Silver Linings for next season

[Mitchrapp]

And bottom line is regardless what the talent you can't be leading in the 4th quarter game after game and lose. That's on the coaches. If we have enough talent to be up for three quarters ultimately losing, that's on the coaches.

 

[tinselwolverine]

Fuck silver linings.

Fuck next season.

Fuck the Lions.

 

[LKP]

And bottom line is regardless what the talent you can't be leading in the 4th quarter game after game and lose. That's on the coaches. If we have enough talent to be up for three quarters ultimately losing, that's on the coaches.

Linehan dialed up the wide pick 6?

 

[Mitchrapp]

We need Joe Gibbs. He could win with anybody.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Linehan dialed up the wide pick 6?

Maybe he should have dialed Staff so he could understand he was up 7 points. If there was one game where you could play safe and let the defense win it this was it. The Giants are not an offensive juggernaut. They could barely move the ball.

That is 100% on the coach.

 

[LKP]

3rd and long pass I'm fine with that call. Safety gets rewarded for shitty defense.


But silver linings.
Run defense complete 180
possbile 5-1 division and 4-4 on road. Amazing how we still miss the playoffs with that.
Some very good long offensive drives this year with redzone scoring.
Jeremy Ross and Joique Bell.
Fauria in the redzone.
Plus Calvin of course
Delmas healthy for once
Greenwood and Green showed something

Turnovers, penalties and just not being able to make that extra play in the 4th on defense.

It's on Stafford and Bush to fix it next year. The new coach will look like a genius if they do.

 

[tomdalton22]

3rd and long pass I'm fine with that call. Safety gets rewarded for shitty defense.


But silver linings.
Run defense complete 180
possbile 5-1 division and 4-4 on road. Amazing how we still miss the playoffs with that.
Some very good long offensive drives this year with redzone scoring.
Jeremy Ross and Joique Bell.
Fauria in the redzone.
Plus Calvin of course
Delmas healthy for once
Greenwood and Green showed something

Turnovers, penalties and just not being able to make that extra play in the 4th on defense.

It's on Stafford and Bush to fix it next year. The new coach will look like a genius if they do.

The offense is more to blame than the defense when it comes to the fourth quarter collapses that the Lions had.

 

[LKP]

The offense is more to blame than the defense when it comes to the fourth quarter collapses that the Lions had.

Defense did its part for losses too. Not as much from the offense and got screwed by the offense several times but they could have made one more play in the Giants game on several Giants scoring drives. Plus that delay of game penalty from Carey turned 57 yards into a 52 yard made FG. Plus the Steelers and Eagles 4th Quarters were bad for the defense giving up long drives and TDs. Ravens and Bengals they were put behind the 8 ball though and holding to long FGs should have been enough but it wasn't.

Losses at GB(without Calvin), at Zona, at Philly, at Pit you can deal with. Same with last second FGs against Ravens and Bengals.

But the Bucs and Giants losse really cost this organization.

 

[tomdalton22]

Defense did its part for losses too. Not as much from the offense and got screwed by the offense several times but they could have made one more play in the Giants game on several Giants scoring drives. Plus that delay of game penalty from Carey turned 57 yards into a 52 yard made FG. Plus the Steelers and Eagles 4th Quarters were bad for the defense giving up long drives and TDs. Ravens and Bengals they were put behind the 8 ball though and holding to long FGs should have been enough but it wasn't.

Losses at GB(without Calvin), at Zona, at Philly, at Pit you can deal with. Same with last second FGs against Ravens and Bengals.

But the Bucs and Giants losse really cost this organization.

Yesterday the offense gave NYG the game tying TD on a silver platter. Then the defense caused a turnover in OT but Matt & the offense couldn't get in position for a game winning FG

In the prior 4 losses the offense was terrible in the 4th! Matt Stafford in particular with his pathetic performaces.

 

[turok]

Next year it will have been 57 years since the Lions last won an NFL championship on December 29, 1957. So that would have been the equivalent of a middle-aged Lions fan waiting since the turn of the century for a winner when compared to now..like me. That's a damned loooong stretch and there is still no end in sight.

 

[tomdalton22]

Next year it will have been 57 years since the Lions last won an NFL championship on December 29, 1957. So that would have been the equivalent of a middle-aged Lions fan waiting since the turn of the century for a winner when compared to now..like me. That's a damned loooong stretch and there is still no end in sight.

Come on...you are being a little hard on the Lions. They do have one playoff win since 1957!

 

[lucke]

I've been lurking and reading the boards for a few years, and have tried to be as optimistic as possible (almost to LKP status). I've come to realize that this coaching staff did a great job in getting this pathetic team out of the mud (0-16 and almost zero talent), but they can't get them over the hump, despite having loads of talent now. It's time for them to go.

The offense is more to blame than the defense when it comes to the fourth quarter collapses that the Lions had.

The Lions are 1-5 in their past six games, despite leading in the fourth quarter of each of those games.

This is a breakdown by the defense to not hold onto the lead in most of the games (with yesterday's game as an exception throwing a pick-6). The offense has not been crisp at all, but the defense should be making stops like they do in the first 3 quarters. Each of the last two games they have let up a big 3rd and long conversion late 4th (and OT) where they didn't have those types of breakdowns earlier in the game. When the game is on the line, the defense chokes.

Either way, the lack of motivation, and sense of urgency, falls squarely on the coaches.

Maybe, just maybe, there was a conspiracy to get JS fired in one of those players only meetings... That's the only thing that comes to mind about why such a talented team consistently plays like crap when the game is on the line. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking. lol

 

[LKP]

Agreed lucke. The defense is one big play short. And 30 sacks(though they get good overall pressure) and 20 turnovers only doesn't cut it given the talent on defense. Though their fumble recovery rate is poor they did force 13 only but got 6.


We'll see if a new DC or new defensive minded head coach can get more out of this defense.


Turnovers is on Stafford and Bush to fix it themselves. Staffords habits are too set. It's on Stafford now. If its footwork and arm angle, its going to take some time.

 

[tomdalton22]

I've been lurking and reading the boards for a few years, and have tried to be as optimistic as possible (almost to LKP status). I've come to realize that this coaching staff did a great job in getting this pathetic team out of the mud (0-16 and almost zero talent), but they can't get them over the hump, despite having loads of talent now. It's time for them to go.

The Lions are 1-5 in their past six games, despite leading in the fourth quarter of each of those games.

This is a breakdown by the defense to not hold onto the lead in most of the games (with yesterday's game as an exception throwing a pick-6). The offense has not been crisp at all, but the defense should be making stops like they do in the first 3 quarters. Each of the last two games they have let up a big 3rd and long conversion late 4th (and OT) where they didn't have those types of breakdowns earlier in the game. When the game is on the line, the defense chokes.

Either way, the lack of motivation, and sense of urgency, falls squarely on the coaches.

Maybe, just maybe, there was a conspiracy to get JS fired in one of those players only meetings... That's the only thing that comes to mind about why such a talented team consistently plays like crap when the game is on the line. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking. lol

OK, lets take a look at the 4th quarters of their losses.

Pittsburg outscored the Lions 14-0. Offense stalled inside the redzone and coaching staff called for a fake FG. Other offensive possessions include a 3 and out, an INT and a 9 yard drive.

TB outscored the lions 7-0. Lions offense had a 20 yard drive which ended in a blocked punt, D then stepped up on 3 plays and TB missed a FG attempt. A 10 yard drive that ended in a fumble, D stepped up on 4 plays result in FG attempt. Next offensive possession was a 32 yard drive that ended in a pick.

Philly game the defense sucked with the Lions getting outscored 28-6. But, the offense came to play with a huge 6 points in the 4th.

Baltimore. 4th quarter was a tie....6-6. The defense held Balt to 2 long FG attempts. Lions offensive possessions: 30 yards, punt; 3 plays that ended in an int, lions D held them to a 3 and out and long FG; Lions 80 yard TD drive; last offensive possession, one play then another INT.

Finally the Giants game. I don't think we need to re-hash the offensive meltdown in this game. The defense held the Giants scoreless in the 4th quarter and the offense gave the Giants 7 points. Of course in OT the Lions D forced a turnover but the offense was not able to move the ball nad was forced to punt. The defense did give up the yards to allow the Giants to kick the game winner but they did their part on the previous drive.

 

[LKP]

The defense played its part in losses. Given the talent, the defense can take over games. They've never done that. They've done just enough to keep it close but they don't take over games.

And if you're not blaming the defense tom, well you just fire Linehan and keep Schwartz/Gunter and get a new OC and good QB coach.

 

[tomdalton22]

The defense played its part in losses. Given the talent, the defense can take over games. They've never done that. They've done just enough to keep it close but they don't take over games.

And if you're not blaming the defense tom, well you just fire Linehan and keep Schwartz/Gunter and get a new OC and good QB coach.

don't get me wrong....the defense isn't very good in the back end and did play their part in the losses. But in the recent 5 losses 4 of the losses are on the offense more than the defense. Most of that is because of Stafford's poor play / turnovers.

 

[lucke]

Tom, you're making valid points, but the fact that the Lions had a lead in all those games is still on the defense not being able to hold the lead. Yes the offense had its meltdowns, I don't think anybody is arguing that (Staff and the play calling have both been absolutely atrocious), but when you have a late lead, the defense needs to stop the other team from scoring. Period.

This could potentially be fixed by a new OC who won't run empty back sets on 3rd and short when you've been running the ball pretty effectively the entire game. Or dialing up plays that actually work, and are pretty much impossible to stop, like quick slants that give the offense a huge advantage.

I just think that the defense crumbling did more to lose those games than the offense.

Either way you look at it, both the offense and defense sucked in the 4th.

 

[LKP]

There was a 3rd and 1 stuffed yesterday late in the 4th on a run. Can't win either way for Linehan it seems.

 

[lucke]

There was a 3rd and 1 stuffed yesterday late in the 4th on a run. Can't win either way for Linehan it seems.

I didn't see that, but I'm guessing it was a designed run up the middle? Where's the misdirection on these types of plays. I know the same thing happens to other teams too, but other teams tend to adjust.

 

[LKP]

3rd and 1 stuff of Bell up the middle. converted plenty this season.
3rd and 4 sack on the next drive. 1st and 10 tons of pressure throw away, 2nd and 10 will need to rewatch see if he hit Durham or not on the incomplete.

Those were last 2 drives in 4th, other than the give up drive.

And the OT drive, great play call and play to Dickerson. But he was playing with a concussion(never told anyone) and dropped it. Then held on the next play. 8 yard to Bell then 3rd and 12 again going to Durham. I really wish Calvin was healthier for this game. But got to play the cards you are dealt.