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)

 

 

Five things to watch as Lions face Broncos

The Lions, absolutely decimated by injury, are out to break their seven-game losing streak at Denver today. It will be a tough assignment.

The Broncos (5-9) have won two of their last three, while the Lions’ roster features 16 players on injured reserve including Matthew Stafford, Jarrad Davis and Marvin Jones Jr.

It’s not anywhere close to the lineup that started the season, but it gives the younger, inexperienced players a chance to prove their worth.

Still, the Lions are out to win just like every week.

Running back Kerryon Johnson will return from injured reserve. Will be interesting to see how effective he can be along with Bo Scarbrough who is expected to return from his rib injury.

With Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia getting the vote of confidence for another season, it’s a different scenario than in recent weeks when there was speculation that the duo could be shipped out due to the mounting losses. 

Five things to watch:

1. David Blough will get his fourth start with the absences of Matthew Stafford and Jeff Driskel. In the first three, the rookie quarterback threw for three touchdowns and five interceptions. Last week in the loss to the Bucs, he threw two picks (one returned for a touchdown) and no touchdowns.

2. Wide receiver Danny Amendola appears to be the go-to receiver for David Blough. He needs 49 receiving yards in these final two games to surpass his season best of 689 (in 2010 with St. Louis). Amendola, who is not used to losing so many games, still gives it his all. “I think it’s pretty easy to see Danny on the football field on game day, how tough, how hard he plays. He just continually works all 60-minutes of the game. He is definitely one of those guys that maybe – he’s not necessarily sure when his number is going to be called or when the ball is going to come his way, but he’s going to run everything like it’s going to be his way every time,’’ Patricia said. “Certainly, he does a lot of dirty work in the run game too. He’ll go in there, and he’ll throw his body around and try to make some really difficult blocks in both the run and the pass game if we’re asking him to do that stuff. I think that’s just the mentality that you love to have as a coach.’’

3. With Davis out, more is on the plate of rookie linebacker Jahlani Tavai. “His confidence in knowing what the calls are, knowing what the responsibilities are, getting that communicated to the rest of the defense, handling the adjustments and the changes,’’ Patricia said. “It’s certainly, through playing the course of a season, that kind of experience that goes along with that. I think he’s handled that really well. The biggest thing for me with him is just, he’s been consistent since Day 1.’’

4. Detroit’s defensive secondary, ranked 10th in the NFL, goes against the Broncos’ 30th best offense. Too bad “on paper” doesn’t count. Quarterback Drew Lock, who has started the last three games, completed just 45 percent of his passes last week against the Chiefs’ defense. “I think he’s a guy that has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. He’s a competitive guy, which you love,’’ Patricia said. “I think he feels that he’s out there every single snap trying to prove something. I think he’s fearless in his play. He’ll really put the ball up and trust his guys to go make some plays for him, and he’ll throw his body around. From that aspect of it, you can see that, kind of maybe a little bit of that juice, that fire that he brings to that offense right now.”

5. It’s not so much the Xs and Os for the coaches, it’s finding a way to keep the Lions motivated when nothing is on the line — even Patricia’s job. “There is just a younger age bracket of guys that are playing in the NFL. Certainly, there are the highs and the lows that they can get trapped into, and understand they’re certainly more, I would say, accessible or aware of maybe the things that are going on outside of our world. Sometimes that stuff affects them, and I try to do the best I can to just keep it consistent, keep the message consistent, keep our environment consistent, so that there is some sort of just constant that they can always rely upon,’’ Patricia said.

PREDICTION: Broncos 31, Lions 17.