Post by Honolulublue on Jan 29, 2024 18:53:43 GMT -6
Hey fellas, haven't been on in a long time. Hang in there, this one hurt, but I am confident the Lions are in much better shape then they were under previous regimes.
Our pass defense is poor. Our FG kicker is poor. This whole season we had to control the game with our offense and this whole year they delivered. Complaining about it now, when it didn't go out way is weak. You're playing the result.
The mentality of going for it on 4th down has opened so many things for the offense on 3rd down as well. It makes us harder to defend. It is a massive advantage for us. It's literally why we can run the ball on 3rd and 9 when the defense doesn't respect it. You make the defense defend more of the field for longer.
You just have to be efficient if you're going to do it and they weren't in the 2nd half. They made too many mistakes on offense and it exposed the defense.
Technically, i guess you could say could still say in a way we are rebuilding. 3 years isn't that long. We have some coaching vacancies and contracts to deal with this offseason. The key is dealing with these issues correctly and still bolstering the defense and retaining key offensive players and maintaining competent coordinators.
How do you know? The Lions used their kickers the least in the NFL this season (they only attempted 19). Is this a product of kicker ability or the fact that DC goes for it more on 4th down than any other coach and that the Lions this year tended to end more drives with TDs than FG attempts when inside the opponents 40.
How do you know? The Lions used their kickers the least in the NFL this season (they only attempted 19). Is this a product of kicker ability or the fact that DC goes for it more on 4th down than any other coach and that the Lions this year tended to end more drives with TDs than FG attempts when inside the opponents 40.
I mean he was in the same situation in the first half from a given range and chose the FG.
I think the calculations change if you have Jason Hanson as your kicker AND you have a defense that you can rely on. But we don't.The defense didn't stop them once in the 2nd half.
This is why DC is always preaching complementary football. What he is saying is the offense not only needs to score, but they need to control the game and limit the exposure of the defense. The defense is only asked to slow down the opposing offense, force FGs, and hopefully get an opportunistic turnover.
That's just how this team is constructed given the talent we have been able to acquire.
The mentality of going for it on 4th down has opened so many things for the offense on 3rd down as well. It makes us harder to defend. It is a massive advantage for us. It's literally why we can run the ball on 3rd and 9 when the defense doesn't respect it. You make the defense defend more of the field for longer.
This is a good point and what I've been saying. It's not that different from the Philly situation with the "tush push".
Badgley has 6 seasons of very pedestrian kicking in the NFL, that's how we know. And you don't think see what he's doing in practice every day? It's not rocket science.
The Lions used their kickers the least in the NFL this season (they only attempted 19). Is this a product of kicker ability or the fact that DC goes for it more on 4th down than any other coach and that the Lions this year tended to end more drives with TDs than FG attempts when inside the opponents 40.
And you don't think any of it had to do with knowing the kicker's limitations?
Hey Guys, I thought of you all while watching my niners against the lions. What a great game. I read through your thread: I agree with those that say the 4th down stops and fumble (recovered by former Duck Arik Armstead) were the turning points. Also, what a stark difference between Lions receivers in the first half, and all the drops in the second half. They let the San Francisco Defense off the hook. Niners running D also picked up their game in the second half. They looked so inept to start the game, I was ready to pull my hair out.
Anyway, great season for Detroit. Jared Goff is the real deal. Take care of Penei Sewell; we miss him in Oregon. Watching him run 20 yards down the field to throw a block brought back memories from his college days. Cheers, Guys.
How did I know you were a Birkenstocks Niners fan? LoL Jared is better than Joey but Penei and Ragnow are our rocks on the line. This one hurt. I still can't believe it. Salut phalanx good luck in the SB lol
And you don't think any of it had to do with knowing the kicker's limitations?
Nah...DC never wants to "settle" for 3. He has a players mentality, TD or bust. Could be to his detriment. Now if they get a power kicker with a big leg next season and they start to kick a lot more then I might back off my statement. Literally how many FGs were missed this season by the Lions 2, maybe 3. I think all in all it is DC's gambling on 4th moreso than the ability of the kicker.
And you don't think any of it had to do with knowing the kicker's limitations?
Nah...DC never wants to "settle" for 3. He has a players mentality, TD or bust. Could be to his detriment. Now if they get a power kicker with a big leg next season and they start to kick a lot more then I might back off my statement. Literally how many FGs were missed this season by the Lions 2, maybe 3. I think all in all it is DC's gambling on 4th moreso than the ability of the kicker.
I think it's both. If they have a reliable kicker from deep I think he goes for the 48 yarder.
It really boggles my mind how many people are focusing on the 4th down calls. Putting aside the analytics saying they should go for it (which don't even consider the shitty kicker), it's literally what got you there. Let's not think about dropped passes by Reynolds (2), St. Brown, LaPorta, Jamo, the Gibbs fumble, the completion off Vildor's face, the missed tackles, the running the ball on 3rd & goal with 65 seconds left down by 10, then on top of that burning a timeout after that when you should have just rushed to the line and saved the timeout so you don't need to do the onside kick if you score.
It was an EPIC collapse and the two 4th down going for it plays were WAY down the list of reasons it happened.
Nah...DC never wants to "settle" for 3. He has a players mentality, TD or bust. Could be to his detriment. Now if they get a power kicker with a big leg next season and they start to kick a lot more then I might back off my statement. Literally how many FGs were missed this season by the Lions 2, maybe 3. I think all in all it is DC's gambling on 4th moreso than the ability of the kicker.
I think it's both. If they have a reliable kicker from deep I think he goes for the 48 yarder.
It really boggles my mind how many people are focusing on the 4th down calls. Putting aside the analytics saying they should go for it (which don't even consider the shitty kicker), it's literally what got you there. Let's not think about dropped passes by Reynolds (2), St. Brown, LaPorta, Jamo, the Gibbs fumble, the completion off Vildor's face, the missed tackles, the running the ball on 3rd & goal with 65 seconds left down by 10, then on top of that burning a timeout after that when you should have just rushed to the line and saved the timeout so you don't need to do the onside kick if you score.
It was an EPIC collapse and the two 4th down going for it plays were WAY down the list of reasons it happened.
Not to mention that the first 4th down failed due to poor execution (drop by Reynolds on a catch he has been making all season on a ball that was thrown exactly where it needed to be to avoid the defender). The 2nd 4th down was just a great disguise by the defense, but still would've worked if the interior dline doesn't blow the play up. Reynolds was coming across the middle wide open (no telling if he would've caught the ball), but Goff had to break the pocket because of the pressure up the middle.
The Lions were 20 of 25 on 4th and 3 or less on the season. You dance with who brung ya. In the moment, I was yelling "take the points" on both of those calls. In hindsight, this is what DC does, and his players love and trust him for it. I was as mad as anyone about the outcome, but you can't praise DC's gambler mentality all season long when it works, and then curse it when it doesn't.