On Christmas Eve, the Detroit Lions had an opportunity to increase their chances of making the 2022 NFL Playoffs, but they came out unmotivated against the Carolina Panthers, who actually played like a team with a lot on the line should play. When all was said and done, the Panthers ran the ball down the Detroit Lions’ throats on their way to an easy 37-23 victory. Following the game, multiple Lions players trashed the field conditions in Carolina.
What did the Detroit Lions say about the field conditions in Carolina?
Here are what some of the Detroit Lions players had to say about the field in Carolina.
Quotes via MLive:
Frank Ragnow
“Yeah, that field was tough,” Ragnow told MLive. “I don’t want to make excuses, but it was pretty hard, man. It’s tough to brace with the toe and everything. It was tough.”
Aidan Hutchinson
“That was the most concrete field I’ve ever been on in my whole life,” rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson told MLive. “I didn’t think that was actually legal to play on. Warming up, you’re trying to turn the corner, and literally in warmups, I fell in my first one-on-one rep right on my face.
“I don’t know if there is a standard you have to meet for turf, but I think it got better later in the game, so it wasn’t too much of a factor. But, I mean, it was very concrete-like for sure.”
Jared Goff
“I thought the field conditions were below NFL-level standard, specifically pregame,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “I know it warmed up a bit as the game went on, but I don’t know what the deal is here. They need to make the turf not feel like cement. I don’t know why that is. You said it was the coldest game (here), so maybe it has something to do with that. It got better as the game went on, but pregame it was in no condition to be played on. Happy guys came out of this one relatively injury free.”
DJ Chark
“I don’t want to make any excuses, but the playing surface was — something should be done about that,” receiver DJ Chark said. “Maybe it’s because it’s cold, and it doesn’t really get cold here, so I chalk it up to that. But this late in the season, it’s really hard playing on a surface like that.”
To be honest, the Detroit Lions could have been playing the Panthers at Ford Field on Saturday and it would not have made a bit of a difference because one team came to play and the other team looked unmotivated.
