Lions Lose to Vikings in week-10

Matthew Stafford actually completed 57% of his pass attempts. He had one touchdown and no interceptions. Calvin Johnson had 8 receptions for 84 yards and Kevin Smith averaged 4.6 yards per carry. Looking at it that way, the Lions had a decent week. The Vikings had one of their sloppiest games, dropping several passes and accumulating 13 penalties for 91 yards. The Lions had a decent day and the Vikings had a very lethargic day coming off of their bye-week; yet the Detroit Lions were still beat by the Minnesota Vikings 27-10.

IF you took the Vikings players and wrapped all of their hands in tape, they would still tackle better than the Lions. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a Lions player shoot into the Vikings backfield and hit Adrian Peterson head on before the Minnesota running back can get any momentum going. There is nothing more aggravating than to see that Lions player bounce off of the Minnesota star and watch Adrian Peterson run away for a long touchdown. I know Peterson is a big strong and fast running back who is hard to bring down, but so often it looks like the Lions defensive players forget they actually have hands they can grab with.

Stafford was much more accurate than he has been in the past. He still had his misfires, but nowhere near as often as usual. However, I still do not see any touch on his passes. Every throw looks like it is on a tight rope. Touch, however can be taught. I for one do not believe real accuracy can be. The question with Stafford is, was this just a great game for him, or was it a showing of him actually being accurate. I will need to see him put two, maybe even three games in a row with being fairly accurate before I believe he is actually accurate.

All in all though, it was just another game filled with lousy offensive and defensive line play. Teams don't need to blitz the Lions very often because they know their lineman will find their way through to pressure the quarterback. The Lions wont blitz because they are afraid of being burnt so they continue to be shredded while playing the lethargic zone defense.

Once again it is all new coaches, a new general manager and even new players for the most part. Yet it is still the same old results we have been seeing for decades now. A pansy zone defense with rarely a blitz. Horrid offensive line play. Dropped passes and no imagination to the play calling. The drafts are all about getting the sexy high profile player to sell tickets rather than the gritty linemen the Lions need so badly. All new Lions with the same old results. Yet there is only one constant through it all. William Clay Ford!

Honestly. Does anyone really believe the Lions will beat the 1-7 Cleveland Browns? Likely 1-8 after tonight's game against Baltimore. The Lions lost to the Rams and the Seahawks in consecutive weeks. Do you really think they are better than the Browns? Can they beat them? Yes they can. They beat Washington didn't they? Watching at what level their play is in recent games however, can you have any confidence at all?

With all of the changes the Detroit Lions have made from last season, it sure seems to me that they have gotten worse rather than better.