Lions News

[-Deborah-]

WDIV

[The Ken]

Just type in Detroit Lions last playoff win
that should bring it up

I got "Pleaae wait while we find an archive backup tape and a compatible tape drive"

i will give it a shot, thanks.

[wcfwtf]

Yeah, I have a knack finding things on YouTube and internet that others can’t.
Even my daughter can’t find stuff that I can.
I see the joke already by the way.
I like rewatching the Monday Night Dallas/Detroit game with Barry and Emmett

[The Ken]

Well this is sad.

Donnie

[whatever_gong82]

Lions’ most memorable Thanksgivings: Barry Sanders runs wild in 1995, 1997



By Colton Pouncy
7h ago

Barry Sanders running vs. Green Bay.jpg

Editor’s note: Throughout the month of November, we remember some of the best NFL, college football and sports culture occasions around the Thanksgiving holiday in Thanksgiving Sports Moments.


The Athletic has live coverage of Lions vs Packers in the first NFL Thanksgiving game.

The Detroit Lions, alongside the Dallas Cowboys, are one of two NFL teams to play on Thanksgiving every year.


In many ways, it’s a showcase event for a franchise that isn’t always a featured product. Granted, there hasn’t always been much to feature, but nevertheless, the Lions have had their moments over the course of their Turkey Day history.

Here are five of their best and brightest.


5. Bulletin-board material sparks Lions


No, Aaron Rodgers didn’t play, thanks to a broken collarbone. No, neither team was particularly good at the time. But some pregame bulletin-board material, courtesy of Green Bay guard Josh Sitton, set the tone for the Lions-Packers Thanksgiving game in 2013 regardless.

“They go after quarterbacks,” Sitton told Milwaukee’s Sports Radio 1250 10 years ago. “Their entire defense takes cheap shots all the time. That’s what they do, that’s who they are. They’re a bunch of dirtbags or scumbags. I mean, that’s just how they play, that’s how they’re coached. That starts with their frickin’ coach.”



More than a few choice words from Sitton. Back then, one of the faces of the franchise was Ndamukong Suh — known for chalking up penalties and fines for his on-field play. In fact, earlier in the season, Suh was flagged for tripping Rodgers when the Lions and Packers met in Week 5. But the Lions pushed back on this notion.



Jim Schwartz, your response?

“I’ve been around too long to take that bait,” the Lions coach told Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket. “The game’s going to be played by players on the field, and it’s going to be played with actions, not with words.”



The Lions let their play do the talking and pummeled the Matt Flynn-led Packers 40-10. Matthew Stafford threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, Reggie Bush ran for 117 yards and a touchdown of his own and Schwartz’s defense held the Packers to 126 yards of offense. The Lions improved to 7-5 after taking down a division rival.

However, the Lions would go on to lose their next four games. Schwartz was fired at the end of the season, and the Lions would hire Jim Caldwell to replace him.


Scott Mitchell during his career year.jpg

4. Shootout win versus Vikings


If you like offense, you liked this one. If you don’t like your heart rate fluctuating over the course of three hours, this one wasn’t for you.

The Lions and Vikings were two of the highest-scoring offenses in the NFL during the 1995 season. The Lions, powered by running back Barry Sanders, wide receiver Herman Moore and quarterback Scott Mitchell averaged 27.2 points on offense, good for second in the league. The Vikings, spearheaded by quarterback Warren Moon and wide receiver Cris Carter, ranked fourth at 25.8. Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise to see the shootout that unfolded at the Silverdome on Nov. 23, 1995.



Ten touchdowns. A combined 919 yards of offense. Optional defense. After a game in which two offensive machines traded blows, the Lions emerged victorious. Mitchell threw for 410 yards and four touchdowns. Three receivers — Brett Perriman (153 yards and two touchdowns), Moore (127 yards and a score) and Johnnie Morton (102 yards and a TD) — topped the 100-yard mark. And Sanders, to the surprise of no one, rushed 24 times for 138 yards and a touchdown of his own.

Final: Lions 44, Vikings 38.


3. Barry Sanders runs up the score in ’97

You wouldn’t know it by the final score, but at one point, the Lions found themselves trailing the lowly 2-10 Chicago Bears 17-3 on Thanksgiving in 1997. Amid a playoff race, it was the kind of start that can ruin a team’s holiday. And season.



Then, Detroit outscored Chicago 52-3 the rest of the way, winning 55-20. All was forgiven.

Sanders had a lot to do with that turnaround. The Hall of Fame running back rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns on just 19 attempts. Sanders’ performance versus the Bears helped him top the 1,500-yard mark for the fifth time in his career and the 100-yard mark for the 11th consecutive game, en route to a 2,000-yard season. Sanders would go on to win the 1997 NFL MVP award.

Elsewhere, Mitchell threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns, Morton and Moore had a combined 13 receptions, 209 receiving yards and both scores from Mitchell. Detroit’s defense tightened up to limit the Bears to a field goal after the early deficit.

The Lions’ win was their third in a row, and the team would go on to win five of its final six games overall. Detroit ultimately earned the No. 5 seed in the NFC, eventually losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card game.



2. The coin toss game

The Lions have, um, a complicated relationship with NFL officiating. But the zebras had their back on Nov. 26, 1998.



Playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in a game where regulation wasn’t enough to settle it, captains from these two teams met at midfield for a coin toss that would ultimately decide the outcome, and prove controversial in the process.

Referee Phil Luckett asked the visiting team, the Steelers, who would be making the call. RB Jerome Bettis was on it, and was told by Luckett to choose heads or tails in the air.



“Tails,” Bettis says.

“Heads is the call,” Luckett said on the mic.



“I said tails,” Bettis said, correcting Luckett.

“He said heads,” Luckett said, firmly. “It is a tails.”



Bettis and Steelers defensive back Carnell Lake pleaded with Luckett to no avail. Head coach Bill Cowher wanted an explanation. Pittsburgh’s sideline was up in arms. The game marched on regardless.

In the end, a 42-yard Jason Hanson field goal proved to be the difference, propelling the Lions to an overtime win and a happy Thanksgiving. Nothing else to see here.



1. Spoiling the perfect Packers season


There’s nothing Lions fans love more than beating the Packers. Well, except maybe beating the undefeated Packers.



That’s what happened in 1962. Green Bay, a perfect 10-0 at the time, traveled to Detroit fully expecting to keep the good times rolling. The Packers were talked about as one the greatest football teams ever assembled. They sure didn’t look the part against the Lions.

Perhaps motivated by a narrow 9-7 loss to the Packers earlier in the season, the Lions came to play and weren’t fazed by the aura of an unbeaten Packers team. Quarterback Milt Plum threw two touchdowns (and connected on a 47-yard field goal), the Detroit defense sacked Bart Starr 11 times and the Lions took down the Packers 26-14, ruining an undefeated season in the process.



The Packers would go on to win the 1962 NFL Championship. But even decades after the fact, players from that team were baffled by their performance on Thanksgiving. It was their only blemish amid their title run.

“It was hard to understand how we could get beaten that badly,” former Packers offensive lineman Jerry Kramer said in a 1998 interview.



Coincidentally, the current Lions share something in common with that 1962 squad. They’re the first Lions team to start a season 8-2 since that year.

They’ll look to make it 9-2 against this same Packers franchise on Thursday.



This series is part of a partnership with Accenture.

The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.


Colton Pouncy is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Detroit Lions. He previously covered Michigan State football and basketball for the company, and covered sports for The Tennessean in Nashville prior to joining The Athletic. Follow Colton on Twitter @colton_pouncy

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

Now make that 0-13.

😭😢

[whatever_gong82]

Mistake-prone Lions carved up by Packers in Thanksgiving defeat


Justin Rogers
The Detroit News



Detroit — For the second straight game, the Detroit Lions dug themselves a huge hole against an inferior divisional opponent; both times the result of shoddy defense and an inability to take care of the football. But unlike last week, when they pulled off an improbable, fourth-quarter rally to topple the Chicago Bears, there was no Thanksgiving miracle against the Green Bay Packers.

Led by the efficient play of quarterback Jordan Love, the severely shorthanded Packers jumped out to a big lead at the half and cruised to a 29-22 victory at Ford Field on Thursday.


In the early going, the game gave off shootout vibes, but in reality, it would end up closer to a shooting gallery. Throughout the opening half, Love was looking down the scope of a BB gun, picking off Detroit's secondary like he was trying to impress his high school girlfriend.

Love completed 15 of his 20 passes through two quarters, including a pair of touchdowns tosses, as the Packers (5-6) staked out to a 23-6 at the break.


53-yard bomb to receiver Christian Watson on the opening snap. Four plays later, Love threaded the needle between two defenders for a 10-yard touchdown to former Michigan State standout Jayden Reed, giving the Packers an early 7-0 lead.

The Lions (8-3), who scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes to beat the Bears last Sunday, carried that offensive momentum into their response, driving 75 yards in seven plays for a matching TD. A 31-yard completion from Jared Goff to Sam LaPorta, set up a 7-yard touchdown to the rookie tight end, but a missed extra point by kicker Riley Patterson left the Lions trailing by a point.



Despite averaging 18.2 points their past nine games, and missing lead running back Aaron Jones, top tight end Luke Musgrave and big-play receiver Dontayvion Wicks due to injury, the Packers had no problem driving down the field a second time against the Lions' porous defense. Love was especially sharp during the series, completing 4-of-5 for 53 yards, including a pair to Watson, before floating a 9-yard score to wide open tight end Tucker Kraft on a delayed route.

Detroit's ability to keep pace was derailed by a second straight week of ball security woes. On the third snap of the ensuing possession, Goff had the ball knocked free from his grasp by Packers defensive lineman Rashan Gary (Michigan), and the fumble was scooped up by safety Jonathan Owens, who returned it 27 yards for a touchdown that put the Packers up 20-6 after a missed PAT.



Goff would lose a second fumble three plays into Detroit's next drive, but Detroit's defense was able to force a turnover on downs after the giveaway when running back AJ Dillon and Love collided in the backfield on a fourth-and-1 attempt to open the second quarter.

Still, despite the bailout, the Lions' offense couldn't get anything going, and following a punt, the Packers extended their advantage to three scores with a 43-yard field goal with just under six minutes remaining in the half.



After an extended break to account for a halftime concert, the Lions came out of the locker room looking rejuvenated. The offense, which has struggled in the third quarter this season, stunned the Packers with a quick-strike, big-play attack. And despite having to overcome a 17-yard touchdown from David Montgomery being taken off the board by a holding call, the veteran running back found his way back into the end zone two plays later, followed by a successful two-point conversion that sliced the deficit to nine.

Detroit's defense followed up the score with a stop, but only because Packers receiver Romeo Doubs dropped a third-down pass in Lions' territory that would have extended their possession. That led to an excellent punt by Daniel Whelan pinned the Lions at their own 2-yard line, complicating the comeback effort.



Pulling out all the stops, the Lions attempted a fake punt deep in their own territory, but for just the second time in nine tries during coach Dan Campbell's tenure, it was unsuccessful, giving the Packers the ball at the Lions' 23-yard line.

Despite benefiting from a holding call early in the possession, the Lions proved unable to limit the damage. On a third-down snap in the red zone, Love connected with the 6-foot-4 Watson, over the head and coverage of cornerback Jerry Jacobs. The 16-yard touchdown was the quarterback's third of the day. A two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the Packers' lead at 15 late in the third quarter, 29-14.



Making them work for it, the Packers allowed the Lions to run 11 snaps on their ensuing possession, killing nearly five minutes off the clock before forcing a turnover on downs. On fourth-and-7 in Packers territory, Goff couldn't find an open receiver and was sacked by Gary for the third time, ending the threat early in the fourth frame. Inconsequential to the result, Gary forced and recovered a fumble on the snap.



Following a short drive and Packers' punt, the Lions were once again forced to start a drive inside their own 10-yard line, but a 38-yard completion to Jameson Williams, followed by a 24-yard pickup by Kalif Raymond had them in the red zone in a little more than three minutes. But that's where they'd stall as Green Bay forced another turnover on downs as the clock ticked under 7 minutes.

Love all but ended the contest with a zone-read keeper on third-and-1, running 36 yards before giving himself up in Lions territory. That allowed the Packers to run the clock under 3 minutes before punting and pinning the Lions deep again.



The Packers quarterback finished his day 22-of-32 for 268 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

With nearly half the stands emptied out, the Lions kept faint hopes for a miracle alive when Goff found Josh Reynolds for a 12-yard touchdown with 41 seconds remaining, capping a rapid, 91-yard drive. A successful two-point conversion by LaPorta left the Lions down seven, but they proved unable to recover the onside kick, squashing the dream.



The loss narrows the Lions' margin of error in the NFC North, bringing the Vikings within two games of the division lead with both games in their head-to-head series still to be played. They will play the Chicago Bears at home on Monday Night.

The Lions will head on the road for their next contest, a Dec. 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.



jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers

[CGVT]

Now make that 0-13.

😭😢

I posted that stat in the game day thread.

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions butchered by Green Bay Packers 29-22 for 7th straight Thanksgiving Day loss


Dave Birkett
Detroit Free Press



The Detroit Lions have been living dangerously for three straight weeks. It finally cost them on Thanksgiving Day.

Jared Goff had three turnovers for the second straight game and Jordan Love shredded the Lions defense for 268 yards passing and three touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers handed the Lions their seventh straight Thanksgiving loss, 29-22, at Ford Field.


Goff lost two first-half fumbles and a third on the fourth play of the fourth quarter, one week after he threw three interceptions in a come-from-behind win over the Chicago Bears.

At 8-3, the Lions now sit 1½ games behind the Philadelphia Eagles for the best record in the NFC and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. They lead the NFC North by two games over the Minnesota Vikings (6-5).


The Lions had won seven straight division games entering Thursday and three straight overall, but got another disjointed performance from an offense that appeared out of synch most of the day and a defense that struggled to pressure Love and was lax in coverage. The Lions went 1-for-6 on fourth down, the only conversion coming in the final minutes.

Love hit Christian Watson for a 53-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage and gave the Packers a 7-0 lead four plays later with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Michigan State alum Jayden Reed.



Goff answered with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Sam LaPorta on the next series, but Riley Patterson missed the extra point and the Packers (5-6) never trailed.

Love led another scoring drive on Green Bay’s second possession, capped with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft, and Goff lost his first fumble one series later when he was hit from behind by former Michigan standout Rashan Gary and the ball slipped from his hand as he cocked to throw.


Jonathan Owens returned that fumble 27 yards for a touchdown, giving a Packers team that had scored two first-quarter touchdowns all season three first-quarter TDs on Thursday.

The Lions trailed 23-6 at halftime and were fortunate not to be down more. Packers running back A.J. Dillon collided with Love on a fourth-and-inches handoff on the first play of the second quarter, after Goff’s second fumble, and Anders Carlson missed a long field goal attempt as the first half expired.


Love, who entered Thursday as one of the NFL’s lowest-rated passers with a 59.7% completion percentage, had a perfect passer rating late in the second quarter, finished 22 of 32 passing for the day, and had a 37-yard run in the fourth quarter to help the Packers clinch their third win in four games.

Watson finished with season-highs of five catches and 94 yards and caught a 16-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter to give the Packers a 29-14 lead, four plays after the Lions failed on a fake punt from their own 23-yard line.



The play, a direct snap on fourth-and-5 to personal protector Jalen Reeves-Maybin, was similar to one the Lions converted on their own 17-yard line in their Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Goff was 29 of 44 passing for 332 yards and two touchdowns. He finished a late 12-play, 91-yard touchdown drive with a 12-yard pass to Josh Reynolds with 41 seconds to play, but Reed recovered the ensuing onside kick.


David Montgomery had 15 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown for the Lions, who are minus-5 in turnover margin for the season.

The Lions next play Dec. 3 at NFC South-leading New Orleans.


Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him@davebirkett.

[whatever_gong82]

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions punch themselves in the face again with turnovers vs. Green Bay Packers


Jeff Seidel
Detroit Free Press



Jared Goff had another one of those “punch himself in the face” games.

When the Detroit Lions quarterback wasn’t punching himself out of frustration — after two painful first-half fumbles — the Green Bay Packers were happy to do the hitting themselves, in a 29-22 victory Thursday at Ford Field.


“He never got frazzled,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Goff last week after the Lions rallied to beat the Chicago Bears. “More than anything I think he just wants to punch himself in the face sometimes … he gets frustrated with himself.”



Yes, Campbell said that after Goff threw three interceptions against the Bears — the Lions fell into a 12-point hole — then led the Lions back to an improbable win.

And on Thanksgiving Day the turnovers returned — and the hole was even bigger — as the Packers took a stunning 23-6 first-half lead.



The Packers turned Goff into a human piñata. Under constant pressure, Goff didn’t look like himself. The offense didn’t have any rhythm — thanks to those fumbles — and he was getting whacked around, both from the Packers as well as himself.

Goff was hit five times in the first half, with two sacks and an intentional grounding — essentially another sack.



“This game is not over,” Jack Harlow, the halftime performer, said after a completely unmemorable halftime performance. “This game is not over!"

The Lions came out in the second half and tried the comeback thing.



They started moving the ball.

But more than anything, they held onto the ball.



They didn’t make it easy on themselves, though.

"Gamblin’ Dan" came back, as Campbell called for a fake punt deep in his own territory.



Which failed miserably.

The Packers turned it into a touchdown and a 29-14 lead.



And that was key in this game, because the Lions just couldn't get over that two-score hump.

Twice, the Lions got to the Green Bay 35 and went for it on fourth down — one field-goal try would have been a 52-yarder, the other from 47.



You can argue why he went for it: The Lions were down two scores in a game in which they hadn't really stopping the Packers.

But you can also argue the opposite: Take the points. Keep climbing back.



But, ugh, that fake punt. That's hard to overcome. You live with Gamblin' Dan, you die with him, too.

The Lions missed opportunities and left points laying all over the place.



But there is a bigger lesson here.

What did we say after the Chicago Bears game? They can’t keep winning if they keep turning it over.



Just hanging on


Still, you can clean up turnovers.

But the most concerning part of this was how easy it was for the Packers to complete passes.



The Packers won the coin toss and elected to receive. It was like they couldn’t wait for their first play. Couldn’t wait to throw the first punch, and they came out slinging it.

On the first play, Jordan Love threw a bomb to Christian Watson — it was underthrown it or else it could have been a touchdown. Four plays later, Love hit Jayden Reed, the rookie from Michigan State, for a 10-yard touchdown.



And just like that, the Packers had the lead, less than 4 minutes in.

The Packers had figured out the way to beat this team: Chuck the ball all over the place.



Love started on fire, completing 12 of his first 15 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, he wasn’t sacked and didn’t have any turnovers in building that 23-6 lead.

Remember how the Lions beat the Packers in Green Bay?


On Sept. 28, the Lions jumped out to a 27-3 halftime lead. The Lions sacked Love five times, as he completed 23 of 36 for 246 and a touchdown. He was also picked off two times.

But in this game, the Packers protected Love.


He didn’t throw any interceptions.

Wasn’t sacked.


And he had a fantastic game, throwing three touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Goff was hit 12 times.


A double-edged sword


Is this Lions team perfect?

No. That defense remains hugely concerning.


And the Lions, frankly, are not good enough to keep turning the ball over and still win consistently.

Few teams are.


But definitely teams that have a hard time stopping the pass aren't.

It's a double-edged sword that turned painful in the end.



Contact Jeff Seidel at jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.

[dsred]

Teams know now... pressure the immobile panic prone noodle armed Goff and the Lions lose. But the Genius Ben Johnson makes that easy by never taking deep shots. But it's not his fault. Goff can't do it.

They've done a great job playing to Goff's strengths for about a season and a half but finally opposing DCs have caught up. Even the "elite" OL can't counteract all of the pressure.

It's over. The game plan needs to change.

[whatever_gong82]

Jordan Love propels Packers past Lions on Thanksgiving: How Green Bay pulled off upset



By The Athletic Staff
2h ago



By Matt Schneidman, Colton Pouncy and Larry Holder


Jordan Love tossed three touchdown passes as the Green Bay Packers upset the Detroit Lions 29-22 at Ford Field on Thanksgiving day. Here’s what you need to know:


* Love continued his improved play, going 22-of-32 passing for 268 yards and three touchdowns for a 125.5 passer rating. Christian Watson racked up his best statistics this season with five catches for 94 yards and a TD.

* The Packers (5-6) added a first-quarter defensive TD on a sack fumble by Rashan Gary on Jared Goff, allowing Jonathan Owens to scoop up the ball for a 27-yard TD return. Gary picked up three sacks in the win.

* The Lions (8-3) quarterback went 29-of-44 passing for 332 yards and two TDs for a 103.6 passer rating. Goff lost three fumbles.


Shorthanded Packers play big

The Packers entered Thursday’s tilt with the Lions as two-score underdogs. Not only was Green Bay 4-6 and Detroit 8-2, but the Packers were without running back Aaron Jones, inside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell, cornerback Jaire Alexander, tight end Luke Musgrave, safety Darnell Savage and safety Rudy Ford. The Lions had one player ruled out on their injury report, left guard Jonah Jackson. But this is why they play the game because, against one of the best teams in the NFL, a team that has looked lost for the majority of the season marched into opposing territory and snatched an upset win to revitalize its playoff hopes.

Green Bay uncharacteristically chose to receive the opening kickoff after winning the toss and on the first play from scrimmage, Watson hauled in an under thrown bomb from Love for a 53-yard gain. The Packers scored a touchdown four plays later when Love threaded the needle to receiver Jayden Reed and the Packers never relinquished the lead. — Matt Schneidman, Packers staff writer


Love was the real deal

Love looked all the bit of a franchise quarterback on Thursday, completing 22-of-32 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns to go along with what was essentially the game-sealing 37-yard keeper on third-and-1 late in the fourth quarter. In the last two games, he’s completed 49-of-72 passes for 590 yards and five touchdown passes.

Love has now looked better in each of his last four successive games — the Packers are 3-1 in that span — and he should have squelched any doubt from inside or outside 1265 Lombardi Ave. as to whether he’s the guy for Green Bay. — Schneidman


Gary’s extension pays off


While the Packers’ offense certainly came to play, it was the other side of the ball that produced the best story of the day. Gary tore his ACL at Ford Field last season. In his first game back, Gary had three sacks and two forced fumbles, one that was picked up by Owens and returned for a touchdown and one that Gary recovered himself on fourth down in the fourth quarter. After registering no sacks from Weeks 7-10, Gary has four sacks in the last two games. That’s why the Packers just gave him an extension worth $24 million per year. — Schneidman



Love’s encouraging four weeks

Love produced the best advanced metrics rates of his career as a starter in the win over the Lions. The Packers passer produced his best Expected Points Added per dropback rate (0.34) and passer rating (125.5) of this season. This continues his upward trend. In the last four games, Love amassed a 0.21 EPA rate and 103.1 passer rating. Love’s single-game EPA rate has improved every week for the last four weeks.

Meanwhile, Goff’s 103.6 passer rating rings a bit hollow given his -0.14 EPA rate. It’s the second lowest EPA rate of this season for Goff. His total EPA against the Packers was -13.7. That is his lowest total since Week 5 last season, a loss to the New England Patriots. — Larry Holder, NFL senior writer



No holiday joy for Lions

Rough day all around for the Lions. The defense made Love look like his Packers QB predecessors, throwing for 268 yards and three touchdowns in his first Thanksgiving start. On the other side, Goff fumbled three times — recovered by the Packers each time, including one for a touchdown. The offensive line had one of its worst games of the season, unable to handle Green Bay’s front seven in protection or in space. And the red-zone offense was inefficient throughout the game. The Lions haven’t won on Thanksgiving since 2016. After today, that streak will last another year at the very least. — Colton Pouncy, Lions staff writer



Detroit’s fix-it list

The Lions will have 10 days off before their next game — a trip to New Orleans. It’ll be much-needed, because there’s work to do. The defense has had few answers the last five games. There’s been little-to-no pass rush, and the coverage has been soft. Goff has six turnovers in his last two games, and that’s simply not going to get it done. The Lions were always far from a finished product this season. Their issues are starting to show. — Pouncy


Highlight of the game

Key stat

The Lions failed on four of five fourth-down attempts, including the Packers’ stop on a fake punt in the third quarter. Detroit converted one late in the fourth quarter.

[whatever_gong82]

Detroit Lions' Thanksgiving loss exposes alarming trend: Offense is struggling



Shawn Windsor
Detroit Free Press


They deserved the stage on Thursday. The final score doesn’t change that.

For the first time in years, the country wanted to tune into what was happening on Thanksgiving at Ford Field. And it was going to be more than background noise while roasting turkey.



Finally, after decades, the Detroit Lions were supposed to be more than the opening act to the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Giants or the San Francisco 49ers or whatever big-market team the NFL likes trotting out on this tryptophan happy holiday.



And when the Lions drove down inside the red zone with 6 minutes left with a chance to make it a one-score game, everyone in the stadium was wondering if they were going to see some magic for the second game in a row.

Then the Lions botched a screen pass on third-and-7. Then followed that up by giving up another sack on fourth down.



The Packers ran off some more clock. Fans started climbing stairs. And Another Thanksgiving Day game passed without a win as Green Bay won, 29-22.



This was stung in a way that even last year’s heartbreak to Buffalo didn’t. Mostly because they played their worst game of the season.

Yes, the loss to Balitmore was more lopsided. But the Ravens are serious Super Bowl contenders. Besides, that trouncing was on the road.



This one was at home, against the hated Packers, a team the Lions had beaten three straight times.

Aaron Rodgers is gone. Jordan Love, his heir, has mostly struggled this season. And whatever was left of the Green Bay juju was supposed to have dissipated somewhere over Lake Michigan.



Imagine the shock then when Love dropped back on the game’s first play from the line of scrimmage and lofted a ball to Christian Watson for 53 yards. Four plays later, Love whipped it to Jayden Reed for a 10-yard touchdown.

In less than three minutes, they were trailing. After the Lions scored but missed the extra point, the Packers scored on their next possession just as easily as they did on the first.



Love had all the time he wanted to throw. His receivers had all the space they needed to run. Even the worst offense in the league can operate with conditions like that.

So, yes, the defense is struggling, and has been flat out bad four of the last five games, though it made few timely plays against the Bears. It’s concerning, more than concerning — no doubt.



But it’s not a new worry.

Because it’s an old struggle. And that's hardly news.



This team isn’t built around defense. Brad Holmes tried to improve the talent in the offseason, and he did, but injuries negated the improvements, and until James Houston and C.J. Gardner-Johnson return, the defense will remain limited, which is to say below average, sometimes by a lot.

That’s an issue. Just not the main issue.


That would be the offense, and turnovers — seven in the last two games, six of them from Jared Goff. Against Chicago, he threw three picks. Against Green Bay, he fumbled three times, an issue he had when he played for the Rams but hasn’t had much here.

Yet it wasn’t just the turnovers against the Packers that stopped the offense. It was everything. It started up front.



Not often has this offensive line been physically dominated this season, but that’s what happened, especially up the middle, though even Penei Sewell got beat a few times.

So did Taylor Decker. And Frank Ragnow, Graham Glasgow and Colby Sorsdal. Turnstile defense is the technical term, of technique if you prefer, and it was surprising to watch.



Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell built this team around the offensive line. Everything flows from it. When it can’t hold up, then Goff is running for his life, though running is a generous description here.

His first two fumbles came because of a collapsed pocket. His third did, too, but that was on fourth down and he was getting sacked as the ball popped out.



When Goff is under pressure, his accuracy drops. Obviously, this is true for any quarterback, but mobile quarterbacks can get out and make plays under duress in a way Goff can’t so much. Love did. Shoot, Justin Fields did last Sunday.

If he gets time, he throws as accurate and catchable a ball as anyone in the league. Without it? I give you what happened Thursday, or against Baltimore, or even against the Bears until the last four minutes.



This team wins games with its offense. This isn’t a secret. It’s why Campbell gambled on fourth down deep in Lions territory when he called for a fake punt.

He was leaning into his offense. It worked in the season opener against Kansas City. So why not, right?



He didn’t really have a choice. Though even if it had worked, I’m not sure the offense would’ve been able to do much anyway.

Not on this day. Not on this Thanksgiving. Not with so many turnovers.



And that’s too bad, because the offense is better than what the country got to see today. At least it has been, at least the Lions better hope it is.

One thing is for certain, this team goes as its offensive line goes.



Contact Shawn Windsor: 313-222-6487 or swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him@shawnwindsor.