Game 6 2016 - Detroit Lions vs the LA Rams @ Home

defenses.

The 3-3 Detroit Lion narrowly defeat the 3-3 LA Rams 31-28 in a somewhat evenly matched game. I can promise you that just about every Lion's fan gave up on this game at one point or another, and yet despite allowing the Rams to score a TD once in each quarter the Lions somehow managed to do the same plus add an extra field goal to it in the 4th quarter to snag the win. Zach Zenner matched up with Gurley (stat wise) and Golden Tate slightly exceeded the doings of Kenny Britt, while Keenum may have actually did better then Matthew Stafford again stat-wise, or so the Lions defense allowed him to... yet in the end the Lions defense out performed the Rams (despite a certain DT named Donald on the team).

Matthew Stafford was 23 of 31 (74.19%) for 270 yards, 4 touchdowns and no interceptions while Keenum managed 27 of 32 (84.375%) for 321 yards, 3 touchdowns and the one interception. Gurley managed 58 yards on 14 attempts, compared to Zenner with 58 yards on 14 attempts (so yeah, a tie). Britt at 7 receptions for 136 yards and 2 TDs compared to Tate's 8 receptions for 165 yards and a single TD. Quick and Boldin were one yard apart. Like I said, "evenly matched". You'd be hard pressed to just look at the stats and figure out how it is the Lions won the game... unless you stared singularly at the score, 31-28. Eventually you'd have to look at turnovers and then the stats give up the story.

Now I'm not proclaiming the Lions defense to be all that, but in this game they finally did just enough to help their team win. I've no idea if they can do it again or not, or how they managed on this day, but they did. That despite the obvious lack of pressure on the opposing QB and the total lack of any kind of aggressiveness such as blitzing. It's hard for me to argue with a victory though, so I shall refrain from further harping on the conservative play calling. Though I do suspect this kind of play will be hard to win with in future games.

Next Sunday the Washington Redskins come to town for the Lions 3rd home game in a row. I truly believe they will need to do more if they wish to win this next game. But I also truly believe the play calling needed to win won't be there. I'm really having issues with Austin as DC and yet I've just attributed the win in this Ram's game to the defense. Not sure how to reconcile that, but there it is. We shall see if the Lions defense continues to play conservative ball and if that will be enough to win next week. Both the upcoming QBs are slowly getting known for their completion percentages and ball security. If it truly does come down to the defenses on both sides, I fear for the Lions fans in this one.