Can the Lions Win the Ones they are supposed to?
By Joe Dexter
Over the next few days, as I start to get back into the saddle that is lead blogging, I plan on covering some things that were missed on the SideLion Report. One of those things that was passed by is the upcoming 2010 Regular Season schedule. For Lions fans, the disappointment has mostly lied in the fact that this team hasn’t even been able to win the games they should. Last season, a loss to the St. Louis Rams proved that this team has a long way to go when it comes to winning ballgames that they over match opponents in.
In 2010, there are teams on the schedule that the Lions could and should fully dominate. Let’s take a closer look at next season’s regular season schedule.
1 Sun, Sep 12 @ Chicago 1:00 PM
2Sun, Sep 19 Philadelphia 1:00 PM
3 Sun, Sep 26 @ Minnesota 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 3 @ Green Bay 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 10 St. Louis 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 17 @ NY Giants 1:00 PM
7 Bye
8 Sun, Oct 31 Washington 1:00 PM
9 Sun, Nov 7 NY Jets 1:00 PM
10 Sun, Nov 14 @ Buffalo 1:00 PM
11 Sun, Nov 21 @ Dallas 1:00 PM
12 Thu, Nov 25 New England 12:30 PM
13 Sun, Dec 5 Chicago 1:00 PM
14 Sun, Dec 12 Green Bay 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 19 @ Tampa Bay 1:00 PM
16 Sun, Dec 26 @ Miami 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Jan 2 Minnesota 1:00 PM
Above I have taken the liberty to bold and italicize the must win games on the schedule. I have also just used bold font to display what games the Lions should find themselves in with a chance to win late in the fourth quarter. Of this total, there are I believe nine winnable games on the schedule. Revenging last year’s lost to the Rams is a must in 2010. In week 5, we could see the number one draft pick of this season, taking on the number two draft choice. Mr. Bradford, you might want to call your pal Colt in Cleveland and ask him how to get out of the way of the motor man Corn Husker. If Ndamokong Suh, alongside a much improved defensive line performs like they should, stopping the running and subject passing game of the Rams, Buccaneers, Bills, Bears, and Redskins could tally up some major wins.
But then again, this is just another Lions fan being optimistic months out from the regular season.
It is almost inevitable that the boys in honolulu blue will lose another Thanksgiving day game as the play host to the New England Patriots this year. Also traveling from the AFC East is the New York Jets. The first battle of the top two quarterbacks of last year’s draft class will duke it out for the first time. This could actually be a season defining game at the beggining of November.
And is it crazy to believe that this team could pull out some inner-division magic on the road and at home against the Packers and Vikings? Only time will tell. The men in purple are only getting older. Their ageless leader could actually retire this time.
The Packers have a superb above .500 road record since 2006. The Lions have been unable to produce at Lambeau Field. With offensive line help, it doesn’t look to be any easier for the lowly lions in division play.
Realistically, I don’t think it is out of question to believe it is possible for this team to win seven games. If they win the throwaway games that are givens, and defeat a team struggling at some point during the season, (heaven forbid the actually earn a win by outplaying the opponent) there is even a chance with momentum that the Lions could actually finish .500 or better.
Not likely, but at least it is convincingly a possibility.
(Joe Dexter is the lead blogger at SideLion Report. If you would like to spread information to him or contact him, click here. You can also follow SideLion Report on Twitter.)