From four-time Pro Football Focus run defender of the year to the unemployment line in one season. How Detroit Lions is that? The Lions cut Damon “Snacks” Harrison on Tuesday after just 1.5 seasons in Detroit, and I can’t let him go without recapping just what the hell went wrong. Read more “Detroit Lions: Cutting Back on Snacks”
In August of 2019, I decided to start a little passion project called The Warm Take. I love my teams, and I love my hometown. I already spend a significant amount of my time devoted to watching, researching, and expending emotional energy into the Detroit sports scene. Why not put that time to good use and turn my knowledge and opinions into poetry that I can display in my own personal little art gallery? This was going to be fun! I couldn’t wait to get started.
Then 2019 happened. Quite possibly the worst combined year in the history of the four major professional Detroit sports franchises. I should’ve seen that coming. Read more “The Best Detroit Sports Moments of 2019”
The writing had been on the wall all season, but many failed to see it. I tried time and time again to talk people off the ledge and keep a clear mind about the future of this team. But fans wanted blood. For heads to roll. For yet another regime change, as if rapid turnover has ever produced anything tangible for this organization. Martha Firestone Ford and family have now made official what everyone should have already seen coming: Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn will be back in 2020. And no matter how fed up you think you are about the “same old Lions”, you’ll be back too. Read more “Matt Patricia will return in 2020. So will you.”
I wasn’t always a Detroit Lions apologist. I swear. Read more “Stop Turning Me Into A Detroit Lions Apologist”
I’ve made a commitment to write about the Detroit Lions, so here I am. Call it dedication, call it stubbornness, or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment. It’s probably all of the above. Read more “Detroit’s losing culture isn’t your fault, Lions fans”
Apathy – An absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement. Can be a symptom of repeated exposure to Detroit Lions football. Read more “Detroit Lions Observations: Hello Again, Apathy.”
Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia isn’t the greatest in-game strategist, but on one gloomy November afternoon he got something right: He elected to go for 2, trailing by 8 after a 4th quarter touchdown. Of course, the attempt failed, and the Lions didn’t score again, falling 35-27 to the Dallas Cowboys. This left the door open for media and fan scrutiny, many of whom feel really strongly that you should just kick the extra point in that situation. Read more “The Psychology of Going for 2: A Case Study”
The exercise of breaking down the Detroit Lions game-by-game performance, gauging their playoff odds, keeping tabs on the rest of the NFC North, looking ahead at the schedule…it’s sucking the life out of me. The season was over with nearly half the damn thing remaining. Luckily, the Lions’ 35-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys unearthed some interesting side-topics to keep me from falling asleep while writing this week’s observations. Let’s wax poetically over Jeff Driskel, talk home field (dis)advantage, and get into some advanced analytics (the devil’s work)! Read more “Lions Cowboys Observations: Home Field Disadvantage”
The Chicago Bears defeated the Detroit Lions 20-13 in week 10. But don’t get it twisted, the Bears are a bad football team. They have an awful head coach who absolutely butchers in-game decision making and clock management. They have a third-year QB in Mitchell Trubisky who appears to be regressing. Their leading rusher averages 3.6 yards per attempt. Read more “Lions Bears Observations: It Ain’t Over…But It’s Over”
Remember just a few short weeks ago when the Lions were a scrappy, upstart team going blow for blow with some of the best in the NFL? A team that nearly took down the reigning MVP and then a future first ballot hall of fame quarterback in consecutive games? The team that actually caught the attention of the nation (by playing well, for a change), clearly being the victims of poor officiating and bad luck. Read more “Lions Raiders Observations: This Defense is Offensive”