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Where We Go From Here


Just Want A Title

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Even though there is still one game left we are back to the familiar position trying to figure out what direction The Lions should take in the off-season.  My take is:

Coaching:  Jim Caldwell is a great person but this team, in his own words, is a little above average.  We need a change for this team to take a step forward.  I wouldn't be opposed to giving Teryl Austin a a shot.  For the most part, he has been able to put together good game plans and get results without having a lot of top-shelf talent up-front.  I am not sold on Jim Bob Cooter.  He has helped Stafford cut down on his mistakes but this offense should be more consistent.  Can a brother get a running game?

QB--I think we are good Stafford and Ruddock.  Stafford is turning 30 and has a lot of miles but he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down

RB--We need a serious make-over.  Zach Zenner doesn't produce.  The Dwayne Washington experiment hasn't gotten us much.  Abdullah is, in my opinion, on the bubble.  Theo Riddick and Tion Green are the only definite keepers.   

O-Line--The problems here are mostly with scheme and coaching.  Decker, Lang (when healthy) and Wagner are good players.  Glasgow is improving.  LG is still a question mark but Dahl or a medium-priced veteran should be able to settle that position down.  We could use some additional youth and depth but overall, we are in decent shape.

TE--  Darren Fells has been a solid blocker but not much more.  He is worth keeping though.  Michael Roberts is developing nicely.  Hakeem Valles is an interesting prospect.  The 8-million dollar question is whether or not we keep Eric Ebron.  He has been killing it in the second half of the season.  He has the physical ability to be a top-five TE.  However, the real question is whether or not his head has really caught up to his physical ability.  I think he is worth bringing back on a one-year deal, assuming he we can get away with the transition or tag designation

WR--This is a tough bunch to read.  It doesn't seem like Marvin Jones and Golden Tate can ever get it going at the same time consistently.  I could see us moving on from Golden Tate due to his age but would hate to see him go.  I could see Jamal Agnew becoming a scary slot WR.  Galladay has developed as expected but he needs to be much more than just a role player.  I am not sold on TJ Jones.  He never seems to finish the season healthy.  We could use to more developmental players here.  

D-Line--We need some serious upgrades.  Zettel is solid but isn't great.  Ledbetter and Voloaga (as a DT?) have potential but are role players at this point.  Ashawn Robinson hasn't developed as a pass-rusher.  Ziggy Ansah hasn't been healthy for two years.  I see our first round pick being spent on a DE who can bring heat off the edge.  We need to bring in a free-agent DT and draft a another.  Maybe Toby Johnson will have a role.  We need some serious upgrades.

LB--Jarrad Davis is turning out to be a good player.  Reeves-Maybin has been a decent in spot duty.  Worrilow hasn't provided too much.  We need a draft pick and a free agent

CB--Slay has been great this year.  I am not sold on Lawson as a starter but he should provide good depth.  I am hoping Teez Tabor develops into a starter.  We still need to add depth since Diggs seems to have settled in ad SS.  Hayden has been a decent role player but I think that is about all he provides.  

Safety--Glover Quinn has been awesome but he is on the wrong side of 30.  Diggs has settled in at SS.  It may not seem obvious but this group is not as settled going forward despite the really good performance in 2017.

My off-season priorities are:

1. RB--Draft and Free agent

2. DE--Draft with possible free agent additiion

3.  DT--Draft and Free Agent

4.  LB--Draft and Free Agent

5.  Safety--Draft

6.  O-line--Draft

That is just my take on the state of our team.  We have a solid core but need to add some more pieces and get more development out of our younger players.  Thoughts?

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So...if the Lions move on from Jim Caldwell, and they don't give Cooter the job what are the odds he goes elsewhere?  You'd have to imagine that the work he's done with Stafford shouldn't go unnoticed, and he might feel slighted that he wasn't given the HC gig.

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3 hours ago, Just Want A Title said:

Jim Bob Cooter will probably get another shot as an offensive coordinator before he becomes a head coach.  He has done good work with Stafford but the lack of balance and consistency in our offense is problematic.  At least to me, but I am not an NFL head coach or GM.

I guess I wasn't trying to imply that he was going to get a HC gig, but I think if he feels slighted by being passed over he could opt for another OC gig.

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To me the biggest question defensively is in who we hire...if for example the rumors Quinn wants Patricia are true and we bring him in that means a switch to a 3-4 which really changes things for us as far as needs...we don't have a single LBer who could be effective on the outside in a 3-4...Davis and Whitehead would be fine in the middle (In fact I think Whitehead would actually be better off as a 3-4 MLB) but Reeves-Maybin simply doesn't fit a 3-4 at all and none of our lineman are the types I could see making an effective switch standing up in a 3-4.....I could see Ashawn being a decent nose tackle but I don't like Ansah, Zettle, or Hyder as 3-4 ends (Ansah mainly just because I don't like him coming back at all for the price he'll likely want)

Basically I really just hope the rumors either aren't true..or if they are hope that Patricia is flexible and doesn't make the switch...this team is seriously not in a situation to be able to make a quick switch to a 3-4...we don't have the personnel and it would set this defense back at least 2 years as we'd need to revamp the front 7 aside from the two middle guys in Davis and Whitehead. 

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9 hours ago, rob_shadows said:

To me the biggest question defensively is in who we hire...if for example the rumors Quinn wants Patricia are true and we bring him in that means a switch to a 3-4 which really changes things for us as far as needs...we don't have a single LBer who could be effective on the outside in a 3-4...Davis and Whitehead would be fine in the middle (In fact I think Whitehead would actually be better off as a 3-4 MLB) but Reeves-Maybin simply doesn't fit a 3-4 at all and none of our lineman are the types I could see making an effective switch standing up in a 3-4.....I could see Ashawn being a decent nose tackle but I don't like Ansah, Zettle, or Hyder as 3-4 ends (Ansah mainly just because I don't like him coming back at all for the price he'll likely want)

Basically I really just hope the rumors either aren't true..or if they are hope that Patricia is flexible and doesn't make the switch...this team is seriously not in a situation to be able to make a quick switch to a 3-4...we don't have the personnel and it would set this defense back at least 2 years as we'd need to revamp the front 7 aside from the two middle guys in Davis and Whitehead. 

Haven't the Pats primarily played a 4-3 with some 3-4 fronts the last few years?

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1 hour ago, Millenhater said:

Haven't the Pats primarily played a 4-3 with some 3-4 fronts the last few years?

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The New England Patriots run a modified base 3-4 Chuck Fairbanks-Hank Bullough system[15] installed by Bill Belichick. The term 3-4 means that their base formation consists of 3 defensive linemen (defensive end, nose tackle, and defensive end), 4 linebackers (outside "Will" weak side linebacker, middle "Jack" weak side linebacker, middle "Mike" strong side linebacker, and outside "Sam" strong side linebacker), and 4 defensive backs (cornerback, free safety, strong safety, and cornerback).[16] It is believed[by whom?] that this 3-4 structure gives the defense the greatest amount of flexibility because the linebackers are among the most versatile players on the defense, capable of rushing the quarterback, tackling runners or dropping into coverage. By mixing the roles of their linebackers from play to play, the Patriot's defense seeks to cause confusion on the part of opposing offenses. At times the Patriots will also shade their defensive linemen different ways, creating "over" or "under" defenses. "Over" and "under" defenses simply refer to the shift of the defensive linemen to the strong or weak side of the offense, respectively, and the rotation of the linebackers in the opposite direction.

The "Fairbanks-Bullough" 3-4 system is known as a two gap system, because each of the defensive linemen are required to cover the gaps to both sides of the offensive lineman that try to block them.[17] Defensive linemen in this system tend to be stouter, as they need to be able to hold their place without being overwhelmed in order to allow the linebackers behind them to make plays. This is the reason that defensive linemen such as Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork do not always rack up sack and tackle statistics despite their critical importance to the team.[18]

The system is at times more conservative than certain other defenses currently in vogue in the league,[19] despite the constant threat of its potent linebacker blitz.[citation needed] The Patriots defensive system generally places an emphasis on physicality and discipline over mobility and risk taking[citation needed] and is sometimes characterized as a "bend but do not break defense".[20] The Patriots are also known for putting a great deal of emphasis on the front seven (defensive line and linebackers) but less so on the secondary.

 

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Over time, New England has also used a 4-3 defense and increased its usage of nickel defense.[28] Belichick believes that teaching the techniques and fundamentals of his defense is more important than what alignment his defenses use, noting that he used a 4-3 defense when he coached the Cleveland Browns.[29]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England_Patriots_strategy

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4 hours ago, teude said:

Definitely. I dont want to see that conservative and boring coach anywhere near the Lions.

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When you think of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL, you think of Sean Payton and Bill Belichick. Perhaps you think of Chip Kelly. You probably do not think of Jim Caldwell.

But when we ran our Aggressiveness Index numbers for 2014, we had a bit of a surprise. Not counting catch-up situations, Caldwell went for it more often on fourth down than any other head coach in the NFL. The Lions went for it 14 times in 107 possible fourth-down situations that qualify for the Aggressiveness Index, or 13.1 percent.

 

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2015/aggressiveness-index-2014

Caldwell's demeanor makes people think he's more passive than he actually is.

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