Detroit Lions slipping into old form, finding ways to lose
Dec 2, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) is hit by Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Moise Fokou (58) during the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Two people called me after yesterday’s game to yell (not tell) me that they are DONE with the Lions. Again. If more fans still cared about this sorry franchise, then I would have gotten a lot more phone calls and texts about this being the same old Lions. Personally, I got over the Lions’ miserable season after they lost to Minnesota to start this four-game losing streak. Hey, it’s not all bad, looking at it like I used to before last year when I would hope the Lions would lose just so they could get a higher draft pick, I’m feeling like the Leos are on their way to securing a top ten pick for next year’s draft. I only hope Martin Mayhew doesn’t draft an offensive player that’s still in prison.
The Detroit Lions still do things in a big way. Last year, it was the four miracle comebacks from 13 points or more. This year, it’s the way they scan the rule book in finding a multitude of ways to lose the game in the last minute. The latest fiasco, when the Lions lost to the Colts on the last play of the game yesterday, was the Lions acting like they already had the game won with a little more than two minutes left in the game. Later, the Lions had a 3rd and 5 at midfield and a 1st down would have secured the game for them. Instead of a dazzling misdirection play or anything thrown to the best football player on the planet, the Lions decided to delve into their 1970’s playbook and run an off-tackle play. Yet another bad coaching decision and it cost them the game. Again.
I felt like the Lions were doomed before the first snap of the year. There was an arrogance about this coaching staff and front office that bothered me all off-season. The off-season arrests were a brutal foreshadowing of the upcoming season. As the season started and the Lions were clearly not the same team from last year, I didn’t worry about it. At first I thought I was just distracted by the Detroit Tigers pennant race and playoff run, and that the Lions would be just fine when it all shakes out. Riding a 4-game losing streak, it’s safe to say, the “same old Lions” are back in the Honolulu blue and silver, once again.
In the “Not For Long” league, if you’re not constantly improving, always moving like a shark, then you’re falling behind. For whatever reason, the Lions thought that they had arrived after last year and smugly did very little to improve this franchise in the off-season. This team needed defensive players in the worst way, and they drafted offensive players in the first two rounds this year. The Packers needed defensive players in the worst way also and spent their first 6 picks in the draft on defense. What a concept, drafting for need. Guess which strategy is paying off as you read this? Not the Lions, sitting on the wrong side at 4-8, unlike the Packers who are 8-4.
When the Lions were at 1-3, I thought to myself “This season has 6-10 written all over it.” Now I don’t know if they can do even that. This is worse than the other losing seasons, because before last season, we were used to the losing; it’s all we’ve known around here since forever. Since getting a taste of success last year, I find the losing this year very bitter. How many days until the Tigers report to spring training?