Considering the importance of this game (6-2 or 5-3 going into bye week) and the hype surrounding the Bronco's new starting QB, Tim Tebow, I'm a little concerned that I may be feeling too comfortable ahead of the game. Maybe I've not been sufficiently downhearted after successive home defeats or maybe I'm not paying enough respect to the former College national hero now starting to make his way in the pros but I just don't see this game as being the danger that many do.
It's looking like Stafford being our starting QB will be a game time decision and there has been sufficient contrasting information coming out of Allen Park all week to leave no one outside the Lions organisation with any real idea on how this will swing. If it is Stafford then he will be keen, no doubt, to bounce back from his last two performances that have been widely criticised. It's easy to forget Stafford is still learning his craft and I think much of the criticism he's received has been harsh. That said he will need to find a way of dealing with what is now likely to be a repeated pattern from opposing teams namely cheating on defending the run game to rush the pass. It's not just Stafford, of course, that needs to adjust to this it's the entire offense and coaching staff too. The Morris/Williams RB combo should continue to offer much of what Jahvid Best did/does if not a little more in every down play but that is still short of what is needed so it has to be hoped either or both of these backs can step it up another notch. Similarly the Lions secondary receivers Burleson/Young are noticeable by their absence from the stats of the Falcons game and they will need to offer a better target for Stafford if the Lions are to be more than Megatron. There is ability there and it needs to come to the fore or the Lions are too easy to shut down offensively. The O-Line is not as good as we'd like but it is good enough as it has proved in winning games.
If opponents have latched on to the idea that the Lions are unable to run the ball then it seems that they have also noticed the Lions aren't that effective at stopping the run either in giving up nearly 130 yards per game. The Broncos, despite losing McGahee, are a strong running team and in their new starting QB they have an usually bigger run threat than pass threat at that position. The Lions defense will be looking to force Tebow into a drop back passing game by shutting down the Broncos running game while the Broncos will be looking to have Tebow handing off the ball to RB Moreno, dinking and dunking short passes or holding on to the ball and barrelling upfield himself. Despite holding both the 49ers and Falcons to average total scores it seems to have been the Lions D rather than the Offense that has attracted media attention for the defeats. I think we're a long way from being a dirty team but I do believe that there has been an over exuberance on defense these past two weeks that will need to be reined in against the Broncos. Aggression is fine but it has to be controlled and have purpose. If the Lions D is able to maintain it's discipline in sticking to assignments, not trying to do too much and not giving away penalties then they are more than capable of showing Mr Tebow just how tough the NFL really is.
The cold in Denver will hopefully be a nice wake up call for the Special Teams unit that continues to disappoint. With so many kicks sailing into the end zone the Lions return team really need to make the most of the opportunities they do get to return the ball. Similarly the Defense could do with more than the occasional boost of trotting onto the field and squaring up to the opposition inside the opposition 10 yard line.
I'm still of the belief that the defeats to the 49ers & Falcons were part of the growing process of this team and that both will be proved to be tough opponents and so no disgrace to have lost to come the season end. I don't have the Broncos rated as highly as the majority of teams the Lions have played this year and so, despite playing in Denver, expect this to be bounce back time for the Lions. I think the defense will have a monster day against Tebow with multiple sacks and interceptions while I think the offense will be steady without being spectacular. Combined though I think it will be more than enough to ensure a reasonably comfortable victory which will see us heading into the Bye Week 6-2.
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