Week 9, 2018 Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings

Uninspired.

The 3-5 Detroit Lions lost to the 5-3-1 Minnesota Vikings 9-24 putting them solidly in last place in the NFC North division. The team played uninspired football, possibly (at least partially) due to the recent trade of WR Golden Tate. His 2,736 yards AFTER the catch (not yards total) in four and a half seasons in Detroit equates to 608 yards a year that he alone created (after the catch). There are any number of players on the Lions during that same time who didn't generate 608 yards a year in total, run-pass-return-YACs-etc. Getting a 3rd rounder for a 30 year old wide receiver on his last year of his contract is sweet. Losing out on that production for the remainder of this year is perhaps the worst thing that could've been done to the team.

Matthew Stafford was 25 of 36 (69.444%) for 199 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions (and one fumble, in an ill advised shuffle pass, that gave the Vikings defense a touchdown). The Lions also had 5 players rush 22 times total for a whopping 66 yards and no touchdowns. The defense allowed 18 completions on 22 attempts for 164 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Lions defense also allowed 128 yards rushing on 23 attempts. All the points by the Lions were on the 3 attempts by Matt Prater in the form of field goals. There was a very nice, aggressive, fake punt on 4th down that converted for a first down, but other then special teams, the rest of the team really played a very uninspired game of football.

What does the loss of Golden Tate do for the Lions? Some headlines: "Oct 3, 2018 - On his 38-yard touchdown catch in Dallas, wide receiver Golden Tate became the fastest Lion to reach 400 receptions with the team." and "Aug 14, 2018 - A revealing stat proves why Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate is likely the most under-appreciated wideout in the entire NFL." (4 seasons of over 90 catches per season, only the Steelers Antonio Brown has done the same). "Golden Tate leads the NFL in yards after catch since 2014" and finally "Golden Tate's numbers are ridiculous". Thinking that losing that won't have an effect on the team, both in production and in mental stability, is in its self insane. Doing so when waiting 8 games and allowing him to go in free agency which might net you a 4th round pick in 2020 instead of a 3rd in 2019 is also borderline crazy (to me). So for me, the move is indicative of what this year will be like... waiting for the draft.

Somehow the Lions would have to win 3 games more then the Vikings do in the next 8 weeks in order to win the division. I don't see that happening. So I guess we can start looking for a DE in the top 10 of the draft who can replace Ansah (who is not earning his million dollars per game) and also a 3rd round WR with great hands, healthy, and able to get buckoo yards after the catch. That just to stay even or be slightly better then they are now, which is not all that inspiring. In fact, at the moment anyway, I'm so uninspired by the Lions that I find myself rooting for the Rams and the Chiefs more then the Lions. If there are a lot of fans feeling that way the Lions are on a strange track indeed.