Detroit Lions: Everyone needs to show improvement after 0-4 start

The Detroit Lions regressed on Sunday and fell to 0-4 in the process. Plain and simple, everyone needs to improve to turn this around.

The loss to the Baltimore Ravens hurt. The Lions came very close to getting the first win of the Dan Campbell era. Instead, yet another error in the Detroit secondary allowed the Ravens to convert on fourth down and 19 yards to go.

With only a few seconds left, an almost immediate throw out of bounds stopped the clock for the final time and then Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker trotted on the field. It was time for some NFL history at the expense of the Detroit Lions.

We all know what happened. Tuckers’ NFL record 66-yard field goal decided the outcome of the game and for, what, the one-millionth time? The Lions turned victory into defeat. It was a gut punch that was felt throughout the Detroit locker room. Regardless of what was said afterward, it was felt just as acutely by this young modestly talented roster as it was by their fans.

So incredibly close to victory only to have the rug pulled out from underneath them. Just like 1970 when Tom Dempsey and the Saints did it originally with a then-record 63-yard field goal to beat the Lions. After that loss, Detroit followed it up with another loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

However, after losing to the Vikings the Lions won their final five games and finished the season with a 10-4 record, and made the playoffs as a wildcard team. It all ended with a disappointing 5-0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but the similarities between this current cast of Motor City cats and that 1970 team ends with the record-setting field goal loss to the Saints and the subsequent loss the following week.

These Lions aren’t about to go on a five-game winning streak. As a matter of fact, the current Vikings will probably deal the Honolulu Blue and Silver their fifth straight loss to start the season. That is unless these Lions and their coaching staff make some major improvements.