Nov

8

Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals NFL Week 10 - Tidbits

Posted by Kevin Mack

November 8, 2007 |

  • Detroit Lions vs Arizona Cardinals NFL Week 10 - Tidbits

Detroit Lions logoArizona Cardinals logoDetroit Lions 6-2 vs Arizona Cardinals 3-5

Sunday November 11, 2007 @ 4:15 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: Fox with Ron Pitts, Tony Boselli and Kevin McCabe reporting

  • 1st Half of NFL Season Lion Thoughts

Detroit has been one of the big surprises of the 2007 NFL Season. With a 6-2 record the Lions are tied for the 2nd best record in the NFC and no pre-season prognosticators envisioned anything like this for the Lions. Quarterback Jon Kitna said in the pre-season that if the Lions didn’t win at least 10 games the players would be disappointed. He was ridiculed by all the ‘Experts’ on all the NFL talk shows who said the Lions had no hope of winning 10 games. Why are the Lions so much better than everybody expected? Here are a few reasons Your ‘Lion Eyes’ blogger sees a few reasons for the improvement so far this season:

  • Defense
    • Much improved tackling especially compared to earlier in the season
    • Better Understanding of  ‘Tampa Two’ defense
    • Swarm to ball carrier by multiple defenders
    • Delivering punishing hits
    • Lead NFL in interceptions and total turnovers
    • Near the top of the NFL in sacks
    • Cut down on penalties especially the drive continuing 3rd down offsides or pass interference killers. Can’t tell you the number of times I have watched Brett Favre ‘hard count’ the Lion defenders and get them to jump offside on 3rd and 4
    • Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry has developed a scheme that mixes in some blitzes with man coverage that has been used recently
    • So many TDs scored by the defense
  • Offense
    • Fewer turnovers
    • Improved rushing attack since RB Kevin Jones was reinstated into starting lineup when his health improved
    • Defenses worrying about trying to contain Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz’s passing game
    • Fewer penalties especially the drive killing holding penalties
    • Improved Offensive Line play recently leading to less sacks and helping with the improved rushing attack
    • QB Kitna with a 67% completion rate
    • Kitna using all the receivers and the whole field
  • Coaching
    • All positive reinforcement from Marinelli
    • Players have ‘bought in’ to the Marinelli plan
    • Players always seem to say something like —- ‘Its like Coach Marinelli says’ when talking about some successful drive or defensive stop or anything good that happened
    • Somehow Marinelli has made the players believe they are an elite team and got them to believe they are going to perform well and win games
    • Players are repeating the ‘One Snap at a Time’ and ‘put it on tape’ mantra constantly
    • Has whole team playing for and supporting each other
    • Requiring the players to go through hard and physical practices in pads, maybe that is helping the Lions experience many fewer injuries than previous seasons, when they always seemed to lead the NFL with the number of players on Injured Reserve
  • Shaun Rogers Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week

Detroit Lion DT Shaun Rogers has been named the NFC defensive player of the week for NFL Week 9. Rogers outstanding play helped Detroit beat the Denver Broncos 44-7. Rogers had 2.5 sacks and an interception that he returned for a 66 yard touchdown. Shaun also was a disruptive force in the middle of the Lions defensive line, helping to shut down the Broncos rushing attack. Rogers continually was pressuring the Denver QBs into hurried passes. Lion DE Dewayne White was named NFC defensive player of the week after Detroit’s NFL Week 1 victory over Oakland.  

  • Lions vs Cardinals History
    • Last Meeting @ Arizona Nov 19, 2006 Cardinals won 17-10
    • Detroit has won 3 of the last 4 games with the Cardinals but prior to that the Cards had won 6 of 8
    • Arizona leads the season series 7-5 since franchise moved to Arizona in 1988 
    • Detroit has not won in Arizona since 1993 and are 0-1 at University of Phoenix Stadium
  • Stat Comparison
    • Offense - Lions 12th, Cardinals 19th
    • Defense - Lions 28th, Cardinals 9th
    • Points Scored - Lions 6th, Cardinals 17th
    • Points Allowed - Lions 23rd, Cardinals 19th
  • Lions Roster Moves
    • None this week
  • Las Vegas Says
    • Cardinals are -1 point Favorites to defeat the Lions in the desert this Sunday

If the Lions really are ready to be an Elite team like Coach Rod Marinelli says, then this game in Arizona is the place to start. Detroit has only beaten the Cardinals in Arizona 1 time since the franchise moved there in 1988, compiling a 1-4 record.  Your ‘Lion Eyes’ blogger once again is going to tell you that this game is very important for the Lions season. With the tough schedule coming up for the Lions they can not afford to lose this game and harbor playoff hopes. I have seen too many times the Lions travel to Arizona expecting to win and end up losing. Then by the end of the season, when the Lions finish just out of the playoffs and all the fans saying if we only would have beat Arizona.

  • Cast your Vote in this Week’s Poll, Please.

Which Team will Win the Game on Sunday November 11, 2007

  • Detroit Lions (85%, 46 Votes)
  • Arizona Cardinals (15%, 8 Votes)

Total Voters: 54

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Comments

1 Comment so far

  1. Detroit Lions now 6-5 after thrashing by Green Bay Packers 37-26 : Detroit Lions on November 23, 2007 12:43 pm

    [...] another frustrating Thanksgiving Day game for the Detroit fans. Just three short weeks ago in this post I talked about some of the reasons the Lions had a 6-2 record. They [...]

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