Everyone knew going into the Lions, Saints Saturday night wildcard game that defensive stops would be at a premium. As I looked at both teams, I saw two offenses that were nearly equal (mistake #1), and I thought the Lions’ defense would be able to force the Saints into a few uncharacteristic errors (mistake #2). For those reasons, I picked the Lions to upset the Saints despite the home field advantage the Saints enjoy. Where did it all go wrong?
I’ll be the first to admit that I overestimated the Lions’ defensive line. As the NFL becomes more of a passing league, getting pressure on the quarterback also becomes more and more important. Going into the season, most thought the Lions’ defensive line would be one of the most dominant units in the league, and at times they lived up to those expectations. Tonight wasn’t one of those nights. Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Kevin Vanden Bosch, and company did nothing to help out the rest of the Lions’ defense, and Drew Brees made them pay in a big way.
Despite not being able to get off the field on 3rd (or in some cases 4th) down, the Lions forced a pair of fumbles in the first half of the game, but they were unable to turn those into valuable points. That came back to bite the Lions in the second half when they were desperate for points in the 4th quarter. On top of the Lions’ inability to capitalize on the turnovers they did get, they dropped multiple interceptions that would have given their own offense extra possessions as well as stripping points from the Saints. It was all about missed opportunities.
The final nail in the coffin was the Lions’ inability to make routine tackles on Saints running back, Pierre Thomas. Whether he was catching a screen, flare, or simple dump off, Thomas would casually shed two or three tackles often resulting in a first down on a third down. Yeah, the Lions had their chances, but they didn’t make the plays.
As many plays as the Lions missed, they’ll have a lot to complain about in the coming week. From my perspective, those complaints aren’t unmerited. The officiating crew wasn’t nearly on top of tough calls as the crew in the Texans, Bengals game earlier this evening. On one touchdown drive, the officials gave the Saints a first down on a third down when the ball carrier was clearly short. It wasn’t challenged, and it cost the Lions. On one of the Saints’ fumbles, an official blew his whistle, ending the play, even though it was clearly a fumble that should have been taken back for a Lions’ touchdown. There are a number of calls that could be debated, but the fact is that you have to be able to navigate those situations, and the Lions weren’t able to do that.
We’re about to learn a lot about the character of the Detroit Lions. Yes, they have some legitimate reasons to complain about the officiating, but that’s not what they should do. They should congratulate the New Orleans Saints on their victory, and start working on improving in 2012. Complaining won’t get them anywhere. I sincerely hope they take the high road, but I really don’t know what to expect. It’s time for the Lions to decide whether they’re committed to winning or just seeking attention.
