Now the fun starts.

The Lions will next play:

49ers 4-1
Falcons 2-3
Broncos 1-4
Bears 2-3
Panthers 1-4
Packers 5-0
Saints 4-1
Vikings 1-4
Raiders 3-2
Chargers 4-1
Packers 5-0

Combined: 32-23 (58%)
Previous Teams: 10-14 (42%)

I see easy wins over the Vikings, Panthers, and Broncos. Likely wins against Raiders, Bears, and Falcons. If they manage that, that's 11-5. Likely that they'll do something like beat the 49ers but drop the game to the Raiders, etc.

I don't know that I'd write the Panthers off as an easy win. The Lions should win, but Carolina has been competitive in every game so far.

Niners, pack, saints, chargers will be monster tests

Panthers are solid and Steve smith and that tandem of rbs could easily give us too much to handle (and greg Olsen)

I could see up to 6 losses

even if they go 6-5, we end up 11-5. if they go 5-6, we end up 10-6.

49ers 4-1 - Most physical team we've played yet, but I think we can just spread them out and outscore them. Likely W
Falcons 2-3 - OL is hurting and can't run Turner because of it. W
Broncos 1-4 - Road game, likely drop off but should W. Tebow gonna beat us?
Bears 2-3 - Win.
Panthers 1-4 - Should be interesting, but playing well and we don't do well after bye weeks historically, do we turn it around? Should Win, but L.
Packers 5-0 - Tough game, but I think we're built to beat this team. Much like week 3 in preseason, pressure on the QB is how you beat high-powered offense. W
Saints 4-1- On road in NO is tough. Close shootout, but L.
Vikings 1-4 - Our house, Ponder is knocked out and replaced by McNabb. W
Raiders 3-2 - Depends on how Gun plans this. If we lineup to stop run we can win and let JCampbell try to beat us. L
Chargers 4-1 - Chargers are not as good as their record. Losing Sproles killed their explosiveness. W.
Packers 5-0 - On road in lambeau... ugh. Real test if Schwartz built this team to win on road on frozen tundra. L.

12-4.

If the Lions make the playoffs or win the division, no one will be able to say that they did it as a result of having an easy schedule. The only game where they should trounce the opposition (on paper) is the Denver game. The Vikings put them in a 20-0 hole and even Carolina is competitive now.

We have to feel good about their being 5-0, and they have a great chance to finish 10-6 or 11-5 and they could even go 12-4, but it's not going to be a cakewalk.

If the Lions make the playoffs or win the division, no one will be able to say that they did it as a result of having an easy schedule.

au contraire mon ami, that is what we've been hearing already, "the Lions are 5-0 because they haven't played anybody. See the MNF thread to listen to a packer fan state that very thing.

This Lions team is not Notre Dame, we do NOT have a soft schedule, and we've earned every victory. 3 of the 5 were playoff teams last year, with one being a division champ. I don't know what you'd qualify Dallas as, but they were pretty good too! I think its pretty funny that when the luck rolls our way, all of a sudden we're playing no bodies. Hmmm!

49ers-W
Falcons-W
Broncos-W
Bears-W
Panthers-W
Packers-W
Saints-W
Vikings-W
Raiders-W
Chargers-W
Packers-W

sounds good....

49ers 4-1 Their D might slow us down, but even still their Offense can't keep pace W
Falcons 2-3 Just simply dont look good this year. OLine is a nightmare W
Broncos 1-4 Looking good in the "Draft Luck" dept. W
Bears 2-3 Bears arnt that good but they're still a division oponent at home. L
Panthers 1-4 Cam aint never seen anything like this passrush! W
Packers 5-0 Aint nothing like a turkeyday game! unless they're playing..noooooooooooooooooo L
Saints 4-1 Sorry we're close in a shotout, but just not SB calibur yet L
Vikings 1-4 D is way too upset to lose this one...not losing 3 in a row W
Raiders 3-2 Run D just can't hang sadly L
Chargers 4-1 If the Chargers are for real they make a hard charge for playoffs L
Packers 5-0 If Rogers plays (#1seed locked up or not) depends on w/l if rogers

So I have us looking good to start 8-0 and then going as bad as 2-6 in the second half of the season. If rogers sits in the final game i can see us being 11-5. but be forwarned the 2nd half of the season is BRUTAL.

I will have what he is having

I too think the Panthers will be one of our toughest challenges of the season. We won't see a QB like Newton all year and he can get out of the pocket and throw downfield to Steve Smith. They have two solid RBs and a very good OL. I could see this game being a shootout and Stafford will have to be sharp for four quarters.

Are you guys freakin' serious? The Panthers throw the ball all over the field because they're always losing. They're like the Lions in 06'.

If the Lions can't beat the Panthers, they should decline their playoff spot.

Bumping this...with an update:



Panthers and Vikings should be easy wins. The Raiders have fallen off since they lost Campbell, so they too should be beaten by the Lions. I'll say the Lions take one from the Pack (either in a Thanksgiving upset, or a final game where the Pack rest their starters). Probably lose to the Saints in New Orleans. The Chargers are always dangerous, but haven't looked impressive in the games I've watched. If they come out of the bye sluggish, they might lose to the Bears. I see 5-3 for the rest of the season, giving a final record of 11-5.

I'd take 11-5.

Honestly, I think all the rest of our games are winnable with the exception of the Packers in Green Bay.

I still think we have a shot against NO, but we'll see...

NO's defense is pretty putrid. Should be a shoot-out. Raiders and Chargers games have become a lot more winnable than they were at the beginning of the season.

GB is playing lights out, but they're gonna have a day/days where they just don't show up. Let's hope that's Thanksgiving. The Pack will probably be playing Matt Flynn in the last game of the season, and we could be in a dogfight for a wildcard spot. That one is definitely winnable as well.

You can also never overlook the Bears at Soldier Field. That will be a true test. Hopefully, we'll be motivated to get them back for the opener last season.