by Joshua Lobdell, Contributing Writer and Loyal Lions Fan
That was one of the craziest football games I’ve ever seen. With 18 seconds left to go most Lions fans were resigned to face the second tough road loss in a row. Somehow, someway they found a way to tie the game at 41. They gave us hope, and they cruelly snatched it way with a questionable decision.
On a day when the Lions lost a game they should have won, and the Tigers lost (twice actually) it would be easy to over react to this loss. It would be easy to say the Lions season is over. However, there is something positive to grasp onto with this team.
This team does not quit, they play every down, every play, every everything. They fight and they try to win. That is not something we could’ve said about every Lions team over the years. Yes, they may not be great, but they are crappy and that means they could win every game they play.
Of course that is not saying the same thing as they will win very game they play, or that they will not beat themselves. On Sunday the main culprit for the loss was the coaching staff. No, I do not mean the last play of the game but that is a great example of a coaching staff that does not get its players on all on the same page.
I’m more concerned with the game plan. Sure, we all want to see the Lions run the ball more (and Mikel Leshoure got the ball going on the ground) but, should a team with Calvin Johnson really have more rushing plays than passing?
For the record the Lions ran the ball 36 times for 141 yards. Leshoure has 100 of those yards and a score. That is a great way to keep a defense off balance, but this team has to go to the playmakers earlier and more often. Calvin ended the day with 10 catches for 164 yards and a score, but seemed to not be in the game early.
In the end we can question the Lions game plan, the decision by the coaching staff, but it was the defense that let Jake Locker throw for 378 yards and two TD’s. Not to mention the 10 penalties for 91 yards. Once again the Lions kinda beat themselves, but they came up against a team that had no intention of falling to 0-3.
We are still waiting to see a 60 minute effort out of this team. Minnesota is next, and they just beat the previously unbeaten San Francisco 49ers. This season there will be no gimmie games. The Lions are gonna have to earn every victory.
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