Game day Preview: Detroit Lions

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Aug 7, 2008 7:00 AM EDT in Events Comment 14 comments

Game day look at the Lions

Big Blue View will be taking a look at the Giants' opponent every week of the season, and we start with the first preseason game of the year against the Detroit Lions. Ed will post a Game day Open Thread a bit later on.

Detroit Lions

2007 Record: 7-9

Head Coach: Rod Marinelli

Last time they met: Giants beat the Lions 16-10 in Detroit, Michael Strahan sacked Jon Kitna 3 times, and the Giants picked Kitna off twice down the stretch to preserve the victory. Kitna said after the game the Giants "were not the better team", and called them the "worst 7-3 team he has ever seen".

Changes: Mike Martz and his pass happy offense are gone, replaced by O-line coach Jim Colletto. The Lions offense should be more balanced this year, with the question being how effective rookie Kevin Smith and 2007 disappointment Tatum Bell can be. First round draft pick Gosder Cherilus is being counted on to anchor an inconsistent offensive line.

Defense: Marinelli set about overhauling the highest scored upon defense in the off season, bringing in some of the players he had in Tampa; tackle Chuck Darby and defensive backs Brian Kelly, Dwight Smith, and Kalvin Pearson. Detroit will run a Cover-2 defense.

Here is a story from the Detroit Free Press on the Lions preparation for the game:

Lions Prep For Giants--Detroit Free Press

Matchups: Hard to gauge player vs. player matchups in a preseason game, but the Giants have stated they will play all 4 QB's tonight. Eli will play a series or two, then the other three QB's will split the remainder. Look for the Giants to try and throw the ball deep, in their never-ending search to be more explosive on offense. Please God let Kenny Phillips hit someone tonight

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maybe

Gold told Kitna that the Giants sucked. that guy is an absolute joke.

as a side note, isn’t it cute to see the Jets steal some of the headlines today? it reminds me of when my little brother made the town paper after he opened up a successful lemonade stand. it’s nice to see the little brother in New York get some pub as well.

they’re about to get their very own Stadium, and now have their very own franchise QB. the Jets are really growing up in front of our eyes.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Aug 7, 2008 8:37 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Funny you should say that....

ESPN was interviewing Steve Young about the Brett Favre story and Linda Coen (sp?) asked Steve Young if the Favre story was a “bigger story” than the defending champs and Young said, “oh yeah, absolutely!”

....I have always disliked that dirty mormon…..

by Cody K on Aug 7, 2008 1:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kitna

How much more of an idiot does he look like now that the Giants are SB champs? I don’t think I ever got more angry at an opposing player than when he went on that rant. Well, next to the crap that comes out of the ‘Boys receiver’s mouths that is.

by potroast on Aug 7, 2008 9:15 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Were you

that angry at T.O. after the last playoff game? “thats my quarterback” weep, weep, weep,

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Aug 7, 2008 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

SBake

I wouldn’t exactly call it “Their very own stadium”

I wouldn’t even call Favre a “Franchise QB”

Giants fan from the womb to the tomb

by Jim Schmiedeberg on Aug 7, 2008 9:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

jets

They’ve been rebuilding for a couple years now, I think Thomas Jones is going rebound, and both him and Farve are going to be playing behind a bunch of blue chip behemothson that line

by queler on Aug 7, 2008 9:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

people forget

that they won 10 games 2 years ago. I have a feeling they are gonna be pretty good this year. I’m sick of Favre and wish he would go away, but if he is even close to the player he was last year, the Jets are a playoff team, no doubt about it. Personally, I would love it, how great would it be if there was a chance at a Jets-Giants Super Bowl? Maybe Corey Webster could intercept Favre’s last pass again…

by cjmulrain on Aug 7, 2008 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

take that 10-6 season with a big grain of salt

the Jets had arguably the worst regular season schedule in NFL history (i.e. the Patriots 2008 schedule). that was a huge fluke.

only one of those ten wins came against a team with a winning record (New England, ironically enough in NE). they played a bad AFC South (before the Texans and Titans were good), and an even worse NFC North (outside of the Bears, who stomped them).

the Jets played all four last place teams from the AFC Divisions, including the three worst teams in football (Raiders, Lions, Browns). they beat Miami twice (6-10), Buffalo (7-9), Tennessee in the opener vs. Kerry Collins (8-8), Detroit (3-13), Houston (6-10), Green Bay (8-8), Cleveland (4-12), Oakland (2-14), and Minnesota (6-10).

the Jets will be a fringe 8-8 team. even with Favre, there’s no way I put them over New England, Indy, San Diego, Cleveland, or Pittsburgh. that only leaves one playoff spot for them.

by SBakerTheTouchdownMaker on Aug 7, 2008 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

check the fanshot i put up today

by queler on Aug 7, 2008 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great shot

Just re watched that game yesterday and was pumping my fist at Coreys’ int like it was the first time !

We're only gonna score 17 points?

by big blue wrecking crew on Aug 7, 2008 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i remember that

and i thought he’s gotta be f*d up in the head from being sacked 95 times a season. but he’s right. they do have a better team. we just have better coaches, QB, runningbacks, receivers, o-line, d-line, linebackers, and secondary. but they have those killer uniforms… gosh i sure wish i could be a lions fan

by mahmoodzaky on Aug 7, 2008 10:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs