Detroit Lions Weblog

Week 8 Preview: Lions Vs. Redskins, Or If a Football Game is Un-Televised and, No One Can See It, Does It Still Happen?

In the Lions week 8 game, amid a season of grossly copious embarrassment, the Lions were awarded their largest embarrassment of the season, thus far, a league mandated television black-out, due to poor ticket sales (about 5,000 seats remain).

Many Lions fans enacted a self-imposed black-out weeks ago, but for the rest of us loyal sucker’s, now what?  As much as it is healthy to avert one’s eyes from a bad car wreck, we still are usually compelled to look, in most cases.  That option has been removed, for now.

It appears that the Lions have made it an organizational directive of sorts, that just when fans begin to think the franchise has hit rock bottom, they can find lower depths in which to sink.

The Lions have a slim chance of finding victory at home on Sunday. The Redskins are a pretty good team, but they also are notorious for possessing a penchant for playing down to their competition, especially if their recent loss to the then winless Rams can serve as a indicator.

The Lions may also find an opportunity for victory by allowing their playmakers, Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson, to be active participants, rather than angry bystanders, in the Lions offense.  Dan Orlovsky needs to continue to be an efficient, turnover-free game manager in the process.  If Orlovsky can keep the Lions defense off of the field, the Lions may remain competitive late in the contest.

The Redskins defense can be exploited, too.   They have a limited pass rush, and may be without their best rusher, DE Jason Taylor.  The ‘Skins will also be limited in the secondary because veteran CB Shawn Springs isn’t going to play.  It is up to Jim Colletto to find ways to take advantage of these opportunities.

The Redskins offense is an efficient, but not explosive or dynamic, version of the Seattle brand of the West Coast offense.   The ‘Skins offense features the probable league MVP in RB Clinton Portis, who is having a season much like his backfield mate, Shaun Alexander, had when Alexander won the MVP a few years ago.

The most dangerous factors in this game, in my opinion, are TE Chris Cooley and WR Santana Moss, each player is likely to light up the scoreboard with huge stat totals as the Lions continue to bumble in the secondary and remain unproductive in their pass rush, too.

Ultimately, no matter what Sunday’s results are, Lions fans lose.  With the cash-strapped, insecurity of most Michiganders, no one can blame people for not buying tickets to see this lamentable franchise.  In fact, as much as we need healthy diversions during times of distress and strife, the Lions have proved incapable of filling the bill in that regard.  Shame on them…

‘Skins 27 Lions 13 Fans 0