DETROIT — Dan Campbell will be serving up slices of humble pie this week after a 37-31 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Ford Field was electric, the fans were jumping out of their seats expecting the very best after the big win at the Chiefs 10 days prior.
What they did not see was the Lions at their best. Two critical turnovers on offense put more pressure on the defense. Not a good equation.
“I know it stings and those guys are disappointed, I’m disappointed, the staff is, but my gosh this is good. We’ll get a little humble pie here,’’ coach Dan Campbell said.
Expectations are high for these 1-1 Lions and the season is not over.
“Sometimes you don’t know exactly where you’re at until you’re in it. We come off a big win and you can always preach certain things but this is the NFL, these guys ame in, took that win and they earned it,’’ Campbell said.
It was the first win for the Seahawks who were coming off a home loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Five things that were costly:
1. The defense had trouble getting pressure on quarterback Geno Smith. The only sack — and it was big — came late in the fourth quarter when linebacker Alex Anzalone went the extra mile to sack Smith for a 17-yard loss on a third-and-10 play with 2:11 left. “I think we’ve got to stay true to the rush plan itself. One more time, close the pocket in on him and don’t give him anywhere to go and somebody’s going to get one here,’’ Campbell said. “But we can’t rush high and let him run through unevaded.’’ Smith finished with 328 passing yards and 20 rushing. Anzalone said Smith may be old (he’s 32) but he still has wheels. Anzalone also said the biggest thing the defense needs to work on is tackling.
2. The Lions turned the ball over three times. The one fumble as the clock ran out in the first half just didn’t matter. The other two were huge. On the first play of the third quarter, running back David Montgomery fumbled and Seattle recovered on Detroit’s 23-yard line. Two plays later Seattle scored a touchdown. Jared Goff’s streak of 383 passes without an interception was snapped when a pass intended for Jahmyr Gibbs was intercepted by Tre Brown and returned for a touchdown. Goff took the blame saying he was about to get hit so had to throw the ball before Gibbs broke for it. “If there was some magic world where we could take away the turnovers today I thought we played pretty well. But outside of that, the turnovers are what kill you,’’ Goff said. “We have to take care of the ball, we didn’t and it cost us.’’
3. Campbell said he thought Goff played “really well.’’ It was the interception that was huge. Otherwise he was 28 of 35 for 323 yards and three touchdowns. But the loss stings, Goff said they all do. “You would like to get the first one for the fans. That’s why it stings a little more. That was a real, real, real home-field advantage for us today,’’ Goff said. Having them do that for the rest of the year will be a real, real home field advantage but you have to give them something to root for, though, and continue to find ways to win games.’’
4. The Lions had a chance to win it when they got the ball with 1:44 left at midfield, down by 3 points. They managed to get down to the 20-yard line with 3 seconds left and kicked a field goal to tie it and send it to overtime. Goff didn’t attempt a deep pass for a touchdown on the drive. “I never felt like we were crunched against the clock to score a touchdown,’’ Campbell said. At that point they were without right guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, Montgomery, Taylor Decker (who was inactive) and while Amon-Ra St. Brown was back in the game after cramping and they didn’t know if he was limited.
5. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds had another big game with 5 catches for 66 yards and a pair of touchdowns. “Reynolds is really playing big for us now. He’s been a reliable guy since he’s been here, he just had some injuries last year that slowed him down at times when eh’s healthy and he’s going he’s somebody we have a lot of faith in,’’ Campbell said. Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta came up big for the second straight week. His five catches for 63 yards do not tell the whole story. He also had a key block on David Montgomery’s touchdown scamper. “I think his run after catch is pretty special and his hands, his catch point is really competitive. He’s starting to find himself and how he wants to play the game and how he fits in our offense,’’ Goff said. “I’m excited to see his development.’’
INJURIES: Montgomery left the game with a thigh bruise, according to Campbell. The coach said James Houston could be out a while, but was not more specific. He had no news on Vaitai who left the game and did not return.
UP NEXT: Falcons at Lions, Sunday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m. The Falcons (2-0) edged the Packers, 25-24, on Sunday.
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