By: Tim Barnum & Dalton Potocki
Dalton: I think I have to start out by saying the obvious; The Lions obviously read this article. There is no other way to explain their recent success. We really lit a fire under their asses.
Dalton: Was this Caldwell’s best coached game?
Tim: Nah. Let me take you back to a magical time - the year 2014. It’s week six, and the Lions are playing the Falcons at Wembley Stadium in London. After falling behind 21-0 at halftime, the Lions rally to win 22-21. This was classic Caldwell. The Lions’ first points came via a Matt Prater field goal, and he ended up kicking two more, to go with two touchdowns passes by Stafford (one failed two-point conversion). I say this is classic Caldwell, because being down three scores, I have no doubt in my head that I was screaming and swearing at the TV as we continued to kick our way back into the game and eventually, to victory. It was a great job coach, never do it again.
Also, I came to this conclusion by doing a search on pro-football-reference.com. It’s really a great website, despite the “blah” display (do we really need hundreds of flash videos and ads, though?) and the damn hyphens in the URL. What’s that all about?
Dalton: Is Stafford making a case for MVP/Eliteness?
Tim: Look, if I’ve learned anything from @PFTcommenter, it’s that winning a Super Bowl is what finally put Flacco on the level of elite. So I don’t think Stafford is elite. There’s no rule that you have to be elite to be the MVP, though.
Dalton: Will Washington ever change their name?
Tim: Oh boy, open a window it’s about to get all political up in here!
Here’s the thing. It’d be really easy for me to just say, “Oh my God, I’m so sick of all these PC babies and their safe spaces!” or “I never even thought of it as a racial term until they started saying it was!” or some other statement poo-pooing the complaints of Native Americans who find the term offensive. But honestly, I think there is a difference between “Redskins” and “Chiefs” or “Seminoles” or several other nicknames. I once explained it like this. If you were to watch a western movie, and a posse of gunslingers left town in pursuit of notorious outlaws, but ran into members of the Sioux tribe with bad intentions, they’d likely retreat and return to town and say, “We got ambushed by a bunch of damn REDSKINS (savages, etc.)!” If the same posse was ambushed by the outlaws, but rescued by Sioux tribesmen, they’d likely return to town and say, “The kind Natives helped us in our time of need.” I don’t know if any of this makes sense or not, but both scenarios sound like compelling plot points to a movie!
Anyway, what I’m getting at is Daniel Snyder, the Redskins owner, is an asshole. You can change the nickname, but you can’t change that.
Here are my inquiries for you this week.
Tim: I’m not looking up any stats, but the Washington football team is 4-2. Is Kirk Cousins actually going to be a long-term answer for them at QB? And if so, does he continue rocking that middle school haircut?
Dalton: Kirk Cameron Cousins is not having a great year. He is still having some growing pains despite getting that contract extension. BOOM! If that's not the funniest joke you've heard all day then you live a life of A+ comedy. But in all seriousness, Cousins isn't having a great year despite his team winning 4 in a row. The defense have been winning the games and that's how they can beat the Lions this week. He is not the long term answer but he will get the job done for now. And of course he will rock the middle school hair cut. You wanna know how to make that big contract money last? Have your mom still cut your hair.
Tim: Will the Lions win or lose a game by more than seven points this year? Which game?
Dalton: They will win 2 games by more than 7 points. At home to the Jags and at home to the Bears. They will lose 3 games by more than 7. Both Minnesota games and at Dallas. But other than those each game will be a must watch till the end.
Tim: Now that the Lions are 3-3, what do you think their record will be at the midway point of the season? How about the end?
Dalton: At the midway point, they will be 4-4. I think they lose this week to the Redskins and then go on the road to Houston and get a W. The end of the season is much harder to predict given the potential of injuries or guys getting hot. That being said, give me 8-8. L,W,L,W,L,L,W,W,L,W.
Predictions:
Dalton: I think that the Lions play tough but ultimately lose in the end. Both the Redskins and Lions are hot and this is a game that the Lions should win so we all know what that means. A loss. 28-24 Redskins.
Tim: So far the Lions are 1-1 against “They are who we thought they were” quarterbacks, losing to Brian Hoyer, but beating Case Keenum. Neither of these guys are ever going to sustain their highest or lowest levels of play. I think Kirk Cousins is one of these guys, too. Lions win at home again, 28-24 (see what I did there?) and improve to 2-1 against these types of QBs.
Dalton: Was this Caldwell’s best coached game?
Tim: Nah. Let me take you back to a magical time - the year 2014. It’s week six, and the Lions are playing the Falcons at Wembley Stadium in London. After falling behind 21-0 at halftime, the Lions rally to win 22-21. This was classic Caldwell. The Lions’ first points came via a Matt Prater field goal, and he ended up kicking two more, to go with two touchdowns passes by Stafford (one failed two-point conversion). I say this is classic Caldwell, because being down three scores, I have no doubt in my head that I was screaming and swearing at the TV as we continued to kick our way back into the game and eventually, to victory. It was a great job coach, never do it again.
Also, I came to this conclusion by doing a search on pro-football-reference.com. It’s really a great website, despite the “blah” display (do we really need hundreds of flash videos and ads, though?) and the damn hyphens in the URL. What’s that all about?
Dalton: Is Stafford making a case for MVP/Eliteness?
Tim: Look, if I’ve learned anything from @PFTcommenter, it’s that winning a Super Bowl is what finally put Flacco on the level of elite. So I don’t think Stafford is elite. There’s no rule that you have to be elite to be the MVP, though.
Dalton: Will Washington ever change their name?
Tim: Oh boy, open a window it’s about to get all political up in here!
Here’s the thing. It’d be really easy for me to just say, “Oh my God, I’m so sick of all these PC babies and their safe spaces!” or “I never even thought of it as a racial term until they started saying it was!” or some other statement poo-pooing the complaints of Native Americans who find the term offensive. But honestly, I think there is a difference between “Redskins” and “Chiefs” or “Seminoles” or several other nicknames. I once explained it like this. If you were to watch a western movie, and a posse of gunslingers left town in pursuit of notorious outlaws, but ran into members of the Sioux tribe with bad intentions, they’d likely retreat and return to town and say, “We got ambushed by a bunch of damn REDSKINS (savages, etc.)!” If the same posse was ambushed by the outlaws, but rescued by Sioux tribesmen, they’d likely return to town and say, “The kind Natives helped us in our time of need.” I don’t know if any of this makes sense or not, but both scenarios sound like compelling plot points to a movie!
Anyway, what I’m getting at is Daniel Snyder, the Redskins owner, is an asshole. You can change the nickname, but you can’t change that.
Here are my inquiries for you this week.
Tim: I’m not looking up any stats, but the Washington football team is 4-2. Is Kirk Cousins actually going to be a long-term answer for them at QB? And if so, does he continue rocking that middle school haircut?
Dalton: Kirk Cameron Cousins is not having a great year. He is still having some growing pains despite getting that contract extension. BOOM! If that's not the funniest joke you've heard all day then you live a life of A+ comedy. But in all seriousness, Cousins isn't having a great year despite his team winning 4 in a row. The defense have been winning the games and that's how they can beat the Lions this week. He is not the long term answer but he will get the job done for now. And of course he will rock the middle school hair cut. You wanna know how to make that big contract money last? Have your mom still cut your hair.
Tim: Will the Lions win or lose a game by more than seven points this year? Which game?
Dalton: They will win 2 games by more than 7 points. At home to the Jags and at home to the Bears. They will lose 3 games by more than 7. Both Minnesota games and at Dallas. But other than those each game will be a must watch till the end.
Tim: Now that the Lions are 3-3, what do you think their record will be at the midway point of the season? How about the end?
Dalton: At the midway point, they will be 4-4. I think they lose this week to the Redskins and then go on the road to Houston and get a W. The end of the season is much harder to predict given the potential of injuries or guys getting hot. That being said, give me 8-8. L,W,L,W,L,L,W,W,L,W.
Predictions:
Dalton: I think that the Lions play tough but ultimately lose in the end. Both the Redskins and Lions are hot and this is a game that the Lions should win so we all know what that means. A loss. 28-24 Redskins.
Tim: So far the Lions are 1-1 against “They are who we thought they were” quarterbacks, losing to Brian Hoyer, but beating Case Keenum. Neither of these guys are ever going to sustain their highest or lowest levels of play. I think Kirk Cousins is one of these guys, too. Lions win at home again, 28-24 (see what I did there?) and improve to 2-1 against these types of QBs.