Calvin Johnson

[jdoggivjc]

Agree. 4 of their games were against the two worst teams in the league and then they only play 4 playoff teams and go 1-3 against them.

Whereas everyone rips on the Falcons for playing the worst schedule in the league. Okay, two of the Falcons' wins are against the same 4 of the Broncos' wins. The difference though is the Falcons are 4-0 against playoff teams or teams fighting for a playoff spot. Plus the Falcons have beaten the Broncos this year. Yet everyone has the Broncos winning the Super Bowl already but the Falcons aren't going to win the divisional game played in their building.

[jdoggivjc]

Now my bias is going to show a little bit with this comment.
I really don't think the Lions are a bad team this year. They just ran into some bad luck/stupid plays at the wrong times. They could realistically have 9/10 wins this year if a few plays went the other way. Guess that's just how the cookie crumbles though.

I live outside of Detroit, so I've watched a lot of Lions' games this year. Yeah, they were a couple of plays away from being 10-6. They were also a couple of plays away from being 1-15.

[jdoggivjc]

Calvin Johnson's year is a one of the more over hyped things of all time, he's not even having the best year of a WR, Brandon Marshall is. Would you rather have:
117 catches 1892yds and 5 TD's (CJ)
or
113 catches 1466 yards and 11td's (BM)

Combine those numbers with the fact that the lions threw the ball more than 200 more times than Chicago and its a no brainer. Marshall had the best year. It's a shame no one is talking about it.

But FWIW Peyton Manning is the MVP, no one else is close.

I'd rather have the first. If the Lions' didn't turn the ball over as many times as they did in the red zone, CJ's TDs would have been higher. Basically, you just implied that you're a gigantic homer by saying you'd rather have a very good receiver on your favorite team than the best receiver in the NFL. Stupid argument.

[heitclone]

I'd take 11tds over 5 any day. Youre saying you'd take a guy who can give you 40 more receiving yards a game and a TD every 3 games vs a guy who's giving you a TD almost every time out?

[jdoggivjc]

I'm saying I'd easily take Calvin Johnson over both Roddy White and Julio Jones, the Falcons' two best receivers. I, however, would not take Brandon Marshall over either.

Put Calvin Johnson on an offense that wasn't as malfunctioning as the Lions' was this year and he'd have all those yards plus more touchdowns.

[cyguytillidie]

I'd take 11tds over 5 any day. Youre saying you'd take a guy who can give you 40 more receiving yards a game and a TD every 3 games vs a guy who's giving you a TD almost every time out?

You gotta be high if youre saying you would take Marshall over Calvin.

[heitclone]

I'm saying I'd easily take Calvin Johnson over both Roddy White and Julio Jones, the Falcons' two best receivers. I, however, would not take Brandon Marshall over either.

Put Calvin Johnson on an offense that wasn't as malfunctioning as the Lions' was this year and he'd have all those yards plus more touchdowns.

Uh did you see Chicago's offense play this year? Stafford and Cutler are nearly equal in QBR but the Lions threw for nearly twice as many yards as Chicago, the Lions had other guys catch nearly 3000 yards worth of passes, Johnson played on a much more productive offense and didn't have to shoulder his teams entire load like Marshall did. This Bears offense was really bad, had the defense not scored so many TD's theyd have one of the worst records in the league.

[jdoggivjc]

Uh did you see Chicago's offense play this year? Stafford and Cutler are nearly equal in QBR but the Lions threw for nearly twice as many yards as Chicago, the Lions had other guys catch nearly 3000 yards worth of passes, Johnson played on a much more productive offense and didn't have to shoulder his teams entire load like Marshall did. This Bears offense was really bad, had the defense not scored so many TD's theyd have one of the worst records in the league.

Uh did you see the Lions play this year? Yeah, they had all those yards - and the offense turned it over in the red zone a lot. Without all those red zone turnovers Calvin might have had double the TDs he has now.

[heitclone]

You guys made this into a "who would you take", I'm not making that argument, I'm saying Marshall had the better year. He's the only guy the Bears had all year, without him the Bears are no where near the playoff picture. I'd rather have my #1 WR scoring TD's and winning us ball games. Marshall did that, despite playing on an offense that was one of the worst in the league.

[cyguytillidie]

Uh did you see Chicago's offense play this year? Stafford and Cutler are nearly equal in QBR but the Lions threw for nearly twice as many yards as Chicago, the Lions had other guys catch nearly 3000 yards worth of passes, Johnson played on a much more productive offense and didn't have to shoulder his teams entire load like Marshall did. This Bears offense was really bad, had the defense not scored so many TD's theyd have one of the worst records in the league.

But the Bears didn't have Pettigrew, LeShoure, and Joique Bell who were all fumbling machines when they had the ball. Also the Lions receivers have been depleted severely this year. Burleson and Broyles both went down with knee injuries. Titus has been suspended for the last 3 to 4 games. We had to sign Mike Thomas and Kris Durham just to get some other targets out there. In addition, the Bears have a solid run game to work off of. The Lions have no PA to help get Calvin open.

[cyguytillidie]

You guys made this into a "who would you take", I'm not making that argument, I'm saying Marshall had the better year. He's the only guy the Bears had all year, without him the Bears are no where near the playoff picture. I'd rather have my #1 WR scoring TD's and winning us ball games. Marshall did that, despite playing on an offense that was one of the worst in the league.

The defense won all those games for you. Saw a stat yesterday that said the Bears were 7-1 in the first 8 games and had 7 defensive touchdown. They had 0 defensive touchdowns in the next 6 and were 1-5.

[heitclone]

But the Bears didn't have Pettigrew, LeShoure, and Joique Bell who were all fumbling machines when they had the ball. Also the Lions receivers have been depleted severely this year. Burleson and Broyles both went down with knee injuries. Titus has been suspended for the last 3 to 4 games. We had to sign Mike Thomas and Kris Durham just to get some other targets out there. In addition, the Bears have a solid run game to work off of. The Lions have no PA to help get Calvin open.

I wouldn't have believed it either but the Bears and Lions actually averaged the exact same amount of yards per attempt with 4.2, the Bears run game has been no better they just run it more.

[jdoggivjc]

You guys made this into a "who would you take", I'm not making that argument, I'm saying Marshall had the better year. He's the only guy the Bears had all year, without him the Bears are no where near the playoff picture. I'd rather have my #1 WR scoring TD's and winning us ball games. Marshall did that, despite playing on an offense that was one of the worst in the league.

You guys?????

Calvin Johnson's year is a one of the more over hyped things of all time, he's not even having the best year of a WR, Brandon Marshall is. Would you rather have:
117 catches 1892yds and 5 TD's (CJ)
or
113 catches 1466 yards and 11td's (BM)

Combine those numbers with the fact that the lions threw the ball more than 200 more times than Chicago and its a no brainer. Marshall had the best year. It's a shame no one is talking about it.

But FWIW Peyton Manning is the MVP, no one else is close.

[cyguytillidie]

I wouldn't have believed it either but the Bears and Lions actually averaged the exact same amount of yards per attempt with 4.2, the Bears run game has been no better they just run it more.

Wow. That's surprising.
Another major factor is turnover differential. Bears are +16, Lions are -12.

[heitclone]

You guys?????

I still was referring to the year each guy had and I'd still take the TD's, regardless of what the guys name is or who he plays for.