10-21-2019, 12:30 AM
The team the Detroit Lions have been trying to build finally showed up at Ford Field.
This team has a talented roster, a tremendous running game and a top-tier defense that clamps down on the run and gets after the quarterback. It has a strong running game that complements its own quarterback, who threw for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns.
This is what the Lions have been trying to build. Only here’s the problem: It was the Minnesota Vikings that looked so impressive. They have become the team the Lions want to be.
The Lions are just — well, mediocre. Good enough to keep it close, but not good enough to beat a contender like the Vikings.
“We’re running the ball — play-action pass and we’re converting on third downs, the pocket has been clean, offensive line has been playing with great intensity,” Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said after the Vikings’ 42-30 victory at Ford Field.
Wouldn’t you love to hear the Lions talk like that after a game, just once?
Yeah, probably won’t happen in my lifetime. Or my kids’.
Minnesota is 5-2 and is a legitimate contender in the NFC North. The Lions have lost three straight and are 2-3-1.
“Obviously, not a very good game for us there,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said, echoing the familiar words of countless Lions coaches before him. “We’re all disappointed. I think all three phases had things on the field they’d like to do better.”
The disparity between the teams starts with the run defense. The Lions couldn’t stop someone if you spotted them a traffic light and left it stuck on red. Something would still go wrong.
“Yeah, I mean, those guys came out with a great game plan and they executed very well,” Lions defensive back Tracy Walker said. “Obviously, our game plan didn’t stick very well when we tried to compete.”
No, the Lions' game plan didn’t stick.
It stunk.
Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook ran 25 times for 142 yards with two touchdowns. The Vikings had 166 yards rushing, becoming the fifth-straight team to gain at least 120 yards rushing against the Lions.
“Until we get that fixed, we’re going to keep seeing it,” Patricia said.
No truer words have ever been spoken by a Lions coach.
Dagger through the heartLate in the fourth quarter, the Lions still had a shred of hope. They pulled to within 28-24 after Matt Prater's field goal with 3:01 left.
You had to figure the Vikings would try to run out the clock. So the Lions loaded up the box. They sold out, trying to stop the run, trying to get the ball back.
Which made all kinds of sense.
But Kirk Cousins threw a 66-yard bomb to Stefon Diggs.
Game over.
“We wanted to stay aggressive,” Zimmer said. “They were moving the ball really well, and we felt like we had to. It was a play that we had up off of a play-action, and we had a chance to get Diggs in space. There wasn’t much conversation ... we didn’t come here to tower down, we came here to try and hit it.”Again, wouldn’t you love to hear a Lions coach talk like that after a game? Instead, Patricia talked about trying to find answers.
Frankly, I’m not sure they are there.
“Let’s coach it better, let’s play it better, let’s do better with our fundamentals,” he said. “That’s what we did last year — it’s the same thing. It doesn’t really change. We just have to execute on the field better and keep committing to trying to get that done because we have to do it.”
Yep, we’ve never heard that around here
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colum...048437002/
This team has a talented roster, a tremendous running game and a top-tier defense that clamps down on the run and gets after the quarterback. It has a strong running game that complements its own quarterback, who threw for more than 300 yards and four touchdowns.
This is what the Lions have been trying to build. Only here’s the problem: It was the Minnesota Vikings that looked so impressive. They have become the team the Lions want to be.
The Lions are just — well, mediocre. Good enough to keep it close, but not good enough to beat a contender like the Vikings.
“We’re running the ball — play-action pass and we’re converting on third downs, the pocket has been clean, offensive line has been playing with great intensity,” Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer said after the Vikings’ 42-30 victory at Ford Field.
Wouldn’t you love to hear the Lions talk like that after a game, just once?
Yeah, probably won’t happen in my lifetime. Or my kids’.
Minnesota is 5-2 and is a legitimate contender in the NFC North. The Lions have lost three straight and are 2-3-1.
“Obviously, not a very good game for us there,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said, echoing the familiar words of countless Lions coaches before him. “We’re all disappointed. I think all three phases had things on the field they’d like to do better.”
The disparity between the teams starts with the run defense. The Lions couldn’t stop someone if you spotted them a traffic light and left it stuck on red. Something would still go wrong.
“Yeah, I mean, those guys came out with a great game plan and they executed very well,” Lions defensive back Tracy Walker said. “Obviously, our game plan didn’t stick very well when we tried to compete.”
No, the Lions' game plan didn’t stick.
It stunk.
Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook ran 25 times for 142 yards with two touchdowns. The Vikings had 166 yards rushing, becoming the fifth-straight team to gain at least 120 yards rushing against the Lions.
“Until we get that fixed, we’re going to keep seeing it,” Patricia said.
No truer words have ever been spoken by a Lions coach.
Dagger through the heartLate in the fourth quarter, the Lions still had a shred of hope. They pulled to within 28-24 after Matt Prater's field goal with 3:01 left.
You had to figure the Vikings would try to run out the clock. So the Lions loaded up the box. They sold out, trying to stop the run, trying to get the ball back.
Which made all kinds of sense.
But Kirk Cousins threw a 66-yard bomb to Stefon Diggs.
Game over.
“We wanted to stay aggressive,” Zimmer said. “They were moving the ball really well, and we felt like we had to. It was a play that we had up off of a play-action, and we had a chance to get Diggs in space. There wasn’t much conversation ... we didn’t come here to tower down, we came here to try and hit it.”Again, wouldn’t you love to hear a Lions coach talk like that after a game? Instead, Patricia talked about trying to find answers.
Frankly, I’m not sure they are there.
“Let’s coach it better, let’s play it better, let’s do better with our fundamentals,” he said. “That’s what we did last year — it’s the same thing. It doesn’t really change. We just have to execute on the field better and keep committing to trying to get that done because we have to do it.”
Yep, we’ve never heard that around here
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/colum...048437002/
