Lions' Regrets Linger After Review Of 49ers' Game Film
It was pretty easy to play the woulda-coulda-shoulda game after the loss to the 49ers Sunday.
As coach Jim Schwartz said, losing teams can always pick apart the film and point to four or five plays where, "had we made just one of those plays, there might have been a different outcome."
One such play came right before the half. The Lions were up 10-9 and driving. A 15-yard pass from QB Matthew Stafford to WR Nate Burleson that would have set them up at the 49ers' 8 was nullified by a debatable chop block call on TE Brandon Pettigrew.
"That's a big call, but they are always going to err on the side of player safety," Schwartz said. "That's a player safety play. They see one guy low and another high, and a player goes down, they are going to call it every time. If you slow it down you can look at it a different way, but we respect the officials. They have a difficult job out there."
The Lions ended up missing a 52-yard field goal -- the first and only miss of the season for Jason Hanson -- while the 49ers countered with a 55-yarder -- a six-point swing.
The second play they'd like back was the punt that Ted Ginn, Jr., returned 40 yards to set up the winning touchdown. Rookie punter Ryan Donahue was supposed to punt it high and toward the sideline. He hit it low and right down the middle of the field.
"It's like everybody who plays golf, you always want to hit the fairway; sometimes you don't," Schwartz said. "We need to do a better job covering those. But the disappointment on that was there was a pretty significant block in the back (that wasn't called) on the return. You talk about one play in a game -- that might have been it. It would have significantly flipped the field."
As it was, the 49ers started at the Lions' 35 with just a little more than two minutes left.
But, Schwartz and the players know it's folly to complain about the officiating in a game they were so thoroughly outplayed. This will be a serious regroup week.
The to-do list includes getting Stafford calmed down and back on track. Whether that means going to less shotgun formation, using more two-back sets to facilitate some kind of ground game or what, time will tell.
The Lions also need to tighten up their coverage units. This was a strength last season and the talent -- besides losing professional special teamer Isaiah Ekejiuba to a shoulder injury -- has been upgraded.
--Internet and Twitter reports Monday claiming that running back Jahvid Best was going on the injured list were premature at the very least. But that's not to say there isn't real concern over his health and the health of the team's running game.
Best suffered his second concussion of the season Sunday. The first one came in an exhibition game at Cleveland Aug. 19. He also missed the final four games of his college career at Cal with a concussion.
The uncertainty surrounding Best's health doubtless pushed general manager Martin Mayhew to be more active before Tuesday's trade deadline, sending backup Jerome Harrison to the Eagles for Ronnie Brown.
"Any chance we have to improve our team, I think we've proven that we're willing to do it," coach Jim Schwartz said.
The Lions can do nothing for Best except let him go through the process and see how he comes out.
"There is a concern because it's the second one," Schwartz said. "But it doesn't change the process for him to be cleared."
Best, outside linebacker Justin Durant and tight end Tony Scheffler were in line to go through the NFL-mandated protocol for head injuries this week. Durant has missed three games and Scheffler one. Durant said via Twitter on Tuesday that he passed his final test and expects to practice.
"It doesn't make us more cautious, but there is a protocol that you go through," Schwartz said regarding Best's history of head injuries. "We will make sure we clear all those hurdles before he's back on the field."
Schwartz said Best started complaining of the symptoms after the game, though it appeared he got his bell rung on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. Maurice Morris replaced him for the remainder of the game and even with Brown on board, Morris figures to be in the best position to start Sunday at Dallas.
"We never lost (Best's) availability during the game," Schwartz said. "Even though we were using different packages, we were trying to get more protection so we had Maurice Morris in there to help chip."
That's an odd decision considering that Best had caught six passes for 73 yards at that point.
"Jahvid had been effective in our passing game, but Mo's also been effective," Schwartz said. "It was a situation where we were saying, 'We need to get Matt (Stafford, quarterback) more time.' We were trying to get some balls to Calvin Johnson downfield."
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