Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
DETROIT – The Detroit Lions have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense, but they couldn’t score a point in Foxboro as they fell 29-0 to the New England Patriots.
It’s usually the same story every week with this team, but Sunday was one of the worst games played in franchise history.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Detroit looked out of sync and uninterested as they left the Lions’ den and took their Ringling Brothers Circus of a season on the road. The game was filled with debacle after debacle as everything that could go wrong, did.
“You know, certainly we didn’t play good football, and that’s all on me,” said Dan Campbell. “It was not good, and it was the worst of the season overall as a team. That falls on me. You can’t play that way unless your head coach doesn’t have them ready.”
It’s nice that Campbell took the blame, but fans are sick of all of the pep talks; This is a wins business, and lovers of the team can’t take excuses and grit to the bank, especially as the numbers in the loss column continue to pile.
Dan Campbell has two highly questionable fourth down decisions in this game already. Both times the #Lions didn’t get it, and this time its a fumble-six. Basically the game right there. — Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) October 9, 2022
The nonsensical play calling on offense by continuing to go for it on fourth down and fail was bonkers. To make matters worse, Detroit came into week five, averaging 435 yards per game, 35 points per game, and 6.5 yards per game as an offensive unit.
The Detroit Lions went 0-6 on 4th down in their 29-0 loss to the Patriots on Sunday.
That’s the worst performance on 4th down by any team in a game over the last 45 seasons.
h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/5kn7wbM8Eg — ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 10, 2022
Sunday’s outcome was 311 yards total and zero points while going 0-6 on fourth down. The Lions made all of those adjustments on the defensive side of the ball, and they’re still wrong.
Detroit got carved up by the Patriots’ rookie third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe who was making his first career NFL start. Rhamondre Stevenson looked like Curtis Martin as he had a career day toting the rock for 161 yards on the Lions’ putrid defense.
Dan Campbell just had that game that leads to you being fired. The Lions getting dragged by a backup Patriots QB is just inexcusable. — Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 9, 2022
Since Campbell has been the head coach, Detroit has not won a road game. He is currently giving a step-by-step guide on how to lose a head coaching job in the NFL.
Including Sunday, the Lions have never won in Gillette Stadium. The last time Detroit beat New England on the road was back in 1993 when Barry Sanders rushed for 148 yards on 32 carries, and Jason Hanson went 4-5 on field goals for a 19-16 overtime victory.
Barry Sanders #20, Running Back for the Detroit Lions runs the ball during the American Football Conference East game against the New England Patriots on 12 September 1993 at the Foxboro Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts, United States. The Lions won the game 19 – 16. (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Allsport/Getty Images) (2017 Getty Images)
The bye week couldn’t have come early enough as everybody involved in the organization needs to regroup. Will Detroit get back on track after the bye, or are the Lions headed back to the draft lottery at seasons end?