Lions Not 2008 Bad, They Were Worse

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Lions Not 2008 Bad, They Were Worse

Written by Bob Biscigliano

Sunday, 18 October 2009 20:20

nickharris

Nick Harris even got into the act under center on Sunday vs. the Packers. His flip was very unathletic and the Lions were stuffed on fourth down.

The Lions went 0-16 last year, so you'd think it couldn't get much worse and things would be, for the most part, on their way up. And that's how things had been going so far this season, but on Sunday the Lions were the worst (well maybe not as bad as the Titans).

The Lions, without their starting QB, best player on the team, 3/4 of their defensive line, their starting free safety, and playing where they haven't won since 1991, didn't have much of a shot from the get-go. But as bleak as it may have been, I would have never expected it to be 26-0 worth of miserableness. If it weren't for the Packers shooting themselves in the foot, this game very easily could have been as bad as the Patriots/Titans game.

Detroit used two quarterbacks (Culpepper and Stanton) and had 105 total yards passing (71 net yards) with three interceptions. They only had 148 net yards of offense compared to Green Bay's 435 net yards.

This team needs the Bye next week maybe more than anyone. With Stafford and Calvin hurt, and others nursing boo-boos, the Lions will definitely benefit from the next couple weeks to get healthy before their "showdown" with the Rams. It's amazing how much of a difference this team with Stafford/Calvin is than from a team without them. If those two aren't healthy enough to go in Week 8, a loss to St. Louis is a distinct possibility and could, sadly enough, set them back even further from what they were starting to accomplish as a team.

For the record, Detroit was last shutout in 2001. They were shutout twice that season -- once to the Bears in Week 16, 24-0, and in Week 4 against the Rams, 35-0. Detroit finished 2-14 that year and there's about a 95% chance that will be their record at the end of this season as well. It's science.