Detroit Lions Week 14 Report Card: Battered roster can’t keep up with Broncos

Coaching Staff- 3/5 Stars

Due simply to not really practicing all week as a flu bug made the rounds, the Lions clearly were not fully prepared for this game. Add in an active roster made up of backups and practice squad guys, and the eight-ball the team was behind was huge this week.

The coaching staff is maximizing their assets as best as they can. And yes, that’s true on both sides of the ball.

For as much praise as we give Aaron Glenn, Anthony Lynn is still having a positive effect on this offense, despite relinquishing play-calling duties.

Not to mention Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson have done some pretty interesting things with this passing attack.

This three-headed approach to the offense isn’t sustainable. But for now, it’s working. Again, ignore the point totals in this game. Because Detroit had opportunities, they just didn’t capitalize on them.

The process was good, and that’s all you want to see with a rebuilding team. The staff did the best they could with the tools at their disposal.

Final Thoughts

All you can hope for is the team to get healthy this coming week, at least from an illness/COVID-19 perspective. On Sunday this team was missing its top two  running backs, its No. 1 tight end, its backup/fill-in starter at center and its best defensive player. Then a starting corner and a starting linebacker who had barely missed a snap all season exited the game and did not return.

Final grade: 2/5 Stars