The Detroit Lions playoff opportunity slipped through their grasp just like so many passes did in Seattle tonight. The Seahawks were far from unbeatable but the Lions couldn’t overcome their own mistakes in a 26-6 loss. It was an all too familiar sight for fans watching Detroit repeatedly make mistakes and miss on chances.
The Lions struggled early on offense with miscues and decision making. Golden Tate let a third-down pass bounce off his hands for a three and out on Detroit’s first possession. Eric Ebron followed that up with a third down drop of his own to end a promising drive. The Lions drove into Seahawks territory once more but facing 4th and 1 tried to get cute with a rollout from Matthew Stafford only to have it blown up. Not to be outdone, Anquan Boldin dropped another big third down pass on the ensuing drive and then picked up a personal foul after the play for shoving a player on the sideline out of frustration.
That’s just what kind of game it was for Detroit who never could find consistency on either side of the ball. The Lions failed to score until a 51-yard field goal just before the end of half cut the Seahawks lead to 10-3.
Even if the Lions could’ve generated a respectable offensive showing, they couldn’t stop Seattle’s 25th ranked run game at any point. The Seahawks entered the game averaging less than 100 yards per game on the ground. Thomas Rawls eclipsed that in the first half and would finish with 27 carries for 161 yards and a touchdown.
It was an embarrassing effort in all facets and after Detroit’s fourth straight loss to end the season, it’s a shame Bob Quinn has committed to this coaching staff’s return.
The Game Turned When
The Lions tried to get cute. Tied at zero in the second quarter, facing 4th and 1 in Seattle territory, Detroit went for it trying to make an early statement. Right decision. The playcall itself though? Very, very wrong. Detroit took Zach Zenner out of the game and rolled Stafford to the right after the snap before throwing back to reserve tight end Matthew Mulligan who was leveled by linebacker Bobby Wagner short of the first down. With great field position, the Seahawks drove the length of the field for a touchdown and never looked back.
A Look Ahead
Unfortunately, the Lions season is over but that means the offseason has begun and Detroit fans have likely already started looking forward. Earlier this week, Bob Quinn stated Jim Caldwell and friends would be returning next season. With no coaching changes to speculate on, fans can begin to think about free agency and the NFL draft. Outside of quarterback, punter, and kicker, the Lions could use improvement across the board. Quinn has a lot of work to do in what will hopefully be an exciting offseason.
