00:00Two Grand Slam coming up at 7.25.
00:02John, you're just saying you feel good about the Lions this week against Green Bay.
00:06I do.
00:07And it's the fact that last week against Dallas, they weren't tested.
00:13They stopped the run, but they weren't really tested with the run game.
00:16Jameer Gibbs, as we all know and love, is an absolute difference maker.
00:21Whether you hand him the ball, you throw him the ball.
00:24And I think that ultimately is what decides this game.
00:27They're going to get Josh Jacobs back.
00:29How much does he play in his first game back?
00:34And what does it look like?
00:36Because he hasn't even been able to be around the team.
00:39They don't have Micah Parsons, so I think it's a perfect time to be playing the Green Bay Packers.
00:44I'd like to have Blake Miller get a few more games under his belt before he has to go against
00:49an edge rusher like that.
00:52And I trust that this offense is going to score points.
00:57And you get Brian Branch back, and we heard Dan.
01:00I don't know how many plays that is, but he is going to have an impact on the secondary.
01:05They plan to play both Branch and Cade Mace.
01:08Right.
01:08And the number of snaps for either, I don't know.
01:12I'm not sure.
01:14I'm not a big fan of alternating guys at the center position.
01:20So we'll see how Hank Fraley, as a player, was an interior O-lineman.
01:29We'll see what type of magic he has up his sleeves in regards to how he works that situation.
01:36Yeah, I raised an eyebrow, too.
01:37And I'm sure you or I will ask Dan tomorrow what the thought there is.
01:43Yeah.
01:43I'm much more okay with doing it at the guard position.
01:49Sure.
01:50As we saw early on in the season with Ben Bartsch and Mahogany.
01:54But Mahogany's kind of solidified himself as left guard.
01:57Tate Rattledge is doing a nice job at right guard.
02:01When you have that interaction with the quarterback, and Goff has talked about growing along with
02:06you, Scruggs, that's where I start to raise a red flag.
02:10That's not a position where I want to rotate.
02:13Ball comes up a different way from each center.
02:15Again, it's just that chemistry between center and quarterback.
02:24So as you wake up today, the Lions are in last place in the division.
02:27They're coming out of their bye week, and the coach feels optimistic.
02:31I see what he sees.
02:33I see some runway here.
02:35I see some opportunity.
02:36I like their chances against Green Bay.
02:38For some of the reasons you mentioned, I think Detroit's better in the trenches on both sides
02:42of the line of scrimmage.
02:43Green Bay is coming off back-to-back discos at home.
02:46They're going to hit the road against a team that had two weeks to prepare for this spot.
02:49The impact of a Brian Branch, even in small doses, could be a difference maker for this defense.
02:55So Detroit should be able to win this game.
02:57They're favored.
02:58They're expected to win this game coming out of their bye week.
03:00And then, John, as tough as this division is, start 1-0 and start your journey,
03:05because then it's Minnesota at home.
03:07They really have an opportunity right now.
03:09Nothing's promised, but as wide open as this is, this is their opportunity.
03:13And you've got to start creating some momentum.
03:16You've got to start building confidence in what you're doing on both sides of the ball,
03:20as well as special teams, and I do think you're going to have to start stacking wings.
03:26And Dan Campbell was asked the question about winning back-to-back games.
03:29It's been more than a calendar year, and so he said, yeah, you've got to be able to win
03:34back-to-back games if you want to ultimately achieve your goals, and it has to be more than
03:38just once a year.
03:40Text coming in.
03:42John, it was obvious going into the season the secondary was a big problem, and Brad did nothing.
03:46Why do you have any confidence that he's going to do it when you actually have to give up
03:51assets instead of paying the salary like they could have done before the season?
03:54The guy is in over its head.
03:56Oh, I have no confidence that he will.
03:58I mean, we did see one year when Hutch was hurt, they went out and added Zedaria Smith at
04:03the deadline, so it's not like he hasn't done it before.
04:10But they need to see it more than just a one-off.
04:12I continue to look at Reek Wallen in Philadelphia on a one-year deal for a team that's packed
04:18it in, right?
04:19They're counting Lane Johnson on their active roster as part of their 53.
04:23Even though he's retired, they're essentially just playing a man down on their roster.
04:27Yeah.
04:27Their quarterback shut down.
04:29Come on, they've lost four games in a row.
04:31Saquon's out.
04:32Reek Wallen is a player they should be trading, and it should be to a team that needs a corner.
04:37It should be to Detroit.
04:38Right.
04:38Right.
04:39They have an asset, which they'll probably lose at the end of the season.
04:43So I'll continue to point to that direction.
04:47Text says, this will be the week the Lions literally set the dumpster on fire.
04:52Oh, so I'm putting them down as a not optimistic.
04:56I'll echo that with another text.
04:57I'm very confident in the Lions this week.
04:59You can wear your double-digit disco shirt because Green Bay should beat Detroit by at
05:03least 10 points.
05:04Oh, wow.
05:07Does the double-digit disco thing work in reverse?
05:10Yeah.
05:10In theory, I've never done it.
05:12I could disco the Lions or any team to lose by double digits.
05:17If you do.
05:18Yeah.
05:19Go a little bit further so you're not in front of the glass here when you change your clothes.
05:26I took my shirt off.
05:29You were naked.
05:29I didn't strip down and put on a show for you.
05:34Well, tomato, tomato.
05:36If we're better this year or last year is nonsense to me.
05:40It's are we better than 23?
05:43I don't believe so.
05:44We're not going to make the Super Bowl.
05:46End of story.
05:49You ultimately may be the same as 23.
05:53That's what I've been saying all along here.
05:55The goal is to get the defense to the 2023 defense.
05:59And if you can do that, you're in play.
06:01I think they would be the best team in the division and the second best team in the NFC
06:06if they did that.
06:07Which would put them in the NFC title falling short to San Francisco.
06:09To me, it's like, I'll tell you what.
06:11My word is I'm intrigued.
06:13I really believe this regime's fork in the road moment is happening here.
06:17Now, there can be other forks down the road.
06:19I think this is a critical time for this regime.
06:24You've got to win both of these games.
06:26If you're going to be the king of the north, if you're going to be competitive in the division,
06:30you have to win two home games against two teams that are kind of similar to you.
06:34And how differently are we talking about things if they do win both?
06:38They would be 5-2 at that point?
06:40I mean, this opportunity for the Lions is why there's the phrase carpe die.
06:44You have to seize the moment here.
06:46Right.
06:47And I think Dan Campbell knows it, and I think that's why he was so urgent
06:50after the Carolina loss.
06:54If they win these two games, I would be willing to adjust my expectations to
07:00they can win the division.
07:02That's as far as I'm willing to go until Brad Holmes decides to do something
07:07with this secondary.
07:08It times up perfectly with the deadline.
07:10Yep.
07:10You win these two games.
07:11The team shows they're in contention for the division.
07:16They're right there with Minnesota at this point.
07:18And your GM goes and gets you a toy.
07:21Can I make a quick amendment to that, though?
07:23Why you got to wait two weeks?
07:25You don't have to, Jim.
07:27Right.
07:27Like, what I don't want to do is hesitate and flinch.
07:31There is a real moment right now in the NFC.
07:33Do not, well, in two weeks if they earn it, add the players so you have a better
07:38chance to win the game.
07:39Let me ask you guys this question.
07:40But hold your question for just a second.
07:42I'm sorry to interrupt you.
07:45The further down the road you go, like three weeks ago, did we think Philly would be a
07:50seller?
07:50No.
07:51Did we think some of these teams would be sellers that are now looking at it going,
07:55we got no chance due to injury or performance.
07:59The further you go, the more sellers you may actually be able to buy from.
08:05You've got two NFC juggernauts in the last five years that are on fumes, especially Philly.
08:10The Rams are getting there with their injuries.
08:12You got to go for this thing.
08:14Is their offense good enough to win a Super Bowl?
08:17Yes.
08:17Yes.
08:18Then do something.
08:19Isn't it that simple?
08:20Yes.
08:21Is it?
08:21Is this?
08:22How similar is this to where we saw the Pistons last year?
08:25Because of the way the East was with Halliburton injured and Tatum out until the end of the
08:31year.
08:31You could make the argument.
08:32It's very similar.
08:34And hopefully the dinner table at the Coney, maybe Brad Holmes actually does something.
08:40And I think you're in a competitive environment, especially with the Bears in the division.
08:46I think the Bears are going to be very active because I would be making the same arguments
08:50if I was in Chicago for the Bears that I am for the Lions.
08:54John, I hear your point about there may be even better, bigger fish to land in two weeks.
09:00You don't have to wait.
09:02Rick Wollin is a free agent.
09:04What's the cost to add a pending free agent corner?
09:07I don't think they're giving up a one or a two or even a three.
09:11So what's, you know what I mean?
09:13I am not disagreeing with you.
09:16Yes, I would have loved to have had it at the start of the bye week.
09:21I'm just raising the point that if you do wait, if that's the path that Brad Holmes wants
09:27to go, not because, hey, if they win these two games, then I'll go by.
09:32I think that is a flawed theory.
09:34But if he is just simply waiting to see who else may be actually in the market and then
09:39trying to get the best available, the longer you wait, the more options you may have.
09:46May.
09:47May.
09:49Lions coming out of the bye.
09:51B-Y-E.
09:52Now it's time to buy.
09:54B-Y.
09:56Let's do it.
09:56Well, very witty.
09:59Proud of myself.
10:01We'll get to Heather's news.
10:02We'll play the two grand slam.
10:03It's 97-1.
