Not certain exactly when, but Caldwell

[zyxt9]

has lost this team. I'm guessing it was actually after the team lost in the playoffs to Dallas, but these guys just do not want to play for him any longer.

And I cannot say I blame them. If ever there was a doubt that the team is being led by an coach who has lost his team, consider this:

1. How many coaches bench their starting QB midway through the 3rd quarter? The problem has been far more with the OC than the QB, and most gunslinging QBs will have a bad game like this...but you do not bench the gunslinger in the 3rd quarter...might as well castrate the guy. Maybe pull him for 1 series to help him have some time to get his head on straighter, but you do NOT bench him halfway through the 3rd quarter.
2. When the backup QB comes in and you are faced with 4 TD deficit and it is 4th and short, you kick a FG instead of showing the team you still want to fight for a win by going for it. Fucking lame.
3. Then, on the ensuing kickoff, you don't even try the onside kick.

So you pull your starting QB who the franchise is built around, settle for a FG, then don't kick the onside kick. You threw in the towel halfway through the 3rd quarter.

Fuck you Caldwell, you are a loser with a loser's attitude and mentality...and the players know it which is why you lost them and they are not inspired to play hard for you. You want to categorize yourself as being a "conservative" coach, but I put you in the category of "gutless quitter". You want to bench the QB midway through the 4th, that's fine, but you do not bench the franchise player in the 3rd quarter. If there was any doubt that you had lost your team, you certainly removed all doubt with significant enough emphasis that I hope Mayhew gets fired tomorrow and the new GM immediately fires you and Lombardi at a minimum. Maybe promote Austin to interim lame duck for some degree of continuity.

0-16 is now very much in the realm of probability...all because Caldwell is a terrible coach.

BUT, thank you in advance for providing the #1 overall pick again.

 

[tonyballs]

The FG was just another slap in the face if you ask me. That was a joke lol. The benching of Stafford was just saving him from throwing at least another 2 picks.

 

[zyxt9]

I would rather see Stafford throw 5 picks in a game than watch Orlovsky.

IF the Lions had a legit backup who could potentially win the game, fine. But they do not. You dance with the girl you brought and they are tied to Stafford for better or worse. Caldwell quit on the team.

And even worse is the report that he gave Stafford an ultimatum at halftime: throw another pick and you will be benched. Wow...that's just fantastic showing of support right there.

Some games are lost solely due to turnovers, today was one of them. But Caldwell lost the Lions players, which is even worse than the players losing turnovers. A good team will move past a bad game like that...when you lose the players there is no recovering from that. It isn't like a coach can say or do some magical thing to win back the players. Caldwell is done.

 

[kdp1980]

I would rather see Stafford throw 5 picks in a game than watch Orlovsky.

IF the Lions had a legit backup who could potentially win the game, fine. But they do not. You dance with the girl you brought and they are tied to Stafford for better or worse. Caldwell quit on the team.

And even worse is the report that he gave Stafford an ultimatum at halftime: throw another pick and you will be benched. Wow...that's just fantastic showing of support right there.

Some games are lost solely due to turnovers, today was one of them. But Caldwell lost the Lions players, which is even worse than the players losing turnovers. A good team will move past a bad game like that...when you lose the players there is no recovering from that. It isn't like a coach can say or do some magical thing to win back the players. Caldwell is done.

I think Caldwell being gutless is what lost this team, honestly. I've hated everything about this team offensively since he's been running it. Very boring and frustrating to watch, even when they were winning.

 

[adam86107]

I think Caldwell being gutless is what lost this team, honestly. I've hated everything about this team offensively since he's been running it. Very boring and frustrating to watch, even when they were winning.

I agree. Caldwell is too damn cautious. I mean down 35-7 and you go for a FG? Really? I really hate that he just seems to have no fire at all. They went from one extreme to the next with Schwartz and Caldwell.

 

[grandy]

The FG was just another slap in the face if you ask me. That was a joke lol. The benching of Stafford was just saving him from throwing at least another 2 picks.

That just looked awful. Even in games that are over early, most teams at least give the illusion of a comeback effort...4th down calls, risky big plays, onside kicks, etc.. That FG proved they wanted to just lay down and die. I doubt that attitude went over well with some of the team and I wouldn't be surprised if Caldwell has lost them already.

Another thing that bugged me was the TO on the first drive of the game. Either communication is lacking or Lombardi is just fucking clueless, probably both. It's sad they can't even get their shit together out of the gate.

I have a feeling Tate might say or do something in the coming weeks that will stir things up, just feels like he's trending that way.

 

[johnny2x2x]

To me, the fact that at one point in the game we had fielded 3 punts and returned 2 kickoffs and had 4 holding penalties and a fumble on those 5 returns including 2 holding penalties on fair catches told me all I needed to know about what goes on during practice. If the players had one ounce of respect for the coaching staff this would never happen.

There are a few franchises in the NFL where someone would have had to clean their locker out this morning just based on the return game.

 

[biggunsbob]

Caldwell cannot even see what the major problem aand it's not Stafford ...it's his inept Quarterbacks coach. Errghh I mean dofus offensive cordinator.. worse yet I see last night somewhere where Caldwell is not going to fire anyone including Joe and our inept ownership just stands idle as always ...

 

[coel73]

Tate HATES losing and will act out if they don't turn things around. So yeah, he'll be acting out shortly. This team has no heart, as usual. I see teams turn things around all the time, but these clowns can NEVER manage to act like they have any semblance of toughness. Makes me sick

 

[Mitchrapp]

Maybe Tate shouldn't just toss the ball to the other team. If I didn't know better I'd think he did that on purpose.

 

[tonyballs]

I would rather see Stafford throw 5 picks in a game than watch Orlovsky.

IF the Lions had a legit backup who could potentially win the game, fine. But they do not. You dance with the girl you brought and they are tied to Stafford for better or worse. Caldwell quit on the team.

And even worse is the report that he gave Stafford an ultimatum at halftime: throw another pick and you will be benched. Wow...that's just fantastic showing of support right there.

Some games are lost solely due to turnovers, today was one of them. But Caldwell lost the Lions players, which is even worse than the players losing turnovers. A good team will move past a bad game like that...when you lose the players there is no recovering from that. It isn't like a coach can say or do some magical thing to win back the players. Caldwell is done.

I don't ever want to see Dano either but it is what it is. They weren't coming back and Stafford looked terrible. The whole team looked bad. Offense, defense, STs. There was no "maybe we have a chance". Stafford still is the #1 guy on the roster. Why keep him in there in a blowout??

 

[LKP]

Dan O did better than I thought he would. It was garbage time but Cards blitzed some.

Cards blitzed 17 of his 38 drop backs.

 

[brewer229]

To me, the fact that at one point in the game we had fielded 3 punts and returned 2 kickoffs and had 4 holding penalties and a fumble on those 5 returns including 2 holding penalties on fair catches told me all I needed to know about what goes on during practice. If the players had one ounce of respect for the coaching staff this would never happen.

There are a few franchises in the NFL where someone would have had to clean their locker out this morning just based on the return game.

Apparently Mike Tomlin has lost the Steelers locker room as well. they had 4 penalties out of 5 consecutive punting plays. Also he and none of the players noticed 18 seconds ran off the clock after they fielded the kickoff at the end of the game. No one in that locker room as respect for anything about the Steelers....obviously.

 

[tbone413]

Apparently Mike Tomlin has lost the Steelers locker room as well. they had 4 penalties out of 5 consecutive punting plays. Also he and none of the players noticed 18 seconds ran off the clock after they fielded the kickoff at the end of the game. No one in that locker room as respect for anything about the Steelers....obviously.

I know you are just being sarcastic, but Tomlin actually has a backbone and make it known to the media/the league that he isn't happy. (Exhibit A when he made it known that the Patriots were pulling some shit with their headphones.) In addition, he is one of the most accountable coaches in the league. He never throws the players under the bus publicly , and will admit when he messed up. Caldwell does none of those things.

That was a bad gaffe on their part (not noticing the 18 sec run off), but coaches like him get some slack due to actually winning something, and being accountable. Those players know he has their best interest at heart, which is why he tops the list for most desirable coaches to play for. Caldwell on the other hand....

 

[zyxt9]

Tomlin has proven his ability to fix things. There will always be coachable moments and no team has a perfect game. The different is Caldwell and Lombardi have yet to fix any single piece. Something is not working? Just keep doing it.

And Tomlin would never give up. Caldwell quit vs the Cards. There is no other way to put it, no spin on it. When my wife says you go for it on 4th and 3 with 12 min left down 28 instead of kicking the field goal, that should explain how unacceptable it is for an NFL coach to kick the field goal there. As a coach you ask the players to give it there all until the final whistle. What player will do that for a coach who quits and stops doing everything possible to win a game at that point? Coaches do often put in backups when behind, but that is usually with under 5 minutes to play. With 12 left you are trying to show your character, your pride, your unwillingness to go down without a fight. Caldwell gave up. He showed his character and lack of pride there.

Lions fans deserve better than to have Caldwell as the coach.