Thoughts and notes from the Lions vs. Browns!

Thoughts and notes from the Lions vs. Browns  Kitna played well. In fact it was nice to see that he and the receivers for the second week in a row really gave

Thoughts and notes from the Lions vs. Browns

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1. Kitna played well. In fact it was nice to see that he and the receivers for the second week in a row really gave us no worries.
2. I am really frustrated with Martz’s love affair with speed. O.K. I get it, but two shots in the red zone on your first two drives and you couldn’t get it in. Duckett? The Lions inability to punch it in the red zone rushing is not good. The real test of that will be next week in Indy. The Lions used a kicker to kick those field goals that won’t even make the team. I know that everyone wants the win (and I do also) but why not try to run the ball their. You needed the work in the red zone a lot more than a field goal?
3. Duckett ran nine times and gained 31 yards and a TD. He also had 37 yards receiving on two catches. He looked good. Tatum was ineffective (he did have one nice run) and when the Lions needed to just run the ball he was not able to.
4. I am really excited for whenever it happens to have KJ back. He and Duckett will be a nice one-two punch.
5. Lions get three turnovers while not doing it themselves…nice!
6. Paging Bailey…Boss? The Lions may continue with him but at what point to they look down the depth chart at someone else? The Lions can’t go into the regular season with no production from his spot. The one real play that he did make he was way to high and his body was out of balance. Had that been any number of RB’s on the schedule he would have been run over. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Boss, this isn’t personal.
7. Fernando Bryant showed great physicality in the game. You may not have notices but at the point of the attack and even away from it, he really showed what Lions fans have wanted to see. I am not ready to enshrine him in Canton but that was very hopeful.
8. Travis Fisher better watch out for Keith Smith. Heck, Stanley Wilson should also. Smith is parlaying a great camp with excellent play. Fisher didn’t look good as the main nickel back and Smith looked good both as a nickel and as a two down CB.
9. Kenoy had a good game, but on the play against Braylon Edwards, he committed to going low too early and had he kept his head up (something that Marinelli preaches) he could have leveled Braylon and caused a turnover.
10. Big Ed certainly showed marked improvement. I watched him close and that was very nice to see.
11. Jeff Backus continues to struggle. I don’t think he has shown much. He let pressure come at Kitna and thankfully Jon just rolled away and completed a pass but Lions fans need/deserve to see a lot more.
12. For all of Martz talk of running the ball, it looked like Mooch was back with all of the screens called. I do however understand that he was more looking at plays than game planning. One thing that should tell you. Coaches who use screens an inordinate amount of time have issues with their line. That scares me.
13. You may not have heard his name called a lot but if you watched closely the Lions Baldwin continued to show the athleticism that got him drafted. He could really be a special player. That young man is a lot of fun to watch.
14. I mentioned Kenoy already but the safeties played well. There were two plays that they had to step up and cover a CB mistake. People may have blamed them for a reception that was not their fault. I am not ready to call any of them the next Ronnie Lott, but I am ready to go to war with those guys.
15. IAF I think will he a good NFL player. He has to work on his angles however. In case you don’t know, the angle that a DL takes to the QB or RB is essential. That can allow a guy to instinctively get to the point of attack. IAF has the speed and athleticism, and you can’t teach that. That is the exciting part. Now lets see him get the things that can be taught and we may have something special. By the way, I love the makeup!
16. Ernie had a great interception but I have a lot of questions about Bailey and Paris. A lot of questions. Be afraid be very afraid!

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For the Lions to have the season that we all hope for and in my opinion are expecting they have to be dominant with the Browns type team and they did. There were some issues but overall this was again a nice win. Lions fans should be encouraged. For once it wasn’t a Lions team getting accused of being sloppy, undisciplined and a joke while getting booed of the field. Be encouraged by the improvement you are seeing between game one and two. Next week will be the real sign that you all need to gauge. The Starters will play a long time and the team will game plan it like a regular season game. Be mindful that it is the Colts, but if the Lions are going to go where Kitna and Marinelli want, they have to compete with those teams and neither one is intimidated. I am really excited about it.