This is a game for diehards only as it will be blacked out in Detroit.  Something will have to give in this game as the Browns are allowing 394.1 yards per game while the Lions are not much better giving up 386.2 yards per game.  Could this be the game that the Browns actually allow Brady Quinn to throw the ball downfield?  Opposing QBs have a 107.8 QB Rating against the Lions’ D so it appears that the Browns might be throwing more than usual despite not having a lot of weapons on offense.  Ex-Lion Mike Furrey is leading the Browns in receptions this season with 21 but he is only averaging 7.2 yards per catch.  Still, look for him to be somewhat inspired playing against his old team.  This could also be the game that the Browns really turn rookie WR Mohamed Massaquoi loose and he has speed to burn.  Joshua Cribbs is going to play on Sunday and I imagine that the Browns will use the Wildcat Formation a lot against the Lions to get the ball into their best player’s hands which could be bad news for the Lions who are allowing 114.6 yards rushing and 4.7 yards per carry this year.  Jamal Lewis will also likely get his share of carries on Sunday for the Browns.

The Lions will probably try to be more balanced than usual due to the Browns’ lack of a run defense.  For the Lions to be effective running the ball they must be able to handle ex-Lion Shaun Rogers of the Browns and that won’t be easy.  Kevin Smith has probably been antsy for a matchup like this one as the Browns allow 166.4 yards rushing and 4.7 yards per carry.  He should have a solid game for the Lions on Sunday.  The Browns don’t blitz a lot so rookie QB Matt Stafford will have time to throw the ball.  He will be looking a lot for Calvin Johnson this week as they need to start getting on the same page.  Dennis Northcutt will also be plenty motivated against his old team.  Rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew could also have a big game as the Browns are having issues dealing with the TE in the passing game.

PREDICTION:  LIONS 27, BROWNS 17

The Lions have lost 27-year old guard Stephen Peterman for the year due to ankle surgery.  This is a big loss for the Lions as he started all 9 games for them this year.  He has played four years with the Lions appearing in 39 games (38 starts).  Peterman’s injury explains the pick up of Dexter Fowler earlier this week by the Lions.

The Lions have placed starting safety Marquand Manuel on the Injured Reserve List with a shoulder injury ending his season.  Manuel played in all 9 games for the Lions this season and he made 36 tackles, forced 1 fumble and he defensed 2 passes.  Manuel will be replaced on the roster by CB/S DeAngelo Smith who was signed off the Bears’ practice squad.  The 23-year old has yet to play in a game in his NFL career and he is a tad on the small side at 5’11″, 198 pounds. 

The Lions have signed 30-year old C/G Melvin Fowler.  Fowler played in 15 games (5 starts) for the Bills last year.  He has now played in 87 games (60 starts) in his 7-year NFL career.  This was a solid addition to the Lions as he can help them get a better inside running game going due to his power.

The Lions played better than I thought they would but that is not saying much as I picked them to lose 45-10.  Matt Stafford was a lot better than he was last week as he completed 29 of 51 passes for 244 yards with 1 TD pass.  He also carried the ball 4 times for 28 yards (7.0 ypc) today.  Kevin Smith had another so-so game as he carried the ball 12 times for 55 yards (4.6 ypc) and he also caught 3 passes for 10 yards (3.3 avg).  Calvin Johnson (8 rec, 84 yards) and Dennis Northcutt (6 rec, 48 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Lions today.  TE Will Heller had his best game in quite some time as he caught 4 passes for 33 yards (8.3 avg) with a TD grab.  The Lions finished up with 297 total yards on offense (93 rushing, 204 passing) in this game.

Safety Ko Simpson led a poor effort by the Lions’ D with 8 tackles.  CB Phillip Buchanon (7 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss) and LB Julian Peterson (7 tackles, 1 QB hit) also pitched in for the Lions defensively.  The Vikings finished up with 492 total yards on offense (152 rushing, 340 passing) in this game.  The Lions are now 1-8 on the year.

The Lions will be without starting linebacker Ernie Sims indefinately due to a Grade II tear of his hamstring.  Sims has played in 7 games for the Lions this season and he has made 25 tackles.  Rookie linebacker DeAndre Levy will replace Sims in the starting lineup.  He has played in 8 games for the Lions this season and he has 35 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, he has defensed 4 passes and he has 1 interception.  Despite Levy being a playmaker this season the Lions will still miss Sims who really brings the pain when he hits someone.

The Detroit Lions lost 27-13 early this season against the Vikings at home and it will be even tougher to compete with them in the MetroDome on Sunday.  Matt Stafford needs to get on the same page as Calvin Johnson or the Lions are going to have a hard time moving the ball against the Vikings.  Brandon Pettitgrew could have a big game for the Lions on Sunday and so could Calvin Johnson but it will have to be on the short stuff as DE Jared Allen (10.5 sacks) will likely also be in the Lions’ backfield often.  Lions’ QBs have been sacked 26 times already this season and the Vikings have 31 sacks so pass blocking could be a huge issue for the Lions.  Still, the Vikings can be passed on as opponents average 237.9 yards per game through the air against them.  It will be up to Matt Stafford to protect the football which he has had problems with so far this season.  It would really help the Lions’ cause if Kevin Smith and Maurice Morris can get a running game going this week against a Vikings’ D that is allowing 94.8 yards rushing and 4.1 yards per carry so far this year. 

The Vikings will likely be able to do whatever they want on offense in this game as the Lions allow 109.9 yards rushing per game (4.7 ypc) and they also are giving up 263.1 yards passing per game as opposing QBs have a rating of 107.3 against them!  With that in mind Adrian Peterson will likely have a great game on Sunday.  But don’t think for a minute that Brett Favre won’t be flinging the ball around often.  Look for him to have time to survey the field picking the Lions’ D apart with passes to Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe. 

PREDICTION:  VIKINGS 45, LIONS 10

29-year old veteran inside linebacker Larry Foote is playing well for the Lions this season.  In 8 games Foote has 56 tackles (leads team), 5 tackles for a loss, 1 sack and he has defensed 3 passes.  Foote is a good example for the younger players on the Lions as he plays hard all of the time.  He actually likes playing in Detroit and he wants to play for them again next season so it will be interesting to see if the Lions bring him back.

The Lions have claimed 24-year old CB Jack Williams off waivers from the Broncos.  He played in 7 games for the Broncos this season and he had 14 tackles and defensed 3 passes.  In two years with the Broncos Williams played in 21 games in which he made 27 tackles and he defensed 3 passes.  Williams was a pretty high draft choice of the Broncos in the 2008 NFL so the Lions figured that they had nothing to lose by giving him a shot.  The Lions have released Jason David before he even played in a game for them.

UPDATE:  The Lions have placed Jack Williams on I.R. ending his season with a knee injury.  He didn’t make any tackles before getting injured.

The Detroit Lions (1-7) looked like they were going to get their first road victory in over two years, but Matt Hasselbeck and the Seattle Seahawks’ (3-5) came back from a 17-0 first quarter deficit to win it.  The Lions got off to a great start, driving the ball down to the Seahawks’ 15-yard line.  Kicker Jason Hanson missed on a 34-yard attempt though and the Lions defense came on to the field.  They were able to get a turnover on the Seahawks’ first play from scrimmage when Louis Delmas intercepted Hasselbeck and ran it back 29 yards to the Seahawks’ 2-yard line.  Brandon Pettigrew then false started to push the Lions back to the seven, but redeemed himself on the very next play, catching a touchdown pass from Mathew Stafford to put the Lions up 7-0 early.  The Seahawks helped the Lions out once again, when Justin Giffith caught a Hasselbeck pass and then fumbled it and the Lions Ko Simpson recovered it.  Once again with a short field, Stafford was able to produce.  He hit Bryant Johnson for a 29-yard touchdown to put the Lions up 14-0.  The Seahawks blew it once again on their third possession and turned the ball over on downs after the Lions stuffed them on 4th and short.  That led to a Hanson field goal and the Lions found themselves with a big lead after just one quarter.

After an eventful and successful first quarter, it was all downhill the rest of the game.  The Lions first quarter success was mostly due to the Seahawks terrible play and the Seahawks got it together in the second quarter, putting up 13 points to put the score at 17-13 at halftime.  Stafford and the offense did a good job executing and getting into the endzone in the first quarter, but they wouldn’t reach the endzone again for the rest of the game and Stafford threw the ball all over the place and was intercepted five times.  They didn’t even get back on the scoreboard until eight minutes left in the game, when Hanson hit a 50-yard field goal to put the Lions down 25-20.  It has been a tough task for Stafford this year, but the rookie just wasn’t ready to be an NFL quarterback just yet.  With the Lions driving late in the 4th quarter, Stafford threw his 5th pick to the Hawks’ Josh Wilson who returned it 61-yards for a touchdown to seal the win for Seattle.