Why do the Detroit Lions keep blowing big Week 1 leads?

Did you know that the Detroit Lions have blown three Week 1 leads of 18 points since 2015, with three different results? Why does it keep happening?

Did the Detroit Lions cough up a big lead this past Sunday, or did the Arizona Cardinals stage an impressive comeback? Unfortunately, it’s an ambiguity that the Lions have had to consider several times over the past few years.

For many Lions fans, Detroit’s blown lead of 18 points in their season opener may have conjured up troubling memories of past Week 1’s. To begin the 2015 season under head coach Jim Caldwell, The Lions jumped out to 21-3 lead over the the San Diego Chargers. They lost that contest 33-28.

The next year, the Lions began their opener on the road against the Indianapolis Colts by arriving  at the exact same score midway through the game, only lose the lead late in the fourth quarter. They were however, able to recover and retake the lead in the final seconds on a Matt Prater field goal, winning 39-35 (the Colts were charged with a penalty in their own end zone on the game’s final play, resulting in a safety and the unusual score).

Are they constantly unprepared to start the season? Did they tire to easily? Did their controversial “prevent defense” used at times in those games actually end up hurting them more than helping?

The answer to all of those questions may be yes, but the fact remains that the Lions have had significant trouble locking up wins on opening days with sizable leads, pointing directly to a lack of adjustments. Successful teams, and coaches for that matter, have to make changes on the fly in order to overcome deficits, and in some cases, protect them. The Lions have strangely faltered in that respect at the beginning of recent seasons.

After that opening 2015 loss to the Chargers, the Lions reached the halfway point of the season at 1-7. They were able to recover to an extent, finishing the season at 7-9. They made the adjustments that year, including changes at offensive coordinator and general manager. However, it was too late to salvage that campaign.

This past Sunday, the Lions neglected to adapt their game plan enough to hold off a pesky Cardinals squad led by a rookie quarterback playing in his first NFL game. While a tie won’t show up in the loss column, it still puts Detroit in a hole, staring at a daunting slate of opponents prior to their Week 5 bye.

Can they put it behind them leading up to their first home game against a dangerous Los Angeles Chargers team this Sunday? What modifications will head coach Matt Patricia make in order to rectify the issues that allowed the Cardinals to creep back into their opening contest?

We’ll find out in a matter of days, but in the meantime, we’re left to dwell on what should have been a 1-0 start for the Lions. In the coming weeks, keep an eye on how they manage large deficits and leads. It could become a defining facet of their season, for better or worse.

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