I apologise for the delay in posting and the lack of game preview for this one but I was rebuilding my staircase last weekend and so was unable to find sufficient time to write anything. The delay in posting this though does allow for calm reflection rather than an immediate post game hair pulling rant.
The 2010 Lions are maddening for the most confusing of reasons. Take this game for instance. They pretty well wiped the floor with the Packers on virtually every game measurable apart from two, points total (admittedly this is the most important measurable in any game) and penalties (13 for 102 yards against 3 for 31 yards). Once again they went into a game with few, if any, believing they were capable of winning and yet come out of it with most believing they had a real shot at winning the game and many believing they should have won it. Is it fair to be angry that they didn't complete a job I felt them incapable of doing before they undertook it? Is it right of me to be mad at them for raising my expectations due to their improved play only for them to eventually fall short of the new level of my expectation? I'm sure I'm not alone in wondering.
I'm going to restrict my negative comments to the decision to punt from the Green Bay 37 yard line in the 4th Qtr rather than attempt a 54-yard Field Goal that if made would've put the Lions ahead by 1 point. Schwartz chose to punt, gained 27 yards in field position and backed his defense to hold out the Packers. Now in fairness to the D, the Packers didn't get into the end zone and if the Lions had have been up by a point then the Packers would likely have kicked for 3 with time expiring so we could be now looking at a score of 29-31 rather than 26-28. But if the kick had been blocked or missed then the Lions would have won by a point. Now I know all this is hypothetical and hindsight is a wonderful thing but just as I disagreed with Schwartz for not taking the points when they were on offer against the Eagles so I disagree with the decision to punt here. Hanson had already hit one from 49 yards earlier in the quarter so was it really that much of a stretch to think he had a legitimate shot at making a 54-yarder? Whether you punt or kick the Field Goal you have to back your D to keep the Packers out so why not at least give yourself a shot at taking the lead so your D has that extra bit of motivation? It may well be that Schwartz took the percentage decision and most coaches would agree with him but if I was calling the play I would try the kick every time.
That the offense clicked into gear so efficiently was most pleasing, it was unfortunate that they came up short when it really seemed to matter, whether that be giving away stupid a penalty or failing to make a catch/accurate pass or turning the ball over. Given they have been without their number one QB and number two WR I think we can take heart from the performance of the offense in this game and if they can achieve what they did in Green Bay (home of this years Super Bowl favourites) what are they capable of achieving at home?
Although the defense failed to prevent the Packers from progressing up the field and running out the clock to end the game they also impressed with their performance. Houston is looking like he could be a passable CB and Smith showed enough to suggest that he could soon be displacing Wade from the starting lineup. Suh had his 3rd sack of the season and could well end up setting all sorts of records for a rookie DT this season. The linebackers are still very much a work in progress, as is the secondary, but given the injuries to both Levy and Delmas this is more about our lack of talent depth.
Special Teams stepped up in this game and we will look back on it wondering if they could have won it for us if they'd been given the chance to.
Overall then enough to top up the confidence levels to look forward to the next game in the belief that it will bring our first win so.....
Bring on the Rams!!!!
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