Beating Detroit: The first step in establishing the Redskins as better than average.

[No_Pressure]

I have a lot of high expectations about what this team can be, I really feel that the Detroit game will show whether this team is ready to become those things this season, or if this year will be more of a growing/coming together year for the team/Campbell.

[ashsra]

We'll learn a lot about our secondary this week, this game could get ugly in a hurry if we let the Lions get off to a fast start. I think it's imperative that we get some big hits on Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson early. Hopefully Kitna will hang them out over the middle and Area 51 will teach them a lesson. I think if ST can get a good shot on Roy Williams early he'll start getting alligator arms.

[Gregpeck99]

This is a must game for the Skins. In order to win they will have to pressure Kitna ... if he gets time to throw its over. Also, and at the same time, the Skins offense must score more than 22 points. Can they do it ... sure ... "will they" is another question.

[RAAZ227]

WOW, They actually had alot of good things to say about us. I was shocked

Thanks for the link.

No prob..

They are already counting it a loss on their end...

[Touchdown Redskins]

I wish I could agree with you, but a win against the Lions (while certainly good of course and they're no pushovers I agree) will not answer the question "if we are an above average team" for me.

You can only measure your worth and answer that question IMO by beating other above average teams, which we have yet to do. For me, Detroit does not fit that bill, and I cannot use it as any sort of bar.

I think a lot of people on this board are overlooking Detroit as being an average team at best. They are a good team. I won't go into all the statistics, because I've cited them in another thread, but they've beaten Oakland (last year's #1 team defense against the pass) and Minnesota (last year's #1 team against the run AND a division rival). They have been tested in a close game (Minnesota) and they have been in two blowouts (Chicago and Oakland). Unfortunately they ran into the Eagles when they had a great offensive day. You could either chalk that up to the Eagles having a once in a season synch on offense or the Lions having a porous defense, or both. Either way, they still didn't have too much trouble putting up 21 points (and that could have been more had they not had to be one-dimensional the entire game).

What I am trying to say here is that the Lions are for real. They are 2-0 in their division which features last year's #1 run defense, an undefeated team, and last year's NFC champion. If we beat them, it will make our loss to the Giants much easier to tolerate, and I will think we are for real.

[BleedBNG]

However, what I will say about this game is that I honestly feel that as a team this is a game that will tell us whether The Washington Redskins have risen above the level of "average team" or not.

No it won't. It'll be viewed as the usual Redskins over Lions if we win. Beating the Packers in Green Bay will rise us above the level of "average team."

[Zazzaro703]

Notice how some of the people in that thread mentioned Portis as our only star. Good thing here in Washington him and Betts are "interchangeable."

[REDALERT]

This game is very important the same way as the Giants game was important. And after the Giants manhandled the Eagles on Monday nite Football to gain more momentum and much needed confidence. The Redskins blew it's chance to make a statement in beating a team that was in the division and also on the verge of collaspe. Now! after the Giants beating us at home, pimp slapping Philly on Monday Nite. We have to go up to the meadowlands after loosing at home and the Giants thinking they can beat us, and that's stemming all the way back to last year.

And like someone said, we barley beat the Dolphins and escaped in Philly.

So, I'm not convinced until the skins put together some better games on both sides of the ball. Further, I want to see some more heart from our players instead of curling up like little puppies dogs when adversity strikes during certain portions of the game. And I'm not talking about against the weaklings, I'm speaking of some of the better teams. Because if we lose confidence against teams like the Dolphins and the Giants. Imagine what teams like the Patriots, Cowboys and Packers could do. Shoot, even detroit for that matter if they get on a roll early.

And yes! I want to see some more leadership, why? Because the team could have played better against the Giants and lost confidence in the first game of the year against the Dolphins. And it took a first year FA player like London Fletcher to snap these weaklings out of it before the 2nd half began. And they were only down 7-3 (wtf).

The problem I see this year is the coaches (Gibbs/Saunders) clashing in the offense of play calling. And it all began in Al's first year when the team was getting clobered and Gibbs vowed to go back to Joe Gibbs type football and then inserted Campbell. And how could he not when guys like Jansen and other OL started to complain about us being a down hill type of football team and that's what they were(OL). Okay! I have no problem with this. But wtf is Al Saunders getting paid 2 mill a year for? To stay stagnant in the passing game by being afraid to take chances and limit Campbell's down field abilities.

We need to make a decision on who calls the plays and what kind of team we are going to be. Because it's like we took 2 steps forward when we went 10-6 and then 1 step backwards going 5-11. And now we're just stuck on stupid being stuck between a rock and a hard place still figuring out what our offense needs to be. And it pains me to see first year teams with new coaches running they're offense with no problems (see Cowboys). And here we are in our second year with AL Saunders and still struggling on offense and signing WR's late.

This teams needs to put up or keep getting the same old disrespect it's been getting because other than QB and a few FA additions and finally playing our draft picks. This Organization has not made much progress when it's time to take the playing field.

So yes! this gane is very important(again) and we need to come out and atleast dominate a team I feel we should dominate after Philly spanked them bad. An if not, then we're just an average team and may not make the playoffs, period.

[trez]

Detroit is due for a shellacking. No way they're as good as they profess to be. THey're due for a loss at Washington

[Seabee1973]

Before we proclaim ourselves to be above average should we not get to the playoffs 2-3 season in a row then I will think this team is above average

[RAAZ227]

This thread is funny. It's goes from the hype on Lions to the destruction of the Lions on game day.

http://www.detroitlionsforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2432