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Detroit Lions season in review: Best and worst of 2019

By Payne Schanski

DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 29: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass during the second quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Ford Field on September 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 29: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass during the second quarter of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Ford Field on September 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Breakout Players

Best: Bo Scarbrough

Kerryon Johnson came back to finish out the season (respect to Kerryon for doing that, by the way) and edged out Scarbrough for the team’s leading rusher. Still, what’s not to like about an unheralded guy making the most of his limited opportunity and contributing?

I love Bo’s running style (spot on example of all the “runs downhill” and “falls forward” clichés that get thrown around) and consistent production, and think he definitely earned himself a roster spot and a raise heading into 2020.

Worst: Jesse James

Before the season started, I got blasted on here for suggesting that Jesse James might be overrated and not worth the $25 million free agent contract he’d signed. Someone went as far as to claim that James was “the most complete veteran tight end” in the entire NFL.

After averaging a single catch and nine receiving yards per game (not to mention zero touchdowns all season) for a unit that underperformed despite massive offseason investment, I’m putting the ‘I told you so’ card on the table and will leave it at that.

Honorable mention: Trey Flowers for the first six games.

Ten Minute Stretches

Best:  First quarter @ Green Bay, Week 6

Remember when Monday Night Football was going really well for a while, and the Lions were about to take over first place in the division with a massive road win? Didn’t see that iceberg coming, but out on the so-called frozen tundra of Lambeau, we probably should have.

A perfect flea flicker call to Kenny Golladay for 66 yards on the very first play, defense forces a quick three-and-out, then the first Marvin Hall sighting of the season (58 yard bomb) to set up a Kerryon Johnson touchdown, then a forced fumble to get the ball back. The opening stretch of the Monday game couldn’t have gone much better for Detroit, right up until T.J. Hockenson dropped a sure touchdown early in the second quarter, setting the stage for the Packers’ referee-aided comeback later.

Honorable mention: the last ten minutes of the Best Loss of the Season against Kansas City. It wasn’t a sign of better things to come like we thought at the time, but there was a lot of great football by both sides in the end of that one.

Worst: Inconclusive.

There are three that jump out at me and I can’t decide. Watching the 24-6 lead evaporate against the Cardinals on opening day is right up there.

By far the worst I felt after a single game this year was losing the 22-13 lead in the final ten minutes in highly controversial fashion against Green Bay the first time. The biggest “wow, this team has gotten really really bad” realization though was in the final ten minutes of the Redskins game, fighting tooth and nail just to hold off the 2nd worst team in the NFL, and not even being able to do that.

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