Detroit Lions: 10 Positives and Negatives Up to NFL's Week 9
The Detroit Lions are a respectable 5-3—already one victory better than last season. At the midway point, Detroit has stringed together impressive victories, including its miraculous comeback against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.
There have been numerous forgettable moments and more than a few highlights halfway through the Lions’ season.
The Lions are at Soldier Field Nov. 10 to battle their conference foe, the Chicago Bears; however, before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s review some of the positives and negatives from Detroit’s first eight games.
Big Plays (Negative)
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Is there any way that this won't become a weekly expectation? Can Detroit have multiple games where the team doesn't give up these huge bursts?
So far, the answer is no.
Against the Cowboys on Sunday, October 27, wide receiver Dez Bryant earned his second touchdown of the afternoon after two Lions defenders missed a rudimentary tackle, giving Bryant an easy 50-yard score.
Just one week prior to Bryant’s highlight, Cincinnati Bengals' wide receiver A.J. Green ripped an 82-yard TD in a similar way.
Motown’s defensive numbers wouldn’t look so horrid if it weren't for some of these big plays. The Lions actually have superior third-down defense, but that’s almost irrelevant since they’re in the bottom half of the league in passing and rushing yards allowed per game.
Matthew Stafford (Positive)
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Being outshone by his own team’s success, (*cough* Ndamukong Suh’s troubles), Reggie Bush and the beast that is Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, what the Detroit quarterback has done so far this year could easily be diminished.
Let’s, however, give credit where it is due: Matthew Stafford has 16 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions, nearly 3,000 yards after eight games and one hell of a defining moment against Dallas.
Can No. 9 get some love?
Through eight games, he has his second-best completion percentage of his career and is well on his way to another 5,000-yard season for the second time in his five seasons as Detroit’s play-caller.
Stafford is composing another wonderful season and hopefully that continues through the bye week.
Receiver Depth (Negative)
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The pass-catchers for the Lions have been doomed by injuries this season.
Matthew Stafford has looked downfield and seen a host of different targets through eight games—not the best thing when you’re attempting to build chemistry.
It is amazing what Detroit has done despite of the injuries, but Calvin Johnson can’t be the primary target of Stafford the entire season; he will need more targets on pass plays to keep defenses guessing. Gaining receivers downfield further improves the depth of the Lions’ already impressive offense.
Unfortunately injuries aren’t a problem that can be fixed with practice or discipline, but they continue to be an issue that plagues the Lions.
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Cut Mistakes (Negative)
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It’s understood that penalties will occur in the duration of a game, but it’s becoming a habit in Motown.
The Lions have committed 57 penalties through eight games and are averaging seven per contest. They can’t expect to come out on top very often with mindless mistakes.
Against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, Lions cornerback Bill Bentley’s obnoxious 31-yard pass interference call made it easy for running back Rashard Mendenhall to punch in the game-winning TD.
During Week 8 against the Cowboys, the Lions committed four turnovers (two fumbles that could have been prevented), eight penalties and managed to come away with a victory. Detroit cannot expect to play like that all season and be bailed out.
Coach Jim Schwartz needs to show his squad that the miscues will squander victories and hinder their potential to be a better team.
O-Line Protection (Positive)
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This is why the offense has been potent this season. Each player on the Lions’ O-line has earned every dollar he's been paid.
Dominic Raiola and Co. have protected Matthew Stafford all season; No. 9 has been sacked just 10 times all year. This has allowed Stafford to make easy completions to various receivers.
The bulky pass protection of the Lions top the scales at more than 1,200 pounds—not too many D-lines can get past that thick wall quick enough to get to Stafford. What the “lightest” player on the O-line, Raiola (295 pounds) lacks in weight, he makes up for in speed and savvy.
The 13-year veteran has always provided great protection for his QBs, but this season could be one of his best.
Defense Can't Force Turnovers (Negative)
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The Lions have recovered six fumbles and snagged 10 interceptions this year. Not too bad. The only problem with that is that many of those turnovers came early in the season.
The burden on the offense to score so much can’t continue to be a trend each week. Eventually, the defense will need to pick up some of those forced fumbles and make quarterbacks question some of those passes thrown in the secondary.
When opposing QBs take the field against the Lions secondary, they should be trembling and their eyes should swing from left to right with panic on their face. They shouldn't be licking their chops with a childish grin.
Offensive Onslaught (Positive)
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The Lions put up Madden-like numbers against the Cowboys in Week 8, compiling 623 net yards against Dallas' defense. Earlier in the season, Detroit scored 24-straight points and 27 overall in the second quarter against the Chicago Bears.
Despite the laundry list of injuries the Lions have dealt with season, the team has still managed to rank third in yards per game (416), second in passing yards per game (317.9) and sixth in points per game (27.1).
Even with the run game ranking in the bottom third of the league, Reggie Bush has added a dimension to Detroit's offense that was missing last year.
With Bush’s impressive play and the Lions turning their big numbers into wins this season, the team has potential to make it back to the playoffs and make noise.
Impressive Rookies (Positive)
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Ziggy Ansah, Darius Slay and Joseph Fauria have had impressive rookie campaigns thus far and have made a serious impact as Lions.
Slay has been an important part of the Lions’ defense. Slay is seventh on the team with 23 tackles and has been active in the backfield. He currently has two pass deflections and has shown promise as a cornerback for Detroit.
Playing defensive end for the Lions has been a successful venture for Ansah so far. The former BYU Cougar has contributed plenty to Detroit, despite playing just three years of football. Ansah has recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles to go with 19 tackles. Ziggy has continued to make an impact this season and will be a prominent part of Detroit’s defensive scheme for seasons to come.
Even though Fauria has just eight receptions this season, he has reached the paydirt on five of those catches.
Fauria showed he could become a key part of the passing game when he had a phenomenal outing against the Cleveland Browns. He has since quieted down, but it is clear that Fauria has the ability to assist Matthew Stafford in the pass game.
With Ryan Broyles season-ending injury, he will surely see more targets.
Sacks (Negative)
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Going along with forcing more turnovers, the Lions have struggled to generate sacks this year. Detroit has managed 13 this season, which isn’t horrible, but again many of those came earlier in the year.
In its past four games, Detroit has five sacks: Dallas (one sack), Cincinnati (one sack), Cleveland (two sacks), Green Bay (one sack). The pass rush has to improve for the Lions to be feared on defense. While they do get after it in the secondary and Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy are having great seasons, more emphasis needs to be put on taking down opposing quarterbacks.
In Week 11, the Lions head to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger—a QB that has eaten the turf 31 times this season.
The game against the Steelers needs to be used as a confidence builder for the pass rush of the Lions, and they can’t come away without at least three sacks.
Calvin Johnson (Positive)
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He's an obvious choice for this list, but there's no question he earned the right to be here.
Calvin "Megatron" Johnson missed the game against the Green Bay Packers and was noticeably quiet against the Cleveland Browns (three catches for 25 yards).
Somehow “Megatron” is still third in the league in receiving yards.
The mitts of Johnson have reeled in 47 catches this season, including 14 in the Lions’ comeback victory against Dallas.
Losing Nate Burleson to a broken arm, recently losing Ryan Broyles to a ruptured Achilles, as well as Reggie Bush fighting the injury bug, Johnson has been asked to carry Detroit’s offense.
He has not disappointed.
Johnson is easily on his way to his fourth-consecutive 1,000-yard season.
If Megatron continues his splendid play and the Lions can get healthy, they can become a serious threat in the playoffs.
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