Can the Detroit Lions win a game this year?
10/7/2008
Sports, Rant
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This team, my team, is so dreadfully bad. I still can't figure out how they went 4-0 in the preseason and didn't show the same sort of offensive and defensive deficiencies that are front and center now. After five weeks, the Lions are 28th in the league in offense (31st in rushing Offense), which was supposed to be their great strength with two stud wide receivers and a renewed commitment to the run (so much for any thinking that Mike Martz was the problem). And they are dead last in defense, giving up nearly 37 points per game. So far this year they've scored 66 points and given up 147 points.
The Lions have been completely noncompetitive in 3 of the 4 games... it's surprising they even got close with Green Bay given that they were down 21-0, but a late surge gave them a 1 point lead before an offensive implosion lead to 21 quick Green Bay Points and made the final score look like it was a blowout.
All this bad play makes you wonder, can the Lions beat anyone this year? Well, taking a look at the remaining schedule, it doesn't look good.
October 12 @ Minnesota Vikings
October 19 @ Houston Texans
October 26 WASHINGTON REDSKINS
November 2 @ Chicago Bears
November 9 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
November 16 @ Carolina Panthers
November 23 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
November 27 TENNESSEE TITANS
December 7 MINNESOTA VIKINGS
December 14 @ Indianapolis Colts
December 21 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
December 28 @ Green Bay Packers
At first glance, the Texans might appear to be a winnable game as they are also 0-4 like the Lions. But the Texans have been losing some close games, their last two by four points, against some tough teams. Minnesota seems the next best bet, with a 2-3 record, but they've got a power running game similar to what Detroit couldn't slow down at all in their opening game debacle with Atlanta (and finally a quarterback that is at least an adequate passer). The Bears, Redskins, Jaguars, Panthers, and Titans all have solid running games along with good to great defenses. The Colts are struggling now, but their passing game (and the lack of any pass rush by the Lions) should be more than enough. The Saints are an explosive team that should have little trouble putting up a ton of points, which the Lions will be unable to match. And finally the Packers, who already beat Detroit once, will be more experienced at QB than they were the first time around and potentially more healthy on defense (and at home).
So on paper, I'd have to say that the Lions won't win any games. And that's not even adding the fact that when things went south last season, the players pretty much threw in the towel. This team isn't just a bad team, it's a historically bad team. Even still, strange things happen in the NFL. I wouldn't bet money on the Lions winning any of these games, but somewhere along the line, I'm guessing they will somehow win one or two.
And with the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select...
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