Biggest Takeaways from Detroit Lions' Week 8 Loss
So many West Coast Detroit Lions fans stared at their televisions in amazement, wondering why they had to cut their Halloweens short to get up for this mess.
And that's being kind. There are texts and tweets that used much stronger words.
The Kansas City Chiefs steamrolled the Lions in a manner usually reserved for Saturdays. Professional teams generally have enough talent and expertise to keep the final score within 30 points.
But not these Lions. They are something different, especially when you break it down and dig into the details.
New Offensive Coordinator, Same Level of Production
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Last week saw Matthew Stafford sacked seven times, but none of them were "credited" to an offensive lineman, according to Pro Football Focus. Instead, running back Theo Riddick picked up the sole honor.
This week saw Stafford taken down six times with an extra hit tacked on for good measure, and all of them found a home for the blame. And don't forget about the 10 hurries Kansas City piled on, too.
Yet those credits ultimately mean nothing because the real blame lays at the feet of new offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. The Chiefs obviously saw what the Vikings did the week prior and copied it to perfection by constantly overloading one side and watching defenders stream through almost untouched.
It doesn't matter if there was a breakdown in communication or a bad protection call. The problem was laid bare in Week 7 and still existed in Week 8. That's the stagnation of progress that has become the trademark of head coach Jim Caldwell's regime and will eventually bury the entire staff.
Laken Tomlinson Was Detroit's Best Offensive Lineman
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Don't get it twisted. Nothing on the prior slide absolves the actual play of the offensive line.
For instance, LaAdrian Waddle has affirmed that his rookie year was a flash in the pan.
On one particular sack, Waddle turned toward left guard Larry Warford to double a defensive tackle while two Chiefs stormed by on the outside. By the time he turned around, Stafford was already in their grasp.
Waddle's six allowed quarterback pressures were matched by left tackle Riley Reiff, and center Travis Swanson chipped in with three, rounding out the stat sheet with mediocrity.
The guards, however, were the highlight of the day. Laken Tomlinson only allowed one quarterback hurry, but he gets the nod over Larry Warford as the best big man of the day because of his stellar run blocking.
Detroit was able to generate 51 of its 81 rushing yards on three carries left of center. Tomlinson was a large factor in this success, often carrying his blocks three to five yards down the field.
Tomlinson didn't start out quickly, but his performance in London is the latest in a line of strong outings for the rookie.
The Stafford Question Will Continue to Linger
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Remember when Tony Romo wasn't good enough?
The Cowboys were seen as a middling team, and the knock was that Romo couldn't win the big game. Then Dallas won 12 games, added a Wild Card victory and came within a referee's interpretation of a catch of beating Green Bay.
That's where we find ourselves with Matthew Stafford.
There are moments when he makes decisions and throws that fire up the Twitter machine, and it starts spitting out crazy trade proposals, many including those same Cowboys. Then there are incredible comeback performances—like a crazy buzzer-beating win in 2013 against a certain NFC East team—that hammer home Stafford's potential ceiling.
Stafford is good enough to win playoff games with a decent team around him. Yet, we don't have the proof necessary to make that determination, and the naysayers have their own evidence to proffer considering he leads the league in interceptions (11).
The only sure thing at this point is that the current situation is too volatile to come to a concrete conclusion. Get ready for another year of the can-he-or-can't-he debate.
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The Defense Has Bottomed out
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The Chiefs didn't come into this game rolling on offense. They had averaged just over 20 points per game through the first seven weeks and were only able to manage 17 against the Bears at home.
This isn't a high-powered offense, but it certainly looked like it against Detroit.
Kansas City rolled to 38 straight points after Detroit's initial field goal. Charcandrick West fell three yards short of the century mark, but the Chiefs were bolstered by Alex Smith's 78 yards on the ground. And it took the quarterback all of five carries to hit that mark.
And the pass coverage was just as terrible. Six different Lions defenders allowed a personal passer rating of 88.2 or higher when Smith targeted their assignments, and the entire unit defended as many passes (two) as it allowed touchdown tosses.
The only thing that stopped the bleeding was either the clock or boredom. And who can blame the Chiefs for losing interest late in this one? The viewing public certainly did.
No Need for DeAndre Levy
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DeAndre Levy was destined to become Detroit's best defensive player this season after the departure of Ndamukong Suh. Maybe Ezekiel Ansah would have pushed him for the title, but this was primed to be his team.
To date, Levy has logged 17 plays this season.
A hip injury sustained in the preseason has nagged him ever since, resulting in a recent surgery. Once he was up and walking around after the operation, per Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, head coach Jim Caldwell said his availability for the 2015 season was still up in the air.
Well, it's no longer too early to make the call. Levy needs to stay on the sideline and recuperate.
Detroit's season was officially pronounced dead somewhere in the second quarter of the laugher in London. With Levy entering the first year of his new four-year contract in 2016, the Lions need to be smart with one of their greatest assets, especially considering there aren't many on the roster to begin with.
Stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter @BrandonAlisoglu.
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