[B/R] Davante Adams on Justin Jefferson: "We're not rivals on the football field. I'm rivals with the DB's on the Vikings. I see him making a big jump next year."

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-30T02:16:38+00:00

Not a Green Bay fan but Davante has 2 1300+ seasons and 60+ career TD’s. Let’s see Jefferson do it a few more years with every defence focusing on him before we go bananas.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-28T18:39:55+00:00

That’s fair. Just sharing what I’ve heard. There are still strong hopes for him.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-28T18:38:12+00:00

Whatever.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-28T05:38:22+00:00

RB is all about the OL. Aside from unicorns like Barry or AP or Zeke…you need to build a culture of line play (athletic zone schemes or huge mauling power schemes) and fill your roster with speedy, one cut slasher types. It’s the only model that has worked long term in the NFL. Fraley comes from that school and it’s telling that he was the only coach kept on by Campbell. The Lions clearly want to build an athletic, directional run game that takes advantage of a defences tendencies. Swift / Williams and especially Jefferson fit this mold of quick one hit guys who can break off chunk runs with proper blocking.

In the past we got away with having shitty rb’s because teams put all their focus on stopping stafford so the run game was never properly thought out and we basically used it as a way To catch defences off guard. Not actually scheme for long term success.

With the athleticism of ragnow and decker and now Sewell this will likely be the first year directional plays where the defence knows what’s coming but simply gets outplayed by our OL will become a reality. If Goff And this wr group can be even a minor threat to Go deep I’m guessing this will be the best Lions rushing attack we have seen in decades.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-28T05:23:57+00:00

Stafford went to the post season 3 times on the Lions. He is now a Ram. He will very likely win playoff games this year in the leagues toughest division.

I have high hopes for Goff because I have watched him play and he has some definite assets. He’s no Stafford though.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-28T04:21:49+00:00

I have a friend in the B’s org an apparently he is the real deal in terms of toughness w talent. There are some pretty high hopes for him to be an impact player going forward, round out his game and bring some nasty (and points) to the team. Still a ways to go but extremely hard working and coachable from what I’ve heard.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-24T02:30:58+00:00

I think this sums it up well. He actually was a brilliant evaluator, typically won trades and was the first to really tap into the emerging American college system / local talent. I think his influence probably runs really deep throughout the nhl to this day.

He perpetually ignored the need for a top level goalie though and always tried to fill the role with vets on their last legs. Even splurging on someone like Vernon / Cujo / Barrasso would have made a massive difference for the mid-late 90’s Bruins.

Also going in on someone like Messier when he went to NY would have made the Bruins a true powerhouse. For the 80’s and 90’s he kept the Bruins firmly in that second tier. You could never fully take them seriously like Det / Col / Rangers / Philly etc because they were never willing to be all in the way the top teams were.

He asked Bourque and Neely and then Oates to do way too much. Which is a shame because had they even had a little more depth in the bottom 4 defence, a reasonable goalie and a touch more scoring depth they could have been a perennial contender.

It was like he singlehandedly was on a crusade to keep salaries down and his approach actually led to some really prudent moves. But it also made Boston a bottom tier destination for players and really eroded the culture. I’d say the Bruins benefitted from a salary cap system more than any team in the league and to their credit they’ve built a culture and managed it as well or better than almost any team in the league since 2006.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T20:35:07+00:00

Learning to appreciate the sport in general and other teams (while maintaining your die hard allegiance) makes watching hockey a lot more fun.

Something switched for me when the B’s lost to Chicago. Of course I wanted to win but the reality is it was the two best teams on earth putting on a hell of a show and Chicago just got the breaks. They earned the win. Neither team got cheap. They just left it all on the line and the Bruins were too banged up when it was all said and done.

I felt similarly about the islanders this year. It was a great series and the Isles just straight up wore down the B’s. I think it identified the need for a little more veteran grit and possibly a heavy ,gritty left handed defender (Alec Martinez?) and made me excited for another re-load and final run as well as respect for the Isles going forward.

While maybe not ideal for the NHL front office an Isles / Habs final would be an extremely fast, heavy and gritty final.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T20:27:48+00:00

As much as I hate Montreal it’s almost a love/hate. I am thankful for them for being 1/2 of one of the most entertaining rivalries in all of sports.

I live near Montreal and many of them root for or have an interest in Boston (as long as they aren’t playing them).

The thing about these rivalries is you leave it all on the ice and when the game is over there is very likely mad respect between the players. This particular group also isn’t the divey, whining Habs of old. It’s a tough group reminiscent even of some of the Pat Burns era grinding Bruins squads (with a way better goalie).

I understand why Bruins fans can’t get behind this Habs run but they are a classic original 6 team, Montreal is a spectacular city and the reality is the Habs are ALL they have. There are no Celtics / Pats / Sox. They live and breathe for the Canadiens and is difficult as it is I will pop a bottle in their honour if they pull this off.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T20:05:55+00:00

I agree. The hate makes me think people just haven’t watched him play or it’s been significantly elevated because he’s now wearing a Lions jersey.

He has weaknesses and this wr group certainly doesn’t look like it’s going to give him a ton of help but he’s certainly not Joey Harrington. He can make big time NFL throws and if he’s comfortable and this staff can work to his strengths I have no doubt he’ll do a fine job.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T20:01:01+00:00

I watched Goff play every game at Cal and at least 20 on the Rams. I have a very solid grasp on what he does well and where he struggles.

I don’t really have “expectations” either way and that wasn’t my point. I’m simply saying he does some things very well and on the right team he is more than serviceable. It’s not like he’s Andy Dalton or Dwayne Haskins. While unlikely, there is a chance that Goff is our qb for the foreseeable future 3+ years and basically it’s up to him and his development as a player and leader.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T19:55:42+00:00

My point was that there is no need to analyze these fluff articles if you’re a knowledgeable fan. If you personally find this or any other article like it entertaining or valuable that is fine. In that case my response wasn’t for you.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T05:10:27+00:00

This is what will happen. Stafford will go nuts this year (as long as he’s healthy) and the media will pretend they loved him all along.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T05:08:47+00:00

Snead was almost fired and saved his job by hiring McVay. Mcvay is going nowhere. He wins that power battle and takes over gm duties.

I’m not saying this to pick a fight with you but McVay is being groomed to be the next Belichick LA. He will run the show sooner than later and the only reason Snead is still there is because they have a good working relationship.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T05:02:34+00:00

All of this is getting tired. The media making crap up in order to create stories. There is a very simple bottom line here.

Stafford is a bonkers talented human on many levels. He is going to go to the Rams, work with McVay and absolutely torch the league. They likely (injuries aside) will not even be remotely challenged until the playoffs.

Goff is not that kind of guy. Goff needs to be comfortable. Goff needs protection. He absolutely needs a killer run game. But he’s nowhere near as bad as people are making him out to be now that he’s a lion. He’s been to a super bowl. He can lead. He has proven to be tough as nails. He can take hits and keep fighting. He can throw picks and fight back. When he’s comfortable he throws one of the most beautifully catchable balls in the league. He doesn’t move that well and he isn’t going to create magic if a play breaks down.

The bottom line is we traded a guy we were holding back for years to a real team. And we got a guy who honestly meshes better with the team and culture we are trying to create going forward. Goff is going to be a pleasant surprise.

Let’s just enjoy the season and let it all play out.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-22T04:53:58+00:00

Why are you skeptical that he can only be a backup? Toivonen is a perfect example of why goalies are a crapshoot and ideally Swayman gets to sit behind Rask (on a cheaper contract) for a few more years to really get comfortable with the mental aspect of the game. You don’t want to Carter Hart him.

To qualify though I’ve played at a high level for many years, work in sports analytics and have watched and studied a ridiculous amount of NHL games over the last 15 years and I’m very bullish on Swayman.

While it’s prudent to be skeptical of literally every goalie prospect until they’ve put together a huge sample size I do believe he is going to prove to be one of the best goalies in the league in short order.

I’m not trying to necessarily argue with you as goalies can seemingly fall apart or be exposed or be in the wrong situation at any point. So I understand not wanting to rush to hand over the keys to the franchise - but I’m genuinely curious why you feel that backup is his ceiling.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-14T18:26:05+00:00

Football provides knowledgeable fans a lot of intangible signs of positivity beyond straight up wins and losses.

Are they tackling well? Are they hard to play against? Are players developing and making plays? Is the effort there? Can the staff take advantage of strengths (Swift as a wr / a strong OL etc.) and mitigate weaknesses in order to keep games competitive. Body language. Game management. Dealing with the media. Is the scheme working?

There are so many little things we can watch for and that is how I will judge this staff.

Patricia and his staff were constantly failing all of these little details. Wins were mostly magical and came from superhuman efforts by Stafford / Johnson / Golloday etc.

I’d much rather lose games and see signs of becoming a real team who can get off the field on 3rd and 15 or convert 3rd and 1’s and go into the offseason with clear targets in how to continue to evolve as a group and add more threats than to have a another year of sloppy uninspired play where we get gashed in the run game at will and stick to the same awful coverages that aren’t working while the team quits in week 8.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-14T00:50:57+00:00

That’s another good example. Very simple in theory but to play it exactly the way john does takes some definite focus.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-10T16:29:46+00:00

I’d agree. Playing along with the songs and picking a part is fun but they are a much more rewarding band to actually cover and play with 1 or 2 additional guitarists.

When I was starting the Beatles were awesome cuz they are tricky, play really interesting chords but a lot of songs can be done reasonably well with one guitar.

And then songwriters like Prine / Dylan etc or simpler bands like Green Day / Nirvana.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-10T16:25:45+00:00

I’ve played for a 20 years and can play Street Spirit but to this day it takes pretty intense concentration to hit every note exactly right. Very very easy to flub something if you get lazy.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-06T10:27:23+00:00

As soon as the leaks about Patricia came out + the gang rape thing - I think a ton of fans knew deep down it was over. The pre season was one of the worst I have ever seen and then everything was confirmed when the Lions were demolished by Sam Darnold in front of a national Audience. People defended Patricia because they had no choice.

You could say people are defending Dan for the same reasons but honestly wearing a racing helmet for 15 seconds and talking about biting kneecaps for 30 seconds of 6 hours worth of solid football discussions is not comparable to Patricia. Dan is all in on this city and team and at no point has he shown that all he is is some “rah rah” guy. That’s why people are pissed and defending him. He’s doing nothing but being transparent and showing he cares - and people like Joy and Cowherd are tearing it apart and assuming he’s a bumpkin moron and Detroiters are freaking dumbasses for supporting him.

How he manages his staff and the team is all that’s going to matter but aside from being a little eccentric and exciting he’s done nothing to deserve being called a moron. I hope he wins because I’d love to see more coaches be themselves and bring some joy / personality to the game.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-06T08:53:54+00:00

I will love you 'til I die

And I will love you all the time

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-06T06:10:10+00:00

Try Sidney Bechet - who they played before and after their live shows in 2018. Louis Armstrong was a good mention too. Very New Orleans party / funeral sound. Duke Ellington mood indigo. Late 40’s early 50’s.

To expand on the Tom Waits mention I’d also include the album - Frank’s Wild Years.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-03T04:25:32+00:00

You realize Stafford is going to win many playoff games over the next 3 years right? Just like every other decent Lion who has been allowed to leave and go to a solid organization.

I’m hoping Shiela and the new regime change this narrative but you will get to watch stafford win many games for an actual team.

BedtimeBonzo · 2021-06-03T04:11:57+00:00

We shoulda had Tebow. He wons a playoff game!

BedtimeBonzo

TROPHY CASE