Team Grades: Lions Fail To Even Show Up In London As Chiefs Dominate
By Danny Cox
A victory two weeks ago and a trip to London seemed to be what the Detroit Lions to at least try and get things turned in the right direction this season. Matters were helped by their London opponent being the Kansas City Chiefs who weren't having much more success this season, but they were sure made to look like they were on their way to being AFC Champions.
Nothing seemed to go right on Sunday morning as the Lions were thrashed 45-10 by the Chiefs. Weaknesses were exposed all over the place, and even All-Pro veterans looked to be lost at times in what has to be one of the most confusing losses yet this season.
Offense: F
Joique Bell had one good run of 32 yards on the first drive of the game. Actually, it was on the second offensive play of the day for either team. From that point on, the Lions combined for just 49 more yards on the ground as their anemic running game just keeps getting worse.
Calvin Johnson dropped balls that were thrown right to his hands and chest. Matthew Stafford was sacked six times for a loss of 32 yards and threw two interceptions. One wasn't his fault, but the other was an ill-advised pass thrown right to Chiefs' cornerback Sean Smith.
Defense: F
Alex Smith threw for just 145 yards, but he did pass for two touchdowns. Without an injured Jamaal Charles, the Lions appeared focused on the passing game of the Chiefs. Not a bad idea, but Detroit had no-one even paying attention to the offensive backfield. The Lions' defense didn't cause a single turnover and allowed Charcandrick West turned it on for 97 yards and one score. Making it even worse is that Alex Smith had a career-high rushing game with 78 yards and one rushing score of his own.
Special Teams: C
Sam Martin got the most work out of anyone on special teams as he punted six times for an average of 47 yards. Those numbers are good, but he got no help. Matt Prater hit his long 35-yard field goal attempt and his one extra point.
Coaching: F
It's getting to the point now that the Detroit Lions may seriously begin looking at head coach Jim Caldwell and how much longer he'll be in his position. The Lions got some players back from injury and were used to the London changes after last year, but looked totally lost on the field.
With the upcoming bye week, there are going to likely be some major changes before Week 10's game against the Green Bay Packers. It's very possible that there could be some more personnel changes on the sidelines and also on the field itself just to see if a spark can happen for the Detroit Lions.
Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. Danny is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.