Team Grades: Last Second Mistake Does In Detroit Lions In Loss To Seattle Seahawks
By Danny Cox
The Detroit Lions are now the last team in the NFL without a win, and it's a shame because they are a few plays and a few corrected mistakes away from being 3-1 or at least 2-2. It truly appeared on Monday night that the Lions were driving to tie the game against the Seattle Seahawks and send it into overtime or even possibly win it.
Right when that was about to happen, one of the veterans and an All-Pro wide receiver made a mistake and the defense made a great play to seal a fourth straight loss for the Lions.
Offense: D+
Detroit still doesn't have a running game at all and it simply doesn't appear as if one is coming. Joique Bell is out, but he wasn't producing much as it was. Ameer Abdullah had a mere 33 yards on 13 carries and the team totaled just 53 yards on the ground.
Matthew Stafford went 24-of-35 for 203 yards with no interceptions, but no touchdowns either. Actually, the offense didn't score at all, and that last minute fumble by Calvin Johnson was just a heartbreaker and took every singe thing out of the team.
Eight punts and a fumble in 10 offensive drives will lost football games 99% of the time.
Defense: B
Without Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks still were able to collect over 100 yards on the ground, but it was by committee so the Lions didn't do bad in that department. Russell Wilson still had too good a game as he went 20-of-26 for 287 yards and a touchdown.
Aside from that, the defense played well by racking up six sacks (two by Ezekiel Ansah) and a Caraun Reid fumble recovery for a touchdown kept them in the game.
Special Teams: B+
Nothing to be ashamed of here at all. Matt Prater hit his extra point and nailed a 41-yard field goal as well. Sam Martin had to punt far too many times, but still had a good average with three inside Seattle's 20 and a long of 62 yards. The punt return game wasn't much but Ameer Abdullah had two decent kickoff returns.
Coaching: C
Something needs to be done here and Jim Caldwell has to shake things up. The defense is doing its job, but they're on the field more than the offense and getting no scoring help at all. The offensive scheme is just not working in any way at all, and there needs to be some changes.
As the last winless team in the NFL, the Detroit Lions' season isn't yet over, but it's getting close. An 0-4 hole in any division is hard to climb out of, but the NFC North makes it that much harder. Next up are the 3-1 Arizona Cardinals who are on top of the NFC West, and it won't get any easier after that.
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.
