Hey guys, remember when the Lions went into overtime against the Texans when they were winning 31-24? Yeah, me too.
The second that Jim Schwartz threw that challenge flag I knew the game was over. Teams never come back from this type of stuff. It almost always backfires on them, or causes the team to get frustrated and they come apart at the seams.
Why on earth is that a rule? You throw your challenge flag and so the play isn’t reviewable because you commit an unsportsmanlike penalty? You lose 15-yards and the NFL becomes petty and whiny and says, “No, we’re not going to review it now.” It’s absolutely embarrassing for the league that this is a real rule. How about, you give them a 15-yard penalty and then charge them a timeout or charge them a challenge? These are simple things that hurt the team but don’t cost the team a game. This isn’t the first time this rule has been an issue either. The Atlanta Falcons lost an interception because turnovers are automatically reviewed, but their Head Coach threw his challenge flag.
His knee touches down too, so he was extra down.
I mean are you kidding me? This is the most childish rule ever. The NFL is basically saying, because you broke a rule, we will PURPOSEFULLY get a play wrong that can cost you the game because we are spiteful little children. I know two-year olds that aren’t this petty and whiny. You tell the refs they’re doing a horse shit job of watching the game and so the NFL decides its fair to screw you over. How did any of these refs miss this anyways? It wasn’t like anyone was blocking the view of his body. I mean what in the fuck are you watching? It is your job to sit there and watch the play. To make judgement and decide what is going on. No wonder so many pass interference and holding calls are missed, Jesus Christ.
And I know, the refs aren’t at fault for merely enforcing a garbage rule. I’m pissed at them for missing an easy call by clearly not paying attention. Then, I’m upset with the NFL rules committee for being whiny douches about sportsmanship. “Because you weren’t nice to us and threw your flag we’re going to get your call wrong, throwing that flag is unsportsmanlike.” Give me a break, sportsmanship is for children. Everyone playing in the NFL is a paid professional they don’t have to be nice to each other. I’m not saying go around and stomp on people and try to hurt people, but you don’t have to play nice with everyone. You can tell someone they are sucking at their job.
The last part of this I will discuss is the part where I’m mad at Jim Schwartz. You are they head coach of the Detroit Lions. It is not your job to get irrationally angry and lose your cool. Yes, it is a ridiculous rule, but you have to stay calm. It is the fan’s job, aka my job, to get irrationally angry about a call. As the head coach you have to keep calm and keep the team from getting out of control and keep them focused on the game. This TD is three groups of peoples fault, but the NFL having this as a rule is inexcusable. The video of the play is here.
Now onto the game. I thought the Lions looked pretty good all game. Honestly, Offensively it was the best game they have had in a long time; defensively was about what I expected out of them against the Texans. They’re shorthanded, they get stuck on the field far too often and then they are exhausted, so they give up big plays.
The offensive line played well, except for a few plays where J.J. Watt ripped Gosder Cherilus a part. Riley Reiff looks like your new permanent left tackle. He was very efficient blocking and didn’t take a single penalty. Needless to say I was very pleased.
The run game is still mostly garbage, but thankfully Stafford remembered how to throw the ball. Without a change of pace back that can run faster than a 4.5 40, they won’t be able to break any big runs. Also, the more I watched the game, the more I decided that the Lions drafted Ryan Broyles to replace Titus Young and traded for Mike Thomas to replace Nate Burleson in the slot. Titus Young is an absolute selfish prick and the worst kind of teammate. It came out this week that he was lining up wrong on purpose because he was pissed he wasn’t getting more looks. As if I needed another reason to be disgusted with everything regarding Boise State. You play with the best receiver in the NFL, sorry you have no shot of being the number one target, get over yourself.
Broyles, on the other hand, looked great in every aspect of the game. He was sure-handed and was crisp when he was running his routes. I like what I’ve seen out of him in the few games he’s played more than what I’ve seen out of Young the past year and a half. Whoever was in charge of doing background/character checks on the 2011 draft was fucking drunk. Nick Fairley and Mikel LeShoure have had drug issues and Young is currently a selfish locker room cancer. At least Fairley and LeShoure haven’t been detriments on the field.
On a separate note I want Brandon Pettigrew to be cut. That’s probably an overreaction, but I don’t care. He is a decent blocker and is built to be an elite tight end, but he is as soft as puppy shit. He’s been stripped three times this year, two of which have been in the 4th quarter or overtime, and both of them cost the Lions a chance to win the game. It’s really to bad we didn’t draft Michael Oher like I wanted to because then we could have Oher and Reiff as our bookend tackles for the next decade.
Defensively, the front seven worked to make the secondary’s job easier. Steven Tulloch has been great ever since he got to Detroit, and Fairley has become extremely productive with Suh taking all the double teams of the interior offensive line. Chris Houston and Drayton Florence have made a nice pair at corner, but I really wish we could have a strong safety that was worth something. Getting Louis Delmas back was obviously nice, but there is a glaring hole at strong safety. Our first two round picks should be best corner available and best safety available, whichever order they want. Then perhaps Denard Robinson in the 3rd round to replace Jahvid Best? I wish.
How do I feel about Hanson missing the field goal? I saw him warmup before OT, and he hit the right upright. I still couldn’t believe he missed it when I saw it; I thought he was the one sure things the Lions were allowed to have.
To make things better, if the Lions had held onto their lead against the Green Bay Packers and beat the Texans, they would be 6-5 and currently have one of the wildcard playoff spots. Even after the horrible start they had with losses to the Bears, 49ers, the Vikings twice (!?!?!?!?!), and the Titans (!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?), they could have still been in contention. Ugh, the Lions are so frustrating.
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