Uncategorized – Page 127

Five things to watch as Lions face Packers to wrap up the season

While the Lions have nothing to play for except memories heading into the offseason, Green Bay should be motivated at Ford Field on Sunday.

With a win, the Packers can earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs, giving them a week off to rest and recuperate.

The Lions at 3-11-1 are going nowhere. The result won’t change the status of coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn who will return next season. The Packers staged a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Lions in their first meeting on Oct. 14.

“I think (the Packers are) probably quite similar other than the fact that they’re playing so well right now and with so much confidence. I think that since we played them last, they’ve really, really built momentum and confidence,’’ Lions defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni said. “They play together. It’s like they know each other very, very well. That probably wasn’t quite the case when we played them the first time, just based on number of games they have under their belt right now. I think the difference probably would be (that) they were playing at a pretty high level then, they’ll play even better now.”

Five things to watch.

1. David Blough will get his fifth start. As expected, he’s looked like a rookie at times and shows potential at others. That shows in his stats with four touchdowns and five interceptions.

2. Perhaps you’ve heard this before and it might be too late for this season, but the Lions have to find a way to finish games. Once again at Denver last week they were up 17-13 in the fourth quarter, then collapsed and lost. In their first meeting against Green NBAy, the Lions held a 22-13 lead in the fourth quarter, but the Packers came back and won 23-22. It’s been a theme of the season, giving up leads late in the game. They’ve been outscored 136-84 in the fourth quarter in the first 15 games.

3. Green Bay’s running game propels the offense. In the previous matchup they gashed the Lions’ defense for 170 rushing yards led by Jamaal Williams with 104 yards. Just like always, Detroit’s secondary will have its hands full with Aaron Rodgers. Before the Packers quarterback was intercepted on Monday night he had gone eight games without a pick.

4. The game could play a role in whether the team wants to keep or take another look at a few younger players who haven’t seen much game time. With all the injuries — 16 Lions are on injured reserve — it’s a great time for the rookies and young guys to show what they have against a good team like the Packers.

5. The Packers are coming off a tough 23-10 win at the Vikings on Monday night. With a short week interrupted by Christmas, it might be a good time to face the Pack. Still, they will be motivated and the Lions are decimated by injuries with nearly 20 players on injured reserve.

PREDICTION: Packers 34, Lions 17

Detroit Lions wrap up yet another losing decade

Shaping up to be worst season since 2009

If the Detroit Lions lose to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday — and remember they’re 13-point underdogs — this 2019 season will be the worst of this decade for the franchise.

A loss will give the Lions a 3-12-1 record, the least number of wins in this 10-year stretch.

As we head into 2020, let’s take one last glance at yet another Lions’ decade of futility.

The 72-86-1 record from 2010 through this season so far, included four winning seasons along with two wild-card games under coach Jim Caldwell and one with Jim Schwartz at the helm.

On a positive note, it’s much better than the previous decade (2000-2009) when the Lions posted a 42-118 record with only one winning season (9-7 in 2000) and no trips to the playoffs.

Ten years, zero division titles, three coaches, three general managers, one Matthew Stafford, one Calvin Johnson, more losses than wins and still no playoff victory.

Stafford and long-snapper Don Muhlbach are the only roster constants since 2010.

Stafford, who turns 32 in February, became one of only five quarterbacks in NFL history to pass for 5,000 yards in a season in 2011 with 5,038 yards. The next season he came up just 23 yards shy of 5,000 despite the fact the team went 4-12. The only two seasons he didn’t reach at least 4,000 yards were in 2018 (3,777 yards) and this year when he played in only eight games (2,499 yards).

Calvin Johnson, a future Hall of Famer, left after nine seasons and 11,619 receiving yards. He finished six straight seasons (2010-15) with at least 1,000 receiving yards shattering all previous franchise records. Like Barry Sanders, Johnson’s gifts were wasted at a time the Lions should have made the most of them. And also like Sanders, he was a joy to watch.

Three coaches defined this decade.

In 2010, the Lions were coming off a 2-14 season and hopes were high that coach Jim Schwartz in his second season would turn the page for the franchise. It was a tough task, rebuilding the roster, adding new schemes and trying to change the culture and reputation of the team still suffering since the 0-16 2008 season.

Schwartz was sent packing with a 27-37 record after the 2013 season. He did start the turn-around from the worst in the league, but did not get the team over the hump and into the land of NFL respectability.

Coach Jim Caldwell (2014-17) owns the only winning record (36-28) of the three coaches in the decade. He guided the Lions to an 11-5 record and wild-card playoff game in his first season (2014). In his four seasons Caldwell led the team to two playoff appearances. After a 9-7 season in 2017 and no playoff berth, he was fired. Lions general manager Bob Quinn said the team was better than its 9-7 record.

Quinn and Matt Patricia knew each other well from their days with the New England Patriots. Patricia was the well-respected Patriots’ defensive coordinator who had never been a head coach at any level.

So far Patricia is 9-21-1. If they lose to the Packers, the Lions will have three less wins than they did in his first year (6-10).

Certainly improvement was expected, but the defense has been a mess and stands at 29th in the league for yards allowed per game. Still owner Martha Firestone Ford has guaranteed Patricia and Quinn another season to become playoff contenders.

The last playoff win was on Jan. 5, 1992.

The last NFL championship was in 1957.

The Lions’ faithful await as the page turns on yet another disappointing decade.

RECORDS

2010: 6-10
2011: 10-6 (wild-card game)
2012: 4-12
2013: 7-9
2014: 11-5 (wild-card game)
2015: 7-9
2016: 9-7 (wild-card game)
2017: 9-7
2018: 6-10
2019: 3-11-1 (so far)

Five reasons the Lions lost to Broncos

Jamal Agnew returned a punt for a touchdown

The Lions extended their losing streak to eight games with a 27-17 loss at the Denver Broncos on Sunday. It was hardly a surprise. The Lions were big underdogs going in even though the Broncos (6-9) haven’t had a great season either.

The Lions fell to 3-11-1 and currently own the No. 3 draft pick.

Five reasons for the loss:

1. Detroit’s defense appeared to collapse in the fourth quarter. Stop me if you’ve heard this before. One key reason for the Lions’ sad-sack record is that they are unable to finish on defense or offense. The Lions held a 17-13 lead entering the fourth quarter and then the Broncos scored 14 unanswered points. The Lions forced several three-and-outs early in the game but apparently the Broncos’ offense made adjustments and the Lions couldn’t adjust.

2. Quarterback David Blough started out completing four-of-five passes on the opening possession that resulted in a Matt Prater field goal. The Lions’ only touchdown in the first half was courtesy of a 62-yard punt return by Jamal Agnew. The score was tied 10-10 at the half, but it felt like the Broncos had the momentum. Blough finished 12 of 24, 117 yards, 1 TD and a 78.0 rating. Kerryon Johnson made his return from injured reserve with 10 carries for 42 yards.

3. Blough was sacked twice in the loss to Bucs last week, but suffered double that in Denver. Part of that is on the injury-ridden offensive line, but also Blough can take some of the blame. He’s a rookie and it shows in his lack of pocket presence.

4. Kenny Golladay stretched out over the goal line for a third-quarter touchdown that gave the Lions a 17-13 lead. The wide receiver maintained control of the ball and the review confirmed the officials’ call on the field. He had six catches for 66 yards. Golladay set a new single-season career-high in receiving yards (1,118), passing his previous record of 1,063 set in 2018.

5. If the Lions had a chance to win one of their final two games, this was it. They are at home against the Packers next Sunday. Could be an ugly Sunday at Ford Field but mercifully the season will be over. Merry Christmas.

(Photo courtesy of the Detroit Lions)