This Week, I Answer Questions Related to the Defensive Back Position and Fans’ Allegiance to the Team.
Detroit’s winning streak ended in Houston last Sunday. Detroit seems to be on a downward trend after the loss, with many questioning head coach Jim Caldwell and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin. The NFL trade deadline was on Tuesday at 4 p.m. and Detroit was able to make a move in addition to the secondary.
If you would like to see your questions appear here next week, comment on our Facebook post, tweet me @BKnappBlogs, email me at intern@detroitlionspodcast.com, or call in to the podcast. Here are this week’s questions.
Question 1: How badly did the Darius Slay injury impact us against Houston?
Losing Darius Slay hurt Detroit’s chances coming in on Sunday. Johnson Bademosi played in his spot and got an interception and DeAndre Hopkins was held to 44 yards on four catches, which was still a good amount. If Slay could have played over Bademosi though, Hopkins could have had less catches and maybe Bademosi could have been covering someone else, like C.J. Fiedorowicz for example.
Was it the main reason why Detroit lost? No. Did it have an impact? Yes, but not enough to be the reason why we lost. Our defensive line should have been better. Our linebacking core was getting exposed and the offense was flat, plus poor coaching turned this game into a loss.
Question 2: Was the trade for Johnthan Banks worth it?
Yes, the trade for the former second round cornerback was worth what Detroit gave. Detroit gave up a 7th round pick in 2018 for the struggling defensive back. Banks was teammates with Darius Slay at Mississippi State and you can see Slay is happy his former teammate is a teammate again.
Welcome to the D bra @JBanks_27 #OnePride
— Darius Slay (@_bigplayslay23) November 1, 2016
Banks hasn’t been the second round pick Tampa thought he could be, getting just seven interceptions, 17 pass deflections, and 109 tackles in his career. If Banks works out for Detroit, he could re-sign for a cheap deal and become a steal for the Lions. If he fails, then Detroit gave up a seventh round pick who would have a slim chance to make the team in the first place. Either way, they wouldn’t lose much.
Question 3: Is it acceptable to have a backup team? Does having a backup team make you not a true Lions fan? If it’s Ok, which teams are the least contentious to support?
Alright, these questions are complex and very controversial. Many people will have different opinions on this topic, so while I will give my opinion, it doesn’t represent the Lions fan base as a whole. Other Lions fans will have different answers to this, not all will agree with me.
Yes. I have a backup team and that is the New England Patriots. I grew up with my father looking at my grandfather, who is a die hard Lions fan, and saying he didn’t want to be like him. Hoping, wanting a championship that might never come. So he picked the New England Patriots when Tom Brady was drafted to them.
As a young child I followed in my fathers footsteps and decided that the New England Patriots were my team. The first year we became fans, they won the Super Bowl. As I grew older, I realized I lived in Michigan, so while the Lions were not successful, they were still representing my state and me. So in 2008 I started watching the Lions every week and what a season to start paying attention. Now I couldn’t just drop the Pats, they were the team I grew up with. So they became my backup team as I would still cheer them on and hope they would do well even to this day. I want to see the Pats vs Lions in the Super Bowl and I would cheer for Detroit easily.
I think having a backup team isn’t a bad thing. You can be a die hard fan of any team and still support another. I like other teams in other sports besides the local Detroit teams, but Detroit teams are favored over them. I cover the Detroit Lions, so obviously they are my favorite team and I like them more than any other team, but the Pats will always have a place in my heart.
The Pats are one team that many attack, so my opinion is unpopular. The thing is, you can like whoever you want – who cares what others think? If you don’t want to cause an argument though, here are some teams to consider.
- Cleveland Browns
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Oakland Raiders
- LA Rams
- Atlanta Falcons
- Houston Texans
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
Now everyone will have different opinions on who you should and shouldn’t like. For me though, as a Lions fan you are looking for a backup team that won’t cause any issues with Lions fans, those are teams you could cheer for.
Thanks for reading! We will be taking and answering your questions via Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and even the Podcast! Don’t forget to follow me and ask questions on Twitter @BKnappBlogs, find and send me questions on Reddit at /u/sportsguy4life. I also have an email you can send questions to at intern@detroitlionspodcast.com. Call in to the live post-game show and ask me questions and share your thoughts on the Detroit Lions subreddit.
