# The 0-16 NFL Season Thread, 2008 Edition **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 11, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125 "2008-09-11T17:59:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/181 "2008-12-22T23:36:14Z")
Not entirely fixed - it was Eli, not Peyton Manning. The “barf” remains in effect, though. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/182 "2008-12-22T23:55:28Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Not entirely fixed - it was Eli, not Peyton Manning. The “barf” remains in effect, though. This is true. I forgot that part of the quote. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/183 "2008-12-23T00:18:54Z")
I really think the lyons could beat the Browns at this point. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/184 "2008-12-23T02:01:24Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > I really think the lyons could beat the Browns at this point. That would indeed be a titanic struggle. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/185 "2008-12-23T02:03:41Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > That would indeed be a titanic struggle. It would not be on pay TV. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/186 "2008-12-23T02:21:52Z")
The Browns suck as badly as they do because they’ve given up. They don’t care anymore. Throw them a 0-15 Lions team and they’ll muster up enough energy to beat them just to avoid having that over their heads. ---
**Author:** ![2sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e47774/32.png) [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/187 "2008-12-23T06:01:09Z")
The Lions shouldn’t try to drop down a few spots and take a Lomas Brown plus another pick. They should drop to the middle of the first round, try to grab a Luther Elliss, and try for a Jerry Ball, a Mike Utley, an Eric Andolsek, and a Willie Clay in the lower rounds. Not that all, or even most, of those picks would work out. But there’s a greater chance of producing some servicable starters. The Lions lack the solid core of dependable players you add some superstars to to make a championship run. Hell, trading the #1 overall for a mid-round first, second, and seventh plus a first rounder in 2010 would be better than just taking the best player. With expectations like that, you should have little trouble finding a trading partner. And for this Lions fan living in Pittsburgh, I hope to hell they beat the Pack! ---
**Author:** ![WoodenTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/188 "2008-12-23T06:09:59Z")
> [@2sense](#): > > …try to grab a Luther Elliss, and try for a Jerry Ball, a Mike Utley, an Eric Andolsek, and a Willie Clay in the lower rounds… \ You know, that huckster Mel Kiper started referring to prospects with indefinite articles a couple years ago, and now it seems like everyone is doing it. What is this “a Mike Utley,” “a Willie Clay” business? I guess it makes sense, completing the cognitive trend of treating draft prospects more like prize cattle than people. Not intended to be an attack on you 2sense, just something that always sounds odd to me. \ Edit: Okay, so I googled their names and uh… you actually used the indefinite article pretty sensibly, since none of those are draft prospects. Point remains, though! Mel Kiper still does it, and it still annoys me! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/189 "2008-12-23T22:33:08Z")
I am not worried about the Lions chances. Hell we beat the Pack in GB in 1991. We are due. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/190 "2008-12-23T22:43:00Z")
> [@2sense](#): > > The Lions shouldn’t try to drop down a few spots and take a Lomas Brown plus another pick. They should drop to the middle of the first round, try to grab a Luther Elliss, and try for a Jerry Ball, a Mike Utley, an Eric Andolsek, and a Willie Clay in the lower rounds. Not that all, or even most, of those picks would work out. But there’s a greater chance of producing some servicable starters. The Lions lack the solid core of dependable players you add some superstars to to make a championship run. Hell, trading the #1 overall for a mid-round first, second, and seventh plus a first rounder in 2010 would be better than just taking the best player. With expectations like that, you should have little trouble finding a trading partner. > > And for this Lions fan living in Pittsburgh, I hope to hell they beat the Pack! One problem with trading that. [This](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft06/news/story?id=2410670)table. The GMs live and die by this thing, (or something very similar to it) man. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/191 "2008-12-23T22:45:13Z")
Even though it has very logical attachment to reality. Even if it was somehow accurate when it was written (and it can’t be, you can’t really quantify a judgement call like that), the way contracts have exploded has severely devalued the top picks. That stupid chart has kept many teams from doing things that are mutually beneficial for them. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/192 "2008-12-23T22:54:48Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Even though it has very logical attachment to reality. Even if it was somehow accurate when it was written (and it can’t be, you can’t really quantify a judgement call like that), the way contracts have exploded has severely devalued the top picks. > > That stupid chart has kept many teams from doing things that are mutually beneficial for them. Agreed. I like having the pick of the litter, but I hate having the number one draft choice. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/193 "2008-12-23T22:57:54Z")
Er, very little logical attachment to reality. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/194 "2008-12-23T23:06:11Z")
Does not compute. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/195 "2008-12-23T23:13:22Z")
Correcting my previous post. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/196 "2008-12-23T23:54:19Z")
So…the Lions are the first ever team to start a season 0-15 and might become the first to ever play a perfectly awful 16-game season. Are there any articles on line that have run a comparison between the 2008 Lions and the 1976 Bucs, who were perfectly awful in their shorter season? You know, comparing their players’ stats, the strength of the teams they faced, margins of victory, detailed stuff like that, which would indicate which team was actually worse? Heaven knows, there’s no reason to think that if the 1976 season were two games longer that the Bucs would have been likely to win one or both of them. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/197 "2008-12-24T00:55:14Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > Not entirely fixed - it was Eli, not Peyton Manning. The “barf” remains in effect, though. Yeah… my bad on Eli; but Drew Brees was taken with a pick we already owned and not technically involved in the trade. For Vick we ended up with LT, Tay Cody, Tim Dwight and.. I want to say Mike Scifres, but I can’t back that up. I’m not sure who the fourth player turned out to be. . For Eli we got Rivers, Shawne Merriman, Nate Kaeding.. and traded one for Roman Oben. And you are correct.. the barf remains in effect for either Manning. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/198 "2008-12-24T01:04:47Z")
A smidge of research later… we got Tomlinson, Tay Cody, Tim Dwight and Reche Caldwell for Michael Vick. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/199 "2008-12-24T02:16:55Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > So…the Lions are the first ever team to start a season 0-15 and might become the first to ever play a perfectly awful 16-game season. > > Are there any articles on line that have run a comparison between the 2008 Lions and the 1976 Bucs, who were perfectly awful in their shorter season? You know, comparing their players’ stats, the strength of the teams they faced, margins of victory, detailed stuff like that, which would indicate which team was actually worse? Heaven knows, there’s no reason to think that if the 1976 season were two games longer that the Bucs would have been likely to win one or both of them. Crazy thing is, those Bucs were an expansion team and improved dramatically by 1979, with the likes of Doug Williams, Jimmy Giles, Lee Roy Selmon and Ricky Bell. The Lions are NOT an expansion team, and I don’t see a dramatic turnaround ala the Dolphins or Falcons for them next season, or even the one after that. Sadly, as a Bengals fan, I must proclaim them the new 21st century Bengals…mired in ineptitude and with little prospects for improvement, unless of course the departure of Mr “I want a receiver” Millen translates into some smarter draft choices. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125/200 "2008-12-24T04:08:28Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > So…the Lions are the first ever team to start a season 0-15 and might become the first to ever play a perfectly awful 16-game season. > > Are there any articles on line that have run a comparison between the 2008 Lions and the 1976 Bucs, who were perfectly awful in their shorter season? You know, comparing their players’ stats, the strength of the teams they faced, margins of victory, detailed stuff like that, which would indicate which team was actually worse? Heaven knows, there’s no reason to think that if the 1976 season were two games longer that the Bucs would have been likely to win one or both of them. Well, let’s keep in mind that the Bucs actually went 0 - 26 before winning, if memory serves me correctly. I don’t think the Lions have proven themselves THAT inept yet.:eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-0-16-nfl-season-thread-2008-edition/463125.md?page=11)