By: Tim Barnum & Dalton Potocki
Tim: Gotta be honest, I’m a nervous Nellie going into this week. The Giants have the same record as the Lions, but I feel like they’re a superior team, especially after they beat the Cowboys last week. Why should I feel confident the Lions can win this game?
Dalton: You should feel confident in this game because what evidence is there that this won't be a close game? The Lions are the close game team this year and if it's a one score game in the 4th quarter, I like our chances. The Giants have a very good defense, maybe the best defense the Lions will face this year but their offense isn’t anything to write home about. Outside of Odell Beckham Jr, there is no offensive weapons on this team. Eli is not a better QB than Stafford and that should give Lions fans hope. This year is the “bend don't break” year for the Lions and if they can contain OBJ from making any big plays I would expect this game to be a race to 20 points.
Tim: How worried are you about Stafford’s finger? I have to tell the truth, I’m a frantic Francine. Please refrain from using all the JPP jokes. I want to make some, too.
Dalton: When the initial reports came out I was sick to my stomach. I honestly was. I didn't want this season to come to a screeching halt because of some finger injury. But now that the dust has settled, I feel much better about it. There were reports on Thursday that he had a tough time on some throws but I would like to live in denial and assume that the team is just having him try some different throwing motions out. I guess I am still a little bit concerned about his velocity. I really hope this is minor because if this season unravels in the final 3 games because of a finger injury, I might not make it to the 4th of July.
Tim: Hearing a lot of murmuring from the talking heads about Green Bay coming on strong, especially after handing an ass-kickin’ to the Seahawks. I won’t lie, I’m a tense Tess. (OK, I’m done with these.) Are you scared of the Pack after that display, or was it more of a case of Seattle soiling the bed?
Dalton: If you made one more name joke this article would be over. Back to the question, it’s kind of like the Stafford injury. At first, I was terrified. Now, I am less terrified. Green Bay is getting hot at the right time and have a significantly easier schedule down the stretch. That game against Seattle was more of a Seattle just had a very, very off night. No bounces were going their way and every team is entitled to a bad road loss each year. So I do think that the Packers aren’t “Beat Seattle by 3+ scores” good. Two things are giving me solace, 1) The Lions can clinch the North on any Sunday with a win and a Packers loss. This is the NFL and weird things happen. 2) If Detroit loses these next two games, then the last game of the season will be a winner take all at Ford Field. If at the beginning of this season you offered me this scenario, I would have took it in a heartbeat.
Dalton: Slay vs OBJ this week. WIll this be the toughest corner that OBJ will go up against (sorry for making you do a little research)?
Tim: Is Josh Norman still being considered a top CB? Well, even if he’s not, I think he’s still a better shutdown corner than Slay. New York still has to play Washington again, so I’ll say no. Totally just going with my gut, though.
Dalton: It’s not impossible to win out, right? I mean I know that Dallas and New York are good but what is to say the Lions can’t beat both of them and clinch before week 17? Do you see the Packers losing any of their next two games? Can the one-seed be clinched by Detroit?
Tim: Anything is possible, but for some reason I just feel better about the Dallas game right now than I do the New York game. Maybe because it’s indoors? The Giants did lose to the Skins, though, early in the season, a few weeks before the Lions beat them. I know “We beat them and they beat them” isn’t a good indicator as to how a team will perform, but it does give me some hope the Lions can beat the Giants, who, hey, look at that, beat the Cowboys! Twice. As for Green Bay, there’s no way they lose to Chicago, and I think Minnesota has already begun to limp away from the playoff race.
Dalton: We all know that Ben McAdoo has the best hair in football. But Caldwell is giving him a run for best facial hair. There is something about the pencil thin, grey mustache that gets me every time. Who you giving the edge to this week?
Tim: Did Ben McAdoo star as the big, dumb jock with a middle part in his hair in the 90s? Totally looks like it. Then, as he got older, he grew a mustache to disguise himself from the 90s villain he once was, but kept the part as a way to identify with his past life. I think he actually has the edge in facial hair, too, at this point, only because Caldwell is still about 4-5 years away from the pencil-thin grey turning full white and it looking like a permanent milk mustache. At that time, McAdoo will have no choice but to pass the torch to Jim.
Predictions:
Dalton: 23-17 Detroit. This will be a let down game for the Giants. I don't want to look like a huge homer by picking the Lions every week but I really do think that they get it done on the road this week. NYG offense isn't very good and Stafford has too many weapons.
Tim: 26-21 Detroit. You convinced me. Big Play Slay proves me wrong and shows he is the best corner OBJ will play against when he picks off Eli in the fourth to seal the game for the Lions… We forgot to make any JPP fireworks jokes
(EDITOR’S NOTE: I got one in by saying I wouldn’t make it to the 4th of July).
Dalton: You should feel confident in this game because what evidence is there that this won't be a close game? The Lions are the close game team this year and if it's a one score game in the 4th quarter, I like our chances. The Giants have a very good defense, maybe the best defense the Lions will face this year but their offense isn’t anything to write home about. Outside of Odell Beckham Jr, there is no offensive weapons on this team. Eli is not a better QB than Stafford and that should give Lions fans hope. This year is the “bend don't break” year for the Lions and if they can contain OBJ from making any big plays I would expect this game to be a race to 20 points.
Tim: How worried are you about Stafford’s finger? I have to tell the truth, I’m a frantic Francine. Please refrain from using all the JPP jokes. I want to make some, too.
Dalton: When the initial reports came out I was sick to my stomach. I honestly was. I didn't want this season to come to a screeching halt because of some finger injury. But now that the dust has settled, I feel much better about it. There were reports on Thursday that he had a tough time on some throws but I would like to live in denial and assume that the team is just having him try some different throwing motions out. I guess I am still a little bit concerned about his velocity. I really hope this is minor because if this season unravels in the final 3 games because of a finger injury, I might not make it to the 4th of July.
Tim: Hearing a lot of murmuring from the talking heads about Green Bay coming on strong, especially after handing an ass-kickin’ to the Seahawks. I won’t lie, I’m a tense Tess. (OK, I’m done with these.) Are you scared of the Pack after that display, or was it more of a case of Seattle soiling the bed?
Dalton: If you made one more name joke this article would be over. Back to the question, it’s kind of like the Stafford injury. At first, I was terrified. Now, I am less terrified. Green Bay is getting hot at the right time and have a significantly easier schedule down the stretch. That game against Seattle was more of a Seattle just had a very, very off night. No bounces were going their way and every team is entitled to a bad road loss each year. So I do think that the Packers aren’t “Beat Seattle by 3+ scores” good. Two things are giving me solace, 1) The Lions can clinch the North on any Sunday with a win and a Packers loss. This is the NFL and weird things happen. 2) If Detroit loses these next two games, then the last game of the season will be a winner take all at Ford Field. If at the beginning of this season you offered me this scenario, I would have took it in a heartbeat.
Dalton: Slay vs OBJ this week. WIll this be the toughest corner that OBJ will go up against (sorry for making you do a little research)?
Tim: Is Josh Norman still being considered a top CB? Well, even if he’s not, I think he’s still a better shutdown corner than Slay. New York still has to play Washington again, so I’ll say no. Totally just going with my gut, though.
Dalton: It’s not impossible to win out, right? I mean I know that Dallas and New York are good but what is to say the Lions can’t beat both of them and clinch before week 17? Do you see the Packers losing any of their next two games? Can the one-seed be clinched by Detroit?
Tim: Anything is possible, but for some reason I just feel better about the Dallas game right now than I do the New York game. Maybe because it’s indoors? The Giants did lose to the Skins, though, early in the season, a few weeks before the Lions beat them. I know “We beat them and they beat them” isn’t a good indicator as to how a team will perform, but it does give me some hope the Lions can beat the Giants, who, hey, look at that, beat the Cowboys! Twice. As for Green Bay, there’s no way they lose to Chicago, and I think Minnesota has already begun to limp away from the playoff race.
Dalton: We all know that Ben McAdoo has the best hair in football. But Caldwell is giving him a run for best facial hair. There is something about the pencil thin, grey mustache that gets me every time. Who you giving the edge to this week?
Tim: Did Ben McAdoo star as the big, dumb jock with a middle part in his hair in the 90s? Totally looks like it. Then, as he got older, he grew a mustache to disguise himself from the 90s villain he once was, but kept the part as a way to identify with his past life. I think he actually has the edge in facial hair, too, at this point, only because Caldwell is still about 4-5 years away from the pencil-thin grey turning full white and it looking like a permanent milk mustache. At that time, McAdoo will have no choice but to pass the torch to Jim.
Predictions:
Dalton: 23-17 Detroit. This will be a let down game for the Giants. I don't want to look like a huge homer by picking the Lions every week but I really do think that they get it done on the road this week. NYG offense isn't very good and Stafford has too many weapons.
Tim: 26-21 Detroit. You convinced me. Big Play Slay proves me wrong and shows he is the best corner OBJ will play against when he picks off Eli in the fourth to seal the game for the Lions… We forgot to make any JPP fireworks jokes
(EDITOR’S NOTE: I got one in by saying I wouldn’t make it to the 4th of July).
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