Usually at this point in the NFL season, I'm looking back at the Lions' year and then looking toward what they need to do in the offseason. Not this year. This year, Detroit has made the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Sure, they have to play the Saints in New Orleans, and they may be the best team in the league, and certainly they are one of the top three or four. So, while it is great to see the Lions in the postseason, their stay may not be long.
Earlier this season, the Lions visited New Orleans and lost by two touchdowns, 31-17. However, Detroit was shorthanded that week due to injuries and Ndamukong Suh's suspension, and even then they played the Saints well. It could have been a close game... if not for Detroit's penalties. That is the number one thing for the Lions in this game. They need to be disciplined. In Detroit's loss last week, they had over 100 yards in penalties, which played a big part in their loss. If they can't keep the penalties down, they will not win.
Obviously, a lot of people talked about Matt Flynn and the Packers throwing all over the Lions last week. This has led some to think Drew Brees and company could have the greatest passing day of all time. However, Detroit was without Louis Delmas and Corey Williams against Green Bay, and they may be back this week. Also, and this may surprise you, the Lions are good against the pass. According to Football Outsiders, they are fourth in the league against the pass.
The issue is, of course, that the Saints have the third best passing offense in the NFL. They have the second best offense overall. The Lions are ninth overall in defense. Drew Brees is an amazing quarterback. He threw for a record number of passing yards, and he has a ton of weapons. This includes Jimmy Graham, a tight end that will be tough for Detroit to match up with. The bigger concern, however, may be Detroit going up against New Orleans' run game. The Saints don't run a ton, but they do it very efficiently. The Lions aren't that good against the run, so this could be a problem.
Of course, while Brees had a fantastic season, so did Matthew Stafford, who also threw for over 5,000 yards. Detroit's passing game is great, and the Lions have almost as many weapons as the Saints, and the Saints don't have anybody like Calvin Johnson. The Saints do not have a good defense. Detroit should be able to throw on them. However, since the Lions don't run the ball well, New Orleans doesn't have to worry too much about that. That could hurt Detroit's passing game. Of course, it hasn't yet.
This should be a high scoring game. Both teams should throw the ball with relative ease. A lot of people seem to think the Lions will be blown out, or at least beaten soundly. Admittedly, I don't think Detroit will win. The Saints are a better team, and they have been playing quite well recently. Plus, they are at home in the raucous Superdome. It is great to see the Lions in the playoffs again, but I do not see this being their year. Final Prediction: Saints 35, Lions 24
Also, here are my predictions for the other playoff games this week:
Houston Texans v. Cincinnati Bengals: If the Texans were healthy, this would be an easy choice. However, they don't have Mario Williams, Andre Johnson is banged up, and T.J. Yates is under center for them. However, the Texans still have a top notch defense, and the Bengals have a rookie, albeit a pretty good one, under center. I think the Texans eke this game out.
Denver Broncos v. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tim Tebow is terrible. He isn't even a mediocre quarterback. He didn't even generate any value running the ball this season. Against Pittsburgh's defense, Denver's offense should struggle mightily. However, Denver does have a good defense, and Pittsburgh is without Rashard Mendenhall. That being said, I think Pittsburgh wins.
New York Giants v. Atlanta Falcons: Oh, if only the Lions could be playing the Giants. Not that it would be easy. New York gets to be at home, outdoors in the elements, and they have a strong defensive line. Their offense is also good, and they have an excellent trio of wide recievers. The Falcons are good as well, however, and they have offensive weapons of their own. In the end, I think Atlanta manages to pull off the win on the road in a close contest.
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