Detroit Lions: 6 Duds from a pathetic loss to Colts in Week 8
By Tayyib Abu
Dud: Detroit Lions Defense
The Detroit Lions defense made positive steps in previous weeks but the unit had to take a step back against the Colts. Initially, the defense started well, carrying the confidence and momentum from the last two weeks. However, due to the offense just not moving the ball in the first half, the defense was stuck on the field.
Eventually, it started creaking and, as the pressure mounted, the defense just collapsed in the second half. Philip Rivers had his best day of the season so far and the Colts gashed the Detroit defense on the ground as the Colts rushed for over 100 yards.
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Matt Patricia champions complimentary football; nothing was flattering about this performance. The defense folded under never-ending pressure and allowed the Colts to run away with this game.
Duds: Jarrad Davis and Jahlani Tavai
These two players were awful. Jarrad Davis, a former first-round pick, is now in his fifth year and is a bust. When you select a linebacker in the first round, he has to become a cornerstone player for the team. Davis isn’t; he continuously makes mistakes in run plays, overshooting his gap assignment. In coverage, he’s even worse. Mo Alie Cox and Tre Burton had good days receiving. Neither of these guys are Tony Gonzalez, yet the Lions couldn’t cover them and a lot of that is on the awful linebacker play.
Jahlani Tavai is a former second-round pick who cant play. The blocky, bulky second-year player can’t tackle. He has a poor tackling technique, as he is always tackling high and has no leverage to tackle the runner. You have to be low and drive up; Tavai cant do this. He was just as bad as Davis as he was far too slow and lacked spatial awareness in coverage.
These two are essential reasons why the Lions could not stop the run or contain Rivers on intermediate passes.