Somehow this outcome was almost worthy of pity. Continued flaccid defense coupled with a feeble running game and passing offence that took the day off was the order of the day. Injuries to key players were a strong contributor to the games’s outcome. In addition, the lack of talent depth was on full display. The Lion’s potent offense was outed as being paper thin. Goff regressed into his old familiar pattern of frustration when things went ‘south’. Also, do not forget some of the self inflected regressive penalties.

On a positive note, this could be the one ‘horrible’ game most teams manage to produce in any given season. Be warned though, we’ve seen this scenario before for many years. Two or three more games will determine if our Lions are pretenders or just truly inept. Coach Campbell and staff are the frog in the water and the temperature is rising.

Disappointment from the prior Viking’s game was humbled by our Lion’s display against Seattle. How do you score 45 points and still manage to lose? Well the Lions are adept at losing and let the Seattle score 48 points. This is not to say the Seahawks played a defensive gem by giving up 45 points.

All things considered, this game was entertaining. Over 1,000 yards of total game offence. For ‘entertainment’ value both teams sprinkled in timely penalties and a few missed extra point attempts. Kept you right on the edge of your seat waiting for the next surprise.

Now that early season optimisms has been obliterated, the search for ‘sacrificial lambs’ can commence. Picking a candidate involved with the defense tops the list. And will someone please identify the source of shifting playing modes from “playing to win” to “playing not to lose” which was evident in the first three games. Usually emerges in the third quarter of games. This includes the much vaunted ‘prevent defense’ that everyone seems to love. Let’s see, we have an inadequate defensive backfield so it is better to let good opposing QB chop off large chunks of yardage on the way to scoring vs chancing the ‘big’ pass play. See the difference in results so far?

On a positive note, Goff demonstrated he can play. Once he started throwing the ball rather than ‘passing’ the ball he was really dangerous. Would encourage him to not hesitate when he ‘checks down’ on his receivers and let it fly. It seems the hesitation gives the defense just enough time to adjust with predictable results.

As spasmodic as they seem, our Lions are going to be a troubling surprise for the rest of the season.

Welcome to a road well traveled on our 65yr of rebuilding. Sunday’s game with the Washington ‘whatevers’ was entertaining to say the least. One can ask did the defence fall asleep in the second half or did Washington’s half time adjustment make the difference. This game should have never been in doubt.

A few more games with opponents in our division will tell the tail. Goff seemed to gain confidence in his receivers during the first half. The Lion’s offensive line opened up running lanes that Swift and Williams took full advantage of. However, the defence conceded 396 yards to the opposing team. Allowing this concession to any team with championship aspirations is a death knell for our 65yr of rebuilding.

In summary, as opposed to other rebuilding seasons, we’re at ‘wait and see’ status.

Welcome to our 65th year of rebuilding. Nothing says progress or lack thereof, like Sunday’s game against the Eagles. The ‘Good’ may be the potential for a running game which must be shown to have some durability and “legs” into the depth of a season.

The ‘Bad’ is scoring 35 points and not winning. No participation ‘win’ ribbons awarded in the NFL.

Choosing the ‘Ugly’ is not a herculean task compliments of the Detroit Lions. Giving up 450+ yards of offence to the opposing team makes an oxymoron travesty of describing the Lion’s defensive effort. Allowing a QB to be the second leading rusher with almost 100 yards is by definition a school yard defensive performance. And loss of self control after a play is over is extremely disturbing and self destructive to the entire team.

In light of the seasons’ first classical Lion’s debut, I would like to offer a supplication.

“To whom it may concern”

“We loyal and oft described as daft Lion’s fans here do ask for dispensation from past transgressions based upon our steadfast loyalty during the prior 64 years of rebuilding. We humbly apologize for the wasting of great football talents over the entire 64 years of rebuilding. We ask for relief from those ‘demons’ who have haunted and entrenched themselves within the ranks of coaches and team management.

Our sorrows are many and the elders lingering in the fan base fervently desire to see a resurrection of our beloved Lions to a status of respectability reflecting the legends of 64 years ago.”

From the Ram’s perspective, the Stafford trade has been vindicated. Rams not only won the ‘big prize’ but traversed through good teams on the way to the Super Bowl. Die hard Lion’s fans knew this was destined to happen when high caliber talent was injected into an already potent scenario. Stafford provided a vicarious fulfillment of success for all the other great football talents that shriveled and withered in Detroit. He deserved his chance and he cashed in on the opportunity.

Now what did the Lions get? Goff is an average QB. Having reviewed several condensed ‘youtube’ game films of his performance as a Ram’s QB, opposing defenses learned and exploited his weakness of which did not ever evolve to compensate or overcome. This limits his overall scope as an offensive weapon. He is not the core of our 65th year of rebuilding.

Now comes the true test of finding and selecting talent for core elements of a rebuild. Detroit Lion’s history of drafts and trades are rife with misjudgments, miscalculations and buffoonery. Someone must have the savvy to find long term talent deeper down in the draft and trade well.

Goff is a one or two year place holder for the next long term QB. Numerous other positions on both side of the scrimmage line scream for talent in the upcoming draft, trading or free agency market.

After 64 years, fans no longer have the stomach to witness failure to execute under any circumstances. If team ownership can’t find managerial, coaching and staff expertise, then maybe it’s time for new franchise ownership.

As of now the ‘Grim Reaper’ is stalking war weary die hard Lion’s fans holding the line of optimism balanced on the sword of Detroit Lion’s redemption.

Well gentle Lion’s fans, we endured another illustrative season of professional football as defined by the Detroit Lions.

Let’s begin with a brief summary of the last three games of the season.

Detroit at Atlanta: Another valiant effort with a predictable ending. Effort but no cigar.

Detroit at Seattle: Annihilation by any definition. So sad so sorry

Green Bay at Detroit: Theater by any interpretation. Great next season try-outs.

As we slink into the 65th year of rebuilding we’re supposed to relish fanciful outcomes from a bevy of early round draft picks. Where to start. How about a competent defensive secondary, consistent functional offensive line and more credible results without the ‘hope and change’ mantra. As Joe Friday said, ” Just the facts mam”. And, in the near future a better QB. Average is not going to cut it.

As noted previously, several other NFL teams have descended to the Lion’s depth of ruin and been resurrected to winner status. Time and tide wait for no man and Lion’s fans will not remain bonded forever. Maybe that’s the obvious pending wake up call.

What a difference from the previous weeks’ game with Denver. ‘Stats’ would indicate a close game favoring the Cardinals. However, “football gods” decided otherwise and implemented a complete role reversal. Arizona took every opportunity at critical junctures to screw up. Kudos to Lion’s offence and defense for not rejecting the blessed sacrificial offerings and injecting them into spaces where the sun does not shine. How refreshing.

This can be classified as a supreme example of how not to underestimate a wounded animal. Just like the movie, ‘The Replacements’, the outcome will long be remembered by Lion’s fans after the stink of an entire season dissipates. Credit is due to the coaching staff for putting together a disparate conglomerate of players to produce this type of outcome.

As an aside, marvinudy listened to remote regional live radio broadcast of the Vikings, Broncos and Cardinals games. Understanding that local team preference underlies live broadcasts, the stark contrast between condescension arrogance from the Viking’s broadcasters compared to Broncos and Cardinals was insipid and non professional. As stated in a previous blog, ” The mill of the gods grind slow but exceeding small”.

The Viking’s game started like so many with the inevitable outcome preordained. Build an early lead and then fold during the the stretch run for another valiant effort loss.

However, the sainted spirits of Ford field finally had enough of this scenario. With less than two minutes the Lion’s cast of ‘outcasts’ underwent a transmogrification of bodies possessed by heroes of yesteryear.

Goff threw ‘bullet’ passes, receivers ‘glue fingered’ pass catches and executed runs after catch just like in the play book. Meanwhile, Vikings clung to the cherished totem of ‘prevent defense’ and reaped the rewarding stigma of losing to the Detroit Lions who were unceasingly mocked on Minnesota radio stations live broadcasting the game.

Marvinudy knows this due to the broadcast blackout of Detroit stations, he listened to the game, via internet, of a local Minneapolis station. Somewhere back in time a famous philosopher said, “The mill of the gods grind slow but exceeding small”. If something as mundane as ‘football porn’ exists it is on youtube.com, season 13, Lions/Vikings game.

Knowing this was only a point in time, it up to coach Campbell to capture what ever ‘chemistry’ this scrambled cast of Lion’s put together as a foundation for the rest of the season. Welcome to the official start of our 65th year of rebuilding.

The Cleveland game was a harbinger of things to come for Thanksgiving day. In Cleveland, the LIon’s ‘Silver Sieve’ defense only granted 368 yards of offense to the Browns. Accomplishing this feat only required the Browns to run 66 plays from scrimmage and be ‘gifted’ 82 penalty yards compliments of the Lions.

Yes, Detroit’s Swift had a good day but Cleveland’s Chubb ‘ate up’ the Lion’s defense. Outcome no surprise.

Now on to the Turkey day. Ever inventive, the Lions managed to commit penalties rarely if ever seen. Twelve men on the field for Chicago’s PAT. Proving that incident was not a ‘fluke’ why not call illegal ‘back to back’ time-outs’?

However, with a slim chance to win the game, why not allow the Bears to methodically march down to field to score the wining field goal. And, the Lion’s graciously committed several ‘holding penalties’ as ongoing dedication toward the march to an 0-16-1 record.

Whatever derision earned by the Lion’s recent ‘Turkey Day’s performances was cemented on a national scale.

Forever upward and onward to our ‘next’ year of rebuilding.

marvinudy

Wow this one was close. Neither team seemed poised or really wanted to win. Yes, lots of ‘run’ yardage was accomplished by the Lion’s offense but to what end?

Goff missed what should have been a relatively open scoring reception. A missed extra point and sorry kick on a field goal attempt and blaming the weather is really lame.

Not much more to comment about for a ‘junior varsity’ effort by both teams. Expect more of the same from the Lions for the rest of the season.