Detroit Lions Monday Morning Quarterback: Week Two Vs. Philadelphia Eagles

The Game

The first of what is expected to be many exciting shoot-outs for the Lions this season ended with them falling short 35-32.

The game of the backup quarterback was dominated by the offenses, as both defenses couldn’t get of the field.

The difference in the game is that the Lions’ offense went flat in the third quarter and the Eagles’ offense continued to score at will.

The Good

Jahvid Best

Before the end of the year the media is going to run out of superlatives to describe what Best can do. Two weeks into the season and he is starting to look like the steal of the draft. That is what five touchdowns in two weeks will do. 

The blemish on his performance is the inability to pick up one yard on two tries when the Lions needed it most. This will bring out the concerns that many have voice about his ability to run between the tackles. 

I put this on the coaching staff however, they know what they have in him and should have used Felton in that situation to carry the ball and not Best.

Brandon Pettigrew

Pettigrew rebounded from a terrible showing in Chicago to record a 100-yard receiving game. I think what we are learning with both Best and Pettigrew is their shortcomings in Week 1 were a result of a great line backing core in Chicago.

Nick Harris

Nick Harris came through at the greatest time of need. Backed up into his own end zone and the Eagles looking like they would get great field position, Harris booted an unbelievable 66 yard punt to give the Lions some breathing room. 

I have at times wondered if Harris is losing some of his leg strength, so much for that.

The Bad

The inability to get off the field

Three defensive plays in this game really cost the Lions. 

The first two came on dropped interceptions by the Lions’ secondary. Both Jonathon Wade and C.C. Brown had easy interceptions and they dropped them. Wade’s drop was in the end zone with the Lions still up by ten. The Eagles went on to score on that drive to take the momentum away from the Lions.

The third play was when the Lions had the Eagles in a third and sixteen and allowed an 18 yard pass. The next play went 46-yards for a touchdown.

Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson has been a real disappointment so far this year. In both games he has done a disappearing act in the first half.

It is obvious that he is getting double teamed, but he is supposed to be a great receiver and should be able to fight through those double teams.  Other great receivers in this league get double all the time and they seem to come through regardless of that.

The calls at the end of the game

Having just recovered an onside kick, the Lions threw four incomplete passes, and lost the ball. The thing I question is why Best didn’t get a chance to work the middle of the field. 

The Lions had nearly two minutes left and a time out at their disposal.  All they needed on that drive was about 25 yards to give Jason Hanson a chance to tie the game.

The blitzers

It is one thing for a quarterback like Michael Vick to make plays with his speed, but it is completely another for a blitzing player to come free and just whiff on the guy.

The Ugly

The active roster

I am a big Jim Schwartz believer, but why he went into the game with only three receivers is inexcusable to me. The Lions listed Derrick Williams as the emergency quarterback for this game and he is unavailable to come in and play receiver.

The Lions ended up losing Nate Burleson to a sprained ankle on the first play of the game and had to play shorthanded from that point. With Stefan Logan as the only healthy receiver left, the Lions had to use Tony Scheffler has the third receiver when they went to three wide sets. 

The Eagle countered by putting a defensive back on Scheffler and thereby nullified his speed.

Misleading Stat of the Day:

335 passing yards by Sean Hill

Hill racked up a lot of his yardage when the Eagles were playing a prevent defense for most of the fourth quarter. He also had 75 passing yards on the screen pass to Best, where he and the blockers did all the work. 

The reality is that Hill needs to play better and his two interceptions are proof of that.

Play of the Day

Easy, the 75-yard screen pass to Best. It’s been a long time since the Lions had someone that can make the other teams pay for a mistake.  This play really showed Best’s speed as once he got in the clear the distance between him and the rest of the players on the field was visibly increasing.

Quote of the Day

"I won’t get used to (losing)" – Jahvid Best.  Good luck young man, but you got drafted by the Lions.

Random Thoughts

Where is Calvin?

I really though Ernie Sims would get more than three tackles in this game.

Two sacks in two games by Ndamukong Suh, so much for not getting sacks from the DT position.

With Best and Suh could the lions have two rookies of the year?

Overall Impression

This is the game we expected last week against the Bears, but as it turns out we all forgot how good the Bears defense is with Brian Urlacher in the middle. 

The Lions once again had a quarterback get a 100+ rating against them, as Vick shredded the secondary.

The defensive line has held its own for two weeks but the back seven needs to start helping them out.

Next Week

The Lions head to Minneapolis next Sunday where they will take on the 0-2 Vikings. 

Who would have thought the Vikings would be 0-2 at this point?  If Vick has a 108 quarterback rating against the Lions, what do you think Brett Favre is going to have? 

It looks like another long day at the office for Gunther Cunningham.