Lions Coach Gives bears The Game

Detroit’s gameplan gave the bears the game, keeping their playoff hopes alive.  Detroit, despite 4 turnovers inside their own 25 that resulted in 16 bear points, lost by 2 points because they made no effort to score for a large portion of the game.  Detroit made no effort to score for the first 26 minutes of the first half, because they kept running on first down.

Lions’ first drive:  Run on first down for no gain, run on second down, punt.

Lions’ second drive:  Threw on first down for 28 yards.  Threw on first down for 18 yards.  Started running on first down, drive stalled, kicked a field goal.

I’ve always said that when a team holds the opponent to a field goal, the momentum shifts, and they frequently score.  Not only did the Lions not try to score a TD, but since they kicked a field goal, the bears scored a TD on the next drive.

The momentum change contributed to the Lions fumbling the kickoff, giving the bears another 3 points.

Next Lions drive:  Run on first down for 1, but pass for first down.  Run on first down for 10.  Run on first down for a loss of 2, and punt.  Another drive stalled by a first-down run.

The bears start slowly and it’s important for a team to get a big early lead, but the Lions were making no attempt to score.

Lions next drive:  Run on first down for a loss of 1, punt.

Down 17-3, the Lions run on first down, then throw an interception, giving the ball to the bears on the Lion 23 and giving them another field goal.  Another first-down run stalled a drive and resulted in a turnover.

With 1:49 to play in the half, down 20-3, the Lions got the ball at their own 20.  The bears knew they had to pass on every play.  With the exception of one running play for 1 yard on third-and-one, the Lions threw on every down and easily moved downfield and scored a touchdown.  They could have been doing this all half, but wanted to run on first downs.

The Lions scored a touchdown to cut the lead to 20-17 largely through passing.

The Lions, starting from their own 8, ran on first down for 4, and then fumbled on second down at their own 13.  Another turnover and drive stalled by a first-down run.  This gave the bears a field goal, and a 23-17 lead.

Down 26-17, the Lions got the ball at their own 20 with 10:47 to play in the 4th quarter.  With the exception of one run for a loss of 2, every play was a passing play and they easily scored a touchdown to make the score 26-24 bears, the way the game ended.

Since the Lions lost by only 2 points, it’s obvious that even changing one of these possessions from runs to passes would have won the game.  It is incredible that teams watch gamefilms and don’t get this, and then try it during games, have it not work, and keep doing it.