2013 Game 2 - Detroit Lions @ Arizona Cardinals

Adverse effect.

The Detroit Lions lost to the Arizona Cardinals 21-25 late Sunday afternoon. One would think that if QB Matthew Stafford was 24 for 36 with 278 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs while the Lions defense holds WR Larry Fitzgerald to 2 catches for 33 yards that the Lions dominated the game and won. What they dominated instead was the mistake column having a very adverse effect on the final score.

While the Lions made as many if not more mistakes last week and were able to overcome them, this week was a different tale. Last week RB Reggie Bush dislocates his thumb and pulls a groin muscle but still manages to get nearly 200 combined yards of offense. This week the same Reggie Bush tweaks his knee, gets a brace put on, and goes back in the game to fumble the ball away within yards of the opponents end zone (which they promptly convert into the game winning score). There were plenty of other errors in the game as well including missed field goals, bad officiating, and penalties, any of them could also be said to have been the reason the Lions lost the game. For sure they all in one way or another had an adverse effect on the game. I chose to pick the fumble as the primary culprit is all.

The only thing I'm not sure of is whether to blame the coaching staff for putting Bush back in the game or not, I mean, look at what happened to him last week and what he was able to do after the injuries. Who knew that the knee brace/injury would have such an adverse effect on him this week.

Suffice it to say, it did, the Lions lost, and the Lions themselves are pretty much to blame for it. Overcoming adversity helped them win last week, not overcoming adversity is why the lost this week. It makes one wonder what to believe the future holds in store. If I were optimistic about the team, I'd say they can beat the Redskins on the road next week with a score of (once again) 30-20. If I were pessimistic about the team, I might say something like they will lose 25-38. Since I am neither (due to polar opposite weeks of play) I am going to say the score will be 28-27, and flip a coin on who wins, as luck appears to have a lot to do with the Lions play these days.

I flipped 3 coins at once at http://www.random.org/coins/ and two came up that the Lions would win, so there you go, Lions win it 28-27 next week.