2014 Detroit Lions

[rb336]

Andrew Luck has had a good year this year. he was VERY so-so last year and less than that the year before. He was also sacked and hurried about half as much as Stafford, whose line never gave him time to check secondary targets. That makes a HUGE difference.

[emu steve]

I think if Warford or even Swanson were in the game, Caldwell might have went for that fourth down, or even ran on 3rd. Since we had the lead, and our line was banged up, punting was the right thing to do. Of course punting a net 5 yards [[counting the delay of game call) was NOT the thing to do. We should have had them trapped inside the 10 yard line.

If we had beaten Dallas, wouldn't we have had Warford and Fairley for the Seattle game? Two key cogs in the off and def lines.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

That's pretty harsh talk. I remember the season before Stafford came on board, the Lions were 0-12. The man has taken that team to the playoffs. Detroit got a bad call on a crucial play. If that had not of happened, I think Detroit would be celebrating and Stafford a hero.

Also wondering... the official picked up the flag but did not throw a flag the week before with Suh against Green Bay. Was this a way of the officials protesting?

That flag while being the incorrect call, did not lose the game for the Lions. They had they're chances. The defense allowed Dallas to march down the field for the winning score. Also having a 20-7 lead and only scoring a FG in the 2nd half didn't help. I'm still trying to figure out why Tate and Megatron did not get targeted in the 2nd half, at all.. Throw the ball down field please? They reeled Stafford in a little too much IMO. Joe Lombardi has to improve his play calling if he's to remain OC. And Caldwell, while he did a good job this year, but he needs to show some onions as well. Next thing to look for is if we keep Suh and DC Teryl Austin, whose on everybody's short list for a head coaching gig.

[Smirnoff]

The "elephant in the room" is just WHY didn't the Lions play with the same intensity as the 1st half? They came out of the locker room after half-time as the toothless "same ole".....nice deflection toward officiating, at least the cowboys supplied Kleenex.

[Thruster315]

That flag while being the incorrect call, did not lose the game for the Lions. They had they're chances. The defense allowed Dallas to march down the field for the winning score. Also having a 20-7 lead and only scoring a FG in the 2nd half didn't help. I'm still trying to figure out why Tate and Megatron did not get targeted in the 2nd half, at all.. Throw the ball down field please? They reeled Stafford in a little too much IMO. Joe Lombardi has to improve his play calling if he's to remain OC. And Caldwell, while he did a good job this year, but he needs to show some onions as well. Next thing to look for is if we keep Suh and DC Teryl Austin, whose on everybody's short list for a head coaching gig.

I'd say you're spot on with this assessment of the loss. We played it too close to the vest. Why back off of them when we had them on the ropes? We effectively took the crowd out of it early and should've kept after them with the aggressive play calling. Remember a few weeks back when it was a slightly more hurried offense and the Lions offense responded?

Lombardi really needs to sit down and see who and what he has on this team- and utilize them better. I'm not going to completely pin the blame on him as he's a rookie OC, but he truly does need to use the talent he has on this team better [[reminiscent of how Rich Rod tried to warp the UofM football team to fit his scheme right out of the box). He has to see where the strengths are and where the weaknesses are with every one of his players- and then come up with some innovative ways to use them. At least at that point it's on the players to carry out the tasks assigned to them. I can't fault Lombardi for Stafford being inaccurate nor can we blame him if Calvin let's one slip through his hands or someone fumbling the ball. But we can lay some blame on the brains of this group for being a little more timid than they need to be.

[Downriviera]

The call did cost them the game. And although its true they did have a chance to win afterwards, its hard to talk about anything that happened after the call. This was beyond a bad call. The whole sequence was a complete farce. I like Caldwell, but we really needed the Schwartz at this moment. Someone needed to go ballistic. If you just bend over and take it they'll stick you again and thats just what happened with the lack of a holding call on the game winning TD. Caldwell needed to get all his player on the sideline and demand that the officials get together and discuss the play which they never did. And also ask about Bryant coming on the field with no helmet which is an automatic 15 yards penalty. If either of those calls are made correctly we get a least a field goal and time off the clock and more rest for the defense. Completely different outcome. If you vehemently protest those calls even if they don't go your way, theres a good chance you get another call your way which might have been the holding on Suh. All in all a bad day for the NFL because it sure looks like the fix was in. Somewhere in Havana, Hymen Roth is smiling.

[Pickford-Bentler]

I'd say you're spot on with this assessment of the loss. We played it too close to the vest. Why back off of them when we had them on the ropes? We effectively took the crowd out of it early and should've kept after them with the aggressive play calling. Remember a few weeks back when it was a slightly more hurried offense and the Lions offense responded?

Lombardi really needs to sit down and see who and what he has on this team- and utilize them better. I'm not going to completely pin the blame on him as he's a rookie OC, but he truly does need to use the talent he has on this team better [[reminiscent of how Rich Rod tried to warp the UofM football team to fit his scheme right out of the box). He has to see where the strengths are and where the weaknesses are with every one of his players- and then come up with some innovative ways to use them. At least at that point it's on the players to carry out the tasks assigned to them. I can't fault Lombardi for Stafford being inaccurate nor can we blame him if Calvin let's one slip through his hands or someone fumbling the ball. But we can lay some blame on the brains of this group for being a little more timid than they need to be.

Great post that shows the difference between Austin and Lombardi.

Austin designs defensive schemes that fit the guys he has to work with and Lombardi tries to push square pegs into round holes. And I think that may have been a reason why Ebron was drafted. "Oh my, we don't have our Jimmy Graham".

So, rather than run behind another road grader lineman to get that yard to win the game, we had to wing one to our current Jimmy Graham - Pettigrew.

[Thruster315]

So, rather than run behind another road grader lineman to get that yard to win the game, we had to wing one to our current Jimmy Graham - Pettigrew.

I'd even say that at the time of last year's draft we had a semi-decent TE in Fauria emerging too. I still contend that Ebron was a luxury pick when we had what I considered more pressing needs [[offensive line and defensive backs).

Okay so Joe Fauria goes out and gets injured, but let's not forget we also signed Pettigrew to a new contract too. Fauria probably isn't as good of a blocker as Pettigrew but going into the season with the both of them and maybe adding a serviceable Kellen Davis would've done me fine.

And don't get me wrong, I still think Ebron can be a fine TE some day but I like my first round draft picks jumping in Day One and supplanting a starter or an immediate need on a team.

[Thruster315]

The call did cost them the game. And although its true they did have a chance to win afterwards, its hard to talk about anything that happened after the call. This was beyond a bad call. The whole sequence was a complete farce. I like Caldwell, but we really needed the Schwartz at this moment. Someone needed to go ballistic. If you just bend over and take it they'll stick you again and thats just what happened with the lack of a holding call on the game winning TD. Caldwell needed to get all his player on the sideline and demand that the officials get together and discuss the play which they never did. And also ask about Bryant coming on the field with no helmet which is an automatic 15 yards penalty. If either of those calls are made correctly we get a least a field goal and time off the clock and more rest for the defense. Completely different outcome. If you vehemently protest those calls even if they don't go your way, theres a good chance you get another call your way which might have been the holding on Suh. All in all a bad day for the NFL because it sure looks like the fix was in. Somewhere in Havana, Hymen Roth is smiling.

It might not have been bad for Lombardi to play bad cop in an instance like this. Why not let him be the prick and badger the officials? And if this sort of posturing really works, Caldwell can be the calm hammer when he really needs to massage a referee and get his point across.

I'm not against teams working the officials to get a favorable call but I also think Schwartz' approach got old real fast. After awhile blowhards like him probably just blend into the background noise. There needs to be some strategy when it comes to "playing the game"; I seriously think that's why Schwartz wore out his welcome and his message with the team last year. His schtick was initially cool & hip because we haven't had anyone like that in a long ass time with this team, but I'm sure it grated on the players [[especially the veterans who've been with other teams and know how things can run better). I can only imagine what the officials think and say of certain teams' coaches during their pre-game chats.

[Smirnoff]

Stafford's DN's report card: Ultimately, after six NFL seasons, it’s clear Stafford is simply average compared to the rest of the starters in the league. In 2014, he improved with regards to taking risks, throwing just 12 interceptions after having at least 16 each of the previous three years. But there were still far too many plays when he would miss open reads, either with off-target throws or by passing to someone covered instead. Considering this offense is built around the quarterback, Stafford ranking 25th in completion percentage, 19th in yards per attempt [[7.1), 14th in touchdowns [[22), 21st in passer rating [[85.7) and 21st in total QBR [[55.1 out of 100) simply wasn’t good enough for what was expected to be a high-powered offense.

[Pickford-Bentler]

I'd even say that at the time of last year's draft we had a semi-decent TE in Fauria emerging too. I still contend that Ebron was a luxury pick when we had what I considered more pressing needs [[offensive line and defensive backs).

Okay so Joe Fauria goes out and gets injured, but let's not forget we also signed Pettigrew to a new contract too. Fauria probably isn't as good of a blocker as Pettigrew but going into the season with the both of them and maybe adding a serviceable Kellen Davis would've done me fine.

And don't get me wrong, I still think Ebron can be a fine TE some day but I like my first round draft picks jumping in Day One and supplanting a starter or an immediate need on a team.

Again, we agree.

IMO, soft hands are harder to "learn" than blocking technique. And it is not like our primary QB is known for throwing easy to catch balls.

[Bham1982]

MAnd to be "more recognizable" and a "brand" in that market? How many NFL brands or super recognizable players are there from either of those teams? Quick- someone name me a player not named Eli Manning or Gino Smith. Hell, I'd be hard pressed to name the head coaches [[Jets- vacant/ Giants- Tom Coughlin).

Odell Beckham is a bigger name nationally than anyone on the Lions. He's probably the most feared young receiver since Jerry Rice. He even topped that crazy rookie year from Randy Moss.

And the Giants, while they had a worse record, are possibly the classiest organization in the NFL. They basically made the current NFL because the Mara family, back in the 70's and 80's, were the owners pushing hardest for revenue sharing and salary caps, even though they were the franchise probably least likely to benefit.

If Suh goes to the Giants, he goes to a very young team on the upside. If he goes to the Jets, then yeah, I agree, that team is kind of a train wreck right now [[and their defensive line is actually pretty good, so that's the one thing they don't really need).

[Bham1982]

Andrew Luck has had a good year this year. he was VERY so-so last year and less than that the year before. He was also sacked and hurried about half as much as Stafford, whose line never gave him time to check secondary targets. That makes a HUGE difference.

Luck gets much more defensive pressure than Stafford, and plays behind a weaker offensive line. Despite the outdated stereotype, Detroit does not have a bad offensive line; it's merely average. The Colts have a downright putrid offensive line, and they throw the ball more than basically anyone, and Luck hangs on to the ball in the pocket longer than almost anyone. He probably gets hit more than any QB in the NFL.

And Luck is an absolute beast. If I were starting an NFL team from scratch today, I would probably pick him first. He's the only truly elite QB that is also young and still improving.

[Pickford-Bentler]

Odell Beckham is a bigger name nationally than anyone on the Lions. He's probably the most feared young receiver since Jerry Rice. He even topped that crazy rookie year from Randy Moss.

And the Giants, while they had a worse record, are possibly the classiest organization in the NFL. They basically made the current NFL because the Mara family, back in the 70's and 80's, were the owners pushing hardest for revenue sharing and salary caps, even though they were the franchise probably least likely to benefit.

If Suh goes to the Giants, he goes to a very young team on the upside. If he goes to the Jets, then yeah, I agree, that team is kind of a train wreck right now [[and their defensive line is actually pretty good, so that's the one thing they don't really need).

A run disrupting DT who can also get the QB is a vital player in the Eastern Division because a lot of games are played outdoors in wind and weather that diminishes passing, thus making the running game or stopping it cold a key to victory.

The Giants also have a large following.

In the DC Metro area, there are quite a few fans.

Suh would also get to chase down Romo at least twice a season.

I did not know that about the Mara family. It makes me happy because revenue sharing thwarts the low class, petulant, wee man with a Napoleonic complex who owns the Redskins. He is the reason I can not, after almost three decades living in the area, become a fan.

In the Eastern Division, I like the Giants.

[Pickford-Bentler]

Luck gets much more defensive pressure than Stafford, and plays behind a weaker offensive line. Despite the outdated stereotype, Detroit does not have a bad offensive line; it's merely average. The Colts have a downright putrid offensive line, and they throw the ball more than basically anyone, and Luck hangs on to the ball in the pocket longer than almost anyone. He probably gets hit more than any QB in the NFL.

And Luck is an absolute beast. If I were starting an NFL team from scratch today, I would probably pick him first. He's the only truly elite QB that is also young and still improving.

Luck does have all the tools. And it makes me smile that Danny Boy Snyder wasted a ton of picks rolling the die on RGIII while the Colts got the Luck of the draw.

[rb336]

Andrew Luck Sacks: 27
Satafford: 45
Andrew Luck: completion %: 61.7
Stafford: 60.5
Indy Rush yds per game: 100.8
Detroit: 88.9

Luck is having a career year with TDs, but other than that and getting sacked half as much, he's not much different than Stafford

[ABetterDetroit]

A very big factor was Mathis going out in the first half with a thigh injury. Vaughn got burned for the 73 yard TD that lit a fire of hope.

Before that injury, Dallas was being shut down.

Agree with you completely, in a game that had A LOT of stories that point was overlooked. Mathis witout any glitz or glamor did a fine job of being where the ball showed up often this season, his injury made a big difference in that game.

[Hermod]

I did not know that about the Mara family. It makes me happy because revenue sharing thwarts the low class, petulant, wee man with a Napoleonic complex who owns the Redskins. He is the reason I can not, after almost three decades living in the area, become a fan.

I was fortunate to live in the DC area during the Jack Kent Cooke/Charlie Casserly/Joe Gibbs era.
Snyder just doesn't measure up.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

For today, I was the biggest GB Packers fan ever.. and it paid off. The Pack dispatched the Cowboys 26-21 on a call that was just as controversial as last week's call against the Lions. Dez Bryant got a catch overturned using the "Calvin Johnson Rule" that was created from that TD he had against the Bears about 3 seasons ago. Glad the Cowboys won't advance to the NFC title game, and they can watch it at home like me and other Lions fans. Karma is a _itch.

[Hermod]

Andrew Luck Sacks: 27
Satafford: 45
Andrew Luck: completion %: 61.7
Stafford: 60.5
Indy Rush yds per game: 100.8
Detroit: 88.9

Luck is having a career year with TDs, but other than that and getting sacked half as much, he's not much different than Stafford

There is no "other than that" because the whole idea of the game is to score more points than your opponent and the most effective way to score points is with touchdowns regardless of your other stats..

[emu steve]

Are our chances of retaining Teryl Austin improving [[that he doesn't get a NFL head coaching job)?

[Pickford-Bentler]

Agree with you completely, in a game that had A LOT of stories that point was overlooked. Mathis witout any glitz or glamor did a fine job of being where the ball showed up often this season, his injury made a big difference in that game.

Yes, early in the game, Mathis made a hit that liberated the receiver from the ball, which the receiver was able to recover. But is is that kind of hit that makes a receiver "think".

[Pickford-Bentler]

I was fortunate to live in the DC area during the Jack Kent Cooke/Charlie Casserly/Joe Gibbs era.
Snyder just doesn't measure up.

Agree 100%.

[Pickford-Bentler]

There is no "other than that" because the whole idea of the game is to score more points than your opponent and the most effective way to score points is with touchdowns regardless of your other stats..

In the game against the Broncos, the Colts offensive line was making a perfect U shaped pocket on most of the attempts. And they ran it down the Broncos throat to ice the game.

The Lions also create a perfect U shaped pocket for Stafford - but the U faces the wrong way.

For the record, I feel Luck is a better QB than Stafford. However, the Lions line sucked this year.

[rb336]

There is no "other than that" because the whole idea of the game is to score more points than your opponent and the most effective way to score points is with touchdowns regardless of your other stats..

The point was that some schmuck said Luck got "much more pressure than Stafford" which just isn't true. It's incredibly important to give your QB time, and as we saw in almost every game, Luck got a ton of it, Stafford rarely had time to look at more than one receiver and THAT is the primary difference in their performance