Detroit Lions Lose in Week One

Jahvid Best ran into two defenders at the goal line and was stopped dead in his tracks. As he fell along the goal line, he twisted around and the ball crossed the plain. It was Best's second touchdown of a game that the Detroit Lions lost 19 - 15.

With less than a minute to go and the Lions down by five points, Calvin Johnson made a leaping catch in the end-zone. With two hands having solid possession of the ball he came down with first one foot then a second. Still holding the ball cleanly with one hand, he fell to his butt. Than as he spun to his side, the hand holding the ball hit the ball to the turf and came away without the ball. With possession of the ball, Calvin Johnson got both feet down, and fell to his butt, yet because he hit the ball against the turf and then lost control of it, the replay official said it was NOT a touchdown. Instead of winning in the first week of the season, the Lions got a loss because of the worst rule in the history of sports.

According to the rule, to my understanding, a receiver must have control of the ball through the entire play. So even though he held clean possession of the ball far longer than a running back would have to when reaching the ball across the plain for a touchdown. Even though Calvin Johnson had possession much longer than a receiver would if he landed with two feet and spiked it to the turf, his reception was considered an incompletion.

Then after the replay official overturned the touchdown, the Lions came back with the same play and Calvin Johnson was literally mauled by the defense before the ball made it to him and no interference call was made.

Yet that is only one reason the fans have to be upset. In the first half the Lions offense was pitiful. The only touchdowns coming from being put in great field position after Bears turnovers. The offense never drove down the field for any points. Then late in the second quarter, Peppers broke free and hit Stafford from behind, driving him to the turf and injuring the Lions 2nd year quarterback. At this time there is no word as to how serious it is.

Then there is the play calling by the Lions offensive coordinator. It was seriously reminiscent to the days of Marriucci as the coach. Before the last drive where the Lions were ripped off by the refs, there was not one pass attempt to my memory that was more than ten yards down field. When the defense was stacked up on 3rd and short, they ran the ball up the middle and the Lions do not have the power to run up the middle behind an undersized line. There were a couple of quick slants called, and they worked well enough, but they did not go back to those very often. In short, the play calling did absolutely nothing to force the defense to back off in the least bit. The Bears played a tight short defense and came hard every play and Scott Linehan did not have the ingenuity to counter that.

After Matthew Stafford was injured, Shaun Hill was rendered useless. In fact he did not get more than one first down until the last drive when the Bears played bend but don't break defense to protect the lead. Though Jahvid Best had two touchdowns, he only had 20 yards rushing for the day because there simply was no place for him to go.

Yet after a very upsetting loss, there is something for the fans to be happy about. The Lions new and improved defense was nothing short of superb. With the offense putting the Lions defense in a bad field situation over and over again, the Lions defense only allowed 19 points and at one point stood up the Bears at the goal line. The Lions had four sacks on Cutler, all from the defensive linemen. Corey Hill, Ndamukong Suh, Sammie Lee Hill, and Turk McBride each had one sack. Along with the sacks, the Lions had 3 fumble recoveries and an interception.