Detroit Lions: 6 Duds from a pathetic loss to Colts in Week 8
By Tayyib Abu
Dud: Detroit Lions Offensive Line
The Detroit Lions offensive line stunk against the Colts. Matthew Stafford was sacked five times, including a fumble. Stafford was always under pressure all game and struggled. The line was utterly overwhelmed by an impressive Colts front. It wasn’t just the sacks either; there were no running lanes at all for Detroit.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
The Lions leading rusher was Jamal Agnew with 11 yards. Detroit totaled 29 yards rushing; it was an abject day for the offensive line. Coupled with some senseless playcalling, this unit never had a chance. Football is still won in the trenches and the Lions didn’t just lose in the trenches — they got annihilated.
Dud: Darrell Bevell, Offensive Coordinator
Darrell Bevell had a hideous game. The Lions kept calling up first-down runs incessantly. Even worse, Detroit kept calling the same inside runs that didn’t work last week. In the preview, I said that the Lions could not afford to do this but they still did. It didn’t work; the Lions kept finding themselves in third-and-long situations.
When you are frequently behind the chains against a talented defense, you will not win games in the NFL. Bevell kept relying on Adrian Peterson to power his way through. The former Viking looks slow and ponderous at the line. With Detroit stuck in third-and-long, it allowed this ferocious Colts defense to pin their ears back and get to the quarterback.
The complete refusal to change frustrates Lions fans; we hardly saw D’Andre Swift or any variety in the run game. It was the same plays over and over again, and it played right into this Colts defense.