Detroit Lions Weblog

It’s Official, the Lions Suck!

It is now time to begin to reconsider the Lions “rebuilding” project, in terms of it’s success or failure as a process. On paper, the Lions have done the right things. They have drafted a franchise quarterback known for his poise and passing accuracy. They have hired a coach with a winning pedigree, a strong reputation for developing young quarterbacks, and who is noted for installing offenses for teams that are efficient and innovative. They have had the luxury of selecting draft picks early in recent drafts and have wisely chosen players with exceptional athletic ability, decent character and have a proven track record of success and for excelling on the field of play. Yet, the culture within the organization seems to yield underwhelming performance, the inability to execute succesful big plays in the clutch, and seems to be trapped within a continuous paradigm of flat, uninspired play.

The Fords have spent a lot of money in their efforts to own and manage a first-class professional sports franchise. Yet, time and time again their efforts seem to blow up in their faces. The time has come within this organization and it’s personnel where they shouldn’t have any excuses left. They have burned up all of their free passes. I am so tired of hearing about the travails of young players and the resultant roller coaster ride performance-wise that occurs due to their lack of experience. I am sick of hearing reference made to the effects of injuries and the team’s inability to overcome them. I am tired of hearing the minutae about the difficulties installing, and the patience required in the implemention of an offensive system that is as complex as the vaunted “West Coast Offense”. In theory, this offense is an investment that produces dividends when all of the component elements are in place and operating symbiotically and is nearly unstoppable when executing at high performance levels. Where is that offensive efficiency? Where is the ability to control games by placing players in situations where they are more able to produce effectively?

I believe that Lion fans have every right to be very upset and frustrated about what is currently occurring with their professional football team. They have been witness to several weeks of flat and uninspired performances from a team that had been surprisingly on the periphery of the divisional lead and in possible contention for a playoff bid. In a few short weeks, the Lions have essentially wasted that opportunity and in the meantime generated more questions about their “rebuilding” process than they have probably answered. They have seen an offense that has continually withered under pressure and has provided this output(I have also included the Jaguars stats as a point of comparison):

Jacksonville Total Offense 415 Yds.
a)22 First downs
b)Time Of Poss:41:44
c)Yards Per Offensive Play:4.7

Detroit Total Offense 190 Yds.
a)10 First Downs (4 rushing, 3 Passing, and 3 by penalty)
b)23:44
c)Yards per offensive Play:3.5
d)2 for 14 on 3rd Downs or 14% conversion of Third Downs
e)the team’s “franchise” quarterback, Joey Harrington (aka “Champagne Joey”) had another dismal outing. He was 11 for 33 for 121 Yds with 1 interception and 32.5 Passer rating.
f)the Lions offense has scored 2 TDS in the last 10 quarters they’ve played.
Eddie Drummond 257 total yds in returns vs. Jacksonville

This Offense has a total combined deficit in time of posession for the season of 64 minutes and 44 seconds. That is more than the time to complete one game. To say that this offense has been “pluperfect awful” is an understatement. In the game against Jacksonville, a kick return specialist, single-handedly kept the team in a game which they had no business being in. In a game, where they were playing for their playoff livelihood and where a victory could have inconceivably resulted in a three-way deadlock for first place in the division, they turned in their worst outing of the season. While Eddie Drummond attempted to save the day, the rest of the team’s performance resulted in dropped balls, inaccurate passes, missed field goals and a whole of excuses. Yes, the wind was blowing quite hard in Jacksonville. The wind made it quite difficult for the team to catch the ball and for the quarterback to deliver the ball accurately. Yet, Jacksonville performed well enough to win under the same conditions. Teams who win consistently, find ways to make plays no matter how untenable the circumstances may appear.

Many QB’s have similar games performance-wise to the one Joey Harrington had on Sunday. But excellent quarterbacks find a way to make the 11 passes he completed count toward victory. I recently have come to the realization that Joey Harrington doesn’t have the skills, talent and leadership ability necessary to put a team upon his shoulders and carry them to victory through sheer force of will. Even with that in mind, it seemed that it was quite possible that he could execute and manage games well enough that he wouldn’t be responsible for many losses. Yet his recent performances have affected my perceptions of him in such a way that I have been reduced to wondering if he will be another member in a long list of Detroit Lion Quarterbacking failures.

Steve Mariucci, has served as an enabler in this whole process. He is very adept at stating empty observations and platitudes bathed in the language of Coaches Non-Speak (or talking without really saying anything). Mooch is eloquent and very positive. He is constantly politically correct in his observations and very careful to always view the glass as half-full. In all of this, the players have no measure of accountability and no concept of what most franchises consider unacceptable yields in their performance. Here is Mooch:
“My primary concern is the passing game.” He mentioned that there might need to be changes. “The change is to be better, that’s what we have to do. We’ve got to be better all the way around and figure out what we can do, from a scheme standpoint, what are the routes that we’re good at throwing and running? And do those things.’
in regards to Harrington:
“Joey is one part of the passing game, obviously. He’s got the ball in his hands. There is more to it than that, as you know. There’s protection and route-running and catching and taking advantage of some opportunities.”

I am not saying that Mariucci should make a public spectacle of blasting the performance of his team. But he does very little to inspire my confidence in his ability to demand that his players adhere to the standards of performance that will make this team a successful, winning franchise.