Control of their destiny
No sense hiding from it. The Lions are going for it. And with two games remaining against first-place Green Bay, it's in their control.
"We're on a course to get into the playoffs no matter what," defensive tackle Cory Redding said. "This is real. This is real. This is real. What you see is what you get. We're not the same old Lions anymore."
The "Same Old Lions" never played defense like this, or at least never sustained it. This is three straight physical performances in which they've surrendered 16, seven and seven points. I'm not saying the Lions are ruthless, but when Denver scored its only touchdown with 2:31 left, Rod Marinelli threw the challenge flag, trying to preserve the shutout.
Rogers was terrific, easily the best player on the field, looking like a guy on his way to the Pro Bowl. He had two-and-a-half sacks in addition to his interception, leading a defense that was so relentless (five sacks and four turnovers), it practically ran up the score by itself.
First, Rogers knocked Jay Cutler out because of a leg injury on a sack. Later, Corey Smith obliterated backup Patrick Ramsey, who coughed the ball up to Dewayne White, who ran 3 yards for a touchdown. :scared
The Lions had another TD fumble return by linebacker Alex Lewis overturned on replay. And of course, there was Rogers' amazing romp, when he grabbed a Ramsey pass and stomped 66 yards for the touchdown that made it 37-0. :00hour
Rogers punctuated his score with a belly flop in the end zone, and players swarmed him. Tackle Shaun Cody cupped his hands like a bowl, and Rogers quickly got the joke, pretending to eat out of his teammate's palms.
"He was gobbling everything up, so I had to feed the big man," Cody said. "He's our motor. He and Redding are our heartbeat. That's what Rod believes in, a defensive line causing havoc and controlling the game."
Pouncing on turnovers
It's a philosophy the Lions are starting to feast upon. They lead the NFL with 24 takeaways, an astonishing total. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry is unleashing such a riled-up group, who knows, we might get to hear the old "Bar-ry!" chant at a Lions game again. :com:
OK, I'm officially getting carried away. But the Lions are playing as if every loose ball is dinner, and they are staaaaarving. Turnovers aren't something a team can count on every week, but the Lions are pouncing at every chance. Barry preaches that falling on a loose ball isn't good enough; grabbing it and running are required.
Rogers didn't want to talk after the game, and he has largely retreated from attention following a rocky offseason. But there's no denying he has bought into what Marinelli and Barry are asking.
"You guys (in the media) and the fans were the only ones that wanted big Shaun out of here," receiver Roy Williams said. "You can't trade him. He's the most dominant defensive player in the game. People say he only plays when he wants to, but that's not true. He gets double-teamed all the time. He wants to be known as the greatest defensive tackle of all time. He'll never let you guys know that, but I know that, and he knows that."
Even if he appears to be a few meals over 340, and even if he took attacks on his character personally, Rogers is fighting back admirably, as if he has something to prove.
"We take pride in scooping and scoring," Redding said. "You are what you do. We talk about taking over the game, and it starts up front on both sides. It starts with the big fellas."
The big fellas treat opposing quarterbacks these days like the last turkey leg on the Thanksgiving platter. They were so impressive, fans were filing out long before the end, appetites satisfied. And now, appetites are whetted.
When you're 6-2, the only acceptable and logical destination is the playoffs, and that's the direction the Lions are churning, led by the big fellas, led by the biggest fella of all.
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the writing is already on the wall in big letters !
Talk about two teams going in opposite directions.
Geez Louise
I hate it when its this easy