Nov

23

Detroit Lions now 6-5 after thrashing by Green Bay Packers 37-26

Posted by Kevin Mack

November 23, 2007 |

  • Detroit Lions 6-5 and Playoff hopes are an impossible dream after Green Bay Packers dominate 37-26

In a very predictable outcome the Green Bay Packers easily beat the Detroit Lions 37-26 in the Traditional Thanksgiving Day game. Your ‘Lion Eyes’ blogger made this prediction in the post on Thursday morning:

Your ‘Lion Eyes’ blogger predicts an easy win by the Packers. The Pack just has too much of a passing attack for the Lions to control. Green Bay will give up some yards to the Lions through the air but Detroit will not be able to run the ball effectively. The game will turn into a shootout and the Lions don’t have the defensive weapons to stay with Brett Favre and the Pack. Make it 38-24 Packers.

Ok so I was a little off on the bit about the Lions would not be able to run the ball effectively. Detroit did run the ball well, but I was very close on the score and perfect on the Lions not having the defensive weapons.

Just another frustrating Thanksgiving Day game for the Detroit fans. Just three short weeks ago in this post I talked about some of the reasons the Lions had a 6-2 record. They included:

  • Defense
    • Improved Tackling and Swarming to ball carrier - Neither of these were evident against the Packers
    • Near the Top of the NFL in Sacks - No Sacks against the Pack in fact on 1 Hurry of QB Brett Farve
    • So Many TDs scored by the Defense - None in the last 3 weeks
    • Cutting down on drive continuing penalties - Lots of Penalties in the last 3 losses
  • Offense
    • Fewer drive killing penalties - Against Packers two critical penalties, 1 taking away 1st and goal at the 1 and the other wiping out a 1st down and causing a punt
    • Improved Offensive Line Play during 3 game winning streak - 4 More Sacks by the Packers, on track for NFL record in sacks allowed

As you can see, the attributes that were contributing to the Lions excellent start have all disappeared. The result is 3 straight losses and almost no hope for playoffs. 

The Final score of the game was not an indication of how much the Packers dominated the game. QB Brett Favre at one point completed 20 straight passes and the Lions could not stop the Packers at anytime after the 1st quarter. The Lions seemed to be intent on running the ball and using WR Calvin Johnson more in the offense. In the 1st half 6 of their 7 possessions they were able to get the ball into Packer territory. Penalties, sacks, dropped passes all contributed to Detroit settling for Field Goals. The one drive that did not get to Packer territory was an interception early in the 2nd quarter that Green Bay used 4 seconds and 1 play to turn into 7 points. Detroit trailed 17-9 at the half and to me it seemed the game was over. With 10 minutes to go in the game the Packer lead had grown to 34-12. Only 2 late TDs by the Lions made the score respectable and kept all of us Lions fans watching until the end. When QB Brett Favre led a 5 minute drive to a late Field Goal the last flicker of hope was extinguished. The Lions went home to Thanksgiving Dinner with their families with a 37-26 loss.

All the Playoff talk in the last few weeks will now be forgotten. With Detroit’s schedule, they have little hope of getting to 9 wins. Detroit will not have enough wins for them to make the playoffs. All the teams they are in contention with for the last playoff spot, Arizona, Philadelphia and Washington, all have beat Detroit. Detroit must finish ahead of those teams to get the playoff spot so that means 10 wins at a minimum. It was fun for Your ‘Lion Eyes’ blogger while it lasted.

Tomorrow I will have the complete game recap with all the gory details and of course the NFL game Stats.

Cast Your Vote in this Weeks Poll, Please

Which Team will Win the Game on Sunday December 3rd, 2007?

  • Minnesota Vikings (69%, 25 Votes)
  • Detroit Lions (31%, 11 Votes)

Total Voters: 36

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