An Old Familiar Tune: Detroit Lions Lose Again

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Damn, damn, damn...just when you think something good is going to happen, reality decides to slap you hard in the face and say, "Wake up dummy...it ain't gonna happen today!"

Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings wasn't all gloom and doom, but it's getting a little tiring to talk about moral victories or how certain areas of the team has improved.

Moral victories don't win football games.

Good Points

The Detroit Lions' defense did a decent job on Sunday; they held Adrian Peterson to 92 yards and Brett Favre to 155 yards passing.

Unfortunately, Peterson and Favre still did enough damage between them to account for three touchdowns. The Lions had Favre under the gun for much of the first half, but as good teams will do, they adjusted the game plan and used bubble screens, quick slants, and underneath routes to move the ball. This opened up the running game more for Peterson and allowed the Vikings to control the clock.

Kevin Smith continues to run hard, getting 84 yards on 24 carries. Matt Stafford tossed his first career touchdown pass, a nice eight-yard flip to Calvin Johnson. However, he tossed career interceptions four and five. 

Call me crazy, but I think he needs improvement in this area. Stafford was 18-of-30 for 152 yards...not setting the world on fire just yet are we?

Bad Points

Despite holding the Vikings off for most of the first half, the Lions allowed the Vikings to march down the field with Favre hitting Visanthe Shiancoe with a one-yard touchdown pass. 

Even worse, the Lions received the ball to start the second half and promptly went three-and-out, while the Vikings responded with a field goal to tie the game at 10.

If you look at the statistics of this game, the Lions and Vikings played pretty much even (these are all based on net yards per NFL.com):

Rush Yards: Vikings 112 yards, Lions 129 yards

Total First Downs:  Vikings 18, Lions 17

Passing Yards: Vikings 153 yards, Lions 136 yards

Average Gain on Passing Plays: Vikings 4.9, Lions 4.2

Penalties: Vikings 5-for-43 yards, Lions 6-for-45 yards

Time of Possession: Vikings 29:35, Lions 30:25

The main difference, the Vikings were able to get the ball into the end zone when they had the opportunities. Stafford's two interceptions were drive killers and Kevin Smith fumbling the ball with the game tied 10-10 allowed the Vikings to kick a field goal, which pretty much sealed the game.

Good teams bounce back. But from what I could catch of the game, the minute the Vikings recovered Smith's fumble, the Lions began playing on eggshells. It became even more apparent after Longwell knocked the ball through the uprights from 47 yards.

2009 is going to be a season where Lions fans are going to grope for anything good.  However, a win may be a ways off. They might have a shot against the Washington Redskins who held off the Saint Louis Rams 9-7 on Sunday. 

But after that, they face the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, and the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Pretty soon, articles are going to come out saying we need to fire Schwartz or perhaps there will be a fire Mayhew movement started. Or even better yet, passionate pleas to William Clay Ford, Sr. to sell the team.

I'm still rooting for the Detroit Lions...that can't be helped, it's hardwired into my DNA. However, that doesn't mean I won't lose faith. 

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