Way to completely miss the point. This isn't just a Milen-era thing.

How about the 1980 season when the Lions started 4-0, but finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs?

No, this team isn't those teams (and really like duh) but I'm just bringing them up to illustrate a point.

I'm cautiously optimistic about this team. Anyone who is anything more is just setting themselves up for disappointment.

When you look at the Lions objectively they have a phenomenal passing game and..that's it. Granted, I can't stress how great it really is. But they don't have anything else. They have no running game; they have a mediocre defense with a below average back seven and a defensive line that's the best ever on paper, but just can't stop the run to save their lives; and their special teams look shaky in coverage.

Before the season started I thought the Lions would win 9 games. Now, given what I've seen I'll bump that up to 10 games--but nothing more.

If that's the case, it would be the best season we've seen here since 1995. Further, the Lions have only had three 10+ win seasons in the last 40 years, so a 10 win season is worth getting excited about. I understand the cautious optimism--we don't know if this team will actually win 10+ games--but I don't think anyone could possibly look at this team and fail to see that it is, in spite of its flaws, head and shoulders better than the 2007 squad.

Im not saying they aren't a good team--they are, top 10 for sure. Their passing game is literally so good that it masks everything else, and their defense does what it has to do to get the job done.

My criticism is against the people who are getting ahead of themselves. I've heard people seriously predict that the Lions would go 16-0 or win the SB or even make the SB.

16-0 is the hardest thing in sports to do. As for SB, once we make the playoffs, its anyone's game. One of the positives I've seen from the 4-0 start is the emotion level of the players. Their comments haven't been about celebrations or the record, but about what they have to improve on. Them staying even keel will come in handy in a playoff atmosphere. They're young, so it will be all new to them, but I wouldn't just count them out either. If we can remain healthy, I think we're going to be a dangerous team to deal with.

I believe 162-0 is approximately 10 times harder to do than 16-0.

However, I'm right there with blueskies. I'm not a hater, just don't believe in going to rival forums and talking smack when their team completely imploded. Look - we'd be singing a different tune if there wasnt a holding call on pett on 3rd and goal...or if jones didn't brain fart and run OOB to end the game when he potentially could have run for the winning TD...or if romo wasn't throwing cross body off his front foot the entire second half.

I was at the game, I was yelling 4-0, I was damn proud of my team - still am. But, I'm going to look at it objectively. The second half game plan by Dallas was pathetic and the lions sucked in every aspect in entire first half. Yes, they won, they had a very good second half. You don't get points for style and the lions deserve to be in the top 5 in the power rankings...however, having been through what I've been through as a lions fan, I'm not going to belittle other teams that are actually very tough match ups for the lions (bears particularly)

+1

that being said, the difference here, and the very biggest difference is that the Bears are coming to our house. A sold out Monday night game against a 4-0 Lions team with crowd noise that may be off the charts.

I like our odds. But I do think we still have to win this game by playing for 60 minutes. If there is one lesson we learned from the last two weeks, its the opposition is never out of the game. This game may be the difference in our season. But I agree that our fan base is a little cocky (understandably so consider the road game success) but a very decent Bears team that swept us last year is coming on national television. Remember the "They are who we thought they were" speech? Let's not underestimate the return game, the run game, or Jay Cutler. Go ahead and underestimate Roy Williams all you want, PLEASE, but keep it real.

Go Lions

Well, in fairness, it was louder in Dallas than any stadium i have have ever seen in 20 years (I made that comment to pablo a couple times)...and it didn't help the home team. Also, the fans were still loud as hell until the last minute

The new stadium is louder than the old one. Might not have been quite as loud had Jerry opened the dome. I mean, is 70 degrees not nice enough to open that big tin can up.

Great seeing you in Dallas C02, you picked a good weekend to visit Big D - what a game we witnessed - unbelievable.

It must have been pretty disheartening in the first three quarters, but overall, attending that game must have been an amazing experience. I'm sure you and Conversion will treasure this memory for the rest of your lives.

One game I attended that I'll always remember is Game 5 of the 1988 NBA Finals when the Pistons beat the Lakers to take a 3-2 lead in the last NBA game ever played in the Silverdome.

I've got to put this in my top three of all-time Lions/Cowboys games seen in person along with the playoffs win in the Silverdome and the Lions OT victory at Texas Stadium on MNF in 1994 when I first moved to Dallas.

I was at the MN game and it was superloud(false start Hell for us), but bein that it's a bunch of Viking fans, many people started leaving before OT even started

20-17!!! I REMEMBER THAT GAME

The running game just needs to catch rhythm ,and it wont be long ..

Was there also, and to my shock some of them started to complain and hoping to lose once the Lions won the toss in OT.

What makes you think that? Have you seen the pathetic blocking, or lack thereof?