Detroit Lions season in review: Best and worst of 2019
With how 2019 ended, it’s easy to forget the Detroit Lions’ promising start to the year. Here’s a quick recap of some of the highs and lows along the way.
The 2019 season is finally over for the Detroit Lions. Like it or not, head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn are coming back for another go in 2020. While it might rank just below getting a root canal in terms of enjoyment level, it’s worth going back and taking another look at the season as a whole.
I’ll admit a lot of it is bad, but I promise it’s not all bad. Here are some of the bests and worsts from your 2019 Detroit Lions …
Individual Performances
Best: Matthew Stafford vs Kansas City
Lost in the shuffle of Stafford’s season-ending back injury was the hip injury that nearly kept him out of action for the Chiefs game. Beyond the statistics (21-34, 291 yd, 3 TD) and unquestionable toughness was a gem of a 4th quarter touchdown drive to take the lead with just over two minutes left.
When the defense inevitably caved, Stafford very nearly pulled off another miracle, getting within striking distance in the final 20 seconds before a heave into the end zone on the final play fell to the turf.
Honorable mention goes to Marvin Jones Jr. for his ten catches and four touchdowns in the first Vikings game
Worst: Jeff Driskel @ Washington
I’m going to keep this short because I don’t want to pile on Driskel. While he was a plain and obvious downgrade from Stafford, for a few weeks he actually provided some fun moments scrambling for first downs and connecting with Golladay and Jones on a few deep balls.
With that said, he’ll want to burn or delete any footage of his abysmal 4th quarter showing in the Week 12 loss to the Redskins. Two interceptions, a fumble, another near interception that was dropped, and negative four total yards on the last four drives of the game. On top of that, Driskel injured his hamstring somewhere in that mix and missed the rest of the season too.
Honorable mention: any Lions defender at any point that any game was on the line.