Consistency on Offense Represents Next Step for Cardiac Lions

The Detroit Lions have relied on a suffocating defense and a number of clutch plays late in the fourth quarter to win four straight games and improve to 7-2 overall. 

The next step on the path to capturing the NFC North should be finding a higher level of consistency on offense. The Lions have escaped with wins over the last month, but the margin for error will shrink even further down the road—in Arizona and New England—over the next two weeks. 

For now, the Lions can bask in the glow of another come-from-behind win.

An up-and-down performance Sunday at Ford Field ended with the ultimate high, as Matthew Stafford's 11-yard touchdown pass to running back Theo Riddick with 29 seconds left gave Detroit a 20-16 win over the surging Miami Dolphins. The Lions scored 10 points in the final quarter to erase two separate deficits. 

"We'd love to be running four-minute offense and taking knees at the end of games, but we'll take them how we can get them," Stafford told reporters postgame. 

The Lions completed a third straight fourth-quarter comeback after Miami took a 16-13 lead with 4:19 to go. Stafford marched the offense 74 yards in just under three minutes to seal the win. However, a more even effort from Stafford's unit, especially early in the game, could have put the Dolphins away and eliminated the need for another cardiac finish. 

The Lions scored on each of their first two possessions, including a 49-yard touchdown to returning receiver Calvin Johnson on the second series. Once up 10-0, Detroit took its foot off the pedal and saw the Dolphins eventually take the lead. 

The offense squandered too many opportunities to blow open the game. 

Twice in the first half, the Lions started with the football in Dolphins territory but failed to score. The first opportunity was halted after Johnson was called for an offensive pass interference penalty. Two series later, Stafford was picked off in the end zone on the first play following an interception from Lions safety James Ihedigbo. 

On the drive between the two misses, Detroit marched 51 yards but failed on its second fake punt attempt from the Miami 41-yard line. Despite dominating the half, Detroit went into the break holding just a seven-point lead. 

Score	Start	Plays	Yards	Result
0-0	DET 20	15	72	FG
3-0	MIA 49	1	49	TD
10-0	MIA 47	3	-1	PUNT
10-0	DET 11	7	51	DOWNS
10-0	MIA 31	1	0	INT
10-3	DET 17	1	-1	HALF
10-3	DET 44	5	3	PUNT
10-6	DET 23	12	53	BLOCKED FG
10-13	DET 18	8	50	FG
13-16	DET 24	3	0	PUNT
13-16	DET 26	11	74	TD

Little changed immediately after halftime. The Lions' first possession of the second half began at the Detroit 44-yard line following a recovered fumble. But the offense once again stalled, and Detroit was forced to punt after just five plays and three yards. A sack of Stafford for minus-10 yards all but killed the drive. 

"We had too many penalties and too many negative-yardage plays," Stafford said. "That makes it tough for a play-caller."

Overall, the Lions went 1-of-3 scoring touchdowns in the red zone and 3-of-12 on third down. Ten penalties cost Detroit 98 yards. 

The Lions scored 10 points in the first quarter but then went six straight drives without scoring. The lull gave Miami time to find a few cracks in the dominant Detroit defense. 

Getting Johnson, running back Reggie Bush and a number of other offensive players back into the mix likely created a slight readjustment period. And the Lions also dealt with some injuries—including one to starting guard Larry Warford—during the game. Shuffling personnel can disrupt any offense. 

Still, suffering through similar droughts probably won't fly on the road against the Cardinals and Patriots, two of the NFL's best teams. 

Bouts of inconsistency have plagued the Lions offense for most of the season. 

The Lions scored just seven points in a Week 2 loss to the Carolina Panthers. A week later, the Detroit defense scored nine of the Lions' 19 points in a win over the Green Bay Packers. 

Another dominant defensive effort made Detroit's 17 points in Minnesota a non-factor. Scoring just 14 points a week earlier doomed the Lions at home against the Buffalo Bills. 

The Lions defense is uniquely capable of keeping Detroit in any game. But the offense is mostly to blame for needing late comebacks the last three weeks. 

Detroit had just 10 points with under four minutes to go against New Orleans before scoring the game's final 14 points to win the contest. In London, the Lions fell behind 21-0 in the first half and needed a number of late blunders to take down the Atlanta Falcons. 

Sunday's game probably should have been put away in the first 30 minutes. 

Ihedigbo's interception set up Detroit at the Miami 31-yard line with the score at 10-0. Another touchdown might have been the beginning of the end, but Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes made a sensational one-handed interception in front of Johnson to keep Miami hanging around. 

In the third quarter, the Lions went 53 yards but were forced to settle for a field goal following a holding penalty. The Dolphins blocked the kick and eventually scored a short touchdown to take the lead. It was a 10-point swing. 

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

The Lions have been the very definition of resilient over the last month, and the underlying worry that this team will follow the path of the 2013 club has slowly started to fade. Detroit is now 7-2 and in firm control of the NFC North. Anything less than 10 wins and a playoff berth in 2014 would be a huge disappointment. 

However, the next two weeks will challenge the Lions like they haven't been challenged yet this season. A dominant defense still travels in the NFL, but a sometimes inconsistent offense can be the difference between winning and losing on the road, especially against the top teams.

If the Lions do develop a more consistent offense, Detroit can win anywhere and against any team. 

Quotes taken from live postgame press conferences.

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2