Detroit Lions searching for reasons to try in December

The Detroit Lions are all but out of playoff contention and are left searching for reasons to try in December with injuries piling up.

It’s a tough time of year for the Detroit Lions. It’s somewhat new in this decade for the team to be out of playoff contention after Thanksgiving. In the past, the outlook may have been bleak, but there was still a glimmer of hope.

Today, the hope has all but faded as the sun sets on the 2019 season. Hope may have faded when quarterback Matthew Stafford‘s back injury knocked him from the starting lineup. Or maybe it was when the Chicago Bears came back to beat the Lions on Thanksgiving. Either way, the team is looking at the end of their season and making draft preparations.

The big news yesterday was another injury. Lions rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson was forced out of the game last week with an ankle injury that had him on a scooter to keep the pressure off the area. He has now been placed on season-ending injured reserve.

Missing their star quarterback, starting running back and first-round pick, the Detroit Lions offense is limping to the finish line. The offense is seeing some good things, though. Running back Bo Scarbrough is proving to be the real deal and earning a role on this team. Two back up quarterbacks, Jeff Driskel and David Blough, have proven they can play at the NFL level.

The offense has kept the Lions in the game and, in many cases, done enough to earn a victory. The problems have come on the defensive side of the ball. With injuries to different players throughout the season, things just haven’t come together. Head coach Matt Patricia has taken most of the heat for their shortcomings. The way this defense held teams down early in the season has long been forgotten.

So, with an injury-riddled offense and a defense that breaks more than it bends, what do the Lions have left to play for this season? A great teamwork mentality quote would be, “We’re playing for each other. We’re playing for every man in the locker room.” Ahh, it sounds great. But with the playoffs out of reach, will they still give it their all?

With many fans hopping on the #1 draft pick bandwagon, there’s still no guarantee they can pull off the upset of the Cincinnati Bengals for the honor of worst team in the league. Other fans would love to see this Detroit Lions team win out and save some dignity.

The answer might be somewhere in the middle where the Lions win a game or two down the stretch while losing a couple as well. No player wants to give up and give in while putting their hopes on next year. They leave those perspectives to the fans. But landing a top talent would most certainly help this team in 2020.