- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
- Messages
- 54,699
Turn those machines back on!! Turn those machines back on!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4SRsGn14PI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4SRsGn14PI
Welcome to Detroit Sports Forum!
By joining our community, you'll be able to connect with fellow fans that live and breathe Detroit sports just like you!
-
If you are no longer able to access your account since our recent switch from vBulletin to XenForo, you may need to reset your password via email. If you no longer have access to the email attached to your account, please fill out our contact form and we will assist you ASAP. Thanks for your continued support of DSF.
Game 15: Lions @ Bengals Thread
- Thread starter grandy
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/video/recent-videos.html
Webvideo Highlights and lowlights from todays loss to the bengals.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=400951621
Boxscore.
They made the trip down I-75 just needing to beat the Bengals to remain in the playoff chase. The Bengals had been outscored 80-14 in their last nine quarters too.
Then Detroit went out there at a three-quarters empty Paul Brown Stadium, and lost 26-17.
That's it. They still play the Packers next week, but the season is over. There will be no playoffs, and now the questions about Jim Caldwell's job status will grow to a fevered pitch.
After all, all Detroit (8-7) had to do was beat the worst team in the NFL over the last two weeks. And they couldn't even do that.
Tion Green, an undrafted rookie who played his college ball down the road for the University of Cincinnati, made things interesting in the fourth quarter. He extended a drive by converting a fourth-and-1, then plowed into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown that gave Detroit a 17-16 lead with 9:54 left.
But it wouldn't last for long, thanks to a crucial mistake from Quandre Diggs. He's played so well in his move to safety, including picking off a pass against Cincinnati, but he also was flagged for holding on a crucial third-down stop.
Cincinnati got a fresh set of downs, and drove into position for a 51-yard field goal from Randy Bullock that gave them a 19-17 lead with 4:42 left.
Detroit still had a shot, of course. This is a position Matthew Stafford has been in so many times, and operates with such cool efficiency. But this was ordinary game. He was playing behind a mismatched offensive line that was missing Travis Swanson, T.J. Lang and Rick Wagner. It was a problem all day -- and Don Barclay, Lang's replacement, became a huge liability.
Barclay committed two key fouls on that late series, including a holding call that set up second-and-23, then an offsides that set up third-and-23. Golden Tate couldn't handle Stafford's prayer, Detroit was forced to punt and it didn't get the ball back again until Giovani Bernard had tacked on a 12-touchdown run for the final margin.
The Lions had cornered Cincinnati into a third-and-6, too. But they just couldn't get the stop, just like so many other times this season. And now, it is over.
The only question left is who exactly will survive this. And who won't.
Here are some quick observations from the game:
-- The Lions problems in short-yardage situations continue to haunt them, to the point where they've basically given up on running the ball at all. They had Matthew Stafford pass on third-and-1 at midfield early in this one, then punted -- yes, from midfield -- when it didn't work out. Facing third-and-2 from the goal line in the third quarter, Jim Bob Cooter dialed up a pass that went to Kenny Golladay. It was dropped, and Detroit settled for a field goal. Later in the quarter, Detroit was facing a third-and-2 at Cincinnati's 32-yard line. Cooter -- you guessed it! -- called for another pass, and Marvin Jones dropped it. Then Matt Prater missed the field goal. Where most teams get gimmes, the Lions are getting killed. And it killed them.
-- The Lions had no choice but to go for a fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, and facing a 16-10 deficit. And Barclay, who committed those costly penalties late in the fourth, jumped offside. Just bad, bad football from that guy. But Detroit did get a mulligan here, when the Bengals ran into Sam Martin, and Tion Green made them pay. He blasted through the middle of the line for the easy pickup, then finished off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit a 17-16 lead. What a homecoming it was for Green, an undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati. He finished with a team-high 43 yards on seven carries.
-- That touchdown, by the way, was Detroit's first on the ground in the fourth quarter in more than two years. Yeah, don't listen to Jim Caldwell. They're not even competent on the ground. They're a joke, and changes are in order. And I suspect you'll see them now.
-- You know when Jim Bob Cooter does like to run, though? On first-and-15, apparently. And when that lost 3 yards, he dialed up another on second-and-18. Seriously. The team with the highest-paid quarterback in the league, and one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league, ran on first-and-15 and then second-and-18. I don't want to give away any spoilers here, but it didn't work out.
-- The Bengals have the worst run defense in the league, but it took the short-handed Lions a while to finally take advantage of it. Down three starters up front, Detroit managed just 24 yards on 10 carries in the first half. But Green came alive in the second half, and Detroit finished with 87 for the game. Cincinnati, by the way, had been allowing 131.5.
-- Eric Ebron continued his second-half assualt on the NFL, igniting more questions about what his future holds in Detroit. Heading into the weekend, he had caught more footballs than every tight end except Travis Kelce since Week 11. Then he found himself in one-on-one coverage with a linebacker, Matthew Stafford saw the mismatch and hit him on a fly for a 33-yard touchdown. Ebron has now scored touchdowns in back to back weeks for the second time in his career. He finished with five catches for a team-high 83 yards and the one score.
-- When it comes to Marvin Jones, they should stop calling them 50/50 balls. Because, man, it sure seems like he comes down with them nine times out of ten. That includes a 31-yarder in the third quarter, which pushed him across 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.
-- Ezekiel Ansah reminded he still has a pulse with three sacks. That rings up his career total to 41, which is fifth in club history. That's nice. But the fact is, he hasn't been a dominant pass rusher for two years now. He has nine sacks this year, a team high, but six came in two games. And he has been a nonentity in most of the others. This game was a nice reminder of the player Ansah once was -- but also a reminder of the player he has become. And Detroit has tough questions to ask about his future in the offseason.
-- In 39 career games at nickelback, Quandre Diggs did not pick off a pass. In his fourth game since moving to safety, he picked his third pass. Sure, this one was sort of easy because of pressure delivered by Jarrad Davis. But part of playing safety well is anticipating where to be. And Diggs has been in the right spot a freaky amount of the time, considering he's played the position for a month. No matter how this season turns out, the suddenly bright future of Quandre Diggs has become one of Detroit's best developments.
-- Everyone yelling about Teez Tabor's playing time can stop now. He's played a growing role over the last few weeks, then made his first start against the Bengals. He lined up at outsider cornerback, with Darius Slay playing opposite him and Nevin Lawson on the inside.
-- Cornerback Nevin Lawson left the game with a brain injury and did not return.
-- Matthew Stafford surpassed 4,000 yards for the seventh straight season. He's just the second quarterback in NFL history to do that, joining Drew Brees. He didn't have his best day against Cincy, though, completing just 19 of 35 passes for 203 yards, one touchdown, one pick and a QB rating of, well, not real great. And certainly not good enough for Detroit to win.
Mlive
The Detroit Lions were getting all the help they needed on Sunday. Only one problem: They couldn’t help themselves. Blown opportunity after blown opportunity caused the Lions to meltdown late and they were defeated by the Bengals, 26-17.
The game got off to a slow start as both teams traded five total punts to start the game. But the Lions broke the dry spell on their third offensive drive of the game. After a three-and-out for the Bengals offense, the Lions had a short field to deal with. Matthew Stafford quickly cashed in, dropping a perfect pass to Eric Ebron, who had left the linebacker in coverage in the dust. The 33-yard score was the longest of Ebron’s career.
The Bengals looked prime to draw things even, but Andy Dalton panicked and lofted up a ball that landed in Quandre Diggs’ waiting arms. The Lions couldn’t take advantage, however, as they came up short on another third-and-short situation. Jim Caldwell opted to punt at midfield rather than go for it on fourth-and-less than a yard.
Cincinnati would methodically drive into the red zone, but a few Dalton overthrows stalled the drive and the Bengals could only muster a field goal. Detroit led 7-3 with just over seven minutes remaining in the half.
After the teams traded punts once again, it was time for another Lions two-minute drill. But as the Lions drew to midfield, Stafford took a hit from Vontaze Burfict as he was throwing the ball, leaving a duck of the pass in the middle of the field. The Bengals intercepted and cashed in the turnover for a field goal as the half expired.
The Lions offense came out in the second looking a lot more consistent. They drove 61 yards in over five minutes of time, but stalled in the red zone. Matt Prater knocked in a gimme 23-yard field goal and Detroit’s lead was back up to four.
But the Bengals answered, seemingly with ease. Cincy went 75 yards without facing a single third down and took their first lead. After Matt Prater missed a rare 50-yard field goal, the Bucs tacked on another field goal and Detroit found themselves down 16-10 with a quarter left in the game.
The Lions would retake the lead on a truly bizarre possession. The Lions faced a fourth-and-1 and appeared to be going for it. However, the offensive line jumped and Detroit punted away. But on the punt the Bengals ran into Sam Martin, giving the Lions another fourth-and-1 opportunity. This time Tion Green busted through the line for a first down. later. A few plays later, the Lions gave the rock back to Green, and he hit paydirt with a 5-yard touchdown run.
But the Lions defense couldn’t put it away. Detroit had a chance to get off the field on a key third-and-13, but Quandre Diggs committed a holding penalty giving the Bengals new life. A few plays later, Cincinnati would kick the go-ahead field giving the Lions 4:42 to overcome a 19-17 deficit.
The Lions potential go-ahead drive only went backwards, but ended with controversy. On a prayer, Matthew Stafford heaved a ball to Golden Tate, who appeared to come down with the ball only to have the ball stripped out by a Bengals defender. The play was called incomplete, but replay appeared to show Tate down with full possession of the ball before getting the ball jarred loose after he was down. Caldwell did not choose to challenge the play, and the Lions were forced to punt.
Like most of the day, the Lions defense was unable to stop the Bengals and Cincinnati put the nail in the coffin with a 12-yard touchdown run on third-and-6.
The Lions fall to 8-7 and have been eliminated from playoff contention. Considering the sloppy play of the Lions in a must-win game, and the missed challenge from Caldwell, one has to wonder if next week may be his last.
POD
The Lions were officially eliminated from the postseason with the loss, and they’ll play out the string next week against the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers before general manager Bob Quinn has to make what seems like an obvious decision to start the new year.
Caldwell, who entered Sunday with a 35-27 record as Lions coach – the best winning percentage (.565) of any full-time Lions coach in the Super Bowl era – is 0-2 in the playoffs and the Lions squandered a chance to reach the postseason this year despite injuries to Rodgers and top Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, and with the Chicago Bears a mess and starting a rookie at quarterback.
Of their nine penalties, five came in the final 8 minutes, after the Lions took a 17-16 lead.
Quandre Diggs was called for defensive holding on third-and-12 and Darius Slay followed with a pass interference penalty two plays later to extend the Bengals’ go-ahead field-goal drive, then the Lions found themselves in third-and-28 after two Don Barclay penalties on the ensuing possession.
While Caldwell isn’t entirely to blame for the Lions’ shortcomings, the team has been mired in mediocrity for most of his four seasons as coach.
On Sunday, they played too cautiously with their season on the line early, choosing to punt or kick field goals on four fourth-and-shorts in the first three quarters. Martin hit two mediocre punts from near midfield, and Matt Prater missed a 50-yard field goal on fourth-and-2 from the Bengals’ 32-yard line.
The Lions, the second worst rushing team in the NFL behind only the Bengals entering the day, finished with just 87 yards rushing, and Matthew Stafford was 19 of 35 passing for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Quinn has not yet commented on Caldwell's status as coach, but he inherited Caldwell when he took over as general manager in January 2016 and has considered a change each of the last two seasons.
With no playoff berth to tie his hands this year, the decision now seems obvious.
Freep
Good teams would make sure they were in the position the Lions were in, even if everything they had done to that point had made it difficult, they would get to Week 17 with a chance. The Lions, definitively, were not a good team Sunday and showed against the Bengals they were no better than a mediocre team all season.
This had been a team that always believed in itself in the fourth quarter, that thrived when the pressure was down. Caldwell even hinted that was the makeup of his team. Yet with the entire season on the line, the Lions faltered offensively – with holding and false start calls on Don Barclay on Detroit’s penultimate offensive possession. On defense, the Lions couldn’t stop Cincinnati, allowing Gio Bernard to run in a game-clinching touchdown.
Those two drives aren’t why the Lions lost Sunday, but they do explain what Detroit’s issue was. It couldn’t make the big stop or the big play for so much of the day. Sure, there were pieces here and there – a Quandre Diggs interception and one well-run drive in the fourth quarter – but otherwise, the Lions looked average and maybe worse than that. And it’ll send the Lions into Week 17 against Green Bay that has no meaning instead of potentially being for a spot in the postseason.
Detroit looked like a team that was playing down to the level of the Bengals and hoping to do what they always do – keep it close and pull it out in the end.
It’s been a danger against good teams. Doing it against a bad team – and then not being able to come through – shows a lack of progress under head coach Jim Caldwell.
This has always been the concern the way Caldwell’s teams played. Occasionally, like they did to Green Bay and the New York Giants earlier this season, they were in control the entire way. But too often, far too often against teams below-.500 this season and even last season, they hung around with those teams until the end.
They relied on fourth-quarter comebacks from Matthew Stafford and timely turnovers from Glover Quin and Darius Slay. They would look like a different team in the final quarter. Caldwell appeared fine with that, going as far as to call it a trademark of his teams in Detroit. They were pleased they would never give up.
But that they would not be able to soundly put away teams they should have this season was the problem in the first place.
It was more than this, though. The same problems the Lions have always had persisted. They only scored seven points in the first half. Their run game – against the worst rushing defense in the league – was abysmal, with no running back topping 50 yards and gaining 87 yards as a team. The offense remained predictable, particularly early with some of Jim Bob Cooter's play calls.
Those same issues cost the Lions on Sunday. It cost them the rest of their season. Cost them a chance at the postseason and depending on what Quinn decides to do after the year, might have cost Caldwell and his staff their jobs.
espn
QB Comparison: Stafford’s streak of three straight games completing 75 percent of his passes ended Sunday. He was 19-of-35 passing for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a passer rating of 69.1.
Dalton completed 27 of his 41 passes for 238 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a passer rating of 79.1.
Run defense: It was 3rd and 6 with less than a minute to go with Detroit’s season on the line, and Bengals running back Giovani Bernard took a simple handoff running off right tackle and found wide open space, right into the end zone.
Touchdown. Game over. Playoff chances over.
Stopping the run has been one of those inconsistent areas for the Lions' defense all season. They’ve been very good at times, and equally as bad other times.
Sunday was one of the bad ones. Bernard racked up 116 yards on 23 carries, and the Bengals rushed for 146 yards total. Cincinnati’s run game allowed them to control both the clock and the tempo in the second half.
Lions.com
The Detroit Lions came into Cincinnati with everything on the line against a team with nothing to play for. But a host of sloppy mistakes, unforced errors and bad decision-making turned a likely Lions win into an embarrassing defeat.
It should cost head coach Jim Caldwell his job.
A costly interception at the end of the first half cost Detroit a chance to extend a 7-3 lead, and a brain-dead penalty turned an ensuing interception into an ensuing Bengals field goal.
The mistakes, miscues and missed opportunities continued in the second half.
Caldwell called a frustratingly conservative game, choosing to punt or kick long field goals on repeated fourth-and-short situations.
With so many wasted drives and so little room for error, it’s no wonder the Bengals finally broke through. Bengals wideout A.J. Green started getting the better of cornerback Darius Slay, and the Lions’ inability to stop the run—any run—made it hard for them to get a stop and get off the field.
The decisive moment, though, was the one that embodied everything Caldwell has done wrong in his time as Lions head coach.
With a chance to convert a crucial 3rd-and-28, Golden Tate nearly hauled in a big-time Stafford pass.
Multiple reviews seemed to show Tate re-catching the ball while already down and being touched by Bengals defenders, but Caldwell not only didn’t challenge, he immediately sent out his punt team without appearing to even consider it.
With the season on the line and his player apparently having made a great play, Caldwell snagged defeat from the jaws of victory.
If the organization’s expectations for this roster aren’t at least as high as their fans’, they should be. Caldwell got a well-deserved opportunity to finish what he started in Detroit; he just didn’t do well enough to earn another one.
LionsWire
Five reasons the Lions lost:
1. The Lions defense missed tackle after tackle, sometimes on the same play. The Bengals featured the NFL’s worst offense, averaging 268.9 yards per game before they met the Lions. They finished with 364 yards against the Lions and they had nothing to play for except maybe pride.
2. The Bengals also own the NFL’s worst running game, averaging just 77.0 rushing yards per game. They almost doubled that production thanks to the Lions’ porous rushing defense. Cincinnati finished with 143 rushing yards, with Giovani Bernard rushing for 116 yards. His previous high this season was 77 yards in a game.
3. Penalties were a killer in the second half. Don Barclay, who started at right guard in place of T.J. Lang, had three in the fourth quarter. The Lions were whistled for nine penalties costing 74 yards while the Bengals had just five.
4. The offense never got in rhythm. Matthew Stafford had completed more than 80 percent of his passes in the past three games, but only 54.3 percent against the Bengals. Stafford was 19 of 35 for 195 yards, one touchdown, on interception for a 68.2 rating.
5. The Lions had trouble running the ball with 22 carries for 87 yards. Perhaps you’ve heard this before. Rookie Tion Green had a few good runs and finished with seven carries for 43 yards including a rushing touchdown. (It was the Lions’ first fourth-quarter rushing touchdown by a running back in more than two years, according to FOX. Two years.) Don’t use the banged-up offensive line as an excuse. The Lions have to be better at running the ball. Caldwell has said many times they thought the run game would be fine this season with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick healthy. That was a huge miscalculation by the coaching staff.
LionsLowdown
The Detroit Lions had to win out and it started against the Cincinnati Bengals. They couldn’t get the job done as the team struggled to run against the worst rush defense in the NFL, made simple mistakes, and coaching playcalling was the main difference in the game. Detroit was supposed to win this game against a banged up team, and they struggled to get anything going. Maybe it was better for this team to avoid the playoffs and get embarrassed on a national spotlight.
Offense
Quarterback Matt Stafford had a shaky beginning with some questionable throws, but he was able to recover well and get things going. Stafford would finish 19/35 for 203 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Stafford also eclipsed 4,000 yards for the seventh straight season, one behind Peyton Manning and four behind Drew Brees.
Against the worst run defense in the NFL, the Detroit Lions couldn’t run the football. Starting running back Theo Riddick finished with eight carries for 16 yards. Ameer Abdullah had six carries for 21 yards, while Tion Green was the best running back with seven carries for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Starting tight end Eric Ebron was the main target today, as he has improved after having a rough first half of the season, he finished with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Rookie wide receiver Kenny Golladay also had four catches, but for 28 yards. Marvin Jones, former Cincinnati Bengal, had three catches for 50 yards. Golden Tate had three catches for 14 yards.
With their starting right tackle, right guard, and center out, Stafford was behind an offensive line with three backups. The line did well for a majority of the game, but when the team needed a comeback they allowed back to back sacks. They still couldn’t help much for the running backs as even against the worst run defense they still couldn’t produce much on the ground.
Defense
Getting pressure on the quarterback was possible for the Lions. Defensive end Ziggy Ansah finished with seven tackles and three sacks, four tackles for loss. Defensive end Dwight Freeney still wasn’t able to get anything on the stat sheet, but he came close to a strip sack and he was able to put pressure on Dalton, who threw one interception due to pressure. Defensive tackle Akeem Spence led the group in tackles with eight.
The linebackers were horrible at coverage and helping stop the run. The Bengals came in with the worst rushing offense in the NFL, behind Detroit, but running back Giovanni Bernard was able to run and catch all over the Lions linebackers. The linebackers also struggled with covering tight ends but were lucked out with badly thrown passes. Tahir Whitehead led the linebacker group with nine tackles, one for loss. Jalen Reeves-Maybin had three tackles and one pass deflection. First-round Jarrad Davis had five tackles, one for loss.
Converted safety Quandre Diggs had five tackles and an interception as he has impressed many since moving to safety for the injured Tavon Wilson. Cornerback Darius Slay had six tackles and three pass deflections. Starting safety Glover Quin led the group in tackles with nine.
Special teams weren’t their best today, as punter Sam Martin punted the ball five times for 202 yards, with two landing inside the 20-yard line and a touchback. Matt Prater was 1/2 on field goals today, making one from 23 yards out and missing a 50 yarder. Ameer Abdullah had five kick returns for 114 yards.
What It Means
Head coach Jim Caldwell was already on the hot seat coming into 2017, and after a good start, the Lions announced that he signed an extension with the team. Weeks later with the team struggling, fans were chirping for Caldwell to get fired and wondering how long the extension is for. After this loss, Caldwell’s time in Detroit may be up
DLP
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017/12/24/16816768/lions-bengals-quick-thoughts-what-just-happened
Lions vs. Bengals: What Just Happened?
A collection of thoughts on the Lions’ huge embarrassing failure.
POD
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017...tch-incomplete-pass-no-challenge-jim-caldwell
Lions fail to challenge key incompletion in fourth quarter
Did Jim Caldwell make the right choice to keep the challenge flag in his pocket?
POD
Webvideo Highlights and lowlights from todays loss to the bengals.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=400951621
Boxscore.
They made the trip down I-75 just needing to beat the Bengals to remain in the playoff chase. The Bengals had been outscored 80-14 in their last nine quarters too.
Then Detroit went out there at a three-quarters empty Paul Brown Stadium, and lost 26-17.
That's it. They still play the Packers next week, but the season is over. There will be no playoffs, and now the questions about Jim Caldwell's job status will grow to a fevered pitch.
After all, all Detroit (8-7) had to do was beat the worst team in the NFL over the last two weeks. And they couldn't even do that.
Tion Green, an undrafted rookie who played his college ball down the road for the University of Cincinnati, made things interesting in the fourth quarter. He extended a drive by converting a fourth-and-1, then plowed into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown that gave Detroit a 17-16 lead with 9:54 left.
But it wouldn't last for long, thanks to a crucial mistake from Quandre Diggs. He's played so well in his move to safety, including picking off a pass against Cincinnati, but he also was flagged for holding on a crucial third-down stop.
Cincinnati got a fresh set of downs, and drove into position for a 51-yard field goal from Randy Bullock that gave them a 19-17 lead with 4:42 left.
Detroit still had a shot, of course. This is a position Matthew Stafford has been in so many times, and operates with such cool efficiency. But this was ordinary game. He was playing behind a mismatched offensive line that was missing Travis Swanson, T.J. Lang and Rick Wagner. It was a problem all day -- and Don Barclay, Lang's replacement, became a huge liability.
Barclay committed two key fouls on that late series, including a holding call that set up second-and-23, then an offsides that set up third-and-23. Golden Tate couldn't handle Stafford's prayer, Detroit was forced to punt and it didn't get the ball back again until Giovani Bernard had tacked on a 12-touchdown run for the final margin.
The Lions had cornered Cincinnati into a third-and-6, too. But they just couldn't get the stop, just like so many other times this season. And now, it is over.
The only question left is who exactly will survive this. And who won't.
Here are some quick observations from the game:
-- The Lions problems in short-yardage situations continue to haunt them, to the point where they've basically given up on running the ball at all. They had Matthew Stafford pass on third-and-1 at midfield early in this one, then punted -- yes, from midfield -- when it didn't work out. Facing third-and-2 from the goal line in the third quarter, Jim Bob Cooter dialed up a pass that went to Kenny Golladay. It was dropped, and Detroit settled for a field goal. Later in the quarter, Detroit was facing a third-and-2 at Cincinnati's 32-yard line. Cooter -- you guessed it! -- called for another pass, and Marvin Jones dropped it. Then Matt Prater missed the field goal. Where most teams get gimmes, the Lions are getting killed. And it killed them.
-- The Lions had no choice but to go for a fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, and facing a 16-10 deficit. And Barclay, who committed those costly penalties late in the fourth, jumped offside. Just bad, bad football from that guy. But Detroit did get a mulligan here, when the Bengals ran into Sam Martin, and Tion Green made them pay. He blasted through the middle of the line for the easy pickup, then finished off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit a 17-16 lead. What a homecoming it was for Green, an undrafted rookie out of Cincinnati. He finished with a team-high 43 yards on seven carries.
-- That touchdown, by the way, was Detroit's first on the ground in the fourth quarter in more than two years. Yeah, don't listen to Jim Caldwell. They're not even competent on the ground. They're a joke, and changes are in order. And I suspect you'll see them now.
-- You know when Jim Bob Cooter does like to run, though? On first-and-15, apparently. And when that lost 3 yards, he dialed up another on second-and-18. Seriously. The team with the highest-paid quarterback in the league, and one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league, ran on first-and-15 and then second-and-18. I don't want to give away any spoilers here, but it didn't work out.
-- The Bengals have the worst run defense in the league, but it took the short-handed Lions a while to finally take advantage of it. Down three starters up front, Detroit managed just 24 yards on 10 carries in the first half. But Green came alive in the second half, and Detroit finished with 87 for the game. Cincinnati, by the way, had been allowing 131.5.
-- Eric Ebron continued his second-half assualt on the NFL, igniting more questions about what his future holds in Detroit. Heading into the weekend, he had caught more footballs than every tight end except Travis Kelce since Week 11. Then he found himself in one-on-one coverage with a linebacker, Matthew Stafford saw the mismatch and hit him on a fly for a 33-yard touchdown. Ebron has now scored touchdowns in back to back weeks for the second time in his career. He finished with five catches for a team-high 83 yards and the one score.
-- When it comes to Marvin Jones, they should stop calling them 50/50 balls. Because, man, it sure seems like he comes down with them nine times out of ten. That includes a 31-yarder in the third quarter, which pushed him across 1,000 yards for the first time in his career.
-- Ezekiel Ansah reminded he still has a pulse with three sacks. That rings up his career total to 41, which is fifth in club history. That's nice. But the fact is, he hasn't been a dominant pass rusher for two years now. He has nine sacks this year, a team high, but six came in two games. And he has been a nonentity in most of the others. This game was a nice reminder of the player Ansah once was -- but also a reminder of the player he has become. And Detroit has tough questions to ask about his future in the offseason.
-- In 39 career games at nickelback, Quandre Diggs did not pick off a pass. In his fourth game since moving to safety, he picked his third pass. Sure, this one was sort of easy because of pressure delivered by Jarrad Davis. But part of playing safety well is anticipating where to be. And Diggs has been in the right spot a freaky amount of the time, considering he's played the position for a month. No matter how this season turns out, the suddenly bright future of Quandre Diggs has become one of Detroit's best developments.
-- Everyone yelling about Teez Tabor's playing time can stop now. He's played a growing role over the last few weeks, then made his first start against the Bengals. He lined up at outsider cornerback, with Darius Slay playing opposite him and Nevin Lawson on the inside.
-- Cornerback Nevin Lawson left the game with a brain injury and did not return.
-- Matthew Stafford surpassed 4,000 yards for the seventh straight season. He's just the second quarterback in NFL history to do that, joining Drew Brees. He didn't have his best day against Cincy, though, completing just 19 of 35 passes for 203 yards, one touchdown, one pick and a QB rating of, well, not real great. And certainly not good enough for Detroit to win.
Mlive
The Detroit Lions were getting all the help they needed on Sunday. Only one problem: They couldn’t help themselves. Blown opportunity after blown opportunity caused the Lions to meltdown late and they were defeated by the Bengals, 26-17.
The game got off to a slow start as both teams traded five total punts to start the game. But the Lions broke the dry spell on their third offensive drive of the game. After a three-and-out for the Bengals offense, the Lions had a short field to deal with. Matthew Stafford quickly cashed in, dropping a perfect pass to Eric Ebron, who had left the linebacker in coverage in the dust. The 33-yard score was the longest of Ebron’s career.
The Bengals looked prime to draw things even, but Andy Dalton panicked and lofted up a ball that landed in Quandre Diggs’ waiting arms. The Lions couldn’t take advantage, however, as they came up short on another third-and-short situation. Jim Caldwell opted to punt at midfield rather than go for it on fourth-and-less than a yard.
Cincinnati would methodically drive into the red zone, but a few Dalton overthrows stalled the drive and the Bengals could only muster a field goal. Detroit led 7-3 with just over seven minutes remaining in the half.
After the teams traded punts once again, it was time for another Lions two-minute drill. But as the Lions drew to midfield, Stafford took a hit from Vontaze Burfict as he was throwing the ball, leaving a duck of the pass in the middle of the field. The Bengals intercepted and cashed in the turnover for a field goal as the half expired.
The Lions offense came out in the second looking a lot more consistent. They drove 61 yards in over five minutes of time, but stalled in the red zone. Matt Prater knocked in a gimme 23-yard field goal and Detroit’s lead was back up to four.
But the Bengals answered, seemingly with ease. Cincy went 75 yards without facing a single third down and took their first lead. After Matt Prater missed a rare 50-yard field goal, the Bucs tacked on another field goal and Detroit found themselves down 16-10 with a quarter left in the game.
The Lions would retake the lead on a truly bizarre possession. The Lions faced a fourth-and-1 and appeared to be going for it. However, the offensive line jumped and Detroit punted away. But on the punt the Bengals ran into Sam Martin, giving the Lions another fourth-and-1 opportunity. This time Tion Green busted through the line for a first down. later. A few plays later, the Lions gave the rock back to Green, and he hit paydirt with a 5-yard touchdown run.
But the Lions defense couldn’t put it away. Detroit had a chance to get off the field on a key third-and-13, but Quandre Diggs committed a holding penalty giving the Bengals new life. A few plays later, Cincinnati would kick the go-ahead field giving the Lions 4:42 to overcome a 19-17 deficit.
The Lions potential go-ahead drive only went backwards, but ended with controversy. On a prayer, Matthew Stafford heaved a ball to Golden Tate, who appeared to come down with the ball only to have the ball stripped out by a Bengals defender. The play was called incomplete, but replay appeared to show Tate down with full possession of the ball before getting the ball jarred loose after he was down. Caldwell did not choose to challenge the play, and the Lions were forced to punt.
Like most of the day, the Lions defense was unable to stop the Bengals and Cincinnati put the nail in the coffin with a 12-yard touchdown run on third-and-6.
The Lions fall to 8-7 and have been eliminated from playoff contention. Considering the sloppy play of the Lions in a must-win game, and the missed challenge from Caldwell, one has to wonder if next week may be his last.
POD
The Lions were officially eliminated from the postseason with the loss, and they’ll play out the string next week against the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers before general manager Bob Quinn has to make what seems like an obvious decision to start the new year.
Caldwell, who entered Sunday with a 35-27 record as Lions coach – the best winning percentage (.565) of any full-time Lions coach in the Super Bowl era – is 0-2 in the playoffs and the Lions squandered a chance to reach the postseason this year despite injuries to Rodgers and top Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, and with the Chicago Bears a mess and starting a rookie at quarterback.
Of their nine penalties, five came in the final 8 minutes, after the Lions took a 17-16 lead.
Quandre Diggs was called for defensive holding on third-and-12 and Darius Slay followed with a pass interference penalty two plays later to extend the Bengals’ go-ahead field-goal drive, then the Lions found themselves in third-and-28 after two Don Barclay penalties on the ensuing possession.
While Caldwell isn’t entirely to blame for the Lions’ shortcomings, the team has been mired in mediocrity for most of his four seasons as coach.
On Sunday, they played too cautiously with their season on the line early, choosing to punt or kick field goals on four fourth-and-shorts in the first three quarters. Martin hit two mediocre punts from near midfield, and Matt Prater missed a 50-yard field goal on fourth-and-2 from the Bengals’ 32-yard line.
The Lions, the second worst rushing team in the NFL behind only the Bengals entering the day, finished with just 87 yards rushing, and Matthew Stafford was 19 of 35 passing for 203 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Quinn has not yet commented on Caldwell's status as coach, but he inherited Caldwell when he took over as general manager in January 2016 and has considered a change each of the last two seasons.
With no playoff berth to tie his hands this year, the decision now seems obvious.
Freep
Good teams would make sure they were in the position the Lions were in, even if everything they had done to that point had made it difficult, they would get to Week 17 with a chance. The Lions, definitively, were not a good team Sunday and showed against the Bengals they were no better than a mediocre team all season.
This had been a team that always believed in itself in the fourth quarter, that thrived when the pressure was down. Caldwell even hinted that was the makeup of his team. Yet with the entire season on the line, the Lions faltered offensively – with holding and false start calls on Don Barclay on Detroit’s penultimate offensive possession. On defense, the Lions couldn’t stop Cincinnati, allowing Gio Bernard to run in a game-clinching touchdown.
Those two drives aren’t why the Lions lost Sunday, but they do explain what Detroit’s issue was. It couldn’t make the big stop or the big play for so much of the day. Sure, there were pieces here and there – a Quandre Diggs interception and one well-run drive in the fourth quarter – but otherwise, the Lions looked average and maybe worse than that. And it’ll send the Lions into Week 17 against Green Bay that has no meaning instead of potentially being for a spot in the postseason.
Detroit looked like a team that was playing down to the level of the Bengals and hoping to do what they always do – keep it close and pull it out in the end.
It’s been a danger against good teams. Doing it against a bad team – and then not being able to come through – shows a lack of progress under head coach Jim Caldwell.
This has always been the concern the way Caldwell’s teams played. Occasionally, like they did to Green Bay and the New York Giants earlier this season, they were in control the entire way. But too often, far too often against teams below-.500 this season and even last season, they hung around with those teams until the end.
They relied on fourth-quarter comebacks from Matthew Stafford and timely turnovers from Glover Quin and Darius Slay. They would look like a different team in the final quarter. Caldwell appeared fine with that, going as far as to call it a trademark of his teams in Detroit. They were pleased they would never give up.
But that they would not be able to soundly put away teams they should have this season was the problem in the first place.
It was more than this, though. The same problems the Lions have always had persisted. They only scored seven points in the first half. Their run game – against the worst rushing defense in the league – was abysmal, with no running back topping 50 yards and gaining 87 yards as a team. The offense remained predictable, particularly early with some of Jim Bob Cooter's play calls.
Those same issues cost the Lions on Sunday. It cost them the rest of their season. Cost them a chance at the postseason and depending on what Quinn decides to do after the year, might have cost Caldwell and his staff their jobs.
espn
QB Comparison: Stafford’s streak of three straight games completing 75 percent of his passes ended Sunday. He was 19-of-35 passing for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a passer rating of 69.1.
Dalton completed 27 of his 41 passes for 238 yards with a touchdown and an interception for a passer rating of 79.1.
Run defense: It was 3rd and 6 with less than a minute to go with Detroit’s season on the line, and Bengals running back Giovani Bernard took a simple handoff running off right tackle and found wide open space, right into the end zone.
Touchdown. Game over. Playoff chances over.
Stopping the run has been one of those inconsistent areas for the Lions' defense all season. They’ve been very good at times, and equally as bad other times.
Sunday was one of the bad ones. Bernard racked up 116 yards on 23 carries, and the Bengals rushed for 146 yards total. Cincinnati’s run game allowed them to control both the clock and the tempo in the second half.
Lions.com
The Detroit Lions came into Cincinnati with everything on the line against a team with nothing to play for. But a host of sloppy mistakes, unforced errors and bad decision-making turned a likely Lions win into an embarrassing defeat.
It should cost head coach Jim Caldwell his job.
A costly interception at the end of the first half cost Detroit a chance to extend a 7-3 lead, and a brain-dead penalty turned an ensuing interception into an ensuing Bengals field goal.
The mistakes, miscues and missed opportunities continued in the second half.
Caldwell called a frustratingly conservative game, choosing to punt or kick long field goals on repeated fourth-and-short situations.
With so many wasted drives and so little room for error, it’s no wonder the Bengals finally broke through. Bengals wideout A.J. Green started getting the better of cornerback Darius Slay, and the Lions’ inability to stop the run—any run—made it hard for them to get a stop and get off the field.
The decisive moment, though, was the one that embodied everything Caldwell has done wrong in his time as Lions head coach.
With a chance to convert a crucial 3rd-and-28, Golden Tate nearly hauled in a big-time Stafford pass.
Multiple reviews seemed to show Tate re-catching the ball while already down and being touched by Bengals defenders, but Caldwell not only didn’t challenge, he immediately sent out his punt team without appearing to even consider it.
With the season on the line and his player apparently having made a great play, Caldwell snagged defeat from the jaws of victory.
If the organization’s expectations for this roster aren’t at least as high as their fans’, they should be. Caldwell got a well-deserved opportunity to finish what he started in Detroit; he just didn’t do well enough to earn another one.
LionsWire
Five reasons the Lions lost:
1. The Lions defense missed tackle after tackle, sometimes on the same play. The Bengals featured the NFL’s worst offense, averaging 268.9 yards per game before they met the Lions. They finished with 364 yards against the Lions and they had nothing to play for except maybe pride.
2. The Bengals also own the NFL’s worst running game, averaging just 77.0 rushing yards per game. They almost doubled that production thanks to the Lions’ porous rushing defense. Cincinnati finished with 143 rushing yards, with Giovani Bernard rushing for 116 yards. His previous high this season was 77 yards in a game.
3. Penalties were a killer in the second half. Don Barclay, who started at right guard in place of T.J. Lang, had three in the fourth quarter. The Lions were whistled for nine penalties costing 74 yards while the Bengals had just five.
4. The offense never got in rhythm. Matthew Stafford had completed more than 80 percent of his passes in the past three games, but only 54.3 percent against the Bengals. Stafford was 19 of 35 for 195 yards, one touchdown, on interception for a 68.2 rating.
5. The Lions had trouble running the ball with 22 carries for 87 yards. Perhaps you’ve heard this before. Rookie Tion Green had a few good runs and finished with seven carries for 43 yards including a rushing touchdown. (It was the Lions’ first fourth-quarter rushing touchdown by a running back in more than two years, according to FOX. Two years.) Don’t use the banged-up offensive line as an excuse. The Lions have to be better at running the ball. Caldwell has said many times they thought the run game would be fine this season with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick healthy. That was a huge miscalculation by the coaching staff.
LionsLowdown
The Detroit Lions had to win out and it started against the Cincinnati Bengals. They couldn’t get the job done as the team struggled to run against the worst rush defense in the NFL, made simple mistakes, and coaching playcalling was the main difference in the game. Detroit was supposed to win this game against a banged up team, and they struggled to get anything going. Maybe it was better for this team to avoid the playoffs and get embarrassed on a national spotlight.
Offense
Quarterback Matt Stafford had a shaky beginning with some questionable throws, but he was able to recover well and get things going. Stafford would finish 19/35 for 203 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Stafford also eclipsed 4,000 yards for the seventh straight season, one behind Peyton Manning and four behind Drew Brees.
Against the worst run defense in the NFL, the Detroit Lions couldn’t run the football. Starting running back Theo Riddick finished with eight carries for 16 yards. Ameer Abdullah had six carries for 21 yards, while Tion Green was the best running back with seven carries for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Starting tight end Eric Ebron was the main target today, as he has improved after having a rough first half of the season, he finished with five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Rookie wide receiver Kenny Golladay also had four catches, but for 28 yards. Marvin Jones, former Cincinnati Bengal, had three catches for 50 yards. Golden Tate had three catches for 14 yards.
With their starting right tackle, right guard, and center out, Stafford was behind an offensive line with three backups. The line did well for a majority of the game, but when the team needed a comeback they allowed back to back sacks. They still couldn’t help much for the running backs as even against the worst run defense they still couldn’t produce much on the ground.
Defense
Getting pressure on the quarterback was possible for the Lions. Defensive end Ziggy Ansah finished with seven tackles and three sacks, four tackles for loss. Defensive end Dwight Freeney still wasn’t able to get anything on the stat sheet, but he came close to a strip sack and he was able to put pressure on Dalton, who threw one interception due to pressure. Defensive tackle Akeem Spence led the group in tackles with eight.
The linebackers were horrible at coverage and helping stop the run. The Bengals came in with the worst rushing offense in the NFL, behind Detroit, but running back Giovanni Bernard was able to run and catch all over the Lions linebackers. The linebackers also struggled with covering tight ends but were lucked out with badly thrown passes. Tahir Whitehead led the linebacker group with nine tackles, one for loss. Jalen Reeves-Maybin had three tackles and one pass deflection. First-round Jarrad Davis had five tackles, one for loss.
Converted safety Quandre Diggs had five tackles and an interception as he has impressed many since moving to safety for the injured Tavon Wilson. Cornerback Darius Slay had six tackles and three pass deflections. Starting safety Glover Quin led the group in tackles with nine.
Special teams weren’t their best today, as punter Sam Martin punted the ball five times for 202 yards, with two landing inside the 20-yard line and a touchback. Matt Prater was 1/2 on field goals today, making one from 23 yards out and missing a 50 yarder. Ameer Abdullah had five kick returns for 114 yards.
What It Means
Head coach Jim Caldwell was already on the hot seat coming into 2017, and after a good start, the Lions announced that he signed an extension with the team. Weeks later with the team struggling, fans were chirping for Caldwell to get fired and wondering how long the extension is for. After this loss, Caldwell’s time in Detroit may be up
DLP
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017/12/24/16816768/lions-bengals-quick-thoughts-what-just-happened
Lions vs. Bengals: What Just Happened?
A collection of thoughts on the Lions’ huge embarrassing failure.
POD
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017...tch-incomplete-pass-no-challenge-jim-caldwell
Lions fail to challenge key incompletion in fourth quarter
Did Jim Caldwell make the right choice to keep the challenge flag in his pocket?
POD
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-refocused-cincinnati-bengals-26-detroit-lions-17
Refocused: Cincinnati Bengals 26 - Detroit Lions 17.
PFF
Refocused: Cincinnati Bengals 26 - Detroit Lions 17.
PFF
Last edited:
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...it-lions-grades-cincinnati-bengals/980255001/
Lions grades: Jim Caldwell, special teams fail in disappointing loss.
Freep
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-grades-special-teams-coaches-fail/108909554/
Lions grades: Special teams, coaches fail.
Detnews
Lions grades: Jim Caldwell, special teams fail in disappointing loss.
Freep
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...-grades-special-teams-coaches-fail/108909554/
Lions grades: Special teams, coaches fail.
Detnews
manchild98
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2011
- Messages
- 21,771
I've always thought Caldwell would get one more year. Not the Quinn needed an additional excuse but he has to fire him now. No way Caldwell survives this loss. No way. He just can't.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...lions-three-questions-jim-caldwell/980261001/
Three Lions questions: They must fire Jim Caldwell after season finale.
Freep
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2017/12/24/detroit-lions-change-needed-now/980112001/
Detroit Lions' dismal Christmas Eve loss shows change is needed now.
Freep
http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2017/12/lions_brass_declines_to_commen.html#incart_river_index
Lions brass declines to comment on future of Jim Caldwell.
Mlive
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017...ati-bengals-time-as-head-coach-should-be-over
Jim Caldwell’s time as Lions head coach should be over after Detroit’s performance against Cincinnati.
The Lions had the chance to make the playoffs, but didn’t get the job done against the lifeless Bengals. It’s time for a change.
POD
Ed Werder for Westwood 1 sports:
When I spoke to #Lions sources last week while covering their game for @westwood1sports, I asked what GM Bob Quinn would need to retain Jim Caldwell as HC and was told, "A strong finish." Losing to #Bengals doesn't qualify.
Three Lions questions: They must fire Jim Caldwell after season finale.
Freep
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2017/12/24/detroit-lions-change-needed-now/980112001/
Detroit Lions' dismal Christmas Eve loss shows change is needed now.
Freep
http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2017/12/lions_brass_declines_to_commen.html#incart_river_index
Lions brass declines to comment on future of Jim Caldwell.
Mlive
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017...ati-bengals-time-as-head-coach-should-be-over
Jim Caldwell’s time as Lions head coach should be over after Detroit’s performance against Cincinnati.
The Lions had the chance to make the playoffs, but didn’t get the job done against the lifeless Bengals. It’s time for a change.
POD
Ed Werder for Westwood 1 sports:
When I spoke to #Lions sources last week while covering their game for @westwood1sports, I asked what GM Bob Quinn would need to retain Jim Caldwell as HC and was told, "A strong finish." Losing to #Bengals doesn't qualify.
Last edited:
It is now very likely the lions will finish 2017 with the worst running game in the NFL 32nd dead last for that reason alone JBC should be fired it's obvious he has no clue and is a very lousy Offense coordinator, take everyone else with him to, start over again so they can be good again in time for super bowl 57
Last edited:
mhughes0021
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
- Messages
- 28,588
And staffords performance when it matters most gets yet another coaching staff fired. The real question is who wants to come in and have their career/job be tied to 1 guy.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
http://nfltraderumors.co/patriots-dc-matt-patricia-name-watch-lions-jim-caldwell-replacement/
Patriots DC Matt Patricia Name To Watch For Lions As Jim Caldwell Replacement?
NFLTR
Patriots DC Matt Patricia Name To Watch For Lions As Jim Caldwell Replacement?
NFLTR
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/PPY3090013530?selected=LKN3741175231
LOCKED ON DETROIT LIONS PODCAST VOLUME 323. DECEMBER 24. 23 minutes.
Time to Clean House. Post-Game POD. #Lions lose in Cincy.
LOCKED ON DETROIT LIONS PODCAST VOLUME 323. DECEMBER 24. 23 minutes.
Time to Clean House. Post-Game POD. #Lions lose in Cincy.
SpartyNash
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 3,868
Great reference.
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2011
- Messages
- 190,391
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017...st-overall-performance-at-worst-possible-time
Lions-Bengals report card: Detroit suffers worst overall performance at worst possible time.
The good performances were few and far between on Sunday.
POD
Lions-Bengals report card: Detroit suffers worst overall performance at worst possible time.
The good performances were few and far between on Sunday.
POD
tomdalton22
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
- Messages
- 24,883
still making some excuses. That game was perfect for the taking and the Lions choked the game away. Stafford blew
4 drops and int he got hit in the back on the throw. Stafford was fine but the Oline was injured as it has been all year
45 sacks and Stafford has avoided the most sacks of any QB in the pocket with 20+
Oline healthy and add Dline and power back in free agency/draft
9-7 is two yards from 11-5. 10 second run off and 1 yard in Steelers. 2 fucking yards from a good 11-5 season. Such crap
- Thread Author
- #277
grandy
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2011
- Messages
- 11,642
https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2017...detroit-lions-play-matthew-stafford-on-sunday
Should the Lions play Stafford against GB?
Should the Lions play Stafford against GB?
tomdalton22
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
- Messages
- 24,883
They aren't 9-7 yet.
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2011
- Messages
- 95,329
No ... or maybe a series or two.
Affiliates
