Why I can no longer support the NFL

I wish I could sit here and seriously right that I retired from being a NFL fan because of some moral outrage. Outrage over how the league botched the Ray Rice situation, outrage over the racist name of that franchise in our nation's capital the somehow plays its games in Maryland, outrage over the millions of dollars in corporate welfare given to team owners to build football palaces at the expense of taxpayers.

I wish that were true, but the straw that broke the camel's back for me is the two fold problem the NFL has, and continually fails to address, with its overly complicated rulebook and the terrible job its officials do on the field of play. I am one of those extremely selfish human animals...and yesterday it was those two problems that conspired to screw the team I have supported for my entire football life.

I have never seen a call so egregious, so beyond what we expect from a game of football, and so unfair go unaddressed in my entire history of playing, watching, and working in football. I have never seen a call so wrong, so obviously in error that changed the entire momentum of a game. Let's be clear here the Detroit Lions did not play a complete game in Dallas yesterday...they did however play well enough to beat the Cowboys...and they likely would have...till the referees made an error so huge they themselves could not explain it.

With that being said, I do not place the entirety of the blame on the on the field officials. It is very hard to get every call right or see everything that happens on the field...this is a NFL wide problem and the league itself puts these men in a ridiculously bad position. The rule book is overly complicated...and I could write 1,000 words on that alone...but the league takes guys who have worked with crews for the entire season...up to 20 games in some cases...and then breaks those crews up and mix matched crews for what are the most important games of the year.

I would argue that the wild card round is the most important round since a lot of the teams playing in this round are not post season experienced....and like the Lions have not grown enough to be able to overcome a flawed call...a penalty picked up that would have extended a drive...the proof of that is the very next play in the Detroit Versus Dallas Game...where the Lions lost their poise.

It is not the easiest thing in the world to be a fan of the Detroit Lions...and every season since I started rooting for this team in 1988 has ended the exact same way (in bitter disappointment)...I am pretty lucky I have seen every one of my hometown's teams win a championship save the Lions and I would trade all of them (beyond the 1984 Detroit Tigers World Series and the 1997 Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup) for the chance to see my Lions play...not even win...in the Super Bowl.

The Referees of the NFL making bone head calls and arbitrary rulings on the field is not a new problem...the failure of the league to use replay to fix those errors is not a new problem. It seems almost every week some official makes a call that helps determine a game on the field of play...that makes the NFL not a sport...but a lamer version of the WWE...And that is why I can no longer support, spend money on, or help promote the NFL.

In a lot of ways I owe that credit for this decision to Roger Goodell...sure he makes a lot of money for his owners and that is his highest priority...but when you cannot take a stand on any one issue you wind up standing for nothing. In the words of Thorin Oakenshiled, "If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." Goodell only cares about the hoarded gold...and that makes his NFL the Comcast of the sporting world and I already rid myself of that menace earlier this year and now I will rid myself of this one.

Much like Comcast, Roger Goodell needs to learn that I as a sports fan (and even as a sports) writer have options. I can supports the Arena League, I can become a fan of the Canadian League (not to mention the three other pro sports leagues and NASCAR)...I can watch all of these both on TV and via my computer...I have an alternative...is it as good? No, not nearly...but it is football and it will satisfy my football addiction.

Let me be clear here. I bleed Honolulu blue and silver. My home is full of Lions mementos collected over a lifetime of support of my team...if there was a way to continue my support of the team I love without a cut going to Goodell's evil empire I would take that option in a heartbeat...Since there is not I will step away from the NFL until at the very minimum it fixes the problems with its on the field officials and the overly complicated rule book.

How to fix the Detroit Lions

First off let me give a very little bit of credit to Jim Schwartz and Martin Mayhew who took on a job no one else in the NFL ever has. They took over a team that went 0-16, and got them back to being a team that could go 8-8 and contend for the final spot in the playoffs. With that being said, it simply is not good enough for the long suffering fans of the Detroit Lions. I get that 1-1 is hardly the time to start panicking and no one should over react to a loss on the road to a tough, playoff caliber team. However, the team's problems go much deeper than a 24-7 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Much like Jim Schwartz was not the man to get the most out of the roster or to lead a team to a Super Bowl, Martin Mayhew is not the man to assemble a roster able to contend for a Super Bowl title. Let us not forget he was Matt Millen's assistant and the Lions hired him, after promising the fans a nationwide search. Look over his draft record, it might not be as band as his predecessor but it is bad enough to cost him his job.

Sure, I am not a NFL personnel expert, but I do know this if you fail to address your team's undeniable weakness the game will expose that weakness 100 percent of the time. It is a lesson Mayhew and the Lions should have learned a few seasons ago, but the failure to adequately address the defensive secondary this past off season is being exposed first by the Giants (to a small extent) and yesterday by the Panthers, and by the defense hating gods that have dropped so many of the men picked to be a part of it. However it is the lack of depth that is truly being exposed and who would not, right now, trade TE Eric Ebron for a shut down corner? Let us also mention the return of the Lions not being able to tackle, just one of the constant issues with this team over the last few seasons.

Sure, a big chunk of the story is the Lions had too many turnovers and missed two field goals, but this is a team that has bigger problems. Mainly the decision making of its franchise QB. In the first half the offense moved he ball fairly well (even though it failed to score) Matthew Stafford was distributing the ball to many different receivers. After they scored their only TD and the game was on the line he repeatedly tried to force the ball to Calvin Johnson. It is poor decision making and in year five of his career (not counting the year he was injured) we know what Stafford is and it does not look like any amount of coaching is ever going to change that.

Martin Mayhew is the man that made the call to draft Stafford and that looks like it wasn't the best choice. He is also responsible in full for the composition of this roster and it simply is not good enough. However he is not the first person that should be fired. That should be Tom Lewand, the bean counter who was hired after the win less season to be the team President. IN his time here he has a DUI conviction, and has made such a mess of the Ndamukong Suh contract situation that he has priced his team out of the ability to afford him or moved him for pieces to rebuild the team.

I'm not even going to mention the walking wounded at best condition of the secondary two weeks into this season. There is no depth and once again the Lions missed the boat on a chance in the lat draft to add depth at a position that needed that plus talent. They completely bungled the Chris Houston situation and that is something you just cannot get away with in the NFL.

He was also at least in part, responsible for hiring Jim Schwartz which was the wrong choice. He was also part of the decision to hire Mayhew and that looks very much like a huge mistake. The antiquated owner of this team has passed and now it is time for the Lions to rebuild from the top down. Lewand should be fired immediately the Lions should find another man, maybe who knows something about winning football, to lead the team. They should then fire Mayhew and possible even the coaching staff but we can give them a little more leeway since this is the first season of Lions misery.

Then and only then will this team be in a position to rebuild itself into a perennial playoff contender. The problems with this team are the decision making process and that never seems to change. While I like Jim Caldwell and the way he seems to be able to motivate his team, especially at half time, I do not trust in the med that hired him because they have proven over and over again that they do not know how to make sound football decisions.

To put an exclamation point on that Nate Freese won a competition to be the kicker on this team. 49 yards in the NFL is not that long of a kick and its not like he missed those attempts by inches. He is just another example of poor decision made by the powers that be within the team. Nate Freese is not ready for prime time, and that is yet another roster move that must be reevaluated this week.

These men built an offense that is loaded with talent, yet were able to score one TD...by a fullback no less. While I like a loaded offense I like a complete roster better, and I know it is a complete roster that wins playoff games. Lewand and Mayhew have shown they are unable to build that. The Lions cannot afford to be patient anymore, look at the reaction across social media to their first loss of the season (and remember none of us expected them to actually win this game).  The fans of this team, who support it week in and week out, are tired of the Football for Dummies approach this front office seems to revel in.

What do the Detroit Lions need?

Finally football season has come to an end. Finally I have been able to swallow the bitter disappointment of the 2013 Detroit Lions season. Finally I am ready to get back to covering the Lions, and that of course means getting geared up for the NFL draft. Of course as a long time Lions fans the draft is a mix bag of unlimited potential and bitter disappointment. The first and foremost thing the Lions need is to draft better. I am not talking about in the first four rounds I am talking about them finally using all of their draft picks to improve the team. These picks are assets and the scouting staff and the powers that be need to do a better job finding impact players in the bottom half of the draft.

Case in point...The Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks featured a defensive secondary built in the late round of the NFL draft. Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith was a 7th round pick. The guy who should have been the MVP, Cliff Avril, was a salary cap casualty in Detroit yet Seattle got him for the relatively low price of 2 years and 13 million dollars. All of the starters from that very impressive Seattle secondary were drafted in the fifth round or later. If the Lions want a blue print on how to fix their woes, this is it. In a passing league strong, quick, physical DB's make all the difference. Those kinds of players can be found in the late round of the draft, in free agency, and in undrafted free agents.

The very first thing the Lions need to do is fix their salary cap situation. And let's be clear here, there can be no more half measures. It really feels like the firing of Jim Schwartz and the hiring of Jim Caldwell was a half measure at best. The front office thinks the team is ready to compete right now, I am not as sold that they are that close. I continue to see a defense that as a ton of holes especially in the secondary. I see high priced talent on the defensive side of the ball that simply costs too much.

According to Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press the Lions have more than 51 million dollars tied up in Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford, and Ndamukong Suh. The average for top five talents for the NFL is just over 50 million. That means simply this...the Lions have too much money tied up in these three players and it costs them talented players elsewhere on the roster. It is the same problem the 2013 Tigers had, the yare simply too top heavy.

Since Suh is nearing the end of his deal, and was signed to a deal under the old rules of the NFL draft, it is simply time for the Lions to trade Suh and find cheaper more talented defensive players via the draft.

I am not saying Suh is a malcontent or a locker room cancer just that his deal prices him out of affordability for the Lions. It will not be a popular argument, but I want this team to be in the playoffs, I want them to win Super Bowls and I would trade anyone on the roster to give them the financial flexibility to fix the secondary and actually compete on the field not only in the first half of the season, but in the second, in the post season, and hopefully one day in the Super Bowl itself.



Trading Suh would net the Lions a collection of draft picks. Based on their success in last year's draft I am reasonably confident the front office team could turn those picks into cheap, talented players that can help this team rebuild the secondary.

There were only two defensive starters for the Seahawks that were first round picks. The Detroit D line has three by itself. Simply put that line does not get the results for the amount draft picks and money that they have invested in it. Of course trading Suh would be an easier argument if Nick Fairley was more consistent.

Currently the Lions have 135 million or so dollars counting again the 2014 cap. That cap is expected to be 126 million or so. Before anything else can be accomplished, before the Lions can sign this year's draft picks, before they can do anything else the cap situation will have to be addressed. They could resign Suh to a long term deal, transition salary to signing bonus that will count against the cap over the length of the deal but it seems pretty obvious that Suh is and will continue to be a luxury this team can no longer afford.




The Tigers dealt Prince Fielder to gain financial flexibility and hopefully improve their supporting cast; it seems the Lions are now faced with a similar decision. We shall see how this plays out. The Lions could rid themselves of players here and there to get the cap space they need, or they could stop taking half measures, make the hard choice and move on to improving this defense from top to bottom.
 

 
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The case against Jim Schwartz

It very much looks like the Jim Schwartz era of the Detroit Lions will come to an end sometime in the next 7 days. After five years we can effectively argue that his squads have underachieved, but he does deserve a lot of credit. However, at the end of the day Jim has likely taken this team as far as he can and this is a roster that needs a coach that can get them to the next level.

In a lot of ways Jim has been is own worst enemy. There is the profanity laced tirade directed at the fans yesterday at Ford Field that was very reminiscent of Marty Mornhinweg going off on fans at the Pontiac Silverdome. There was the press conference where Jim adamantly proclaimed that he was not afraid to be aggressive but with 30 seconds left on the clock he played for OT in a game his team had to win. Jim seems to have a substantial inferiority complex that makes him ill suited to be an NFL head coach, even more ill suited to have a locker room full of guys with character concerns. Granted the Lions front office has done a better job with the personnel over the last year.

In the end Jim's record of 29-50 over five seasons simply isn't good enough. Since he was put into a position no other head coach in the history of this game was, taking over  team that went 0-16, Jim does deserves a lot of credit. He improved the team, helped get better talent, he helped change the culture of losing, and he installed some toughness on this team. I would give him a pass in 2009 going 2-14. That would make his overall record 27-36. Based on that along he could deserve one more year. However, the problem with this team comes down to one word...

Accountability.

That is what this roster lacks, and it is why they do not win consistently. The Lions lost their final 8 games of 2012 and the solution was to fire the wide outs coach. Had this team fired their offensive coordinator or the defensive coordinator some accountability would have been been installed in the hearts and minds of the players. Instead the Lions brain trust once more thought of themselves as the smartest people in the room and flt they had all the pieces to contend, once they had added Reggie Bush.

In the month of December QB Matthew Stafford has not had a total QB rating above 30.0, and he has thrown five interceptions to one TD and yet Schwartz never sat him. Schwartz never went to capable backup Shaun Hill to send the message to Stafford that substandard play simply isn't good enough. Why wasn't Stafford benched once, even if only for a series? Stafford has cost this team on the field over and over again.

Another strike against Jim is his team's record in December. In five years he has just a 6-14 record in the final month of the season. Three times in his five years he has gone win less in December, he has a chance to win a final game next Sunday to improve his record in the final month of the season. Sure in 2010 and 2011 he did get his team to go 3-1, but overall his record in December suggests to me his message, his management style grows stale to players. I seriously think that his players stop listening to him towards the end of the season and that he does not know how to properly motivate a team for a full 16 game schedule.

Another strike against Jim is that not only do his teams lose, but they lose it bunches. Every year, outside of 2011, the Lions have had a losing streak of at least three games. Sure, that suggests that the player are mentally weak but I submit to all of you that that is yet another problem in Schwartz's coaching style. 2012 they lost their final 8 games. They also had a three game losing streak early on. Right now they have lost three straight and won just 1 of the last 6 games. Going back to a point when this team was 6-3 with a very favorable schedule and control of their own destiny.

This team, and Stafford in particular, do not play well under pressure. This roster has a hard time coming up with big plays late in games to seal victories, they cannot close. I submit to all of you that is a side effect of poor coaching. Simply put there is too much talent on this roster for the Lions to not be in the playoffs.

Worse that all that are the truly ugly losses this year. I am not talking about poor play, or mistakes, or mental errors I am talking about losing games to inferior NFL teams at home no less. The Lions lost to the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Those teams have a combined 17-28 record. The Giants and the Bucs are a combined 4-11 on the road. I am not saying the Lions should have won all three of those games, but they damn well should have won two of them. For me that is an indictment of the coaching staff.

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Detroit Lions Week 14 in review

I am still in shock. I am still pissed off, and I still cannot believe what happened in the Detroit Lions at the Philadelphia Eagles game yesterday. At the half it was 14-0 Lions, and then we saw the Eagles take over. Really we saw two games. We saw the Lions dominate one half of football, but fail to hold onto the ball and fail to score enough points to put this game out of reach. In the second half we saw the Eagles pick apart the Lions secondary, and then run over the Lions front seven. I do not care about the bad weather, and I do not care about that two bad penalties. This is another game the Lions could have and should have won.

When I take all of my emotion out of it. When I forget that I am a Lions fan, and that I examine sports for a living, I think that we are seeing the toddler Lions. What I mean by that is this is very much a team that is still growing up. they have not yet reached their full maturity and I think Head Coach Jim Schwartz deserves one more year at the helm given one big condition. Scott Linehan is not the guy to lead this offense. With the weapons he has the offense under performs. There is no other way to say that. Riley Cooper made big plays down the field in the snow and he is being thrown to by a rookie QB. Sure the players have to execute, but the game plan for their Lions is often lacking and it was lacking severely yesterday afternoon.

The real frustrating part is the Lions continue to beat themselves. They make bad mistakes, they do not make big plays when the game is on the line, especially on the road. The question then becomes is that on the players or the coaches, and remember is is far easier to replace coaches than it is players. I see a team that has a very hard time over coming adversary and that troubles me greatly. I see a team that is mentally weak and for me that fault in that lies in their mentally weak coach. If you do not agree that is your business but given the really disturbing way Schwartz deals with his emotions I do not see how anyone can think he is not weak mentally.

With that let us look at the good and the bad from yet another blowout loss to the Eagles in Philadelphia:

The Good:

• Jeremy Ross- Who came up bigger in this game? I cannot remember the last time the Lions special team returned a punt of a kickoff for a TD, but I bet it was before Jim Schwartz came to town. Ross did both in the snow and put this team is great field position at least one other time. Big game for the special teams and I hope that continues. 
• Joique Bell- I know he but the ball on the ground twice. But there is no better backup running back in the game today. This guy is a serious talent and it speaks to one of the best personnel decisions this current front office has ever made. He was not drafted by the Lions and they found him and got him into a role where he can excel. That has been a huge problem over the years for this team, but if they continue to find guys like Bell for their roster the future of this team will be very bright. 
• Ndamukong Suh- He had 10 tackles and that holding penalty on the 2 point try was ridiculous. However, I think Suh is still maturing and to continue on a team is mentally weak. He had a chance to ice this game and LeSean McCoy bounced off of him. He needs to make those plays, and sure he can't do it all by himself.

The Bad:

• The second half- how does a team play that poorly for an entire half. How dies the coaching staff not make adjustments, how does LeSean McCoy go off that big? How do these kind of things always happen to the Lions? 
• Matthew Stafford-10-25 and five fumbles. I do not want to hear excuses a rookie QB found a way to get it done all while that silly racist Riley Cooper looked like the best WR in the league today while Calvin was targeted 5 times. Explain that to me, oh ya no one can. 
• Dominic Raiola- His time with this team needs to end. The Lions should use their first round pick next year on the next center than can get and get their young O line use to playing with one another. 
• Poor Tackling- Do I really need to go into this. Ok the Eagles had 299 yards of rushing in 8 inches of snow. That is completly ridiculous. It is an idcitment of the coaches, the scheme, and the heart of these players. 

There is nothing good about a loss like this. In the grand scheme of the Lions making the playoffs this season it may not matter much right now, but this loss, the loss at Pittsburgh, and the loss to Tampa could be where we point the finger if they do not make the post season. 

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Detroit Lions week 12/13 in review

I will be real honest, this is the worst job to have when your team plays as bad a game as the Detroit Lions did last Sunday versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I did not want to write about the Lions all week. Then they fumble the opening drive against the Packers and I was like 'great here we go again', another Thanksgiving day ruined. I even texted someone and was like I guess I need to find a new job because the Lions are killing my love for football. Most of you already know how the rest of the Green Bay game would play out, but I am the first one to sit here and say be warned now, the Lions are still not that good. The beat the crap out of an opponent they have not beaten in five tries, the won on Thanksgiving for the first time in a decade, and all of that is good, but the beat up on a team that was distracted by its own media madness and absent its biggest stars. Even that is good in a way because this is the kind of game the 'Same Ole Lions" would've have found a way to lose.

Taking advantage of an opponents weaknesses is a necessary trait in the NFL. The Lions exposed the Packers and their injuries, their inability to stop the run, and they adjusted nicely to what transpired in the game. However I still see a team that is very up and down. These two games personify what the Lions are in a nutshell...the new Cardiac kids. There are no easy wins, there are bad mistakes and the highs and too high and the lows are far to low. I want to see this team be more consistent across the board. To play at a high level every down, every play, and in every game. For me the opponent does not matter. With the weapons they have an offense they should score at will, and the defense has played far better than any of us want to give them credit for.

The ultimate goal is for this team to be a legit playoff contender, and they are just not there yet. However, they are improving and hopefully very soon they will ready themselves to take that next step.

For now a look at the good and the bad from two very different games for our Lions:

The Good:

• The running game- the racked up 345 rushing yards in these two games and for the first time all season lost a game where Reggie Bush had at least 75 rushing yards (and we know the reason they lost that game). The O line is starting to run block very well and the coaches came up with a game plan that exposed a weakness in  the Green Bay defense. Got to give credit where credit is due. 
• The D line- 9 sacks in two games, and we all said they do not get to the QB enough. Sure they played too inexperienced QB's but that is how you beat young QB's in this league, you get in their face. 
• The Linebackers- The linebackers actually played pretty well in both of these games. Sure they couldn't stop the Bucs when they needed too, but the LB corps has played far better than we thought they were going to before the season began. Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy have come up huge for this team. 

The bad:

• Turnovers- In two games, 6 picks, 5 fumbles (three of which were lost) that is not how you win, and it is certainly not how you win in the post season. Most of that fault lies with the two leaders of this team, Matthew Stafford and Reggie Bush. Not to mention that phantom fumble by Kris Durham which was inexcusable. 
• Special Teams- Kick offs going out of bounds, missed field goals, and a blocked kick. The return game has gotten better but as a whole the special teams continue to struggle. I have zero faith in this coaching staff when it comes to this phase of the game. 
• Matthew Stafford- Along with the team as a whole taking the next step I think we are getting to the point where Stafford needs to take the next step in his development. He leads great with his play, most of the time, but I think for this team to become a legit contender he needs to become more of vocal leader. It disturbs me that he did not want to take the chance to lay down the law after a tough loss at home. Peyton Manning would have taken that team into the locker room and laid down the law and not that Stafford has to go that far with it, but I think he needs to be more of a force on the field first and off the field as well.

The Lions now get 10 days off to prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles. That is not the gimme game we thought it was and I want to see this team go on the road and win They will have to work hard to do just that and with four games left in the season they need every win, even if 9 wins will win them this division. 

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Detroit Lions week in review: Week 11

Well instead of shedding the 'Same Ole Lions' moniker further the Detroit Lions went to Pittsburgh on Sunday and gave all Lions fans pause...what if they really are the 'Same Ole Lions'? This was a very winnable game, and the Lions should have won it based on their performance in the second quarter alone. However, many questionable decisions were made, and the players failed to produce, and the Lions beat themselves. For what seems like the millionth time the Lions themselves are to blame for this loss, and there is plenty of blame to go around.

Jim Schwartz made two questionable calls. Going for it on fourth down way to early (the opening drive of the game) and the really ill conceived fake field goal in that weather with rookie punter Sam Martin being asked to make a first down with his feet. On a team with Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Reggie Bush this team tried to get a first down with their rookie punter in bad weather. Schwartz post game reaction to that situation reaffirms the fact that he suffers from some kind of inferiority complex, like he feels the need to prove he is one of the 32 men deserving a NFL Head Coaching job. He also seems to think that the media, or someone, is questioning his manhood. All I can say to that is guys who deserve NFL head coaching gigs, do not need to concern themselves with that kind of stuff. Jim made a bad call and he would have served himself and his team better by just admitting that fact. Instead he tries to keep up the myth that the folks who coach and run the Lions are the smartest people in the room. Even though we have 50 plus years of history the proves that is simply not the case.

The Lions need to learn to step on an opponents neck. They need to learn to carry themselves like a winning football team. They need to learn how to act like a good football team, and they had a chance to do all of that this weekend and they simply failed. That does not make them the 'Same Ole Lions', but it does give off that perception and that is what this team is always fighting.

With that being said, here is a look at the good and the bad from week 11:

The Good:

• 27 points- the Lions scored 27 points in the 2nd quarter. Which only proves that when this offense is in sync it is nearly unstoppable. Granted the Lions did not score in any other quarter and that is bad, but Scott Linehan needs to look at what he did in this quarter and find a way for the Lions to do that all game long. 
• Joique Bell- Joique came up big in the bad weather. And yes I agree that Bush was largely unused because of that and nothing else. Joique had 9 carries for 49 yards and a TD plus 3 catches for 48 more.
• Nick Fairley- Nick continues to be a disruptive force and that is good. Maybe teams pay to much attention to Ndamukong Suh freeing him up but that jut makes the drafting of Fairley that more astute. He got to the QB this week and if he becomes more consistent well that could be very good for the future of this team

The Bad:

• Matthew Stafford- 19 for 39 is ugly. I do not care about the weather conditions because the Lions should have had a plan in place for that. This exposes two different problems, game planning and when Stafford isn't sharp this team struggles. Stafford needs to step up and do what he did against the Cowboys on the road. 
• Penalties- 8 for the game for 45 yards. Bad penalties, dumb penalties, and it remains fact that this team is not good enough to over come the holes it puts itself in. 
• 6 for 16 on third down- first of all for a team that only had 13 possessions having 16 third downs seems like an awful lot. Second of all it seems this team is not so great on third down and that they waste downs. This is a game where the running game should have been more featured, given the conditions, but either the Lions cannot do that or the coaching staff has no faith in the running game. It is sometimes that simple, this team needs to trust in the ground game more. 

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Detroit Lions week in review: Week 10

The good news is the Detroit Lions are 6-3 (3-1 in the division) and even though they made it way closer than it needed to be they have beaten the Chicago Bears twice this season, something they have not done since 2007. On top of all of that they are shedding the 'Same Ole Lions' tag. They are starting to believe they can win every game and they are playing full games, something Lions fans are not exactly use to. On top of all that they are coming up big when they need to, and that is something else Lions fans are not very use to seeing. There is a sense that this team and it's fans are starting to believe. Now it is time to raise the bar a tad. Let's say this, anything less than a Division championship in 2013 will be something of a disappointment. The goal should be to not only make the playoffs but to secure a post season game at Ford Field.

With that being said there is still a lot to work on. The team is still a tad inconsistent, especially on defense. Coverage breaks down far to often in the secondary, and special teams remain a huge concern. However, the NFL might take away a lot of what special teams can do with rules so maybe the Lions are ahead of the curve on that one. That seems very odd to say.

I have also noticed a very revealing stat. When Reggie Bush has at least 75 yards rushing, and we are not talking about what he brings to the passing game, but when he has 75 yards on the ground the Lions win. In the three Lions losses this year he averaged just 39 yards rushing. Granted the Lions also won a game without him but with him on the field this team needs him to gain at least 75 yards to help balance the rest of the offense and keep teams honest. This opens up holes in the coverages and the Lions offense rolls.

Here is a look at the good and the bad:

The Good:

• Brandon Pettigrew- it looks like Matthew Stafford has re-found some faith in this guy. 5 catches for 70 yards, and those are tough catches over the middle and catches that help extend drives. Pettigrew stepping up creates all kinds of problems for opposing defenses and he owes Lions fans a little more considering his draft position. This was a good week for him and he needs to keep that up. 
• Rashean Mathis- It is not every week that a corner for the Lions leads the team in tackles. However, Mathis had 8 and that is huge. It limits big plays, and we need to take notice of Mathis and this stat. 
• The passing game- six different Lions caught passes. They threw for 3 TD's. Stafford only threw one pick. Of course he did go just 18 for 35 however, given that and the cold and being outdoors they found a way to win. That is really all that matters. Scott Linehan deserves a little bit of credit for creating a game plan that worked. 

The Bad:

• Nick Fairley- sure he got a big stop to preserve the win, but a guy who is as inconsistent as he is should not be hot dogging all over the field. The Lions have not yet earned the right to act that way, and that is the biggest indictment of the Jim Schwartz era of this team. Let us not forget he also took a bone head penalty that could have cost them the win. 
• David Akers- the perception is he isn't Jason Hanson, and that is true. It seems he has a chance to put the team ahead and fails to do so. He missed his one filed goal attempt this week, and I thought he was just not a guy who can still kick outside. However he is actually doing better outside than indoors that is not good given where the Lions play most of their games. The tell tale stat here is he is just 4 for 7 on the road. He is 8 for 9 at home and that makes a home playoff game that much more important. 
• Personal foul penalties- There were four of them. Overall 5 penalties for 51 yards. But those personal foul ones are big. the Lions have got to find a way to limit them. They need to be more in control. They have a reputation that works against them now.

Generally speaking I let the fans of the Lions determine what we think of our team each and every week. I get texts all days Sunday from all manner of fans. hard core, die hards, and more casual fans. This week I got a text from someone who is hardly a Lions fan or a football fan for that matter but she did watch the game this week, and she texted me this right after the game with this, "4 personal fouls, it makes us look like jerks." Ya I have been saying that for three seasons, but I am glad even the most causal of Lions fans sees what I see. 

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Detroit Lions mid season grades: D line

The Detroit Lions have a lot invested in their Defensive Line. Three of the four starters there were first round draft picks and all three were drafted in the upper half of round one. It is important to keep that in mind when we start to evaluate their production. The problem with that is there are not stats for everything a good D lineman can do. Sacks are crucial but just as crucial are hurry ups and knockdowns. Total stat geeks can go find those kind of numbers but most fans like to take a more impressionable look at what they perceive a elite D lineman is, or what he is capable of. Guys like Reggie White could change games, and as good as the men are on the Lions D line we have not seen them impose their will on a game for 60 full minutes to this point.

With that being said I think the D line on the 2013 Lions is a strength for the team. I also happen to think that they have invested too much in it, based on what they could have gotten back for those draft picks. Could those picks been better spent on other areas of need? Of course that impression will change the moment this core of Lions players wins a playoff game.

The measurable stats here aren't all that pretty. The Lions have 13 sacks as a team and the four starting D lineman have 10 of them. It is hard to say how good or bad that is, because as I said most of what lineman in the NFL do, their value, isn't stat measurable. A team wants its D line to be disruptive to go in and disrupt what they other team does, 13 sacks and 5 forced fumbles by the front four starters is pretty good. However, we can argue they do not get to the QB enough and we might be able to blame some of that on the scheme. A team also wants D lineman who attract double teams so it frees up other players to make plays. I think in those terms this front four does a very good job.

What happens with the larger team greatly defines what we think about the D line. At 5-3 we could easily say hey things are great, but with three first round picks invested there I got to be honest and say I expect more. I want each of those first round picks to grow into the kind of talent that can dominate games. We simply have not seen that yet and I am not sure any one of them can do that on their own. As a unit however they are very good. the disrupt, they need to be accounted for, but health might be an issue there, especially for Nick Fairley.

A team wants its D lineman to eat up blockers so that the Linebackers can make the tackles but two of these front four for the Lions have nearly 20 tackles. That means they get to the ball carrier and again they disrupt what the other team is trying to do. Those are very good qualities and maybe over time these four men playing together will drive each other to become that much better.

We do know this when Ndamukong Suh can control himself and be a leader this defense is that much more effective, but we are still waiting for him to show he can impose his will on a game. We saw QB Matthew Stafford do just recently and this defense really needs Suh, or someone else, to do the same.

With that being said I think this unit should get a very solid C grade for their work so far in the 2013 season. If we were not talking about three first round draft picks that grade/expectation might be higher/lower.  There is a lot of room for improvement here and hopefully the coaches can get this unit to do just that.

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Detroit Lions mid season grades: WR/TE

There are a lot of injuries in the receiving corps of the Detroit Lions. Ryan Broyles is gone for

the year, and may see his tenure with the team come to an end. Nate Burleson has been absent for awhile with a broken arm, and Tony Scheffler has been cut. If the Lions want to use the second half of the season to make a legit run at the playoffs not only do they need to get Burleson back, but one of the other receivers needs to step up.

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Detroit Lions week 8 in review

Let us go ahead and forget about the whole Same Ole Lions wrap. The same Ole Lions would not have won this game. The Same Ole Lions would have folded it in wit ha minute to go. The same Ole Lions would not have had Mathew Stafford will his team to a win. The Same Ole Lions are no more. There are new Lions and while we may not exactly what they are capable of they sure are freaking exciting. With on QB sneak Stafford helped this town believe not only in himself but in this team. It finally feels like we are done with the Same Ole Lions.

With all of that being said, there is a very large problem here. We are talking about an offense that gained 623 yards and they only one by one point. The win is the story this week, cause of how they won, but a team that can move the ball that easily has got to find a way to score more. Sure 4 turnovers and 8 penalties play into that, and those are things that can be fixed. I would even go so far as to say the one pick that bounce off of Calvin Johnson;s hands is one of those fluky things that happen, and we can say that Reggie Bush is never going to be the nonchalant with the ball ever again and boom the turnover problem should be fixed. However, this is a team that still need to learn to close out games, stand on an opponents neck and that is the next step I expect them to take. They have learned how to win, how to handle a lesser opponent and how to come back and win. Now they need to grow into dominant.

Now we have the trade deadline, a bye week, and hopefully the return of Nate Burleson. The Lions should be in the market for a WR, but the NFL trade deadline is hardly the MLB frenzy. This team need the bye week to regroup, set goals, and focus in on winning the next game at Chicago. That is looking to be a very winnable game. For now let us reflect on week 8:

The Good:

• They won- They found a way to win. Matthew Stafford willed this team to a win. that is a huge step forward from a team that a few years ago expected to lose. The fans believe and so do the players. This was Stafford moment where he lead the team to victory. Now the coaches have to build on that. 
• Three rushing TD's- The Lions scored three TD's in this game and three of them came on the ground. Now Scott Linehan can use his receivers to get the team into the red zone and opposing defenses will have to respect that ability of this offense to score on the round opening up other options. That is a huge positive to go along with the 143 yards gained on the ground. When the Lions rush for more than 100 yards they tend to win. Linehan needs to keep that in mind. 
• Jeremy Ross- Finally the Lions made a in season switch at kick returner and it paid off. Jeremy Ross didn't get a lot of chances but he came up big with a 44 yard return. Michael Spurlock was inactive for this game and that is probably for the best. 

The Bad:

• 4 turnovers- god teams, teams that go deep into the playoffs take care of the ball. Maybe this was a fluky game and maybe not either way the Lions cannot cough up the ball this much and expect to win. 
• Finishing Drives- Johnson had 323 yards and only found the end zone once. That is up and down the field without scoring. This team has got to have a better nose for the end zone. Not just Megatron but the whole offense. They need to put points on the board. 
• Too Calvin dependent- Granted if a guy can be open when tripled covered. If a guy is always open one can understand why they go to Megartron as often as they do. However that is not sustainable each and every week. Other weapons have to emerge and Kris Durham looked very good this week and made another spectacular catch down the sidelines. Other players have got to step up and we saw glimpse of that this week, and it needs to continue. 

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Calvin Johnson is the best wide receiver in football!

We already knew that Calvin Johnson was an amazing talent. We heard all the smack talk

from Dez Bryantabout how he was just as good as Megatron. However, while Bryant did have two TD's his contribution to his team's ultimate loss was made more on the sidelines than on the field play. Yesterday, October 27, 2013, all Calvin did was go out and put up the most receiving yards (in a regulation game) ever.

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Detroit Lions week 7 in review

A loss is a loss, and a win is a win. There are no style points in the NFL these days. However,

for fans of theDetroit Lions Sunday's performance was very encouraging, even though they ultimately lost on the last play of the game. There is little doubt that most NFL pundits think of the Cincinnati Bengals as playoff contenders. Well, the Lions were able to play at that level and had opportunities to win this game. It is not perfect, and it will go down as a loss, but given where this team has been recently it should be looked on as a positive rather than a negative.

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Detroit Lions week six in review

Who thought after six games of the 2013 season we would be sitting her talking about the 4-2, and in first place, Detroit Lions. Of course at one point in 2011 they were 5-0. However I believe in this 4-2 team more than I did that team. 5-0 and they barely won 10 games that year. 4-2 now and I do not think we have seen the best this team has to offer. That is very encouraging for this long time suffering Lions fan.

Beating a team one the road is a big step. Being 4-2 is a big step, and these are the kinds of game the 'Same ole Lions' use to lose. It wasn't always pretty, and it wasn't dominating, but the Lions played three solid quarters on both sides of the ball and earned this win. We still have yet to see the best this team has to offer and once they reach the next level they can start to polish their performance a little. For now winning games by an means necessary is the goal, and for the Lions right now maybe there are no style points.

With that being said let us take a look at the good and the bad from game six of 2013.

The Good:                      

• DeAndre Levy- 7 tackles and 2 picks. This guy continues to make an impact all over the field and he is putting together a heck of a season. he seems to be everywhere and further proof he is better on the outside then he was in the middle. 
• Kris Durham- 8 catches 83 yards and he is proving once more he can go get a ball or two. Would love to see this cat develop into a legit threat, for now he is a role player getting additional time due to the health of the Lions receivers. Stepping up big when he gets a chances is the reason he made the team. 
• Joseph Fauria- Three catches all for TD's. Sure he doesn't get many chances out side of the red zone but this is his role to put points on the board and he had proven himself capable of doing exactly that. 

The Bad:

• Penalties- 8 penalties....still feels like too many. However those 8 penalties were only for 65 yards and two of those calls were highly questionable. The Lions are not making the big 15 yards mistakes and that is why they are winning. 
• Punt returning- This is a continuing issue. five punt returns for 22 yards. I am no math wiz, but that means they averaged what 5 yards per punt return? Not good enough!

All in all there is not a lot to complain about this week. The Lions won, and did so in a convincing manner. All of that is good and we know look for this team to gain this a little swagger. They need to start believing they can win every game no matter who the opponent is and that will become more important in week 7 with the Cincinnati Bengals coming to town. 

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Should the NFL force team to appear on HBO's Hard Knocks?

The NFL is set to insure that HBO's hit docudramaHard Knocks will always have a team to

film. The league is going to force teams into participating in the show, granted there are any number of exemptions. The show is a hit, and fans love to watch it but should the league itself force franchises into participating in it? If the answer to that question is yes why not have each team do it n a rotating basis. Since an AFC north team did it for 2013 maybe in 2014 force one of teh NFC north teams to participate, and so on and so on.

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Detroit Lions (3-1) week four in review

Am I really writing about the 3-1 first place Detroit Lions? A Detroit Lions team that is 2-0 in their own division, and is suddenly willing to play well enough to start shedding that Same Ole Lions moniker. These are not the Same Ole Lions. This is a team that is finally getting out of his own way,  a team that is not self destructing and a team that went out and made a huge statement with a throttling of the Chicago Bears.

Forget the final score of 40-32. Forget that the Bears were leading the game as the Lions left at least 12 points on the field early in the first half. In the second quarter the Lions offense got itself into gear the Lions defense played strong and they were able to score 27 points and never had to look back.

Sure there are still little things to fix. There are certain things that are a little troubling but we did not see any major issues in this game, and to be fair the Lions have gotten better each and every week. For those of us who have been tough on Head Coach Jim Schwartz we need to realize and acknowledge that. However, this team was once 5-0 and limped into the playoffs in 2011 so things can change greatly from week to week.

This is now a football team that has won in Washington (finally), beaten the Bears (the Lions are 2-7 against them in the Schwartz era) and now one task remains. That task is going Lambeau Field and beating the Green Bay Packers in their home stadium,  something they have not done since Brett Favre became the starter and I was still in high school. That is the last regular season Same Ole Lions baggage to shed. Of course the real work begins after they do just that and that is of course winning a playoff game and for that to be a reality in 2014 they need to get a home playoff game. That might be putting the cart in front of the horse a bit, but rejoice Lions fans we are 3-1 and this team is still getting better.

The Good:

• The Running Game- 159 yards on the ground on 30 carries and over 5 yards a carry on average. Take away the big 37 yard TD run by Reggie Bush and he was still over 100 yards rushing for the game. The running game opens everything up and teams will have to respect that. Given the talent of Calvin Johnson they'll have to pick their poison for the time being till some DC finds a way to stop both threats.
• Discipline- 3 penalties for 25 yards. that is an unreal number for this team. I don't think Ndamukong Suh had any and he was very effective in disrupting the Bears offense. He seems happier this year, more in control more grounded. If that is the case he could wind up being one of the best players in the NFL. 
• Brandon Pettigrew- 7 catches for 54 yards and tough catches, catches that extended drives, tough yards over the middle. He silenced a lot of his critics yesterday and the Lions offense gets better with a productive Pettigrew. 

The Bad:

• Matthew Stafford- he was not exactly bad, but not sharp. Not a super star, not the guy we have seen over the last few seasons and maybe some of that is actually a positive. However, early in this game he overthrew a few receivers and a few drives stalled. They got it together and he did go 23 of 35 for 242 yards one score and one pick. Not a great day, but maybe not a bad one either
• Turnovers- one pick and a couple of fumbles. One late in the game when they Lions were trying to close the game out. They need to learn how to close games out and hopefully we see that in the weeks to come. 
• the kick return game- I still see Lions kick returners making errors and mental mistakes that cost this team field position. It really seems like this coaching staff places little value on the kick and punt return part of the game. We forget about that some when they win, but when they lose we constantly point it out. Yesterday was not a good day for Michael Sprulock. 

With all that being said yesterday was a big step. Before this team can be a legit contender it has to learn how to beat their division rivals at home. The Lions throttled the previously undefeated Bears and that was a big step for them. Many steps remain but we can enjoy this win, and enjoy the week as we build up towards the game in Green Bay.

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Can the Detroit Lions beat the Washington Redskins?

The number one rule on any given Sunday is any team can beat any other team. We have heard a lot of folks saying 'Same Old Lions' already this season. Here is a chance that past Lions teams would have no hope of winning. A team that is 0-2 is on the verge of losing its 2013 season and getting a lot of folks fired and the Lions go on the road to these Washington Redskins. This is there chance to prove they are not the same old Lions. We saw some of that in week one when the Lions got down early, looked on the verge of letting their emotions get the better of them, and yet rebounded nicely in the second half. Last week we saw the Same Old Lions and if the team wants people to stop saying that beating the 'Skins this week would go along way towards silencing the critics. 

The Lions history against the Redskins is not very good. The two teams have played a total of 38 times and the Lions have just an 11-27 record against them. The Lions have won the last two meeting between teams, but are just 2-3 over the last five meetings going all the way back to the sad Joey Harrington era of the blue and silver. 

We add to that the Lions have never won in Washington but that is starting to feel like an old bit. The Lions have a chance against a team they could beat to prove that something has changed on this team. It would go a long way to saving the job of Head Coach Jim Schwartz and possibly even General Manager Martin Mayhew. 

However a win this Sunday could restore some faith in the Lions themselves. They are not that far removed from being the only team ever to go 0-16 and sure the roster has changed over nearly it is entirety from those days, but fans remember. Let's be honest her there are long suffering Lions fans that still remember certain losses from over the years and let's hope the Lions go out and beat a team they should beat, even on the road. 

This is a big game from both clubs. 0-3 would mean the Redskins season is effectively over and owner Daniel Snyder would likely step in and make changes. For the Lions 2-1 looks a lot better than 1-2 and the added pressure of finally getting the 'Same Old Lions' monkey off their back could be very valuable. It could even loosen up a team and possible provide the fuel for a run. 

The schedule does not get any easier. After the 'Skins the Lions have two tough divisional games versus the Chicago Bears and at the Green Bay Packers. Then they are back in this same situation heading to Cleveland to play team that already blew up their 2013 season in a game the 'Same Old Lions' would likely lose. The Lions have had at east a five game losing streak in every season in recent memory. If they want to shed that 'Same Old Lions' moniker it is time to win a game they should, and then maybe when one they shouldn't like later in October when they play the Cincinnati Bengals. 

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If I owned the Detroit Lions....

Let's play a game. If I was the owner of the Detroit Lions...

I have no faith in this team and coaching staff as I do right now I would be ready to make changes. I know it seems a little early for that but I have no faith Jim Schwartz is the Head Coach to get my team to the next level and while i could be in danger of selling this season short I would be looking to make moves sooner rather than later. However that would not be the first move I would make.

I would fire Martin Mayhew as General Manger just because I have little to no faith in him. I would offer that job to Brian Xanders first, and if he declined I would like to keep him in his current role and possible get him to lead the search for the next GM. I would then fire Jim Schwartz and Scott Linehan, make Gunther Cunningham the interim head coach and again turn to Xanders and whomever he finds to be the GM to lead the search for the next head coach.

I would talk to John Gruden, Herman Edwards, and Tony Dungy to start and lead an exhaustive efforts of guys with NFL experience and maybe well thought of coordinators. However, it seems to me that the Lions have gone with a guy with zero head coaching experience at this level far too often and that the current ownership likes to have a somewhat weak coach in place. There seems to be an attitude amongst the front office staff and ownership that they are smarter than everyone else and frankly these are the architects of the only NFL team to go 0-16 and simply put they know nothing about NFL football.

Personnel wise. I would generously grant Mikel Leshoure his wish for a trade and look to deal him for whatever i could get in return preferably late round draft pick. I would then direct my head of pro scouting to find me a capable free agent WR to help fill a huge need on this team. I want a guy for the Titus Young role not a trouble maker but another threat for my new OC to help further stretch defense. If Ryan Broyles is that guy he gets put on the first team offense tomorrow and we run with it. Brandon Pettigrew is out. I am over him and his inability to consistently catch the ball. This is one of the reasons Mayhew deserves to be fired and I am over giving him playing time over other people on this roster. If a free agent is needed here I go find one if not I get Joseph Fauria in the game for seasoning. Again this is the nuclear option where we right off 2013 and try and get the franchise into shape for 2014.

As far as David Akers I am concerned and I would give him a very short leash and bet that I would have my staff working out kicker each and every Monday to let Mr. Akers know I am not going to put up with failure on any level. Special Team are an important part of the NFL game and Schwartz and his staff seem unwilling to understand that. I still have concerns in the return game but the issues at kicker are far more troubling.

Those are the big changes I would make day one of being the owner. We could play this game a little different as say this is what I would do on day one of being hired to be the GM of this team, and the only thing that would change was insuring Xanders is comfortable and happy and here long term.

As you can see I give a lot of the credit for what the Lions have done in free agency to Xanders and most of the blame for the missteps in the draft on Mayhew. that has to change. This team need to do a better job in the draft especially in the mid to late rounds finding gems that can come in and make meaningfully albeit small contribution to the Lions winning. I would also like to see the Lions draft some guys and develop them into something, not just give playing time to guys who were mistakenly drafted in the first round.

All the Schwartz/Mayhew era has done for this team is traded a culture of losing to a culture of self entitled behavior where no meaningful consequences are ever handed sown no matter how egregious the errors on the field. that has got to change.

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Detroit Lions questions heading into week 2

The Detroit Lions beat a divisional opponent, one their home opener, and snapped an eight game regular season losing streak in week one. Now comes the challenge of week 2 and the first road game of 2013 versus the Arizona Cardinals. The Lions have not faired well out in the dessert. There are a number of challenges and some big questions that week two will go a long way towards answering.

First of all the Lions record against the Arizona Cardinals is not very good. They have won just three of their last 11 meetings. They have lost the last six regular season games played in Arizona going all the way back to 1999. They have not defeated the Red Birds since 2005 at home and if this team wants to silence some of its critics it needs to go out and play a disciplined game and win on the road.

The Cardinals had an identical 3-1 pre-season record, but lost in week one to the St. Louis Rams. The offensive names to watch are QB Carson Palmer and WR Larry Fitzgerald. The Lions defense will have to work hard this week, and it will surely be a big test for them.

We move on to the biggest questions of week two for the Lions:

• Reggie Bush- Reggie wants to prove to everyone he can be an every down back, and he can carry the load for a team. The Lions are more than willing to give him that chance. However after a pre-season where not much film was shot of Mr. Bush how will his week one performance affect what the Cardinals do on defense? 
• Calvin Johnson- The plan was to get a piece for the offense that would open up Calvin in the receiving game. Last week was the Reggie show with Calvin only caught 4 balls for 37 yards. If the Arizona defense keys on Reggie more will Scott Linehan and QB Matthew Stafford have a game plan in place to get the ball to Calvin? Can the Lions offense stretch the Cardinals defense. 
• The Lions defense- the Lions shut down Adrian Peterson in week one on all but one big play. The challenge in week two is far greater, and something they are no as suited for. Can the secondary step up and lock down Fitzgerald and the Cardinals passing game. Palmer is a veteran QB who can pick apart a defense if he is given the time too. 
• Jim Schwartz- a week one win cools his seat a little, but this is a guy who needs his team to win 8 game minimum to keep his job. Putting together a playoff run would be the best way to prove he is the right man for this job. If he fails not only his his job in jeopardy but the job of GM Martin Mayhew not to mention the rest of the coaching staff and personnel shot callers. 
• Ndamukong Suh- The Lions need him to be more effective, need him to get more pressure on the QB especially this week, and they need him to keep his head about him and not take silly penalties. He need to be a leader and disrupt the Cardinals offense this week. 

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Detroit Lions week one in review

A win is a win. That is a universal truth and it is much better to be 1-0 than 0-1. However, it seems the Detroit Lions and their fans are blowing their week one win out of proportion. It is certainly understandable since this team has not won a regular season game since the first week of November 2012. This was just one win, and it is a good win at home, but many questions remain. The NFL season even at just 16 games is not a sprint but a marathon an d given recent history and a few troubling indicators it does not look like they are set up for success in 2013.

We could bang on the negatives, bad penalties, mental errors, and how bad this team looked in the first half but we can also take some time and point out some positives. The defense is very good, the team did not quit and let's be real honest here in past seasons this team would have folded it in. They also played significantly better in the second half and really took it to the Minnesota Vikings. Those are all good things, and it shows some progress has been made but more work remains and I want to see this team take the next step. I want to see them go out and throttle a team that are clearly better than, and I want to see then win consistently on the road.

In each of the last 12 seasons the Lions have had a losing streak of five games or more. That troubles me and until they don't do that it feels like they always feel on the verge of a significant losing streak. I like a week one win, I like a win against a divisional opponent, and I like a win at home but I have a lot of questions none of which were helped by the first half of this game. First and foremost how many points did the Lions leave on the field? Good NFL teams will exploit any weakness and I saw several play out. In fact I see the Lions having the same issues each and every week since Jim Schwartz was named the Head Coach.

Let us not forget Schwartz lost his cool once again on the sideline, threw a challenge flag without any input from his staff and had the Lions lost this game that is what we would be talking about today. However, let us not pass judgement on the 2013 Detroit Lions till we have more evidence. Hopefully next week we see more positive indicators than negative ones.

The Good:

• Reggie Bush- 90 yards rushing and 101 yards receiving and he wants to prove he is an every down back and the Lions are willing to use him that way. He did get dinged up a bit in this one and one has to wonder about durability bit all in all a great Detroit debut for Mr. Bush. There is an aberration in his stat line, take away that 3 yard pass that he broke for a 77 score and the final numbers don't look as good. However, we pay that guy 4 million a year to make an impact and he certainly did that. 
• The Defense- They held the Vikings to 330 yards of total offense and 4 points. They were very opportunistic in creating turnovers (even if one got called back). The D line is phenomenal and the addition of Israel Idonije was an astute waiver wire pick up and not the kind of move we see the Lions front office make. 
• The offensive line- The Lions gained 117 yards on the ground, they averaged 3.5 yards per carry and Mathew Stafford was only sacked once. There are three new starters on this line and even though Jason Fox went down with an injury this unit went out and performed. There might have been one but we did not see many procedural penalties of bone head mistakes out of them either. 

The Bad:

• Coaching- Schwartz once again let his emotions get the best of him but this time it did not cost his team a well deserved win like it did last Thanksgiving. They play way to undisciplined and I am sick of the dancing and the first down arm waving after plays. Roy Williams use to do that and drive me crazy. Act like professionals and act like we have all been here before. 
• Slow start to the offense- once again the Lions had a chance to make a statement on the opening drive of the game and came away with no points. It was bad enough to not get the TD, but to walk away with nothing was a gut punch early. Once again this team looks great in between the 20 yard lines but finishing drives is still a concern. 
• Third down- The Lions converted just 5 of 13 third downs. They still have an issue extending drives and we will be looking for them to improve that. This is one indicator we will be keeping our eyes on. 

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