Week 11, 2019 Detroit Lions vs Dallas Cowboys @ Home

Next Year.

The 3-6-1 Detroit Lions lost to the 6-4 Dallas Cowboys 27 to 35 effectively taking the Lions out of playoff contention this season for all intents and purposes even if not yet mathematically (one more loss will do that).

Jeff Driskel was 15 of 26 (57.692%) for 209 yards 2 TDs and no INTs. The runners managed to rush for 121 yards and 2 TDs, including the newest RB, Bo Scarbrough, a player I had been hoping the Lions would've drafted the year Dallas drafted him in the 7th round.

The Lions defense however allowed Dak Prescott to go 29 of 46 (63.04%) for 444 yards and 3 TDs with no INTs. The Lions defense also allowed 75 yards rushing and another TD for Elliott.

There is still no word on when (or even if) Matthew Stafford will be back to work, but then again, unless he can play defense as well as QB then there is really no reason to rush him back on the field.

What I don't really understand though, is the Lions defense last year (the 2nd half of the year) and this year are so completely different, and yet most of the players are the same. Coleman instead of Lawson, Flowers instead of Ansah, plus a few others added through the draft and free agency, all of which should (on paper) have been upgrades, and yet the D is worse then last year. Last year though there was a lot (as in A LOT) more blitzing where as this year it happens seldom (though often effective when used). I don't know the exact usage difference but I seem to recall that Davis did a lot of blitzing be they delayed or designed, and this year it seems to rarely happen.

I doubt the front office is in danger of losing their jobs, and thus the coaching staff is probably safe for one more year, but I have to believe they must start showing improvement before too much longer or we'll be rebuilding from the ground up once again, and four times in two decades is not something I'm looking forward to.

At the present time, with 6 games to go for most teams, the Lions are looking at picking 10th overall in the first round. The Lions also have just under $20 million in salary cap space available that if unused this year will roll over into next year. There is just no reason for the team not to do what needs doing and begin to have success. Maybe too late this year, but unless something major occurs I don't see why there should be any reason for next year not to be highly successful.

Egads, I just said something similar to "just wait until next year"... how the Lions make me do that so often is another fact I wish didn't happen. Half way through November and we're once again looking at the off season moves and draft. Shame really.