Game 9 @ Minnesota Vikings

Not that good.

The Detroit Lions went to 4-5 on the season when the now 6-4 Minnesota Vikings beat them today 34-24 in Minnesota. Now that Chicago lost tonight the Lions had a perfect chance to level the division playing field and blew it. Blew it so bad in fact that I guess I'll just have to admit that they are not that good.

Matthew "Harrington" Stafford (my new nickname for him) went for 28 on 42 for 329 yards and 3 TDs with 1 INT. Most of the positive coming in the last third of the game once again. If he is going to continue to play that conservatively for the first 40 minutes of every game the Lions will never be sniffing the playoffs again with him at quarterback. Ponder was 24 of 32 for 221 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs and he's not that good (in my opinion).

Calvin Johnson, who is that good, got 12 receptions for 207 yards and a TD despite playing in quite a bit of pain. If every Lions player gave it their all like he does they'd be near enough unbeatable.

Special Teams played much better this time around though they still have room for improvement.

Defense started out great but it wasn't long and the run fits went AWOL. Too many players trying to make splash plays instead of just playing solid and allowing the splash plays to happen when they can. Or, perhaps, they just are not that good either.

What it boils down to is simple... the easier way to the playoffs just went out the window... now it's all dog fight every week. The team needs to play much better if they want to play into January. If they do not, then they are not that good after all and we'll be talking draft by December 1st (some started tonight).