Playoff linkage: Mysterious Mayhew, Tombstone and Madden simulations

It's interesting to note Lions' GM Martin Mayhew is getting no props from the national media for his rebuilding job. The Lions are the Phoenix of the NFL, yet no one is talking about the man responsible for the resurrection. ESPN's Kevin Seifert gives his take on the mystery man pulling the strings behind a Honolulu blue and silver curtain:

A week dominated by front office news in the NFC North has overshadowed the performance of another division executive. Detroit Lions general manager Martin Mayhew is a private and behind-the-scenes operator, and he doesn't generate much national attention. But can anyone argue with the job he's done in overhauling the team over the past three years?

After 8 years of he who will not be named at the helm, I was extremely leery of his right hand man taking the helm as GM. Shows what I know. 

If this Tombstone inspired post by the always entertaining Neil at Armchair Linebacker doesn't get you fired up for Saturday...you're dead inside.

I’m getting worked up and I should probably take an ice bath or dive off the roof naked into the snow, but my neighbors complained the last time I did that. Then again, I think my fury is at an appropriate level. It’s not wild or stupid, but simmering and determined, and I’m guessing that’s where the Lions are right now too. They know what happened the last time they played the Saints. They’re hungry for this game – not just for a playoff game, but for this particular playoff game against the Saints. I honestly believe that. They want everyone to see that they won’t be owned by that bullshit, by all the penalties, by all the dumb reactionary shit that drove a stake through their heart in that game. Meanwhile, the Saints are laughing and looking forward to the Conference semis. But most of all, the Lions want to win. Badly. And they want to win the damn game on the field with everyone watching. And the Saints, well, you get the sense that the Saints wish they could just fall asleep on Friday night, have a wizard or fairy sprinkle some dust on them and then wake up on Sunday with a magic victory in their back pocket. They don’t want to play this game, and therein lies the difference.

A-fucking-men.

I don't normally read or link to Bleacher Report because it's full of ill-thought out tripe like this and this (I'm serious, don't click, it'll only encourage them further). But I make an exception when Ty of The Lions in Winter posts there, such as his breaking down the Lions pass defense.

Finally, the Lions must continue to innovate schematically, forcing Brees and the Saints to adjust their game rather than the other way around. If Jim Schwartz and Gunther Cunningham can keep Payton and Brees guessing and adapting, the Lions have a chance to advance beyond the Wild Card round for the first time in twenty years.

What?! Actual analysis instead of knee jerk ridiculousness at B/R? What's going on?

Turns out Lions @ Saints doesn't even need to be played, if this Madden '12 simulation the guys at SideLion Report linked to on Twitter is to be believed. But the simulation is over an hour long. So to save you the trouble (SPOILER ALERT), Madden has the Saints trouncing the Lions 23-0.

I have no idea how accurate this is, as I've long given up on the Madden series. It's a cash cow for EA, the sheep keeping dropping $60 on it every fucking year, yet it rarely brings anything new or worthwhile to the table anymore. 

For what it's worth, the perfect video football game has already been made...and it ain't Madden. It's NFL 2K5 for the Playstation 2. Period, end of story, I win any argument.