The Detroit Lions fell to 9-4 following their dismal 28-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. It was a disastrous day for Detroit, as they failed to perform in every phase. Here are some takeaways from this game.
We Need to Talk About Ben
Lions fans quickly blame Aaron Glenn and demand his dismissal following losses. However, it might be time to talk about offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. After halftime, the Lions’ offensive drives read, punt, punt, punt, fumble, turnover on downs, turnover on downs and an interception. The Lions led at half time, yet their offensive slump let Chicago regain momentum and build confidence. Instead of killing the game, Detroit let Chicago back into it.
Last week against the New Orleans Saints, the Lions’ offense, specifically its run-offense, fell into a coma, allowing the Saints to fight back into the game.
Detroit’s offense is going through spells of inconsistency and impotence. They have lost their explosive playmaking ability and often find themselves in 3rd and long situations. Ben Johnson’s high-flying, high-powered, unstoppable offense from September is gone.
At times, the playcalling feels out of sequence and self-defeating. Detroit did not play with any rhythm on offense in the second half, and it was hard to determine the overarching plan. Johnson was the master at scripting a game, building upon plays and using the sequence of plays to confuse defenses. That has gone.
Players Are Making Too Many Mistakes
The individual players are also making too many mistakes. The Lions committed eight total penalties. Several of those penalties came on the offensive line. False starts and a tripping penalty plagued the offensive line. Players like Graham Glasgow, Jonah Jackson and Penei Sewell drew penalty flags. It was unacceptable.
Furthermore, dropped catches were also a problem. The Lions are top-ten in dropped catch rate for the season; it was another issue today. Jahmyr Gibbs dropped a pass, and Amon Ra St. Brown dropped passes, too.
Then there were the missed tackles, offsides, and missed assignments on defense. Too many players are making individual errors. Playoff teams limit mental mistakes; the Lions made too many mistakes and miscues throughout this game. The players must step up, take accountability, and rectify this. The Lions are playing ill-disciplined football.
Don’t Panic
The one thing the Lions cannot do is panic. Do they have to answer questions? Absolutely. Was this defeat a bad one? Definitely, however, the Lions showed in the second quarter when they played mistake-free football that they are still a strong team. Detroit dominated the Bears in that quarter. With four games left, now is not the time to panic and combust.
The Lions have to get back to playing the fundamentals well. Playing penalty-free football and limiting turnovers are the first fundamentals that all coaches preach. Detroit now has four games left to get back to that.