Post Game: Lions Beat the Packers 34-20

My over all analysis on yesterdays game after reflecting:

Have to keep things in perspective a little bit and realize that 2-2 with some ups and down is about where I expected us to be right now. I don't have super high expectations from this season. Jordan looks like he could be the guy but he has a long way to go and they have a long way to go around him. He looks comfortable and decisive with a clean pocket, but when he has to improvise, it usually isn't pretty.

On that note, it's clear they again shot their shot on Bahk's knee and are paying dearly for it. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times...come on now, guys. Move on. It's a sunk cost now for this season, so you just make the best of it and get what you can out of him, but you have to go into this offseason with all intent to cut ties. Tackle will be right up there with safety on the draft priority list. I expect a mid 1st and a couple early to mid 2nd's, so they should be able to address some needs.

The running game also isn't where it needs to be for this offense to be successful. It's pretty clear without a healthy Aaron Jones they just don't have any talent in the backfield. I can see the possibility of a 2nd round investment in a RB next spring, provided it isn't another A.J. Dillon.

Obviously this horse is dead, but Joe Barry is so bad. You can win with Joe Barry, but it requires a perfectly executed game by a talented defense to do so. Having Jaire out is not ideal, but Barry does nothing schematically to improvise if he's shorthanded to try to put the starting 11 in the best possible position to succeed. This man has SIX ...again, a SIX season sample size of being an unsuccessful defensive coordinator.

Beyond Barry, it was a pretty poorly coached game by the entire staff. Coming out completely flat two weeks in a row isn't a good look for MLF and his preparation, and this is not a pattern that just started showing up this year. Bicassia's units failed over and over again, there's no getting around it. Constant flags on special teams. Nixon costing us constant field position with poor kickoff return decisions. Walker not staying disciplined and committing a horrible penalty that iced the game. A near turnover on a botched punt return. The mistakes were numerous. We are not good enough to constantly give away yardage on the simple mental things that we can control.

Two winnable games coming up against the Raiders and Broncos, so it's not unrealistic to think they could come out of them 4-2, but there's so much to clean up. I'd like to think they come off of the mini-bye against the Raiders well-prepared and executing well, but historical precedent with this staff tells me that that isn't necessarily going to be the case.
 
Other than Walker our LB can't tackle...safety's are just meh.
Quay had 19 or 20 tackles, he was arguably the best GB player on the field last night. It was a dumb penalty but it wasn’t a hothead mistake like last year, he and Gary were the only guys who played like they have a damn from start to finish.
 
Guy who seems we should expect more out of but still not showing much is Wyatt. 1st round pick and it's not like he's a young guy I believe he's 26 years old and now in his second season. Have to wonder if this is going to be another guy who can't put it together between the ears and will become a wasted 1st round pick. Had high hopes on him when he was drafted but at this point he looks nothing more then a backup rotation player.
 
Guy who seems we should expect more out of but still not showing much is Wyatt. 1st round pick and it's not like he's a young guy I believe he's 26 years old and now in his second season. Have to wonder if this is going to be another guy who can't put it together between the ears and will become a wasted 1st round pick. Had high hopes on him when he was drafted but at this point he looks nothing more then a backup rotation player.
And we had this discussion 10 times already... you have to platoon him. UGA plays 3 groups deep on defense. He was killing it last week. Listen to what I am telling you....tired legs = bad tackling and poor hustle. Bring in Brooks more and give him a blow.
 
Don't know if it was tired legs as much as this team lacks talent. Right now I don't know if this team can beat even Vegas or Denver. This team yo-yos so much in games at some time they will look like a team on a ride to a top 5 pick as they can't do anything on offense or defense and then half a game later this team looks like they could hang with nearly anyone. Game planning has been trash on offense and defense and the player depth is likely among the worst in the league as GB has drafted way to poorly the last few years and we have nothing to backup the starters when they get hurt or tired.
 
And you continue to assume he can unabated, Murphy runs this show and has for a few years. It's not that simple

If that's the case, it's time for MLF to use his power. He has it. He doesn't need a paycheck to make next months house payment and has one of the best winning percentages ever for a first time head coach. You go to Gute and Murphy and say "Barry is gone, or you can move on from me. I make final choice over the next DC and you need to pay him". They'll back down. Hell, if they don't, MLF will have a new job before the next draft.

He doesn't have to be a prick about it, like I was above, but I can't see the Packers front office denying him making a DC choice if he pushes back. After all, losing these games over bad defenses reflects on MLF's record as well and he needs to protect that for future job options.
 
My takes on last night:

Offense

I said it last night. Our whole interior of this o-line is junk. Newman shouldn't be in the NFL, Meyer is a below average Center, and Runyan is just a guy. They were consistently dominated all night last night by Detroit. We need to replace all three of these guys next year. We will see how Jenkins performs after he gets back from his injury. Walker is not the answer at LT. I say put Nijman in next game and see how he does. He played well two years ago at LT. Also, we need to draft a LT high in the draft next year as most have said.

I am excited about the potential of our top 3 WR's. They should only get better as we go deeper into this year.

Love has still been better than I expected so far this year. Last night was not on him. He had no time to do anything last night. Can he improve with fundamentals, progressions, and accuracy? Of course but I do not think we can be too upset of how he has performed so far in the first 4 games.

We all know about the run game so I will not talk about that and beat a dead horse.

Defense

The defensive line is just not consistent enough against the run. They get blown out of their running lanes which it makes very difficult for ILBs to be able to stuff the run and make tackles. We have all discussed it. Barry is crap and needs to go. Again, Gute should take some blame for this as well. He has not drafted great d-lineman. Part of the problem IMO is that he drafts for athleticism/pass rushers and not stoutness/run stuffers.

Special Teams

Has anything really changed here? They continue to make stupid mistakes. Eventually, you can't just say it is the players and depth. Coaching needs to be held accountable. Example: Allowing your kickoff returner to continue to take the ball out from 5-8 yards deep in the end zone and taking away 10-15 yards of yardage every time we have the ball. That adds up huge with field position. Again, that is on coaching.

Having said all this, we are 2-2 which is better than I expected. However, after the next 3 games we hit the tough part of the schedule and unless this team starts to get tougher, improve on defense, play better on STs, and the offensive line, I think my 5-12 prediction will come true. I just would like to see continued improvement on offense which I think we will see but I have to be honest I think the defense will be in the bottom half of the league come the end of the season.

On to Vegas.
 
If that's the case, it's time for MLF to use his power. He has it. He doesn't need a paycheck to make next months house payment and has one of the best winning percentages ever for a first time head coach. You go to Gute and Murphy and say "Barry is gone, or you can move on from me. I make final choice over the next DC and you need to pay him". They'll back down. Hell, if they don't, MLF will have a new job before the next draft.

He doesn't have to be a prick about it, like I was above, but I can't see the Packers front office denying him making a DC choice if he pushes back. After all, losing these games over bad defenses reflects on MLF's record as well and he needs to protect that for future job options.
It's clear ML has zero issue with how the power structure is. He signed a new deal last year so he's happy being a yes man.
 
Back
Top