Detroit Lions Scrooge themselves out of playoff race
By Matt Bosko
The Detroit Lions’ postseason hopes came to an end with a heartbreaking 26-17 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Bah humbug.
The Detroit Lions squandered a golden opportunity to make playoff dreams a reality on Sunday in a losing effort that seemed all too familiar.
With the Cincinnati Bengals playing for nothing except their own pride, the Lions had everything to gain.
An Atlanta Falcons loss to the New Orleans Saints gave them a chance to sneak into the playoffs next weekend.
Against an Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers team.
It was all there for the taking, but in typical Lions fashion, they came up short when it mattered most. They were outplayed by a Bengals team whose season ended weeks ago, whose head coach is on his way out the door after next weekend, and who simply had no business winning on Sunday.
Yet somehow, in spite of all that, the Bengals looked like the team with their playoff hopes on the line. The Lions, meanwhile, watched as it all slipped away.
The team’s most glaring problem all season – defending the run – ultimately led to their demise on Sunday. Even with rookie running back Joe Mixon sidelined due to an aggravated ankle injury early on, the Lions allowed Giovani Bernard to run free.
It was fitting that the final nail in the coffin was a 12-yard touchdown run on a third-and-five. With the Lions trailing 19-17 late in the fourth quarter, all they needed was one more stop to allow Matthew Stafford to work his magic. Instead, Miles Killebrew failed to set the edge on the critical third down, and Bernard scampered into the end zone untouched.
The run capped off an incredible day for Bernard, who carried the ball 23 times for 116 yards and the touchdown.
The Lions’ most valuable players on offense were nowhere to be found in such an important game.
Stafford finished 19-of-35 passing for 203 yards with a touchdown, an interception, and some awful throws. Golden Tate finished with just three catches for 14 yards, while Marvin Jones hauled in three passes for 50 yards.
Matt Prater, who has been reliable all season long, missed a 50-yard attempt with the Lions trailing 13-10 in the third quarter.
The most inspiring contributions came from unsung heroes Tion Green and Eric Ebron. Green injected life into the Lions’ rushing attack with 43 yards and touchdown on seven carries. Ebron continued his strong second-half performance with a team-high five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The Lions simply did not do enough against a team they should have handled with ease, something they have made into a routine this season and decades prior.
What does this mean for Jim Caldwell? What does this mean for the future of the Lions? Time will tell, but I cannot imagine this loss bodes well for his job security.
Next: Craziest Moments in Detroit Sports History
Sigh. There’s always next year…