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What they're saying: Detroit Lions' team, staff 'an embarrassment' with loss to lowly Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals hadn't won a game since September.
But Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley says the team shouldn't get too excited about its 38-10 victory Sunday. After all, it was against the Detroit Lions.
"Look, it's easy to overplay this victory. It's likely no quarterback ever did less than Ryan Lindley while attaining his first career win. This was all about the defense and the daffiness of the Lions, a team and a coaching staff that is truly an embarrassment," Bickley wrote.
Bickley says the Cardinals' win does give them a chance to heal and practice in peace, after becoming the first team since the 1970 merger to lose by a shutout of more than 50 points and rebound with a win the following week.
Here's what else is being said about the Lions' sixth consecutive loss:
NATIONAL
-- ESPN.com: John Clayton didn't see much effort from the Lions: "The Detroit Lions looked as though they were going through the motions in their 38-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. At 4-10, the Lions have truly regressed. The only bright spot is Calvin Johnson, who caught 10 passes for 121 yards."
-- ESPN.com: With the loss to the Cardinals, the Lions move up to the No. 5 overall pick in the April draft. They would lose the tiebreaker to Oakland (4-10) and Philadelphia (4-10), and that's also pending tonight's New York Jets-Tennessee game.
-- ESPN.com: NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert: "This game has to be considered the low point of coach Jim Schwartz's tenure. There were some bad losses in 2009 and even the early parts of 2010, but getting blown out by a team that hadn't won in more than two months is a result that makes you question the direction of the program. ... I don't think it will cost Schwartz a job, but it should rank as the most worrisome loss on his head-coaching resume."
-- CBSSports.com: The Lions received an "F" from Will Brinson: "Seriously, Lions? I mean, seriously? What an embarrassing blowout loss to a Cardinals team that was the worst unit in football last week. Matthew Stafford was horrendous, the defense was handled by Beanie Wells and the offense got outscored by the Cards defense."
-- CBSSports.com: Clark Judge says Stafford had something else to learn in that commercial: "Shame on the Detroit Lions. A 24-point loss to Arizona? You must be kidding. Since starting 5-0 last season, the Lions are 9-17, including the playoffs. Steve Young and Jerry Rice may have taught quarterback Matthew Stafford 'how to dress in style,' as that Van Heusen commercial says, but they should teach him how to win, too." Detroit also is listed in Judge's bottom five at No. 28.
OPPOSING VIEWS
-- AZCardinals.com: Cornerback Patrick Peterson thought he did a fine job on Calvin Johnson, despite the Lions receiver finishing with 10 catches for 121 yards. "I thought I was ready for whatever he had to offer for me today," Peterson said. "And I thought I measured up pretty well."
-- AZCentral.com: When Adrian Wilson sacked Stafford on Sunday, it gave him 25.5 for his career to go along with 27 career interceptions. Wilson is only the sixth player in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
LOCAL
-- Detroit Free Press: Columnist Drew Sharp says the Lions were listless in Arizona: "The bottom line is that the Lions don't take winning seriously enough. They thought they had arrived this season with several nationally televised games, Stafford doing those ESPN commercials and Johnson accompanying Faith Hill's 'Sunday Night Football' opening montage. They got comfortable. They got cocky. That's on Schwartz."
-- Detroit News: Columnist John Niyo says Stafford may be the biggest scapegoat, but he's not entirely to blame. "That's because this goes beyond the Lions' franchise quarterback throwing off his back foot or trying to force the issue. It goes beyond a line that gets knocked on its heels or an offense that keeps spinning its wheels. It goes beyond a special-teams unit that can't seem to get out of its own way or a defense that leaves everyone wanting much more. It goes beyond Sunday, that's the point."
The Arizona Cardinals hadn't won a game since September.
But Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley says the team shouldn't get too excited about its 38-10 victory Sunday. After all, it was against the Detroit Lions.
"Look, it's easy to overplay this victory. It's likely no quarterback ever did less than Ryan Lindley while attaining his first career win. This was all about the defense and the daffiness of the Lions, a team and a coaching staff that is truly an embarrassment," Bickley wrote.
Bickley says the Cardinals' win does give them a chance to heal and practice in peace, after becoming the first team since the 1970 merger to lose by a shutout of more than 50 points and rebound with a win the following week.
Here's what else is being said about the Lions' sixth consecutive loss:
NATIONAL
-- ESPN.com: John Clayton didn't see much effort from the Lions: "The Detroit Lions looked as though they were going through the motions in their 38-10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. At 4-10, the Lions have truly regressed. The only bright spot is Calvin Johnson, who caught 10 passes for 121 yards."
-- ESPN.com: With the loss to the Cardinals, the Lions move up to the No. 5 overall pick in the April draft. They would lose the tiebreaker to Oakland (4-10) and Philadelphia (4-10), and that's also pending tonight's New York Jets-Tennessee game.
-- ESPN.com: NFC North blogger Kevin Seifert: "This game has to be considered the low point of coach Jim Schwartz's tenure. There were some bad losses in 2009 and even the early parts of 2010, but getting blown out by a team that hadn't won in more than two months is a result that makes you question the direction of the program. ... I don't think it will cost Schwartz a job, but it should rank as the most worrisome loss on his head-coaching resume."
-- CBSSports.com: The Lions received an "F" from Will Brinson: "Seriously, Lions? I mean, seriously? What an embarrassing blowout loss to a Cardinals team that was the worst unit in football last week. Matthew Stafford was horrendous, the defense was handled by Beanie Wells and the offense got outscored by the Cards defense."
-- CBSSports.com: Clark Judge says Stafford had something else to learn in that commercial: "Shame on the Detroit Lions. A 24-point loss to Arizona? You must be kidding. Since starting 5-0 last season, the Lions are 9-17, including the playoffs. Steve Young and Jerry Rice may have taught quarterback Matthew Stafford 'how to dress in style,' as that Van Heusen commercial says, but they should teach him how to win, too." Detroit also is listed in Judge's bottom five at No. 28.
OPPOSING VIEWS
-- AZCardinals.com: Cornerback Patrick Peterson thought he did a fine job on Calvin Johnson, despite the Lions receiver finishing with 10 catches for 121 yards. "I thought I was ready for whatever he had to offer for me today," Peterson said. "And I thought I measured up pretty well."
-- AZCentral.com: When Adrian Wilson sacked Stafford on Sunday, it gave him 25.5 for his career to go along with 27 career interceptions. Wilson is only the sixth player in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
LOCAL
-- Detroit Free Press: Columnist Drew Sharp says the Lions were listless in Arizona: "The bottom line is that the Lions don't take winning seriously enough. They thought they had arrived this season with several nationally televised games, Stafford doing those ESPN commercials and Johnson accompanying Faith Hill's 'Sunday Night Football' opening montage. They got comfortable. They got cocky. That's on Schwartz."
-- Detroit News: Columnist John Niyo says Stafford may be the biggest scapegoat, but he's not entirely to blame. "That's because this goes beyond the Lions' franchise quarterback throwing off his back foot or trying to force the issue. It goes beyond a line that gets knocked on its heels or an offense that keeps spinning its wheels. It goes beyond a special-teams unit that can't seem to get out of its own way or a defense that leaves everyone wanting much more. It goes beyond Sunday, that's the point."
