The Detroit Lions (PS:Detroit Lions iron on logo)have lost four of six games together with their traditional Thanksgiving home date destroyed by Detroit Lions, however they are still 7-4 and in the thick of the N.F.C. wild-card race going into Sunday night's game with the Saints (8-3).
"It's a situation that we likely have killed to be in last year," Coach Jim Schwartz stated. "We're in it at this time, and it's our time to make a move with it."
The Saints(PS:Detroit Lions embroiderde logo), just two seasons taken away from a Super Bowl title, still claim it is their own time. Actually, players from time to time wear T-shirts around the practice center that read, "Our time."
"We could win the Super Bowl in the '09 season, so we understand what that feeling is like," quarterback Drew Brees said. "We understand the journey and the amount of work required to go into that. All of us realize that the teams that are performing their best in November, December will be the ones making pretty significant playoff runs."
The Saints are 5-0 at the Superdome, along with four of those wins by double digits. They have won three straight over all.
The last time the Lions came to the Superdome, which it was opening day of the Saints' Super Bowl season. Brees tied a team record with six touchdown passes in what turned out to be the first of 13 consecutive wins to open the best season in franchise record.
Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was a rookie getting his first start. He was intercepted three times. Schwartz was a rookie coach in his first game too. The Lions were being terrible for years and Schwartz had a very long rebuilding job ahead.
Now in the 3rd season, Schwartz has Detroit just a couple significant December wins from the first playoff berth since 1999.
"What's interesting about it is, you get to this point of year which games are crucial," Saints Coach Sean Payton said. "The hardest part of our industry is dealing with this month of December and being on teams when the games aren't able to matter in regards to playoff ramifications."
He added: "They've worked very hard at putting a method in position. Therefore it's definitely then that you start to appreciate these opportunities which come later in the year as the season winds down."
If only Detroit found all its best players available. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the 2010 defensive rookie of the year, has been suspended a couple of games for stamping about the arm of Packers guard Evan Dietrich-Smith. That may weaken the Lions' pass rush, which will be critical against a Saints offense that leads the N.F.L. in passing with 324.2 yards a game and has not allowed a sack in three games. Still, the Saints point out they expect to have Detroit's defensive line to stay solid with the rookie Nick Fairley moving in.
"They're a deep defense," Saints right tackle Zach Strief said. "They're aggressive, they're quick, they're good athletes and I do think they've kind of posed problems for everybody." The Saints also are concerned about Detroit's offense, specially the chemistry Stafford has developed with receiver Calvin Johnson. Johnson is clearly Stafford's top goal, but there is little any defense has been able to do about it. Johnson leads the league in touchdown catches with 12 and is third in yards receiving with 1,023.
"He's the top receiver in football, and I say that in an exceedingly honest and unbiased way," Payton said. "There's certainly a confidence level that Matthew has in throwing the football to him and the team has in him."
Stafford, meanwhile, is having his best season after getting hurt for much of 2010. He has thrown for more than 3,100 yards and has developed a powerful presence at the line of scrimmage. He said the Lions were not satisfied with their recent struggles or Suh's suspension, but had a optimistic view.
"It's time for all of us to put the pedal to the metal and start playing our best football at this time of the season; that's what great teams do," Stafford said. "If you want to make the playoffs, you have to do it on Sundays."
Brees, at the same time, will be the final person to expect the Lions to be reeling after their loss to Green Bay. For Brees, the very best players and the best teams understand how to move themselves back up after having a tough stretch and play their best as the stakes rise.
"We're all battling for a playoff spot," Brees said. "You want to be playing your best football entering December and January and secure a playoff spot and then many things can happen. They've got exactly the same goals as we do."
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