Stafford looks better than Freeman : Week 1 is going to be tough

[SunnyD]

I like our D-Line v.s. their O-Line and Freeman's escapability makes me less concerned about their pass rush then I would normally be.

[cheveliar]

Wait a minute, I was watching Stafford and listening to the Bucs.  And it struck me that some would make the leap as a result of these two preseason games that some correlation could be made...all I can say is REALLY?  Is anyone really seriously going to take the results of these preseason games and make a projection on week one?  Put your hand up so we can really know who we are dealing with on this board...

[Uncle Stan]

The final score means nothing. The play of the starters certainly gives the viewer trends.

IIRC, The Lions went 4-0 in the preseason just a short time ago and didn't win a game in the regular season.

They are 3-0 this year and Atlanta 0-3. Go figure.

[BTownBucFan]

Well, Lions have pretty much shown their playbook this preseason in an effort to convince the fans to they are for real and to show up for games.

We on the other hand, have shown VERY LITTLE, whether by design or by mistake it helps us as they will only have last years film to figure out our Offense.

I'm not ready to press the panic button yet.

[ingey1968]

I would disagree that they showed any type of playbook. Scores dont matter in preseason but what you want to see is accuracy  and so on from the QB position

[Hate]

I ain't skurred to put it out there...... Freeman has looked like isht thus far and i'm concerned at to whether he'll just turn it on week 1.

[ufojoe]

The final score means nothing. The play of the starters certainly gives the viewer trends.

Exactly. And the Lions are obviously trending up for those who watched their game. It's obvious that a healthy Stafford is a huge trend in the right direction for them. He was
dead on last night. Hope we rattle him and change that.

The Bucs? I don't know.

[lyronmewis]

Wait a minute, I was watching Stafford and listening to the Bucs.  And it struck me that some would make the leap as a result of these two preseason games that some correlation could be made...all I can say is REALLY?  Is anyone really seriously going to take the results of these preseason games and make a projection on week one?  Put your hand up so we can really know who we are dealing with on this board...

I'm not making any predictions on the first game of the season, but it really does suck to see Freeman play worse than he did as a rookie, and see Stafford play like he's a pro bowler. It sucks to see the Lions and Pats, on equal ground, both gameplanning, and having the Lions manhandle the Patriots.

Everyone keeps pointing to the preseason being useless and how the Lions went 4-0, but went 0-16 in the regular season. That doesn't say very much though. Maybe the first string played awful, but the 2nd and 3rd strings dominated, I don't care to look it up. All I know is that the Bucs look bad right now, and that the season is less than a month away. All I know is that the Lions, a team who beat us without Stafford last year, looks dominant.

[John Galt?]

So if we lose to the Lions and win the next 18 I'll be happy

[SunnyD]

I remember when Matt Cassel was on the verge of getting cut in the 2008 pre-season for Guiterez.

Then he went on to throw for 23 touchdown passes and lead the pats to a 11-5 record.

Pre-season doesn't matter. Nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise. I can think of very few if any examples where pre-season play was indicitive of what we will see in the regular season.

Hell, even Dexter Jackson scored in the preseason.

[Bschucher]

I remember when Matt Cassel was on the verge of getting cut in the 2008 pre-season for Guiterez.

Then he went on to throw for 23 touchdown passes and lead the pats to a 11-5 record.

Pre-season doesn't matter. Nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise. I can think of very few if any examples where pre-season play was indicitive of what we will see in the regular season.

Hell, even Dexter Jackson scored in the preseason.

That's really all there is to say about that. LOL

[JDouble]

Preseason doesn't matter....but the first half of the third game does show you were teams are at for week one of the regular season. There is nothing wrong with being concerned. Freeman has looked like garbage so far and our offensive line has stunk. Personally I think we'll be fine. Might struggle for a few games, but we'll get rolling and be a very good team this year. That's just my faith though...what we've seen should make any fan a little worried.

[docbravo]

I ain't skurred to put it out there...... Freeman has looked like isht thus far and i'm concerned at to whether he'll just turn it on week 1.

THIS!

My boy "High 5" has looked pretty bad. It will be interesting to see if he can just "flip the switch." I saw a TON of check downs in the last game. I thought I was watching Brian Griese back there for a few mins.....

[JDouble]

There are different theories as to why Free is a slow starter, but there is no doubt that he is. All last year we'd come out slow and lame and then catch fire and come back for the win. So you have to kinda expect Free to look like poo when he is only playing 2 series or 4 series or 2 quarters. I'm not making excuses for him cause he needs to correct this billsh!t and figure out how to come out with guns blazing right off the bat....but it is what it is and it shouldn't be surprising that he has looked turrible in limited preseason playtime.

I'm expecting the light to go on sometime in the 3rd quarter of the Lions game when we are down 17 - 6. He'll catch fir and we'll end up winning 27-24 and then he'll come out cold again the following week. He's like driving a old VW up north. It takes awhile to get going, but once it starts firing it's the most dependable car on the road.

[JavaRay]

There is going to be serious pressure.   The Bucs are damn lucky they are not playing this game in Detroit.   There is excitement in Detroit this year for their team that far exceeds the excitement (or lack thereof) in Tampa for the Bucs.   That D Line with a crowd making lots of noise to disrupt the QB would be a disaster for Freeman.   Since the game is in Tampa, they have a chance.    Win or lose the game, just hope Freeman doesn't get hurt week one.     If he's hurt, the team would have to rely on Morris' coaching ability to win games - and that would possibly result in having the first pick in the draft next year.