Detroit Lions: 5 Improvements They Must Make to Beat the Carolina Panthers

The Detroit Lions got their you-know-whats handed to them by the Chicago Bears on Sunday. 

Everyone saw it. Everyone knows it.

The Lions made the 2011 Bears look like the 1985 version featuring Richard Dent and Mike Singletary.

Now it is Jim Schwartz's job to move his team past the tough loss and keep them focused on the next task at hand.

The Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton visit Ford Field next Sunday and the Lions cannot take this team lightly. Newton is scary good.  He has led the Panthers to several surprising wins already this year.  The Lions do not want to be next.

If they have any hopes of improving to 7-3 and keeping their playoff hopes alive, the Lions must improve their play in several key areas.

5. Call Some Run Plays

I know that the Detroit Lions are a pass first offensive unit, and rightfully so.  They have some dangerous weapons for Matthew Stafford to pass the ball to. 

But against the Bears, Scott Linehan called 63 pass plays and only 19 rushing plays? 

There has to be more balance than that.  Especially when the Lions no-name running back by committee approach is producing admirably.

Against the Bears' staunch run defense the Lions were able to amass 80 yards on only 19 carries.  Matt Forte had 18 carries by himself and that was a low number for him.

Maurice Morris gained 4.2 yards a carry and Kevin Smith added 4.8; both very respectable numbers against the 13th ranked run defense of the Bears.

Not to mention the Lions threw in a Nate Burleson run for 10 yards and Stephen Logan ran one for five yards.  

The Lions need to do more of that.

I have said all along that the Lions do not need a dominating running attack.  But they do need one that is given a chance to be effective and can have an impact on the game.

4. Ignore the "Dirty" Tag, Just Play Your Game

It is a Monday tradition for the media and opposing fans to start tossing around the "dirty team" label.

It was no different this week.  Except this time the Lions did not help their cause by actually committing a dirty play or two. 

But the Chicago Bears were no angels, either.

The Matthew Stafford play was particularly uncalled for.  As a Lions fan, I can understand his frustration and I do not believe he was trying to injure the Bears player. 

But it was still a stupid and unnecessary play.

The Lions need to realize that they have the label now—deserved or not—and anytime they act out of emotion or frustration they are going to hear it; again and again.

They cannot let it effect their play.  They need to play their tough, hard nose, aggressive style.  Keep hitting people hard and do not let up.  But keep it in the confines of the game.

The NFL and the media have concocted this "dirty team" mythology and fans have eaten it up.  They are being duped and the NFL is laughing all the way to the bank.

The reality is the Lions are no different than any other team in the NFL.  Every week NFL players are fined for illegal hits.  Every Sunday there are face masking penalties.  Every Sunday there are unnecessary roughness calls.

Just last week Ray Lewis knocked Hines Ward silly with a helmet to helmet blow.  Is he being called dirty? 

No. He is still beloved and considered the best linebacker in the game.

The Lions are not dirty.  What they are is (at times) undisciplined.  Given that this team is young, I think that makes sense. 

3. Find the Cure for Fumble-Itis and Case of the Dropsies

I guess it is that time of year.  The weather starts to turn and it starts to go around.  Everyone catches it from time to time.

Did you think I was talking about the flu?

Sorry, I was referring to fumble-itis and the dropsies.  The Lions receivers unfortunately came down with both at the same time against Chicago.

I am not letting Matthew Stafford off the hook. I will talk about him later.

But, lets be honest.  The receiving core looked bad.

The usual sure hands of Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson fumbled away two balls that Chicago recovered. Those mistakes led to nine points for the Bears.

But all of the receivers botched passes that were on target and should have been caught.

We can't blame the weather.  We cannot even chalk it up to good defense, which the Bears did play. We have seen Detroit make difficult catches all year.  That is what NFL receivers are paid to do. 

But on Sunday, the Lion receiving corp did not earn their pay and did not live up to their top billing.  They made mental mistakes and frankly did not look ready to play.

Carolina has the 14th best pass defense in the NFL. The Lions cannot have a repeat performance and expect to win.

2. Get More Sacks

Normally it is not essential for the Detroit Lions to sack the quarterback. The Detroit Lions defensive unit does a great job pressuring the quarterback. 

The Chicago game is a perfect example.

The defense played good enough to win against the Bears. Even though they only had two sacks.  They contained Jay Cutler and did not allow him to beat them.

Turnovers and offensive mistakes took care of that.

But against the Carolina Panthers, the Lions have to do more. 

Cam Newton has demonstrated that he can beat you with his arm and his feet.  He can avoid pressure and make big plays.

That is why pressure is not enough.  The Lions will have to get their hands on Newton and bring him down. Flushing him out of the pocket is only half the battle.

If there is ever a game where sack numbers will be indicative of success, this is it.

1. Matthew Stafford Must Improve His Play

To borrow a line from Reggie Jackson, for the Detroit Lions, Matthew Stafford is the "straw that stirs the drink."

If Stafford has a poor game, it likely that the Lions will not win.  If he has a horrible game, then we get what happened at Soldier Field last Sunday.

Despite the Lions success this year, Stafford has been inconsistent.  At times he has looked great; living up to expectations that go along with a number one pick.

Other times he has been bad, inconsistent, and frustrating to Lion fans.

The numbers didn't necessarily back this up.  Until the Bears game, Stafford's quarterback rating rivaled the great ones; Brady, Brees, and Rodgers.

But numbers do not tell the whole story. Stafford is prone to innacuracy. At times his passes are off target. They might be catchable balls, but that is not what you expect from a quarterback with his skill and pedigree.

Other times, he simply throws terrible balls that sail high or wide and are uncatchable.

There is talk among fans and the media that maybe Stafford is not a franchise quarterback after all.

That is just lunacy.  There is no doubt he is.  

Stafford is going through growing pains.  That should be expected. But because the Lions are now relevant, the spotlight is on him.  Maybe the pressure is getting to him.

Whatever the reason, Stafford needs to play better. Four interceptions is inexcusable. Even with a broken finger and windy conditions.

So all eyes will be on Stafford to rebound against Carolina and have the type of game we all know he is cabable of.