Detroit Lions: 10 Observations from the shutout loss at Carolina
8. If not for Carolina’s replacement level QB, the final score would have been significantly worse
P.J. Walker carved up the Lions defense at times, but twice in the red zone very much looked the part of the undrafted backup. Walker airmailed two JV caliber freebies in the end zone for interceptions, otherwise the final tally would have been more like 30-0 or 34-0.
Both plays were completely unforced, with zero pressure from the pass rush, and the defensive backs basically hanging out in the end zone and having it thrown right to them. The two interceptions should not be cited as any type of evidence that the secondary played decent though.
9. Forget about the playoffs, but also forget about the draft
I hate the idea of tanking in any year, but this year especially, take a look at the current standings if you think laying down for the rest of the season would do any good. There are still 14 teams with an equal or worse record than the Lions right now. With as bad as the Jets, Jaguars, and plenty of others are playing, even losing out likely wouldn’t land the Lions in the top three of the draft.
We’re not getting Trevor Lawrence. We’re not getting Justin Fields. The wins have been so ugly that it’s easy to forget that there have been several of them. At the current rate though, the Lions will finish somewhere around 6-10 and be picking somewhere around 12th.
10. Matt Patricia was shown writing something down in a little notepad at the very end of the game
What little nuggets have wisdom could have possibly leaped into the rocket scientist’s mind in the waning moments of a tremendously feeble shutout loss?
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What piece of divine inspiration flashed through his brain with such intense power that he had to immediately pull that number two pencil from behind his ear, write something down, immediately erase it, and then write something else down while his defense jumped offsides twice in a row in the final seconds?
I don’t suppose it was the rough draft for a resignation speech, but that would be a start.