LIONS: THE BEST LOSS WE'VE HAD IN A WHILE...

I know the thing to do would be to moan and bitch about yet another loss, to decry the change in direction of the team, to essentially say "same Lions" and move on, but I just can't. Sure, it would have been nice to get the win, and it was tough to see our defense soften just enough after such an outstanding effort, but we've got to be realistic here.

Don't let those who would devalue this as Seattle being shaky or try to pretend that our D-line was very good only because Seattle lost Steve Hutchinson in free agency fool you. I was very impressed with our defensive tenacity, speed, and-most of all-hitting. We covered well and got to the QB. Folks, Hasselback is a good QB, he got out of some things with quick, accurate throws that a lot of other QB's wouldn't...or won't. Five sacks, holding last year's MVP to less than 100 yards, keeping the highest scoring offense from last year out of the end zone...really couldn't ask for more from the defense other than letting them go down the field on the last drive-and even that was really two big plays, the seventeen yard run being the real killer.

Offesively I was not as impressed, but I wasn't displeased, which might surprise you since we rolled up 6 points. First, that defense is real good and got better from last year-they didn't go to the Super Bowl by accident-by adding Peterson. Next, I was pleased to see our offense trying to go downfield instead of sideways, something I hadn't seen in a while. I like the way Kevin ran, even though the stats weren't great...he caught the ball well. For the first time, it makes total sense to me why a former DB from St. Louis was valued more by the coaches than two former 1st round picks at WR. Our O-line is obviously better, but not yet up to where it needs to be. If I'm not mistaken, we gave up only one sack. And, yes, I like our QB. Confident, not afraid to throw downfield and make no mistake, that incomplete pass on 3rd and 3 that led to the decision not to try a FG was Bryson's fault for not making the right read.

All in all, we did well, the real key will be to come out with the same intensity and better precision next week on the road in Chicago. We've seen surprising one game positives from this team before, making it a week in and week out thing is the key. You can make an argument, which some people have made, that we have already played the best team we will play this season.

Any loss sucks, but compared to 31-3 shellackings and overtimes losses where we win the toss but decide to kick, I'll take one like this every time.