Week 13, 2019 Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears @ Home

Adjustments.

The 3-8-1 Detroit Lions lost once again to the 6-6 Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving day by a score of 20-24. For the 12th time out of 12 times this year the Lions had the lead at one point in the game (in this case, the entire first half). For the 8th time this year the Lions blew the lead and then lost the game. I hadn't kept track how many times the lead change happened after half time like it did in this game, but to me that means the opposing team is making half time adjustments and the Lions can't counter.

The Lions were forced to play their 3rd string QB, David Blough, due to injury. Blough went 22 of 38 (57.89%) for 280 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT (last play by the offense as they were driving for the winning TD). Bo Scarbrough rushed for 83 yards on 21 carries, whole the rest of the RBs (and 1 yard by the QB) went another 22 more yards for a total team rushing stat of 105 yards. Why it wasn't half again more then that I don't know, but normally you would if you don't outsmart yourself, which seems to be a common theme these days.

The Lions defense allowed Mitchell Trubisky to go 29 of 38 (76.32%) for 338 yards and 3 TDs and 1 INT (only the 4th one this year by the Lions). The Lions defense also allowed the Bears to rush for 88 yards. The defense also only managed 1 sack by Flowers this game, I'm sure they make adjustments during the game but I'm not seeing results, of any kind really. To have the lead in every single game of the season only to lose 8 times (and tie once) is a testament to how poor the defense is playing.

I did some research on the job that Quinn has done, finding that there are no undrafted free agents that the Lions had choose on the 2019 roster from any year other then 2019. I also found that every single player on the roster was either found and signed by Quinn or was originally signed by Mayhew and has had a contract extension by Quinn since he started as GM 4 years ago. I didn't count how many other free agents that Quinn had signed over the past 4 years and are no longer on the team, but needless to say, it's a lot. So the entire roster is all Quinn. Now a large number of the players are young, and they may be able to turn things around with experience, or it's possible the coaching staff is incapable of coaching the players up. It's possible they aren't being used correctly, it's also possible that they are. I can't know, since no one is really saying much about it, yet. Still, most GMs get 5 years to prove themselves and most coaches get 3 years, both of which amounts to the end of next season (the 2020 season). So while it's possible that this will be the last year of this regime, it's probably slightly more likely that they will have next year to prove they are capable of doing the job despite it being 3-8-1 right now.

The Lions play the (currently) 8-3 Minnesota Vikings away in 10 days, I don't anticipate it going the Lions way simply because the team has not proven that they can get a lead and maintain it to the end of the game. I also don't anticipate the coaching staff to make enough adjustments to how they do things despite the few extra days they will have to prepare for it. Depending on how the other teams do today and Sunday (and Monday) we may be finding out the Lions will be looking at drafting in the top 5 in 2020 (they are at 7 right now I do believe). If Quinn does remain the GM and if the coaching staff remains at least partially intact (got to get rid of a scapegoat somewhere, probably the DC)... I pray they select a great player in the first round, a difference maker, one that can make plays to turn an entire game around all by themselves. That probably means someone on D and probably someone on the DL at that, though I can't rule out DB or LB. They need someone who is disruptive on defense, and they must get it right along with the rest of the draft and even the undrafted players after the draft. Someone they can use to make adjustments in game, every week, in order to secure wins. I hate talking draft in November, but that's where we are, so let's make it the last time we have to do so for many years.