First and foremost, let me say this...For the first time in this century, the Lions will not have a losing season....those are big, big words....an amazing feat that the Lions should be proud of...they are officially taking that next step that people in Michigan have been asking for for a long, long time.

But they shouldn't have won yesterday...and not just because I picked them to lose...by a point...which is what they would have lost by if the refs had called one of the most obvious face mask penalties in recent years....but hey, much like a lot...and I mean A LOT of calls all day...the refs decided to overlook this one too.

The refs overlooked a ton of calls...both ways...so if everybody is cheating...then it's "fair."...I guess...I think...

Here are some other thoughts about this game...

1. On the long incompletion to Titus Young...a beautiful laser, put in just the right spot up the left sideline...the reason he didn't catch that ball was because the Vikings defender grabbed his outside arm and pulled it back, before the ball got there...that's called pass interference...

2. Any time that Matthew Stafford feels the pressure and pulls it down...he never seems to look downfield.  It's as if he panics early and then tries desperately to escape...these are the mistakes of a rookie qb with mobility...which Stafford isn't...he's not a rookie and he's definitely not mobile.  He needs to be coached out of this.

3. Why?  Why couldn't the Lions stop Toby Gerhart?  He's the reincarnation of Tommy Vardell...maybe Mike Alstot...not Earl Campbell.  He's not a speed back.  He's a power runner.  The strength of the Lions is supposed to be their defensive line and yet they couldn't stop Gerhart from averaging almost ten yards a carry. 

4. Why?  When the Vikings had only one viable receiver, Percy Harvin, were we completely unable to cover him?  How can the Vikings be smart enough to consistently find ways to get Harvin the ball and we can't get more catches for Calvin Johnson?  The Lions must be doing something really wrong.

5. The Lions really missed Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly this week.  They'll definitely get Suh back for this weeks road game against the Raiders...but you know that every eye in the stadium will be on him and he'll get flagged for anything that is remotely close to a foul.

6. Likewise, the Lions really miss a running game.  With Leshoure gone all season, Best now on the IR and Kevin Smith nursing a bad ankle, the Lions have been trying to scrape together some semblance of a rushing attack with Maurice Morris (who has been less than impressive), Keiland Williams (who has looked good at times, but not consistently) and reverses to Stefan Logan and Nate Burleson.  This is a team that cannot get one yard late in the game with their running attack.  This will not do.

7. Where has Alphonso Smith been all year?  I know he came to camp hurt, but last season he was the second best (some might say the best) corner on the team and this year the Lions have played an inexperienced and highly suspect Aaron Berry instead of Smith.  I hope to see Smith the rest of the year...at least in the Nickel if nothing else.

8. Are Houston and Delmas coming back?  The Lions need them badly.

9. Sure there were no stupid personal foul penalties, but...the Lions still gave up 10 penalties...that's pathetic.

10. In order to make the playoffs, the Lions have to win against both Oakland and San Diego...if they don't, they will not be playing in January.

Ndamukong Suh stomped and was given a two game suspension...so he appealed and because he really did stomp on the Green Bay offensive lineman, really did lie about whether or not he really meant to do it, and made himself sound like a thug and a moron later...even though he apologized via...Facebook...he is still suspended for two games.  Suh's play has been encouraging and team strengthening and nobody ever complained about it (except the other team) unless he got called for a penalty and hurt the team...but now he has REALLY hurt his team.  The Lions need these next two wins really bad...and he will not be able to help them.

So the Lions will be without their best defensive player on a week they are scheduled to travel down to New Orleans to fight the number one passing offense--which is pretty hard to believe after seeing how well the Packers throw it.  Not only will Suh be absent...but there's a pretty good chance that the Lions will also be without starting safety Louis Delmas and starting corner Chris Houston...that bodes well for them as they'll watch Drew Brees drop back fifty times and tear them apart.

Which is even worse as the Lions have almost fallen out of the playoff race and desperately need this win.  The Lions are currently 7-4 and behind a boat load of tie breakers held by Atlanta and Chicago. 

To further add to the Lions woes.  This past week they had to place RB Jahvid Best on the IR.  Kevin Smith, Best's temp stand in, had a high ankle sprain and could only practice for about twenty minutes this week...so they Lions went out and hot another old Lions castoff...which is a unique idea in and of it's own right...and signed Aaron Brown to take the reigns for the time being.

Now, it is really interesting that the Lions brought back another guy who couldn't make their team out of training camp...but it's even more disturbing that the Lions decided to go in that direction...None of the castoffs from the other 31 teams was worth a try?  Nobody on a practice squad anywhere?

Is the Lions offense so incredibly hard to learn that they thought only one of their old castoffs would be able to pick it up quick enough to contribute this week?  That must be a really complicated offense...

New Orleans Offense vs Detroit Defense

How much more do I have to say? The Lions' secondary was never exactly the Lions big strength to begin with, but without the pressure and attitude that Suh brings...it's even less of a strength.  Add to that the loss of two of their four starters...against Drew Brees...

Here's hoping that Nick Fairly can come through and apply some massive attitude and pressure of his own.  Otherwise...

Advantage: Saints (By an awful lot...)

New Orleans Defense vs Detroit Offense

This will be the first week that Matthew Stafford will stop wearing his glove.  He's been wearing the glove for the last month and the Lions have gone from 5-1 to 7-4...but the broken finger and protective glove had absolutely nothing to do with that...

New Orleans has the 24th ranked defense in the NFL...not all that impressive...but the Lions are playing with only a ghost of a running game and they will definitely be playing from behind all day...ie the Saints will be coming after our QB a ton on Sunday night.

I don't think they have anybody that can cover Calvin Johnson and as long as Stafford can regain his accuracy and occasionally remember that he has two other receivers and two tight ends beside Calvin, the Lions offense can move the ball on the Saints.

Advantage: Lions

Prediction

I'm sorry, but the Lions do not have enough on the defensive side of the ball this week to cope with Drew Brees and his pinball scoring offense.

New Orleans 41 Detroit 24