Week 3: Lions Win! Lions Win! Lions Win!

Holy crap! I thought it might happen, I wrote that it might happen, but it's still hard to believe.

I was one of many, many fans that was unable to attend the great waking up from the nightmare. I have now watched the game twice on NFL.com, which has done the next best thing to obliterating the outdated, money-grubbing blackout policy, and begun showing the games to the local audiences via the leagues website.

Here are 10 interesting things I learned from watching the game.

1. The buffering of the video from NFL.com is less than optimal.
2. Even though I knew the Lions had won, I still watched the game expecting them to somehow throw it all away.
3. Matthew Stafford may have too much arm. The golden trigger of the #1 pick has a very hard time throwing with the "lofting" touch that is needed on many NFL throws. I like that he doesn't seem to have any fear of throwing another pick. It's the gunslinger attitude the Lions have needed for years. It's the kind of attitude that makes a QB into a perennial all-star instead of a one year wonder. Another thing, unlike Joey, who did have a little success in Detroit, this kid is a part of the team. Every success he had was celebrated with the team. He is the leader, not just the quarterback. Again, something we haven't seen in Detroit in a long time.
4. Kevin Smith is a real NFL starting running back. An all-purpose back who can carry a team.
5. If Kevin Smith is not in there, the running game stalls.
6. The Lions need to use Aaron Brown on outside runs, not up the gut.
7. After 3 games, the Lions have the 16th rated rushing defense. After being in the bottom 3 the last three years in a row, that's pretty satisfying. Especially, when you realize the Lions have played the #1 rated offense in New Orleans, the best back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson, and annual Probowl back Clinton Portis.
8. DeAndre Levy can bring the wood. That guy hits hard.
9. The Lions still have tons of needs on defense. Needs that trump trying to improve the O-line next draft.
10. I foresee Ko Simpson and Louis Delmas playing together a lot this season. If either one of them can start holding on to interceptions, the Lions might win more than 4 games this year.

11. Bryant Johnson had 4 receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown. Many are calling BJ one of the heroes of the game. Maybe so, but BJ was targeted 11 times during the game. Only a couple of those were bad passes. BJ is still dropping way too many balls. This is the same problem that got him booted from Arizona and San Francisco. We'll take it today, but keep watching how many balls BJ is dropping and try not to think of Bill Schroeder.

Wouldn't it be great if the Lions had cheerleaders?

Running Items:

Third and Three or less...

The Lions did incredibly well on all third downs against the Skins. They were 9 of 12 on the all important down. They were 3 of 3 on 3rd and 3 or fewer, running twice and passing once. So that puts them at 3 of 4 rushing and 1 of 2 passing.

No fade-stop? Not this week. The Lions still are not using the fade-stop with either Calvin or Bryan Johnson, both WR are over 6'3. Why? Possibly, the Lions are leery of Stafford's touch or lack of touch. Stafford will need to work a lot on not throwing the ball through receivers when it is unnecessary. Until he does that, the Lions may continue to ignore the unstoppable TD pattern.

On to Chicago.