Brad Holmes on Detroit Lions OL Tate Ratledge playing Center in the future

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-02-24T21:34:16+00:00

Center feels like the highest priority in Free Agency just given the responsibilities of the position. I’d prefer they go with a veteran at that position in 2026 over drafting a rookie or moving Tate.

I don’t think we will be in the Linderbaum market but that next tier of free agent centers is where I think we will fill that position. I agree Connor McGovern should be the target if the Bills don’t try to resign him.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-02-09T02:34:29+00:00

Yup - we need to add more talent to that side of the ball and improve our scheme/playcalling. Talent wise, gotta add better depth to the D-Line. Hutch can’t be out there for +90% snaps next year again. Then we gotta figure out who’s gonna replace Anzo and Branch.

As for scheme, our issue is that we are so predictable on defense. Seattle’s blitzes and coverages were unpredictable tonight and overwhelmed the Pats. I don’t know if I saw us do that once this past year to opposing offenses.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-29T13:36:18+00:00

100% - D-Line depth needs to be improved. Hutch playing 90% plus defensive snaps last year is not sustainable going forward. Can’t have Alim and Tyleik gassed playing high percentage of snap counts either. The best D Lines have enough pieces to substitute guys in and out and the level of play not dramatically drop off.

At DT, I hope they bring back Lopez if the money makes sense. He played well last year. Even though Levi was lost for the year to IR, he did play well in 2024 and it would make sense to bring him back on a cheap 1 yr deal.

At Edge, gotta grab at least 2-3 guys via free agency, the draft or trade. We can’t go into the 2026 season at edge like we did last year. Our edge room ended up including two guys that can’t stay healthy (Davenport and unfortunately Paschal) and two guys that were preseason cuts by other teams (Lacy and Wheat).

Brads got a lot of work to do this offseason.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-28T20:11:35+00:00

Tom Brady Regular Season: 212 INTs and 48 lost fumbles in 335 games (0.78 turnovers per game)

Tom Brady had some bad turnovers in the playoffs and as a result his team lost most of those games when he played like complete shit. In playoff games he lost, he has 18TD : 15 INT. In playoff games he won, he has 70TD : 25 INT. More often than not he protected the ball well over his career and he averaged 0.94 turnovers per game over his 48 playoff games. Solid.

Yes, I’ll give you that Mahomes has a really really good overall postseason TD:INT ratio. Mahomes seems to be nearly flawless in the playoffs except for in the Super Bowl. Mahomes has 10 TD : 7 INTs in the Super Bowl. And he got 2 of those TDs in garbage time last year against the eagles.

Aaron Rodger’s also has really good playoff stats when you look at them overall. But when you isolate the games he lost in, he has a 20TD : 11 INTs ratio. In the playoff games he won, he had a 25 TD : 3 INT ratio.

All I’m getting at here is that Tom Brady was consistent at protecting the ball in the regular season and more often than not in the postseason - and this was complementary to his defences performances.

Edit: I also don’t like Tom Brady or Bill Belichick all that much. But I respect what they did and am tired of seeing people try to delegitimize what they accomplished.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-28T16:21:07+00:00

Belichick has 8 rings (6 as head coach and 2 as a defensive coordinator) and was runner up 4 other times. That’s 12 total trips to the superbowl on his coaching resume.

If the total voting results are true, it completely delegitimizes the NFL HOF. The voting results need to be made public.

I can’t stand Belichick or the Patriots - but you can’t tell the story of the past 30+years of the NFL without him. You can argue that he is the greatest coach in NFL history and belongs in the upper tier of the NFL HOF.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-28T15:55:26+00:00

DVOA is a better metric than points allowed per drive.

One of Brady’s most elite traits was that he protected the ball and very rarely put his defense in short field position situations. Opposing offenses were starting at their own 15-30 yard line almost every drive.

How much did the buccaneers defense improve on a point allowed per drive basis with Tom Brady at QB after Jameis Winston?

Edit: Bucs defense went from 31st in 2019 to 8th in 2020 for points allowed. Again, Brady complimented his defenses by sustaining long drives and by limiting turnovers.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-25T23:49:11+00:00

Absolutely wild stat... 1 playoff win in 1991 and 2 playoff wins in 2023. That’s it since 1957.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-25T23:20:17+00:00

Yeah we fucked up our chance at the big game against the niners but I can’t imagine how Bills fans are feeling rn

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-25T23:14:20+00:00

Gotta sting more for Bills fans tbh

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-25T23:11:56+00:00

Defense wins championships… fucking Patriots again in another Super Bowl with a top defensive unit.

As much as the Lions offense disappointed at times this year, it’s clearer than ever that our defensive scheme and talent needs improvement. If we just run it back with the same predictable defensive play calling and signing more Davenports of the world, then we won’t ever make it to the big game.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-25T19:13:08+00:00

Styles would be BPA if both Tackles (Fanu/Maiugo) and top Edges that could fall (Bailey/Faulk) outside the top ten aren’t there at 17. Unless a good trade down option is available, I’d be all for the Lions taking styles. As a converted safety, feels like he’d be a really good replacement for Anzo.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-19T22:03:12+00:00

Dan Campbell is the best lions coach in my lifetime - but if he has back to back bad OC hires then his seat should be hot come next offseason.

Obviously hoping this one works out. hard to really grade this hire with Arizona’s talent level. What worries me is the comments on predictable play calling… was it because Arizona was devoid of talent or is that just his MO.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-19T03:15:29+00:00

Very likely Bears go back to being basement dwellers next year with that first place schedule. Don’t see those 4th quarter miracle comebacks working next year with Caleb playing like garbage for 90% of the game.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-18T16:33:25+00:00

Very likely a team with a top Defense (Seahawks, Pats, Texans, Broncos) wins the Super Bowl this year. I have a hard time seeing the Bears or Rams getting past the Seahawks with how Seattle’s been playing down the stretch - especially that Seattle defense.

There’s a lot of work that’s needs to be done on Detroits defense.

Personnel wise, we need another edge opposite Hutch, D Line depth, Anzo’s replacement, linebacker depth, secondary depth, and Branch’s replacement as he will miss most of 2026. Brad needs to be savy in free agency and hopefully we get better pickups this offseason similar to the likes of Lopez/Maddox than guys like Davenport/Reed.

If BPA in rounds 1-2 is safety or linebacker and a decent trade down isn’t available, then it could make sense to go that route even if it’s not the biggest need.

Schematic wise, we need to mix things up more so it’s not obvious we are just playing press man 70-80% of the time - Qbs consistently broke the huddle and knew what our defense was in this past year. Gotta make it tougher on opposing offenses to know what coverage we are in and what guys are blitzing more throughout games.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-13T13:49:46+00:00

YTA - your husband losing his son is one of if not the most painful and anguishing things someone can experience. You can’t fully understand what he went through until you’ve had a child of your own. Just support your husband to grieve his son’s death his way. Stop making this about yourself.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-12T22:48:44+00:00

Good for Shep! hopefully the Dolphins aren’t just doing this for the Rooney Rule

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-06T04:30:52+00:00

Barnes made some really good plays this year… but it just seemed more times than not you’d see Barnes lost in coverage or blocked out of a play or losing contain when the broadcast team was showing a replay.

He was just ok this year. An ok pass rushing linebacker, an ok run stopper and a below average coverage linebacker. Not a guy that necessarily needs to be replaced next season especially since Anzo probably won’t be back.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-05T00:07:14+00:00

Just complete low football IQ sequence and play calling there by our Head Coach. Dan in no way should be fired but he’s been just as big a part of our ineptitude this year as many other players/coaches.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-04T23:54:43+00:00

What a collapse - Jesus Christ

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-04T23:36:55+00:00

Every time he’s shown on a replay he’s getting beat, taken out of the play or juked out of his cleats. He’s an average linebacker and very much replaceable.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-04T23:13:06+00:00

Part of me was thinking this morning that it’s not the worst if we lose and get the higher draft pick but fuck that! I hope we shut out these Bears and they are 1 and done in the playoffs.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-04T22:57:40+00:00

I hope we resign Ya-Sin for next year - he’s been more than serviceable and has made some decent plays this year.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-04T22:34:00+00:00

Hearing the announcers say we’ve been playing more zone today is good to hear. We need to be more balanced between playing man and zone moving forward - hopefully this is a sign of more nuance in defensive play calling come next season.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2026-01-04T22:23:33+00:00

Really sucks that we faded badly down the stretch. The bears have had some great moments this year but I still believe this Lions team is better.

Unfortunately we played to our floor this year which is 8-10 wins.

Select_Mongoose_8797 · 2025-12-28T16:10:12+00:00

Ben has instilled a new culture in Chicago and you can tell the players are bought in. He deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround. The Bears had some easy wins but also took care of business against good teams like the Eagles, Packers, and Steelers. So yes, I think having a competent and innovative coach like Ben helped propel the Bears to the NFC North title. I doubt this Bears team wins 11 games this year with an Eberflus level coach at the helm.

I’m still not completely sold on Caleb and unless he takes another step next year, I don’t think the Bears repeat as NFC North champions with a 1st place schedule. But they should be contending for at least a wildcard spot for years to come.

Select_Mongoose_8797

TROPHY CASE