Game 15 2016 - Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football

Rookies.

The 9-6 Detroit Lions get buried by the 13-2 Dallas Cowboys 42-21 on Monday Night Football. The results limit the Lions to either beating the Packers in the last game of the year to win the division (and thus making the playoffs) or hoping the Redskins lose so that the Lions make the playoffs as a wildcard team. Considering the beating they just took neither option is all that appealing to most Lions' fans, yet making the playoffs is all fans want at the beginning of the season.

Matthew Stafford was 26 of 46 (56.52%) for 260 yards with no passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and an interception. Zach Zenner had the other two touchdowns for the Lions. Yet they looked like rookies compared to the Cowboys.

Prescott was "only" 15 of 20 (75%) for 212 yards and 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. WR Bryant also threw a touchdown. RB Ezekiel Elliott had two more TDs plus 80 yards rushing. Both Prescott and Elliott are rookies, there should have been no way they were able to take apart the Lions the way they did, but the Lions players and coaches allowed them just that.

The Lions were tied 21-21 at the half, but the Cowboys made half time adjustments and the Lions never scored again. Since the OC for the Cowboys is Linehan, a former Lions offensive coordinator, and the Cowboys DC is Marinelli, the former Lions head coach who went 0-16 before getting fired, it is unacceptable that the Cowboys scored 21 unanswered points in the second half in a game the Lions really needed to win and the Cowboys did not.

Playoffs or not, if the Lions continue to play worse then rookies they won't be winning any more footballs games in the near future. The fans shouldn't have to take it, and the coaching staff shouldn't be allowing it, but most of all, the players should be completely ashamed. I'm not sure though if any of that is going to be enough. Lions play the Packers next Sunday, on Sunday night football, for the division title. The Packers are playing like the veteran team they are, whilst the Lions are not, so there are 6 days to get their collective acts together and I'm not totally convinced it can happen. I want to not feel this way, but I still do. So what is it going to be Lions? Are you NFL championship players? or are you a bunch of rookies? You got exactly one more game to prove it.

Game 14 2016 - Detroit Lions @ New York Giants

Too many

The 9-5 Detroit Lions lose to the 10-4 New York Giants 6-17 after making way too many mistakes. The Giants scored a touchdown in the first possession of the game (thanks in part to being awarded a completion that was clearly not one) and they never relinquished the lead, though the Lions had chances to do so.

Matthew Stafford was 24 of 39 (61.538%) for 273 yards with no touchdowns (for the first time this year) and one interception despite playing with a dislocated middle finger on his throwing hand. Obviously the interception was a mistake but an even larger one was when Zack Zenner fumbled into the end zone losing the ball on a scoring drive. I already mentioned the completion awarded to the Giants that wasn't one (that was on the officiating) but the Lions also failed to challenge it, a mistake on the Lions part. I have no problem agreeing with those who believe the Lions left 14 or even 21 points on the field. The Giants have a good defense, but it was the Lions who beat the Lions this game.

The Lions defense really didn't start getting much pressure on Eli Manning until the 2nd half, which helped slow down the Giants scoring. Eli ended up 20 of 28 (71.4%) for 201 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. It didn't help that Slay was injured and sat out much of the game, Jackson was picked on relentlessly from then on... a strategy the Lions never seem to take advantage of.

The Vikings managed to lose their game today, they are no longer a threat to win the division, even if they win their next 2 games and the Lions lose both of theirs. However. Should the Vikings beat the Packers next week it could have a great effect on the wild card teams. The Lions meanwhile play the Dallas Cowboys in their last away game of the regular season, a game that will affect first round playoff bye weeks. If both the Vikings and the Lions win next week the Lions clinch the division. Should the Lions lose to Dallas they can still clinch the division the last week of the season when they play the Packers at home. Two losses by the Lions ends their season and the Packers win the division. Hopefully that wasn't too many scenarios to confuse the issue.

Here's hoping the Lions get healthier, and Merry Christmas everyone.

Game 13 2016 - Detroit Lions vs the Chicago Bears @ Home

Frightful.

The 9-4 Detroit Lions narrowly defeated the 3-10 Chicago Bears 20-17 to remain first in the division. This makes the 8th time this season the Lions came from behind in the 4th quarter to win the game, after having led the scoreboard up until the 4th quarter when the Bears briefly took the lead from them. Luckily the game was played in a dome as the weather outside was quite frightful, snowing so hard that players, fans and employees will find it difficult to make it home.

Matthew Stafford was 21 of 35 (60.00%) for 223 yards 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. While he had injured his middle finger on his throwing hand early in the game he wasn't playing particularly crisp before it happened. He was forced to play with a glove on his throwing hand the rest of the game, which was likely at least partially responsible for both some errant throws and for his having to concentrate even more about throwing. One of the interceptions was a great defensive play by the Bears, and came about due to a tipped ball that bounced off of the receiver in the end zone and conveniently landed in the hands of another defender. The other was a very poor choice of a throw that was picked off and returned for 6 points nearly costing the Lions the game.

Meanwhile, the Bears quarterback (Barkley) was 20 of 32 (62.5%) for 212 yards 1 touchdown and no interceptions. The Lions rarely blitzed (again) but when they did it was quite effective. Why it didn't happen more is beyond me, but somehow the Lions pulled off a win so once again my complaints about this will fall on deaf ears. One thing the Lions defense did fairly well with was preventing Howard from gaining too many yards on the ground, limiting him to 86 yards (and 24 receiving).

The Lions played without their starting center (Swanson) and they moved Glasgow the rookie starting left guard to center and played former first round pick Tomlinson at left guard. This was a noticeable reduction in offensive line quality and probably responsible for Stafford's finger injury. They also played without their top receiving running back, but despite not having Riddick the others managed to get 114 yards (15 by Stafford himself) on the ground. The Bears also played without a lot of their starters due to injury, obviously, considering who was at QB, but others on their team stepped up and played a tough game. Whether the Lions played down to their competition or if the Bears were truly that close to being a decent team this year is up for debate, but as a fan just watching the game was once again a frightful nail biting game right to the last seconds. It's the reason why more fans haven't jumped aboard the Lions bandwagon just yet.

In the end, the Lions pulled off the win, taking another divisional game (for possible future tie breaker purposes) and remaining in control of the NFC North. The Vikings won their game today and as I type this the Packers have the lead against the Seahawks so it's a good deal that the Lions did win their game today to not lose ground in the playoff race. Of course, the ongoing Packers/Seahawks game has more at stake then just the divisional record, as Seattle has the 2nd seed spot (or 2nd bye week spot) for the playoffs, if they lose the Lions take that spot for this week but of course the Packers stay on their heals for the division, while if the Packers lose the Lions get another game ahead of them in the division but lose a game on the Seahawks for the bye week in the playoffs. So I am rooting for a tie game, of course.

There was one or two tidbits in the Lions game that I'll add in here, one is that Golden Tate leads the NFL in yards after the catch, which is no small thing. The other is that the officials during the game gave the Lions a penalty for hands to the face when it was the Bear player who actually had his hands in the Lions players' face.

How do officials get it so wrong, and it seems always against the Lions? Truly frightful.

Okay, so, despite it all, the Lions won, retain the division lead, and need to prepare to play in New York against the Giants. They need to get healthy if possible, and play much better then they did this week, for the Giants aren't quite as hurt as the Bears and will give them a run for the money. Not only that, but the Lions are either the 2nd or 3rd best team in the NFC (depending on how the Seahawks do this afternoon), it's high time they started acting like it. That means imposing the teams' will on other teams, not squeaking out a win in the final minutes of the game... even if all wins count the same in the record book. Having some swagger, some confidence, as you go into the playoffs is no small thing, especially if your defense hardly ever blitzes.

Game 12 2016 - Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints

First.

The 8-4 Detroit Lions beat the 5-7 Saints 28 to 13 in New Orleans. The Lions never fell behind in this game, for the first time this season. They also won by more then one score, for the first time this year. On top of that, the Vikings lost their game week 12 to put the Lions first in the division with a little extra room to spare, though the Packers are now the team to keep an eye on over the rest of the month. They have Seattle at home next week then play each of their divisional rivals over the last 3 weeks (Chicago, Minnesota and Detroit). It will truly be a race to the finish as far as the divisional winner is concerned, luckily the Lions have already been spotted a lead.

Matthew Stafford was 30 of 42 (71.43%) for 341 yards and 2 touchdowns with no interceptions. Meanwhile Drew Brees was 31 of 44 (70.45%) for 326 yards and 3 interceptions. The Lions were the better defense on the field today, and Stafford was the better quarterback. I believe I saw a graphic during the game that Matthew Stafford is first in the NFL in red zone efficiency or perhaps it was scoring. Either way the Lions will not be having a losing season this year, as they are already at 8 wins with 4 more games to go. Those 4 games include home against the Bears, away at the Giants and at the Cowboys, then on New Year's Day it's the Lions hosting the Packers for what could be the big finish.

Passes were completed to 7 different players, including Eric Ebron (4 for 38 yards) and two running backs. There were 4 running back with carries in the game if you include Staffords 3 runs for 22 yards, and those 4 managed 85 yards total while the Lions defense only allowed 50 yards rushing.

November's NFC Special Teams Player of the Month (Matt Prater) was 5 for 5 kicking field goals, with a long of 52. That's a good start for December as well.

The whole team (the part that was healthy anyway) showed up to prove they are contenders in this year's playoff race, not just "lucky". With there being no turnovers for the Lions at all, this away game was never in serious jeopardy of being lost. It may be the first time this year where Lions fans managed to keep their blood pressure down and their nails intact.

Next week the 3-9 Bears come to Detroit, they will try to play spoiler as they are no longer in contention for the division lead with only 4 weeks to go. Meanwhile the Packers won and are at 6-6 but hold the tie breaker over the Lions at present so they are only 1.5 games behind. The Packers are ahead of the Vikings now, who also are at 6-6 which makes them 2.5 games behind the Lions due to the Lions owning the tie breaker over them. With all the divisional games yet to be played the number of playoff scenarios are many, but the Lions are in the drivers seat by virtue of their current lead in the division. It's good to be first.

After post edit: Here's the graphic I spoke of https://twitter.com/1PridePrincess/status/805496246706307076 And another new item. First away win after Thanksgiving game since 1974. https://twitter.com/richeisen/status/805196121106546688