Bah humbug! The Detroit Lions’ offense is offensive
By Matt Bosko
The Detroit Lions suffered yet another embarrassing loss at home this past Sunday to the Minnesota Vikings. The poor performance is the latest in a string of hopeless efforts.
The Detroit Lions are unwatchable. While the defense has emerged as a formidable unit under head coach Matt Patricia, especially after the midseason acquisition of defensive tackle Damon Harrison, the offense has cowered in the fetal position for the majority of the year.
The Lions are not a competitive football team, not even by electric football standards. The efforts by the defense to keep games close are a mirage that vanishes as the offense fails to sustain drives. It’s been nine weeks since the offense scored more than 20 points in a game.
Franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford has been neutered by both play-calling and personnel limitations. Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, whose inability to effectively coordinate the offense, will soon be unemployed for his ineptitude. Outside of wide receiver Kenny Golladay, Stafford is void of any semblance of talent around him.
The wide receiver corps and running back rotation are both decimated by injuries and departures. The pieces that remain are incapable of becoming legitimate factors because the opposing defense is simply not afraid of getting beat on any given play.
The cries from the fan base for the team to “let Stafford be Stafford” and sling the ball around the field have become louder each week, but in watching the last several weeks in particular, it simply is not possible.
Stafford is not only under pressure on every snap, he is under siege. He has no time to go through his progressions, survey the field, or scramble to extend the play. On the rare occasion he can sit in the pocket, his current personnel are unable to create separation and get open.
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That is a sure-fire recipe for conservative draw plays up the middle and ineffective screen passes, and that accurately describes the state of the Lions offense this season. There are no other options.
There are plenty of changes to look forward to in the offseason. For now, let’s brace for just one more week. Finally, mercifully, the season is almost over.