Fletcher Sharpe joins Jer for a post-game breakdown. The Lions lost to the Buffalo Bills, and our hosts discuss the stack of injuries the Lions are suffering and the way forward for a banged up squad.
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Hello, and welcome to your Daily Detroit! Welcome back to the week! We are on the home stretch to the end of 2024. I'm Jer Staes, sharing what to know and where to go in southeast Michigan.
It is Monday, December 16, 2024. And today, as we do throughout the Lions’ season because, well, frankly, it's what all of Detroit is talking about. We are going to look back and look ahead at the Detroit Lions, and unfortunately their loss against the Bills, and the schedule going forward. Joining me to do that is none other than the excellent Fletcher Sharpe. How are you?
Fletcher: Last night's game, losing it wasn't necessarily the worst thing to happen, but like some of the tendrils from that loss are a little bit more concerning that team.
Jer Staes: Offensively we put up the points we needed to put up, but defensively and in general, you could see how beat up we were. I don't know how many players we got out right now, but this is a team where it was a marked difference. It didn't feel like the Lions that I know because it felt like so many players … I saw so many names that I don't regularly see.
Fletcher: Yeah, before the game they had 18 players on IR, injured reserve, which means that they're off the current roster. They could be brought back later, potentially. Alex Anzalone with a broken arm could technically be back, before the playoff start, maybe even back in the first playoff game. Technically, Aidan Hutchinson could be back if the Lions make it to the Super Bowl, but I wouldn't really want him back because he's been out of football for some time; his leg has probably atrophied, and he's probably not in game shape.
So, during the game the Lions lost three players. All three injuries look very bad. First was Khalil Dorsey, who … I’m not going to describe it if you saw it, but it is definitely a lower ankle injury. [It is] described as being close to what Hutchinson went through. They brought out the air cast immediately; his season is over.
Alim McNeill was going to pressure Josh Allen, who had an amazing game, pulled up lame without any contact. Dan Campbell said he did not feel great about that injury. It could be season ending as well.
And Carlton Davis, who left with a jaw injury, which seemed like, “Oh, maybe, it's not great.” They also feel really bad about his injury. And losing Alim McNeill is bad because he's a great player in the middle. But losing Carlton Davis would be back breaking for this defense because not only are you losing your number one cornerback, it also means another corner, who everyone knows I am not very fond of in the Detroit Lions uniform, Kindle Vildor now has to start.
And that's kind of what happened with the Bills. They have a pretty good offensive coordinator themselves. They also have the leading candidate for the MVP, and they schemed a way to get the ball to their star players while avoiding the Lions’ stars on defense. Terrion Arnold did not play that poorly. Neither did Carlton Davis before he got hurt.
But a lot of those big gashing plays were being sent on crossing routes, which are routes where someone starts on one side and goes to the other. As you're doing that, since the Lions like to play man-on-man, which is where it's literally me versus you and not zone, where it's responsible for people in your area. If you're playing a man-man matchup, if someone runs away from you, that's your guy. If you're playing zone and someone runs away from you, you make sure your teammate knows so someone is stepping up so they can be ready.
But if it's man on man, if you get beat, that is on you. So there are times where Vildor or Dorsey, before he got hurt, would lose their person. And it would result in Terrion Arnold or Carlton or Kirby or Brian Branch having to make a play because the other cornerback lost their person.
And again, against bad quarterbacks, it might work out, or it might not. Against quarterbacks who are pretty decent, it typically works out more often than not against the leading candidate for MVP. It's going to be a long game. It kind of reminds me of last year; the game against the Ravens where the Lions were playing great. Then they ran into Lamar Jackson who won the MVP, and it was a buzz saw. Offensively, he was picking them apart left and right, and Josh Allen did that [too]. And I mean, when he wasn't throwing the ball, he was the one thing the Lions defense really could not handle. He was a scrambling quarterback and his running made the yards count. And, yeah, just all around, not great. And really not much they can do to stop him, unfortunately.
Yeah, I mean look [with] 42 points you should win the game usually. The Bills were unrelenting. And the Lions really lean on their defense to make key stops. You look at it, and you look at the score; and you go, “Okay. Well, it wasn't that bad.” But just the eye test, I'm not saying, like, red alert. I’m not saying that I'm completely, totally worried. But these injuries are piling up and it gets me concerned because there's a difference between the kind of team that you can beat and I think we're coming up against the Bears next. And then a team like the Bills, the Chiefs, you know, the AFC feels like, honestly, and I hate to say it, the AFC feels like a different beast.
Not even that, but the Lions are going to make the playoffs. They've already clinched. The problem becomes, say they match up against the Eagles or maybe the renovated Minnesota Vikings, with Sam Darnold having a great year. People know that I crap on him as much as I can because I've watched him play throughout the years. But for this year specifically, he's been playing great. While he's definitely Darnold-ed a few games, the Vikings have won in spite of him because they have a talented receiving group; they have a pretty good running back, and they have a nice defense. Is it the best defense in the league? No, but they make plays when it counts more often than not. One of the games they didn't was against the Lions, but that's neither here nor there.
But when you go up against these teams that actually have the pieces to make you pay if you make a mistake, it becomes super crucial that you make less and less mistakes. And if you're pulling players off the street to do stuff, they're probably going to make more mistakes because you have to either have to keep the defense really basic for them, or they're probably missing stuff in the more complex stuff.
Like last week, the victory they had was amazing. Not just because they won a game against a rival, that was tightly contested. It was the fact that two of their star players on defense, Kwon Alexander and Pat O'Connor, literally joined the team like five days before that game started. And that is not to say that is the biggest thing in the world. Because at the end of the day, you are a professional athlete. You have been staying in some shape.
You should be able to just take the punches and roll with it. It is why the Lions season has been great; because despite the fact their defense and other players are dropping like flies with injuries, they've been able to remain somewhat consistent. Unfortunately, they ran into a team who was a bit more consistent, and it showed in the end result.
What can the Lions do about this? In our members’ only Discord, there were some questions about … like can you coach around this? And things like that. But I just don't think this is the kind of situation where whoever you pick up, you got to do the best that you can. Because you're right. Some of these players are the backups for other teams. You know what I mean? They're from other teams’ practice squads.
It's kind of like basketball where you have someone who's super offensively gifted, but they're terrible on defense. So you try to hide them behind someone who doesn't really score the ball that much, hoping the team doesn't attack it. And then all of a sudden, that player has the best career game possible because now they're being guarded by someone who's terrible. So then you move that guy to somebody else, then they start passing it to that guy.
At some point, you have to just outscore them. And the Lions can do that. It's not something they really want to do. They want to lean in their defense to lock stuff down. And again, I'm not saying that Aaron Glenn is not at fault because some of the schemes they had going were not really working. But a lot of the schemes they had were working.
It's just the players weren't making plays. One play in particular I can think of near the end of the game, the Lions had kind of thrown everything forward and tried to tackle the running backs. And when you do that on a read option play, a play where the ball gets to the quarterback and then he holds it to see where the defense is before he either gives it or keeps it himself, as a defensive end, you're supposed to maintain the outside edge. So that means if you're outside, nobody runs outside of you. If you're standing there, if someone wants to beat you, they have to run inside of you. If you're on the left side, no one should pass by your right shoulder. And if you're on the right side, no one should pass by your left shoulder.
On this specific play, the defensive end immediately ran down the line hoping to tackle the running back. So Josh Allen pulled the ball and ran for 20 yards. Like, that's a great scheme. The player made a mistake; the player did not follow through. So while there needs to be some changes made, especially because there are some injuries and some players who will be out potentially … If the players hold to the scheme they're supposed to hold, generally it's worked out this season. So I can't say just keep doing the same stuff, but it kind of feels like that's really the only way you can move forward right now.
I do want to talk about the two onside kicks though, because those were interesting. I think the first one for different reasons. And the second one …
Yeah, the second one really quickly. I admire Jake Bates, his heart, but even at 6’1”, like 204 [lbs], he's pretty big for an average person. But he's got the build of an average person. He should not be on the bottom of an NFL dogpile. I'm sorry. No. Protect your kicker. Don't let him get hurt.
Yeah, that's how you break a collarbone or something random. [Do] you know what I mean? When you just get squashed by guys bigger than you …
And that's not to say that he's soft. I'm not saying that at all. If you are a football player, even if you're a kicker or a punter or a long snapper, you're tough because there is a chance you're going to go there and get hit. It is going to seriously hurt way more than someone who's 320 [lbs]. Like, do you think I want to go and try to tackle David Montgomery in the open field?! And I'm 5’10”! No. No. No way.
Oh, my gosh. Not only would I pay to see that, I would be video recording it and then making an animated, graphic of you just failing.
Do you want it? You'd pay to see it? I'd pay to not do it! I don't care how much money it is. I'm not doing this. I'm [not] sorry, so props to anyone who really wants to do that.
But the first onside kick, a lot of people were upset at Dan Campbell for doing it. And I honestly don't really understand why. It would be one thing kicking an onside kick with 12 minutes to go in the game. I understand people saying, “It's so early.” The Bills had punted once up until that point. Once! And that one time they punted is because they were deep in their own territory. Josh Allen had gone 70 yards for a touchdown. Josh Allen had gone a short field for a touchdown. You were not stopping the Bills offense. That was not going to happen.
So maybe hope you get an onside kick. Maybe, you get the ball there. Potentially you get a chance to do something. As it worked out, Mack Hollins, who is a terrifying, terrifying man, recovered the ball, got the ball to the Lions’ like six yard line. The Bills scored. Soon the Lions got the ball back quickly and got a chance to score another touchdown, which they did.
People are saying they should have kicked it downfield and gambled on your defense. You've been gambling on your defense all day. Would you rather the Bills score quickly, and you get the ball back quickly with a chance to score again; or would you rather the Bills get the ball at maybe 11 minutes, 50 something seconds left, bleed nine minutes off the clock before scoring a touchdown?
I'd rather try to be risky and get knocked out than have someone brutally punch me in the face once every three minutes until the game's over. Like, that's not fun. That's not fun. That's what the Lions do to people. The Lions get the ball back. They grind the game out. They brutalize you, and then they score.
To put an exclamation point on it … would you rather lose like that or take a chance to maybe get the ball back and then go down and score and then maybe do something then? And I know at the end of the game people are like, “Well, the score is only one score.” Yeah, the Bills put in some backups near the end of the game. They had a few starters, but they had some more backups just trying to defend and do the best they could. So yeah, your starters should score against their backups, even if it is a late second, whatever. And I don't know, I don't really have an issue with that.
It'd be one thing if they had mounted a few stops against the Bills’ offense, but no, they really hadn't. It was Swiss cheese at that point. You got to just take some gambles and hope that it pays out. It's really weird because these are people who are loving Dan Campbell gambling early on, fourth down and being like, “Wow, look at this. Look at this guy going forward. He's crazy now!”
You can't, then, sit here and be like, “Oh, he gambles way too much.” It's literally why they're 12 [wins] and 2 [losses]. It's because he gambles. Last week they went for it on fourth down, eight times, and picked it up at least five times. You can't then the next week be like, “Oh, we don't want you to do it.” No, you take the person as they are. It's the reason why the Lions are having a great year this year and last year. If you don't really like it, then maybe this isn't the team for you to support.
All right, I hear all of this. Okay? But I want to focus going down the line and I want to ask you a straightforward question, because even with all of this success, you still have a team like the Vikings knocking on the door. They're playing Monday Night Football. So as we're recording this, they have not played yet. We're going to be looking at the Bears to do something. They're not great, but they're doing something.
Are you worried about things at this point? Like, how are you feeling? Because it is crazy to me and I guess it's some sort of parody in the NFL, but we can have the season that we're having. All right. But, the reality is, if we still got a team right on our heels for the division championship.
I mean, sure, that is something. But the Lions are still statistically the number one team in the NFC. They're tied with the Vikings, and they're tied with the Eagles, but they have the one up on the Vikings due to a head to head. And the Eagles, they've scored more points. Their point differential is a bit better than them. So it is good to be near the top because you can afford to slip and you have to hope people can catch up.
Like, the Bears could shock everyone. Caleb Williams, who has been coming along this season, could have his best game of his career. And the Bears shocked the Vikings. It probably won't happen, but it could happen. It's a rivalry game. Records kind of go out of the window for stuff like that. But nonetheless, the Lions, the rest of their season, they have the Bears, who could be great, could be bad.
The 49ers, whose season is falling apart at such a rate where they have players literally refusing to go into the game, and then they have the Vikings day in the season. The Vikings, on the other hand, have the Bears, then the Seahawks, who play the Lions tough, beat them last year, lost a close one this year. Then they have the Packers, who we've seen what Jordan Love can do if you give him a chance. And then they have the Lions to end it. I see the Vikings potentially losing two of those games. Whether it's the Lions, whether it's the Packers, I see them losing one of those games. Two. Two of those games between them. So I'm not really worried.
If I was a Lions fan, I would not be worried about that. I don't see the Lions losing a game the rest of the season. So if the Lions stay the course the best they can, they should be fine. I know that the injuries piling up the way they are is not great, especially with again losing Alim McNeill or Carlton Davis for the season, it's really bad. It's not good. And it means that players who are not as seasoned or just who I don't think should be on the roster right now will get more playing time.
And you have to just [say] “Next man up.” I know people want to complain and say this happened, this happened, but at the end of the day, if the players aren't complaining about it, neither should you. If they're okay with what's happening, maybe not okay. But if they're content to like, well, we have to push through. Next man up. Yes, we lost this person. Yes, we lost this person. But you know what we still got to go through then you got to, as a fan, support that team going through and nonetheless still show up and cheer for them.
There is something about this coaching staff, about Dan Campbell, about everyone involved with this team that I think encourages players to find their best. And this is going to be a time in this last part of the season where I want to hear some new names that weren't stepping up before. Just make the difference. Right? This happens to great teams. When you look at teams that win Super Bowls, these sorts of things happen. And it's about how that next man up culture works and how you get people to really shine in a moment when the spotlight's on them.
I mean … that is one of the perks of having a coaching staff consisting almost entirely of former players. Whether they were good or not, former players in the NFL, they understand, like, hey, it could be your game, it could not be your game, but nonetheless, you have to persist forward.
I mean, a perfect Example of that with the Kansas City Chiefs. Kadarius Toney, who two years ago was like teflon to Kansas City, he came late in a trade. He won them the Super Bowl with some, really late, great plays. That kind of solidified stuff for him. The next year they're like, he's going to be a star. And then he had one of the worst years a receiver could have in the NFL and proceeded by following it up with a bad year this year. And he gets cut, and then he gets signed by the Cleveland Browns, gets cut again. And now he might be out of football for some time.
The reason why teams win is not because the stars play well. The stars playing well gets you to these games. You win because you defend well. And like you said, your unsung heroes step up. And the Lions have a lot of unsung heroes. A lot of chances for people to step up. It's not the end of the season. It's not.
I know it looks bleak, especially with the players I mentioned being out. Especially the new players I mentioned being out because all these players were starters to start. That's 21 players on injured reserve currently. And I know some players can come back, but 21 players on injured reserve is almost two starting lineups for offense and defense. I know every year one team gets hit with the injury bug. It's a thing that happens in sports.
Every year, one professional team in every league, whether it's the NBA, NHL, MLB, UFL, WNBA, USL Championship, some team gets hit with an injury bug very hard, and then they have to just cope and go through the best they can. And unfortunately for the Lions, they're really great season coincides with having a terrible time in the injury room.
Someone made a joke at one point it looked like there are more players on the IR than there were on the sidelines for the Lions, which you can chuckle at, but like it's one where you shed a tear to go along with it.
Well, Fletcher Sharpe, I appreciate you. I'm glad that we went through all of this. We will of course check in if there are any big developments between now and next week. And I will guarantee you that through the holiday season, although we will be on a reduced schedule, the Lions are playing, so we will be there, my friend.
Oh, for sure. And I mean, again, I cannot stress enough, the season is not over. It's going to be rough, but the players are going to persist and I think they get back on the winning trail against the Bears. So that's something to look forward to.
Thank you so much for listening to your Daily Detroit. Feedback, as always, dailydetroit@gmail.com. Thank you to our members on Patreon patreon.com/dailydetroit. Local media needs local support to keep going. You all are crucial, and I highly appreciate you! With that, I'm Jer Staes.
And I'm Fletcher Sharpe.
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