Post by D6 on Dec 31, 2018 2:15:29 GMT -5
Quick observations: Lions shut out Packers in season finale
The long part of the article ( first part ) can be found at the above article link.
My thoughts about the first part of the article:
Great job by all 3 units by the Lions and by the coaches. It would have been easier to in essence just cash checks, with eyes on I-75 or I-94 tomorrow. Instead, the Lions had several impressive accomplishments that at least provide something tangible to take into the off-season.
One can attempt to diminish the Lions victory because of Aaron Rodgers' concussion on the Packers first set of downs of the day. However, as great of a QB he's been and IMHO still is when he's relatively healthy ( sometimes even when he isn't. The 2nd half of the opener vs. the Bears comes to mind ), Rodgers only plays one position. Certainly none on Defense and Special Teams, facets of the game that the Lions won by an enormous margin today when matched up against the Packers D and Special Teams. Anytime you shutout an opponent in the NFL, something the Lions haven't done since 1996 until today, it's a heck of an accomplishment in the NFL!
I respect those that believe the Lions did more harm than good by winning today, as a result of dropping at least 3 draft spots. Maybe that will prove to be the case in the long run. But often, players that lasted to pick # 8 ( or that vicinity ) and are taken in that spot, outperform many players drafted higher. By not trying to win with players considered healthy enough to play in a game that caution with injuries was used by botclh teams, the chances of injuries to players that do play increases substantially. It's unfortunate for the Lions that the Bucs and Giants lost games that were their for the taking. That's the reality of the situation. Yet, any NFL GM who has final say with draft decisions should be expected to get a player at pick # 8 ( assuming the Lions stay in that spot ). If you don't hit on high picks, your chances of remaining in your current position in a couple of years isn't good.
The Lions should never apologize for winning in a regular season game. After not winning in Wisconsin against the Packers in 24 consecutive games, including a playoff game in the 1994 season, I'm thrilled that the Lions won 3 games at Green Bay in the last 4 seasons.
The Lions as a team overcame the cold and wind at Lambeau Field in a manner that demonstrates the type of football needed to win in the elements late in the season and in the playoffs. Even against a Packers Defense that was missing at least 7 key players ( including the trade of S Ha Ha Clinton Dix to the Redskins around the trade deadline ) , the Lions Offense earned high props today. It wasn't perfect by any means. Two holding penalties on running plays with the Lions at the Packers 1 and 3 yard line respectively on 1st Half drives, could have proven costly against a better/ healthier team. Andy Jones had two 3rd Down drops. Matthew Stafford was off target on some passes. But the Lions overcame the mistakes on Offense on the road, in the elements. This is a better alternative than the failures we have seen with the Lions after mistakes.
My thoughts are in **** and in blue
Here are some observations:
-- Fans wanted the Lions to tank out for a draft pick. But the Lions didn’t seem interested in obliging. That included dusting off their first fake field goal of the season, and the play worked to perfection, with Prater taking a direct snap and then feathering a perfect pass to tight end Levine Toiolo in the back left corner of the end zone. That gave the Lions a 14-0 lead, a huge difference in a game that Rodgers left early. But why wait until now to use the play? Why use the play now at all?
****The Lions set a tone by using the fake FG that the Packers couldn't match once the play was successful. If the play resulted in an incompletion, the Packers still would have had to drive most of the field with many limitations due to injury.
The play likely has been discussed in meetings prior to this game. With roster and coaching turnover for the Lions likely going to be substantial, this season was the opportunity to use the play. Maybe the Lions waited until the 1st half of today's game to use the play because the Lions didn't get the right look before today. I'm happy the play was called and that it worked. ****
-- The Lions finished 6-10, their worst season since losing 12 games in 2012. If there’s any good news in that, it is this: The last time the Lions won six games, back in 2010, they followed it up by going 10-6 the next year and snapped a playoff drought that had grown to 11 years.
****The Lions will play home vs. Tampa Bay as a result of the Bucs losing today. That's the potential positive of the Bucs losing to the Falcons, as injuries had a mega negative impact on the Falcons this season.****
-- Remember when the Lions used to get pounded by Green Bay? They went 4-23 during one stretch. But now they’ve won four straight in the series, and swept Green Bay in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1982-83. They’ve also won at Lambeau twice in a row, and three times in four years. Before that, they had lost 24 in a row in the state of Wisconsin, the longest road losing streak in any of the four major American professional sports.
****In addition to this, the Lions are the first team to score 30 or more points against the Packers in 4 straight games since the Rams of the early 1950s. This was also the first Lions shutout at Green Bay since the 40-0 shutout in the 1970 season opener. ****
-- LeGarrette Blount earned yet another start at running back. I’m sure there’s a reason why he started at running back, too. I just have no bloody idea what that reason is. He’s averaging 2.8 yards per carry for the season. So when he gives you 11 carries for 15 yards, like he did against Green Bay, hey, that’s really bad. But that’s about what you could expect, based on his season average. Zach Zenner, meantime, came off the bench to run 21 times for a team-high 93 yards, plus caught a 30-yard pass. He also scored once, plus had two other would-be scores nullified by penalty. Zenner is better than Blount, period. He also looks like he’s worth bringing back in 2019. So, again, why is Blount starting over him, and playing over him in the first quarter? Why?
****This is something that Matt Patricia should be questioned for doing. It's made no sense for weeks that LaGarrette Blount had the percentage of carries and snaps that he did, compared to Zach Zenner. It feels like Patricia was loyal to Blount to a fault or a form of nepotism. Blount' veteran presence and leadership can still have value with him playing far less than another RB who was the better player throughout December.****
-- Quandre Diggs began the season by picking off the year’s first pass and returning it for a touchdown. He finished the season by picking off DeShone Kizer in the fourth quarter, then running to the other side of the stadium and blowing kisses to the crowd as teammates trailed behind him. Hey, it was a rotten season for Detroit, but the defense played really well in the second half of the season, and the rise of Quandre Diggs at safety is a big reason for it. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate, and figures to be an even bigger part of the defense next year when, in all likelihood, Glover Quin will sail off into the sunset.
****It's great that Glover Quin's likely final game with the Lions and in the NFL resulted in a shutout, with Quandre Diggs and Darius Slay making huge positive impacts in the game. Quin had been a tremendous positive influence for both of them. ****
-- With Golden Tate in Philadelphia, and Marvin Jones and Bruce Ellington on injured reserve, and Kenny Golladay not suiting up with a chest injury, Matthew Stafford was playing without all four of his leading receivers. That seemed, you know, ominous. Instead, some of those young guys stepped up in a big way. Brandon Powell had 26 yards all season. But he had 103 yards on six catches against Green Bay, and had big catches that set up two touchdowns. TJ Jones caught two touchdown passes, including an absolute stunner in the fourth quarter. And Andy Jones chipped in some huge blocks, including one at the second level that sprung Zenner for his 13-yard touchdown run.
****The question can be asked, why didn't Brandon Powell have a much larger role prior to today? Maybe, Powell didn't demonstrate enough in practice and in the classroom. But he displayed the natural ability that Golden Tate raved about during the summer. I'm much more reluctant to be critical of the coaches for the limited use of Powell prior to today than regarding the overuse of Blount at RB.****
-- Detroit was down top tight ends Michael Roberts and Luke Willson too, but Levine Toiolo stepped up to catch four passes for 43 yards, including that 8-yarder from Matt Prater on the fake field goal. If this was it for Jim Bob Cooter, it was quite the way to go out, milking every last bit of potential out of an offense that has been bad all year, and was playing without half its starting lineup.
****Levine Toilolo was the best all around TE for the Lions this season by a wide margin. He could be re-signed, if the price is on the modest side ( it likely will be ). Jerome Cunningham continues to perform well as a run blocker at or near the line of scrimmage. Cunningham is worth watching closely next summer if as expected he earns an opportunity in training camp.****
-- Jarrad Davis dropped Aaron Rodgers for his sixth sack of the season, blowing away his previous career high. Throw in Devon Kennard’s seven sacks, and the Lions had two linebackers with at least six sacks for the first time in their history.
****Jarred Davis had a strong all around performance other than the Unnecessary Roughness penalty on QB Deshone Kizer. Devon Kennard didn't have the impact of Davis in this game but it looked like he had at least an above average all around performance. ****
-- Lions defensive tackle Snacks Harrison became just the eighth player in NFL history to play in 17 regular-season games. He didn’t get a bye because of his midseason trade from the Giants to Detroit. He finished with two tackles, one for loss. What a difference that guy has made up front this year.
****Damon 'Snacks' Harrison was a force against the run. Also, with RB Jamaal Williams deciding to double team Harrison on the 2nd play from scrimmage for the Packers in which Jarrad Davis then came clean on an inside blitz, that led to the sack by Romeo Okwara and the unfortunate concussion Aaron Rodgers suffered as a result. Harrison deserves very serious consideration for Lions Defensive MVP, even with him only playing 10 games for the team. Tremendous player! ****
-- Matthew Stafford finished a lousy season on a high note, including throwing two touchdown passes to TJ Jones. That gives him 237 for his career, tying Jim Kelly for 27th all time. Stafford finished 20 of 32 passing against Green Bay, for 266 yards, the two touchdowns and no interceptions. His 109.6 QB rating was his highest since beating Miami in Week 6.
****Going into this game, I thought the Packers Defense in their present state was the weakest the Lions faced since at least the game at Miami. I didn't think the Lions would have close to this amount of success without Kenny Golladay. Yet, if there was a game that Matthew Stafford and the Lions Offense would have a good all around performance, this was most likely once since at least the time Kerryon Johnson went down for the season in the early 4th QTR. vs. Carolina in Game # 10. ****
The long part of the article ( first part ) can be found at the above article link.
My thoughts about the first part of the article:
Great job by all 3 units by the Lions and by the coaches. It would have been easier to in essence just cash checks, with eyes on I-75 or I-94 tomorrow. Instead, the Lions had several impressive accomplishments that at least provide something tangible to take into the off-season.
One can attempt to diminish the Lions victory because of Aaron Rodgers' concussion on the Packers first set of downs of the day. However, as great of a QB he's been and IMHO still is when he's relatively healthy ( sometimes even when he isn't. The 2nd half of the opener vs. the Bears comes to mind ), Rodgers only plays one position. Certainly none on Defense and Special Teams, facets of the game that the Lions won by an enormous margin today when matched up against the Packers D and Special Teams. Anytime you shutout an opponent in the NFL, something the Lions haven't done since 1996 until today, it's a heck of an accomplishment in the NFL!
I respect those that believe the Lions did more harm than good by winning today, as a result of dropping at least 3 draft spots. Maybe that will prove to be the case in the long run. But often, players that lasted to pick # 8 ( or that vicinity ) and are taken in that spot, outperform many players drafted higher. By not trying to win with players considered healthy enough to play in a game that caution with injuries was used by botclh teams, the chances of injuries to players that do play increases substantially. It's unfortunate for the Lions that the Bucs and Giants lost games that were their for the taking. That's the reality of the situation. Yet, any NFL GM who has final say with draft decisions should be expected to get a player at pick # 8 ( assuming the Lions stay in that spot ). If you don't hit on high picks, your chances of remaining in your current position in a couple of years isn't good.
The Lions should never apologize for winning in a regular season game. After not winning in Wisconsin against the Packers in 24 consecutive games, including a playoff game in the 1994 season, I'm thrilled that the Lions won 3 games at Green Bay in the last 4 seasons.
The Lions as a team overcame the cold and wind at Lambeau Field in a manner that demonstrates the type of football needed to win in the elements late in the season and in the playoffs. Even against a Packers Defense that was missing at least 7 key players ( including the trade of S Ha Ha Clinton Dix to the Redskins around the trade deadline ) , the Lions Offense earned high props today. It wasn't perfect by any means. Two holding penalties on running plays with the Lions at the Packers 1 and 3 yard line respectively on 1st Half drives, could have proven costly against a better/ healthier team. Andy Jones had two 3rd Down drops. Matthew Stafford was off target on some passes. But the Lions overcame the mistakes on Offense on the road, in the elements. This is a better alternative than the failures we have seen with the Lions after mistakes.
My thoughts are in **** and in blue
Here are some observations:
-- Fans wanted the Lions to tank out for a draft pick. But the Lions didn’t seem interested in obliging. That included dusting off their first fake field goal of the season, and the play worked to perfection, with Prater taking a direct snap and then feathering a perfect pass to tight end Levine Toiolo in the back left corner of the end zone. That gave the Lions a 14-0 lead, a huge difference in a game that Rodgers left early. But why wait until now to use the play? Why use the play now at all?
****The Lions set a tone by using the fake FG that the Packers couldn't match once the play was successful. If the play resulted in an incompletion, the Packers still would have had to drive most of the field with many limitations due to injury.
The play likely has been discussed in meetings prior to this game. With roster and coaching turnover for the Lions likely going to be substantial, this season was the opportunity to use the play. Maybe the Lions waited until the 1st half of today's game to use the play because the Lions didn't get the right look before today. I'm happy the play was called and that it worked. ****
-- The Lions finished 6-10, their worst season since losing 12 games in 2012. If there’s any good news in that, it is this: The last time the Lions won six games, back in 2010, they followed it up by going 10-6 the next year and snapped a playoff drought that had grown to 11 years.
****The Lions will play home vs. Tampa Bay as a result of the Bucs losing today. That's the potential positive of the Bucs losing to the Falcons, as injuries had a mega negative impact on the Falcons this season.****
-- Remember when the Lions used to get pounded by Green Bay? They went 4-23 during one stretch. But now they’ve won four straight in the series, and swept Green Bay in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1982-83. They’ve also won at Lambeau twice in a row, and three times in four years. Before that, they had lost 24 in a row in the state of Wisconsin, the longest road losing streak in any of the four major American professional sports.
****In addition to this, the Lions are the first team to score 30 or more points against the Packers in 4 straight games since the Rams of the early 1950s. This was also the first Lions shutout at Green Bay since the 40-0 shutout in the 1970 season opener. ****
-- LeGarrette Blount earned yet another start at running back. I’m sure there’s a reason why he started at running back, too. I just have no bloody idea what that reason is. He’s averaging 2.8 yards per carry for the season. So when he gives you 11 carries for 15 yards, like he did against Green Bay, hey, that’s really bad. But that’s about what you could expect, based on his season average. Zach Zenner, meantime, came off the bench to run 21 times for a team-high 93 yards, plus caught a 30-yard pass. He also scored once, plus had two other would-be scores nullified by penalty. Zenner is better than Blount, period. He also looks like he’s worth bringing back in 2019. So, again, why is Blount starting over him, and playing over him in the first quarter? Why?
****This is something that Matt Patricia should be questioned for doing. It's made no sense for weeks that LaGarrette Blount had the percentage of carries and snaps that he did, compared to Zach Zenner. It feels like Patricia was loyal to Blount to a fault or a form of nepotism. Blount' veteran presence and leadership can still have value with him playing far less than another RB who was the better player throughout December.****
-- Quandre Diggs began the season by picking off the year’s first pass and returning it for a touchdown. He finished the season by picking off DeShone Kizer in the fourth quarter, then running to the other side of the stadium and blowing kisses to the crowd as teammates trailed behind him. Hey, it was a rotten season for Detroit, but the defense played really well in the second half of the season, and the rise of Quandre Diggs at safety is a big reason for it. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate, and figures to be an even bigger part of the defense next year when, in all likelihood, Glover Quin will sail off into the sunset.
****It's great that Glover Quin's likely final game with the Lions and in the NFL resulted in a shutout, with Quandre Diggs and Darius Slay making huge positive impacts in the game. Quin had been a tremendous positive influence for both of them. ****
-- With Golden Tate in Philadelphia, and Marvin Jones and Bruce Ellington on injured reserve, and Kenny Golladay not suiting up with a chest injury, Matthew Stafford was playing without all four of his leading receivers. That seemed, you know, ominous. Instead, some of those young guys stepped up in a big way. Brandon Powell had 26 yards all season. But he had 103 yards on six catches against Green Bay, and had big catches that set up two touchdowns. TJ Jones caught two touchdown passes, including an absolute stunner in the fourth quarter. And Andy Jones chipped in some huge blocks, including one at the second level that sprung Zenner for his 13-yard touchdown run.
****The question can be asked, why didn't Brandon Powell have a much larger role prior to today? Maybe, Powell didn't demonstrate enough in practice and in the classroom. But he displayed the natural ability that Golden Tate raved about during the summer. I'm much more reluctant to be critical of the coaches for the limited use of Powell prior to today than regarding the overuse of Blount at RB.****
-- Detroit was down top tight ends Michael Roberts and Luke Willson too, but Levine Toiolo stepped up to catch four passes for 43 yards, including that 8-yarder from Matt Prater on the fake field goal. If this was it for Jim Bob Cooter, it was quite the way to go out, milking every last bit of potential out of an offense that has been bad all year, and was playing without half its starting lineup.
****Levine Toilolo was the best all around TE for the Lions this season by a wide margin. He could be re-signed, if the price is on the modest side ( it likely will be ). Jerome Cunningham continues to perform well as a run blocker at or near the line of scrimmage. Cunningham is worth watching closely next summer if as expected he earns an opportunity in training camp.****
-- Jarrad Davis dropped Aaron Rodgers for his sixth sack of the season, blowing away his previous career high. Throw in Devon Kennard’s seven sacks, and the Lions had two linebackers with at least six sacks for the first time in their history.
****Jarred Davis had a strong all around performance other than the Unnecessary Roughness penalty on QB Deshone Kizer. Devon Kennard didn't have the impact of Davis in this game but it looked like he had at least an above average all around performance. ****
-- Lions defensive tackle Snacks Harrison became just the eighth player in NFL history to play in 17 regular-season games. He didn’t get a bye because of his midseason trade from the Giants to Detroit. He finished with two tackles, one for loss. What a difference that guy has made up front this year.
****Damon 'Snacks' Harrison was a force against the run. Also, with RB Jamaal Williams deciding to double team Harrison on the 2nd play from scrimmage for the Packers in which Jarrad Davis then came clean on an inside blitz, that led to the sack by Romeo Okwara and the unfortunate concussion Aaron Rodgers suffered as a result. Harrison deserves very serious consideration for Lions Defensive MVP, even with him only playing 10 games for the team. Tremendous player! ****
-- Matthew Stafford finished a lousy season on a high note, including throwing two touchdown passes to TJ Jones. That gives him 237 for his career, tying Jim Kelly for 27th all time. Stafford finished 20 of 32 passing against Green Bay, for 266 yards, the two touchdowns and no interceptions. His 109.6 QB rating was his highest since beating Miami in Week 6.
****Going into this game, I thought the Packers Defense in their present state was the weakest the Lions faced since at least the game at Miami. I didn't think the Lions would have close to this amount of success without Kenny Golladay. Yet, if there was a game that Matthew Stafford and the Lions Offense would have a good all around performance, this was most likely once since at least the time Kerryon Johnson went down for the season in the early 4th QTR. vs. Carolina in Game # 10. ****
