Detroit Lions and Michigan Wolverines - You Gotta Love It

It's that time of year again, time for both college and pro football to play some meaningful games. I excited for the football season to start and this year is no exception.

I just finished watching the Lions go 4-0 in the preseason. I know it doesn't mean anything but it still gives me hope. I mean the Patriots went 0-4 in the preseason so what does it really mean? I'm still excited though I think the Lions may be on the right track finally. And let's be honest it will be at least 8 weeks before the Lions can be eliminated from the playoffs.

My biggest problem with the Lions is at quarterback. I know Kitna is the best quarterback in the NFC North but I have never been a fan of his. He normally finds a way to lose games not win games like the Brady's and Manning's out there. I am hoping the Lions do like the Vikings did a few years ago when they had Carter and Moss as their wide receivers. It didn't matter who the quarterback was all they had to do was throw the ball up in the air downfield and either Carter or Moss would come down with it. I am hoping the same will be true of Johnson and Williams for the Lions this year.

The defense looks better so far but we will see what happens when teams start game planning against them, that will be the real test. They led the entire NFL in defense for the preseason. The key word here is preseason. What I did notice during preseason games was better tackling, a 100% better from the last few years. The defensive line is pressure quarterbacks a lot more too and if you can get pressure on the quarterbacks it makes the defensive backs better.

The next few weeks will start to tell me if I am in for another let down or not. Let's keep in mind these are the Lions.

Let's talk Michigan Wolverine football now. The mighty Wolverines, I'm not sure how mighty they will be this year but they should be fun to watch. After predictable years with Carr this year should be anything but predictable. If coach Rodriguez can do the same thing with the Wolverines he did at WVU it should be real exciting in a couple of years. That is the problem, a couple of years. UofM is young this year on offense so I am expecting some frustrating moments if not games with the Maize and Blue this year. Coach Rich as brought in some good freshman this year but that is the problem they are freshman.

The defense is returning a few starters from last year so I am expecting them to win the first few games with their defense until the offense gets untracked. I think one key factor with their defense this year is they have been practicing against the spread offense all spring and summer. They should be ready for any team running the spread this year.

Let's see if we can predict where they will finish this year.

Week 1: Utah at home - I thing the offense will struggle since it will be the first game with the spread under real game conditions. The defense will keep them in the game and they will pull out a close one. Michigan 24 Utah 17. Michigan 1-0.

Week 2: Miami of Ohio - The Offense is starting to look better this week plus they are playing a MAC team. Defense looks all world this week. Michigan 27 Miami of Ohio 10. Michigan 2-0.

Week 3: at Notre Dame - This is a pivotal game for both teams. I think who ever loses this game will go into the crapper the rest of the year. The loser won't make a bowl game. Notre Dame should be ready this year after the beating they have taken the last two years plus it is at ND. With that being said both offenses will struggle in this game and the best defense will win. Michigan 17 ND 13, sorry Sarah. Michigan 3-0.

Week 4: Wisconsin - The party stops here. Wisconsin is too good this year and too experienced for the young Wolverines. This game will be brutal if fact I end up shutting the game off before halftime and go outside and mow the lawn. Michigan 10 Wisconsin 27. Michigan 3-1.

Week 5: Illinois - Another rough week for the not so mighty Wolverines again. Illinois has their dynamic quarterback coming back and should challange OSU for the Big Ten Championship. I hate Illinois and this is a tough loss to take. I end up mowing the lawn again even though it doesn't need it. Michigan 13 The Biting Illini 31. Michigan 3-2.

Week 6: Toledo - Finally relief, a MAC team. You can't take MAC teams lightly but I think the Wolverines will be ready for this game after the last couple of weeks. The spread offense gets into high gear in this game the the defense flexes its muscle. Michigan 37 Toledo 6. Michigan 4-2.

Week 7: at Penn State - Is this JoePa's last year? I think it could be and the PSU players are trying to send him out in style. Plus the players and coaches want to get the monkey off their back and finally beat Michigan. This will be their best year to do it. Michigan has a let down after their romp over the MAC team last week and disappoints all Michigan fans across the nation. Michigan 17 Penn State 24. Michigan 4-3.

Week 8: Michigan State - Will this be the year little brother bloodies the nose of big brother? Can MSU not choke a game away in the second half this year? Can MSU hold its emotions in check for four quarters of football and not make stupid penalties? The answer - nope. Big Brother 27 Little Brother 24. Michigan 5-3.

Week 9: at Purdue - Joe Tiller has one maybe two good years and he ends up with a job for life. Somewhere you would think he would have to start producing results again. But it won't be this year. The spread offense for Michigan is on track right now and Michigan is to much for the Boilermakers to handle. Plus Michigan's defense puts on a show. Michigan 24 Purdue 6. Michigan 6-3.

Week 10: at Minnesota - What is there to talk about. The little brown jug stays in Michigan for another year. Michigan 31 Minnesota 17. Michigan 7-3.

Week 11: Northwestern - Every now and then Northwestern will play a great game with Michigan and it will be replayed on ESPN Classic for the next 5 years. Just not this year. The mighty Wolverines flex their defensive prowess on NW and shut down their spread offense. Once again the speed of Michigan's offense is too much for the TameCats to contain. Michigan 27 TameCats 13. Michigan 8-3.

Week 12: at Ohio State - I am not sure the new Michigan coach understands the magnitude of the rivalry between OSU and Michigan. I mean this is it, this is the game, this is why they play the other 11 games to get ready for this one, but I think all this is lost this year on the new coach because he won't understand the rivalry until he has experienced it once. He will next year but it will be to late this year, plus OSU is just too experienced, too good and the game is in the horseshoe. Michigan 10 The 'they make me puke eyes' 31. Michigan 8-4.

So it looks like an 8-4 record and another trip to a bowl game to keep the streak alive. I will take it, in fact I will be happy with an 8-4 record. Like I said earlier the pivotal game will be the Notre Dame game. If Michigan loses this game they may end up 4-8 instead.

The Wolverines will be better in the coming years and they will show flashes of the excitement throughout this year. They will also be frustrating at times this year but regardless I will watch them except for that one fall day when I will have to go out and mow the lawn because I am to upset to watch them anymore that day.