Detroit Lions Weblog

The Overwhelming Awesomeness of Conference Championship Weekend

The NFL’s conference championship weekend is without question the high point of the NFL season, if not the entire professional sports landscape.

The Super Bowl is a sham, where as, in comparison the conference championship games are shambolic. This weekend’s games were no exception.

Immediately, I was left with the impression that the Ravens/Steelers rivalry is among the most brutally contested of all time. It was down right scary! It was not pretty, either but it was rough-and-tumble football boiled down to it’s simplest, most elemental base. It is not difficult to envision the contestants of Sunday’s game doffed in leather helmets, engrossed in a intractable scrum, at all.

With the improbable Arizona Cardinals representing the NFC, an organization once considered in the same breath of futility as the Lions currently are, one has to ask, Why not the Lions, if the Cards can do it?

If anything is obvious after last weekend’s games, winning quarterback play is the difference between the contender’s and also-ran’s of the NFL. All four teams were lead by Qb’s who are strong leaders of various capabilities who fit within their organization’s philosophy exceptionally well.

In particular, as much as it pains me to admit it, Kurt Warner is a very special player. To stand in the pocket, unflinching as the Eagles controlled chaotic stream of blitz packages swirled around him, and to absolutely shred it to ribbons, was outstanding.

The other thing about the Cards, when compared to the Lions, it is the Cards ability to glean productive young talent from the draft over the last several seasons, at least during the Millen regime.

That’s exactly why the Lions can’t afford to miss on any of their first three rounds of draft picks, where they can do a fair bit of reparation for Matt Millen’s numeorus personnel gaffes that have dogged the organization. Their margin for error is infinitesimal, though.

Tom “Killer” Kowalski says that the Lions aren’t likely going to view replacing Jeff Backus, or moving Jeff Backus to another position along the line, as an organizational priority. He also says that several observers don’t believe that Backus could move to guard, either because he lacks the power necessary.

I am of the opinion, that if the highest graded player in the Lions scouting process is a left-tackle, then they owe to themselves to find a way to make the situation work. If that means shifting Backus to right tackle, and moving to Cherilus to one of the guard spots, so F’n-be-it!

Another impression that was made upon me this weekend was that aside from a disruptive, productive defensive end, my wish list also includes a difference-making playmaking safety like Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu, Adrian Wilson or Brian Dawkins to inject into the formerly limp and lifeless Lions defense.

Daniel Bullocks and Gerald Alexander have both exhibited a great deal of promise, but neither are remotely mentionable on the same level as the safeties who played this weekend.

For those keeping score at home: The Lions need a Left Offensive Tackle and both an All-Pro Defensive End and Safety to be selected in the upcoming draft.

Again, casting the hype aside, you’ll never convince me that the February 1st Super Bowl is a mere shadow of the fierce competition that takes place two brief weeks before.