --> 00:11:37.759 you touched on bowls disrupting golf. They mentioned 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.360 this on the broadcast last night. These guys 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:42.879 have faced some serious pass rushes this season. 00:11:43.700 --> 00:11:46.519 Like, they don't have any games off, really. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:49.740 Other than maybe like the Vikings don't have 00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:52.480 the elite pass rush that I mean, you get Montes 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:55.360 sweat with the Bears. You're getting Trey Henriksen 00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:57.700 with Cincinnati. We haven't played the Vikings. 00:11:57.960 --> 00:11:59.759 We haven't played them yet. I'm just saying you'll 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:01.919 get them all. You'll get that game off maybe 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:04.480 when we play them. But think about the rest of 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:06.460 the teams we're playing. Everybody has elite 00:12:06.460 --> 00:12:09.399 pass rushes. We haven't played a team without 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:12.960 look at the Browns. Elite pass rush like the 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:15.620 golf has been under pressure with a what I would 00:12:15.620 --> 00:12:19.019 call a slightly diminished offensive line I don't 00:12:19.019 --> 00:12:21.679 spend so far. Yeah, it's just crazy how many 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:25.940 good pass rushes We played in the first six to 00:12:25.940 --> 00:12:28.399 seven was seven weeks of the season. That's yeah 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:31.720 nuts to me So this team at five and two after 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:35.259 what they've faced regardless of Joe burrow not 00:12:35.259 --> 00:12:40.340 being there regardless of the fact that I guess 00:12:40.340 --> 00:12:42.700 the Ravens aren't what we thought the Ravens 00:12:42.700 --> 00:12:45.659 were going to be. None of that matters because 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:48.759 when we played the Ravens, they were supposed 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:51.379 to be, they had Lamar Jackson. That was Monday 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:54.940 night at their place. And so here's my, I guess, 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:58.100 final offensive thought after Brocktober, which 00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:01.580 you moved quickly past. I said I only wanted 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:04.320 to give it some credit. That was all that's good. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:07.019 Good job with it Brocktober He had three catches. 00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:09.240 That's you didn't have three night for doesn't 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:11.039 make me happy though Because I think Laporta 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:12.779 is the better tight end and I'd like to see him 00:13:12.779 --> 00:13:15.519 more involved and he's on my is Everybody knows 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.379 that chat. That's Captain obvious Brock is just 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:20.559 stealing catches from my fantasy tight end right 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:23.799 now. Oh got it Self -serving. Yes. All right 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:29.360 last plug I was gonna give is if Vita via wasn't 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:32.980 on Tampa Bay's defense, which we said in the 00:13:32.980 --> 00:13:35.799 preview. I think the Lions could have scored 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:39.679 70. I mean, he is so disruptive. He's like Aline 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.200 McNeil times two. He's crazy. Yeah. And he's 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:49.139 only 30. Yeah. He's just... No, what I'm trying 00:13:49.139 --> 00:13:53.480 to say is he's someone that if the Bucs ever 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:56.429 went through a rebuild, which... Most NFL teams 00:13:56.429 --> 00:13:59.549 do. He would be someone if the timing and position 00:13:59.549 --> 00:14:02.610 and money all worked out, gosh, I would welcome 00:14:02.610 --> 00:14:05.149 him with open arms. Sure. He came up a lot in 00:14:05.149 --> 00:14:07.450 the pregame that we did. And I agree with you. 00:14:07.450 --> 00:14:10.169 He's a beast out there. You nailed that. He was 00:14:10.169 --> 00:14:12.409 tough and he was disruptive. And he might be 00:14:12.409 --> 00:14:15.690 why we only put up 24 points in hindsight. And 00:14:15.690 --> 00:14:18.909 outside of Gibb's big run, he averaged less than 00:14:18.909 --> 00:14:24.529 four yards a carry. And so did Demon. Well, it's 00:14:24.529 --> 00:14:26.529 running up the middle. We didn't do a ton of 00:14:26.529 --> 00:14:28.169 running up the middle last night. We hit the 00:14:28.169 --> 00:14:31.289 one big home run and that was it. Because you 00:14:31.289 --> 00:14:34.950 can't run out of that monster of a man and that's 00:14:34.950 --> 00:14:38.529 it. All right. Uh, let's you wanted to move to 00:14:38.529 --> 00:14:40.610 let's move to the bye week. Let's talk about 00:14:40.610 --> 00:14:42.769 the bye week a little bit. Let's cover, you know, 00:14:42.809 --> 00:14:44.950 what's the bye week do for this team right now? 00:14:45.389 --> 00:14:47.909 What's you, we want to get healthy. That's obvious. 00:14:48.149 --> 00:14:50.429 Is there last year at coming out of the bye week? 00:14:50.529 --> 00:14:52.679 I believe we had lost. Coming out of the bi -week, 00:14:52.820 --> 00:14:55.080 we'd lost a little steam or something, if I remember 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:59.980 correctly. Thoughts on the bi -week? Bill, coming 00:14:59.980 --> 00:15:02.179 out of the bi -week, what do you want to see? 00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:06.620 For our defensive backfield chat. I think if 00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:10.039 we can get Terry on Arnold back, obviously Brian 00:15:10.039 --> 00:15:13.200 branch will be eligible post suspension. Don't 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:15.980 know about Kirby Joseph, hoping he'll be back. 00:15:16.179 --> 00:15:19.809 And then there's. other individuals that I'd 00:15:19.809 --> 00:15:22.129 like you to comment on that we would like back 00:15:22.129 --> 00:15:25.429 as well. One being DJ Reed, who I think still 00:15:25.429 --> 00:15:30.029 has a little bit of time. But I think health 00:15:30.029 --> 00:15:33.289 chat at this point is the biggest thing that 00:15:33.289 --> 00:15:35.889 will allow this Lions team to continue on its 00:15:35.889 --> 00:15:38.809 trajectory that is. Yeah, we don't want to gamble. 00:15:38.970 --> 00:15:41.070 We don't want to gamble with the second string 00:15:41.070 --> 00:15:43.690 D backs. You can only roll the dice at that. 00:15:43.879 --> 00:15:46.220 the roulette table or at the craps table so many 00:15:46.220 --> 00:15:48.639 times or spin the wheel at the roulette table 00:15:48.639 --> 00:15:52.519 so many times. It looks looks like we'd get Arnold 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:57.259 and Avanti Maddox back after the buy. Possibly. 00:15:57.480 --> 00:16:00.899 But DJ Reed has one extra week after the buy 00:16:00.899 --> 00:16:02.720 that he has to sit out due to the fact that he's 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:04.879 on the IR. So he has to have four weeks out. 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:09.879 So we will see him week nine would be the earliest 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:13.139 or excuse me, week 10 would be the earliest. 00:16:13.340 --> 00:16:17.840 Is that correct? Yes. Correct. So we get some 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:20.460 of our defensive backs back after the bye week, 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:24.059 but not all. And I think as many as we can get 00:16:24.059 --> 00:16:26.179 back as good. And if some of these guys can keep 00:16:26.179 --> 00:16:28.639 playing and filling in given, given the other 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:31.200 guys of breath and not get burned on a play, 00:16:31.299 --> 00:16:33.360 then Hey, you know, more power to the backups 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:35.759 that did so well last night. What else, what 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:39.840 else for the bye week? Well, the other thing 00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:43.590 we're not talking about. is what's going to happen 00:16:43.590 --> 00:16:47.610 with Taylor Decker's shoulder. Well, I don't 00:16:47.610 --> 00:16:50.610 want to talk about it because it scares me. Okay. 00:16:50.870 --> 00:16:53.789 And it's frightening. And I want to believe that 00:16:53.789 --> 00:16:57.690 Taylor will get these 10 days off. I bet they're 00:16:57.690 --> 00:16:59.750 going to give him this whole week. He's not going 00:16:59.750 --> 00:17:03.049 to do a thing. And then the following week, he's 00:17:03.049 --> 00:17:05.650 not going to do much until probably the day or 00:17:05.650 --> 00:17:09.460 two before week nine game. I'm guessing he's 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:11.900 going to get a ton of time and he can, he needs 00:17:11.900 --> 00:17:15.519 all the time he can get. I, he had moments last 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.539 night where he looked like they were beating 00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:20.180 around the edge a little, might've been that 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:22.839 bad shoulder. You know, it's just, who knows? 00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:26.259 I just don't, uh, I don't need to see more Dan 00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:29.559 Skipper at left tackle and I don't need to see 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:32.299 Manu at left tackle. I like to see Taylor Decker 00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:35.200 there. So I hope he. I don't know. Can he sit 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:37.660 in a cryo chamber and get healthy faster? I have 00:17:37.660 --> 00:17:41.019 no idea what to do for that, but it is age catching 00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:43.940 up a little bit. Age is definitely catching up 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:46.779 and you're being pretty harsh on our guy and 00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:49.220 you're being harsh on his backups. I was going 00:17:49.220 --> 00:17:52.759 to look at this glass half full and say that 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:57.000 it gives time for Manu to take first team reps 00:17:57.000 --> 00:18:01.140 and go up against. It's a good point. It's a 00:18:01.140 --> 00:18:03.400 valid, valid. This is a good time for development. 00:18:03.579 --> 00:18:05.640 He's going to go up against touch and he's going 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:08.220 to go up against Barnes and they're going to 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:11.259 blitz the heck out of him in practice to get 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:14.500 him ready. And at this point, they should have 00:18:14.500 --> 00:18:17.779 enough tape on the Brian Flores defense. I know 00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:20.160 it's super confusing. He blitzes from everywhere. 00:18:20.460 --> 00:18:24.180 He's a master at his trade with that. The lions 00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:27.039 have to practice that for the fact that I think 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:32.190 we are seeing a player in his Twilight and We 00:18:32.190 --> 00:18:35.630 need some sort of a plan there. It's much appreciated 00:18:35.630 --> 00:18:38.990 everything he's given. He's been a Honolulu blue 00:18:38.990 --> 00:18:44.069 and silver warrior. It is the time that the Lions, 00:18:44.650 --> 00:18:46.950 and thank goodness Brad Holmes is already on 00:18:46.950 --> 00:18:49.890 this, start thinking of the replacement plan 00:18:49.890 --> 00:18:53.730 for one Taylor Decker, because I don't know that 00:18:53.730 --> 00:18:57.930 this is a surgery type of fix. Again, you know, 00:18:57.930 --> 00:19:00.160 I know nothing. And he's getting on. I mean, 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:02.900 you saw what happened. We just lost, like, Frank 00:19:02.900 --> 00:19:05.839 Ragnow out of thin air, basically, due to injuries 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:07.980 just piling up and him just not wanting to go 00:19:07.980 --> 00:19:10.640 again. You can't blame him. Decker's only going 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:13.019 to get to that point at some point, too. I mean, 00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:16.039 it's what happens. It becomes a quality of life 00:19:16.039 --> 00:19:18.539 issue. So we want to get healthy over the bi 00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:20.720 -week. That's number one. I've got one more for 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:25.200 you. What's that? I would like to see one, Isaac. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:30.009 Hislaw. Coast law. Get more involved in this 00:19:30.009 --> 00:19:33.569 offense one play. I want to comment on that kind 00:19:33.569 --> 00:19:36.250 of drove me nuts But I was so excited for was 00:19:36.250 --> 00:19:40.190 that fourth and three in the red zone and golf 00:19:40.190 --> 00:19:45.009 who overthrew Coleslaw who happened to be manhandled 00:19:45.009 --> 00:19:48.410 it drove me nuts only for the fact that Laporta 00:19:48.410 --> 00:19:51.390 was yard in front of his guy and would have gotten 00:19:51.390 --> 00:19:54.950 beyond the sticks fresh set of downs with that 00:19:54.950 --> 00:20:01.200 I like to see that our guy, Tesla Coleslaw is 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:03.079 getting more involved in the offense and I think 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:07.680 that will only happen more so upcoming. I'd also 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:11.380 like to see if I can add a thirder at your turn. 00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:13.240 Would you like to go? No, no, no. Go right ahead. 00:20:13.460 --> 00:20:15.579 Go on. I've got all mine out. I just want everybody 00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:19.259 to get healthy. The Lions are... I have one last 00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:22.180 thing that needs to be cleaned up. And this is 00:20:22.180 --> 00:20:24.339 actually should probably be my number one chat, 00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:27.740 but it's not because I feel like the law of averages 00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:31.539 will amortize this and it will sort itself just 00:20:31.539 --> 00:20:34.759 in the universal balance of things. But the Lions 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:42.039 are 0 -4, I believe it was 37 last I saw, on 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:48.140 third and ten or more. Chet, if Johnny Moe or 00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:51.519 this offense can't figure that out, it will get 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:54.140 exposed. So basically third and long is what 00:20:54.140 --> 00:20:59.619 I'm saying. The lions have not done well on that. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:05.019 That is an area under Ben Johnson and the previous 00:21:05.019 --> 00:21:08.200 three seasons that the lions thrived in. And 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:10.619 it's frustrating because you've got Jamo out 00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:13.700 there. You've got coleslaw out there. You've 00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:16.839 got reporter all running routes. The only guy 00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:19.019 that's running intermediate routes really is 00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:22.579 the sun god. And that's it. They're just not 00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:25.599 getting it done. Yeah, I think it has to do a 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:27.839 little with that line They just don't they don't 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:30.539 have the downfield plays this season the big 00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:33.480 hitters the big deep balls I just don't think 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:36.000 they can protect golf for long enough with the 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:38.480 line that they currently have in place Let's 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:42.079 move along to something the NFC North Let's talk 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:44.359 about that for a minute the bye week this week 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:46.660 features three interesting games for the NFC 00:21:46.660 --> 00:21:49.240 North You got the Packers going up against the 00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:52.069 Steelers The return of Aaron Rodgers against 00:21:52.069 --> 00:21:54.069 the Packers. Steelers look pretty good right 00:21:54.069 --> 00:21:56.849 now. Could be a tough game in Pittsburgh for 00:21:56.849 --> 00:22:00.130 the Packers. We have the Vikings taking on the 00:22:00.130 --> 00:22:02.269 Chargers on Thursday night. Thursday night football 00:22:02.269 --> 00:22:04.430 is gross. I don't like Thursday night football. 00:22:04.930 --> 00:22:07.170 I don't think the offenses get enough time to 00:22:07.170 --> 00:22:08.809 prepare. People don't get enough time to rest. 00:22:08.869 --> 00:22:11.769 You get a weird diluted product out of it. Just 00:22:11.769 --> 00:22:14.329 my opinion. Just one man's thought. But they're 00:22:14.329 --> 00:22:16.210 going to get Herbert and the Chargers on Thursday 00:22:16.210 --> 00:22:18.069 night. That's going to be a very tough game. 00:22:18.190 --> 00:22:21.109 for the Vikings and then the Bears. The Bears 00:22:21.109 --> 00:22:25.250 are going to get the Ravens an interesting matchup. 00:22:25.369 --> 00:22:28.670 The one and five Ravens. I feel like that game 00:22:28.670 --> 00:22:32.569 could be now if Jackson was playing. And I don't 00:22:32.569 --> 00:22:34.950 know if he's going to be it's very questionable 00:22:34.950 --> 00:22:37.490 as to whether he'll play this weekend or not. 00:22:37.990 --> 00:22:40.509 Do you I feel like it could be somewhat of a 00:22:40.509 --> 00:22:43.109 barometer for the Bears could give them an idea 00:22:43.109 --> 00:22:45.410 of what may be coming as to, you know, their 00:22:45.410 --> 00:22:48.440 level of success and growth this season. But 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:52.259 those could be three L's for the NFC North. Could 00:22:52.259 --> 00:22:54.519 be. I don't think the Vikings are beating the 00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:57.619 Chargers. Could be two wins for the NFC North 00:22:57.619 --> 00:23:01.180 and a loss. Who threatens us the most going forward, 00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:03.500 Bill? Like, who are you looking at? Is it still 00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:06.900 the Packers for sure? I completely disagree with 00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:11.119 you on three L's. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You don't 00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:14.309 think so? No, not at all. Why? Why don't you 00:23:14.309 --> 00:23:17.230 think that's three losses? Because the Chargers 00:23:17.230 --> 00:23:19.430 are without both starting tackles, which means 00:23:19.430 --> 00:23:21.950 you have no starting. And they are struggling 00:23:21.950 --> 00:23:23.950 of late. They had a little bit of a rough go. 00:23:24.210 --> 00:23:26.289 Well, because they are lacking both starting 00:23:26.289 --> 00:23:30.250 tackles. And to answer our Lions question earlier, 00:23:30.690 --> 00:23:33.289 you can't just get a left tackle. They don't 00:23:33.289 --> 00:23:36.430 exist. Nobody's trading you one. And if they 00:23:36.430 --> 00:23:39.490 trade you one, there's a reason they're trading 00:23:39.490 --> 00:23:43.289 you. Cam Robinson was traded earlier this season, 00:23:43.470 --> 00:23:46.190 and I don't want to use inappropriate language, 00:23:46.630 --> 00:23:50.809 but he is essentially a bowl of jello out there 00:23:50.809 --> 00:23:53.589 that you just move left or right around. And 00:23:53.589 --> 00:23:56.109 that's that. So I think Brian Flores is going 00:23:56.109 --> 00:23:59.430 to feast on the Chargers. OK. Oh, wow. All right. 00:23:59.990 --> 00:24:01.750 I just don't think their offense can get anything 00:24:01.750 --> 00:24:05.410 going. But with Wentz out there, the word is 00:24:05.410 --> 00:24:08.230 Wentz is going to play QB again this coming weekend, 00:24:08.309 --> 00:24:10.710 and McCarthy's just not there yet. quote unquote, 00:24:10.970 --> 00:24:15.089 we will see next up. I do like the Steelers at 00:24:15.089 --> 00:24:18.250 home in the Sunday night matchup. And here's 00:24:18.250 --> 00:24:21.609 why Aaron Rogers maybe gets his revenge like 00:24:21.609 --> 00:24:24.009 he wants a little. Yeah. And the Steelers looked 00:24:24.009 --> 00:24:28.990 to your other point, very weird and lackluster 00:24:28.990 --> 00:24:31.170 against the Bengals on Thursday night. Thursday 00:24:31.170 --> 00:24:33.829 night football's terrible. Yeah. Hey, it's on 00:24:33.829 --> 00:24:37.740 Amazon. Amazon sucks. And B, it's too short of 00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:40.920 a time. Bears is my X factor. If Lamar plays, 00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:43.680 that's a loss for the Bears. Lamar doesn't play. 00:24:43.859 --> 00:24:46.420 It's a win for the Bears. Period. Yeah. I think 00:24:46.420 --> 00:24:49.019 that's probably true. I think that's probably 00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:51.900 true. Okay. You refuted my three L's. I'm still 00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:53.640 going with three L's. We'll see what happens. 00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:56.539 Yeah. Biggest threat in the division right now? 00:24:56.819 --> 00:24:58.700 Still the Packers? Actually, I'm going to go 00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:01.200 with the Chicago Bears. Are you? You're going 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.619 with the Bears. You think they're going to have 00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:05.299 a resurgence here at the end of the season? Last 00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:07.819 half of the season, they're going to that last 00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:10.380 game of the year will be like a big crescendo 00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:14.059 right there to their uprise. Yeah, January 2nd. 00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:16.480 The Palmer boys and the Patterson boys will be 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:18.940 there if you want to bring your girls. Look at 00:25:18.940 --> 00:25:22.359 that. We're going to be snowflakes falling or 00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:26.619 be freezing, freezing cold. Well, that I don't 00:25:26.619 --> 00:25:28.779 disagree. I think the Bears have a chance to 00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:31.400 slide in there. Packers have a chance to drift 00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:33.539 back a little bit We'll see a lot of this comes 00:25:33.539 --> 00:25:35.420 down to like injuries and what happens along 00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:37.839 the way So you never know at the NFL week to 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:41.119 week any given Sunday bill any given Sunday any 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:44.180 rate? That's all we've got for today folks. Enjoy 00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:46.700 your bye week We'll be back after the bye week 00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:49.839 to preview our game coming out of the by there 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:51.740 Bill who are we playing coming out of the bye 00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:56.609 week? Vikings Vikings the Minnesota Vikings and 00:25:56.609 --> 00:25:58.769 hopefully Wentz will still be quarterback I don't 00:25:58.769 --> 00:26:00.789 know I kind of like McCarthy back there for us, 00:26:01.190 --> 00:26:02.529 but we'll see what happens