Tag: national

Down 10 starters entering Week 16, the Detroit Lions were already running uphill. Then a COVID-19 situation amongst the coaching staff made staying competitive against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers an even more daunting task — but as long as they had Matthew Stafford under center, he would give them a chance to put points on the board.

Then Stafford went down with an ankle injury in the first series and the wheels came fully off.

It was clear the Buccaneers were going to put up a lot of points — we even predicted they would score 44 or more points on the Detroit Lions Breakdown podcast preview show — but losing Stafford accelerated the damage as Chase Daniel and the Lions offense failed to produce a single point.

This perfect storm of obstacles led to an expected drop to the bottom-5 in most of the power rankings.

Touchdown Wire: 28 (Previous: 26)

“The Detroit Lions, like some other teams this season, were put in an incredibly difficult position this weekend when interim head coach Darrell Bevell was ruled out due to COVID-19 protocols, leaving wide receivers coach Robert Prince to take his place Saturday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was in the wake of a decision to fire their special teams coach after he went off script and called for a fake punt early in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to the Tennessee Titans. It’s been a season in Detroit… help cannot get here soon enough.” — Mark Schofield

USA Today: 31 (Previous 30)

“After Saturday’s debacle, they’ve now allowed a league-worst 482 points. Gonna be a very extensive rebuild for the next regime.” — Nate Davis

NFL: 31 (Previous: 29)

“The Lions end another lost season looking like one of the worst teams in football. The Bucs came to Ford Field on Saturday and rolled up 34 unanswered points in the first half en route to a 47-7 win that was every bit as grisly as the final score indicates. Yes, Detroit was without multiple coaches due to COVID-19 protocols, and Matthew Stafford’s ankle injury on the team’s second possession removed any semblance of drama from the proceedings, but this felt like an NFL squad playing against an Arena Football Team owned by Bon Jovi. Instead of digging any further into this depressing performance, we’ll offer up a Random Fun Fact: The 2020 Lions are the second team in NFL history to have three different coaches function as head coach during the season. Nice … versatility?” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 30 (Previous: 25)

“New Year’s resolution: Get the GM/head-coaching hires right. The Lions are once again facing a major organizational change, with a new general manager and head coach expected to be hired early in 2021. Without a division title since 1993 and a playoff win since the 1991 season and with questions at literally every position other than punter, making sure Detroit finally finds the correct pairing of head coach and general manager is imperative. The Lions have at least been talking with a plethora of candidates for the general manager search, a better sign of a more comprehensive process than when the team hired Bob Quinn. — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 30 (Previous 29)

“They should fire everybody who is left right now. This team is a disaster. That showing against the Bucs was as bad as it gets.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 31 (Previous: 28)

“This is the ‘without Matthew Stafford’ ranking. With Stafford, they’re about a dozen spots higher.” — Note: MMQB uses a rotating staff to make selections, so they will sometimes vary drastically from week to week.

Sporting News: 26 (Previous: 24)

“The Lions couldn’t fix any part of their defense and that was the reason for the quick downfall of Matt Patricia. They also need to consider some big offensive changes around D’Andre Swift and Kenny Golladay in 2021.” — Vinnie Iyer

Week 15 played out as expected for the Detroit Lions losing a lopsided game to the Tennessee Titans, so it’s not overly surprising they held steady in most rankings — stuck in the bottom third of the league in every poll.

The main themes in explaining their rankings this week include the defense not being big enough, the firing of Brayden Coombs, and the resilience of Matthew Stafford to play through injury.

Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.

Touchdown Wire: 26 (Previous: 26)

“The defense could not stop the Titans on Sunday, and that put the Lions offense in a position where they needed to be perfect to keep pace with Tennessee. On this day, with a banged-up Matthew Stafford, the offense was good but far short of perfect on a day they needed to be. The afternoon ended with Stafford pulled from the game (coach’s decision) and the Lions thinking about how to fix things for the future.

“A quick note on Stafford. The man is a warrior for suiting up on Sunday. Full credit to him for gutting it out through the pain.” — Mark Schofield

USA Today: 30 (Previous 29)

“Hear the one about the special teams’ coach who went rogue and decided on his own to call a fake punt? Yep, the latest goings-on from Motown.” — Nate Davis

NFL: 29 (Previous: 28)

“Matthew Stafford is one tough dude. The veteran quarterback knew the Lions needed a win on Sunday to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, so he decided to play through a painful rib injury sustained a week earlier against the Packers. Stafford delivered a strong performance despite his physical issues, but it wasn’t near enough for a Lions team that was outclassed in a 46-25 loss to the Titans. There will be waves of speculation surrounding Stafford and his future this offseason, but the Lions would be wise to put the lion’s share of their focus on how to fix their putrid defense. It was exposed again by an explosive Titans offense, which piled up 463 yards and six touchdowns in Detroit’s ninth loss of the season.” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 25 (Previous: 25)

“Most underrated star: P Jack Fox. Defensive end Romeo Okwara is another worthy candidate, but Fox has had a phenomenal rookie season. He has averaged 49.5 yards per punt and a net punting average of 45.5 yards. As of now, his gross average yardage is the No. 11 all-time, single-season mark in NFL history, and his net punting average is third all time. He has flipped fields with regularity and been an asset mere months after winning a close battle with Arryn Siposs in training camp. Now he looks like a long-term solution at the position and represents one area the team’s new general manager and coach don’t have to be concerned with.” — Michael Rothstein

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CBS Sports: 29 (Previous 29)

“They are already conducting general manager interviews, and whoever gets the job will be facing a tough task to turn it around. Will Matt Stafford be a part of it?” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 26 (Previous: 28)

“Well, the interim head coach had to fire the special teams’ coordinator mid-week, which is about how things have gone this year in Detroit.” — Note: MMQB uses a rotating staff to make selections, so they will sometimes vary drastically from week to week.

Sporting News: 24 (Previous: 22)

“The Lions have showed some heart and fight with Matt Patricia gone but it’s not enough with their defensive ineptitude holding back whatever positive offensive vibes they have.” — Vinnie Iyer

The Detroit Lions fought hard in Week 14, but once Matthew Stafford went down with a rib injury, asking them to come back against the Green Bay Packers was too tall an order.

Now, with the Tennessee Titans (9-4) waiting for them in Week 15, most experts are not expecting much from the Lions — and their rankings reflect that.

Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.

Touchdown Wire: 26 (Previous: 21)

“Last week’s comeback victory over the Chicago Bears pulled the Detroit Lions back into the playoff hunt. The odds were slim, as according to the New York Times the Lions had just a five percent chance at getting into the postseason. Those odds dipped to just one percent in the wake of Detroit’s loss Sunday to the Green Bay Packers. As has been the case for most of the season, the woes were on the defensive side of the football. The Lions could not slow down the Green Bay passing game, particularly due to the mounting injuries in the secondary and up front. Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdown passes, and ran for one more. Adding insult to injury – literally – was the fact that Matthew Stafford was knocked out of the game after taking a big hit near the end zone, giving way to Chase Daniel for the finish. Now, the task is even tougher for the Lions to sneak in. They’ll have to win out, and given that they’ll face three teams in the playoff hunt (Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Minnesota) even that seems like an insurmountable task, before considering the help they’d need along the way.” — Mark Schofield

USA Today: 29 (Previous 28)

“Hard to envision Detroit keeping it close Sunday in Nashville if QB Matthew Stafford is out or even partially hampered by his rib issues.” — Nate Davis

NFL: 28 (Previous: 26)

“The Lions hung close against a loaded Packers team on Sunday, but they lost the game and possibly Matthew Stafford after the quarterback exited with a rib injury in the fourth quarter. Stafford shined in last week’s dramatic win over the Bears and played another solid game against Green Bay — the timing of his latest injury has to be supremely frustrating for interim head coach/offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. The defense struggled to hold Aaron Rodgers in check on Sunday, and the unit will have an equally challenging test of a different kind this week against the Titans and perpetual downhill running back Derrick Henry. At 5-8, the Lions will finish at .500 or below for the third straight season. Change is coming.” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 25 (Previous: 25)

“There isn’t a lot that is stunning here: Detroit’s biggest concern was defense before the season (and, really, the past two-plus years). Injuries, a lack of playmaking talent and poor coaching have all been part of the issue. Sunday against Green Bay showed that the effort is there, but the skill level is in question. The offense has been efficient despite injuries, and the special teams, under Brayden Coombs, have been a bright spot. But the defense is why Detroit is in a hole at the moment, getting ready for a complete regime switch in the offseason.” — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 29 (Previous 27)

“They just don’t have enough good defensive players to slow teams. It’s time to start planning for the new coach.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 28 (Previous: 27)

“Matthew Stafford did everything he could to hang in with Aaron Rodgers’s Packers, until suffering a rib injury while trying to make a first down at the goal line. His status for next week is up in the air, as is his future in Detroit.” — Note: MMQB uses a rotating staff to make selections, so they will sometimes vary drastically from week to week.

Sporting News: 22 (Previous: 21)

“The Lions keep fighting for interim coach Darrell Bevell, especially with the offense finding a groove with Matthew Stafford and young stars T.J. Hockenson and D’Andre Swift. But that can’t mask their leftover defensive deficiencies without Matt Patricia.”– Vinnie Iyer

The Darrell Bevell era in Detroit got off to a solid start, as he led the Lions to a 34-30 victory over the Chicago Bears. His leadership has proven to be very anti-Matt Patricia and the team responded in a notable fashion.

The national experts are

Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.

Touchdown Wire: 21 (Previous: 29)

“Interim head coach Darren Bevell got a chance to make his debut as the head man for the Detroit Lions. It was quite the memorable first outing… The win keeps the Lions’ slim playoff hopes alive, but they’ll probably need to win out and get a bit of luck over the final few weeks to sneak into the dance.” — Mark Schofield

USA Today: TBD (Previous 28)

Nate Davis did not publish a power ranking this week.

NFL: 26 (Previous: 29)

“Who knows what the future holds for Matthew Stafford and the Lions? For now, Detroit fans should enjoy their star quarterback, who passed for over 400 yards in leading the Lions to a 34-30 comeback victory over the Bears on Sunday. After the win, Stafford handed the game ball to interim coach Darrell Bevell, victorious in his first outing as Matt Patricia’s replacement. “My emotions right now, I can’t even think straight,” Bevell said. “I’m just trying to wrap my head around this whole thing, what just happened.” A feel-good moment for the Lions in a period in team history that hasn’t had enough of them.” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 25 (Previous: 27)

“Person with most at stake: Interim head coach Darrell Bevell. The true answer here is everyone: With a potential regime change coming, the coaches are performing for new jobs or to retain theirs, and the players are doing the same. But Bevell might have the most to gain or lose here. Bevell has been waiting for years for his chance to become a head coach, and if he can manage Detroit well down the stretch, that could help his candidacy with the Lions (at this point unlikely) or elsewhere, either this offseason or in the future.” — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 27 (Previous 27)

“So the coaching change gave them a little juice after all. That was a nice comeback against the Bears.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 27 (Previous: 25)

“Darrell Bevell won his debut and is riding the wave of good fortune that comes with not being Matt Patricia in the Lions’ locker room. Good for him. It will be interesting to see if they can knock off another team or two before the full regime change at season’s end.” — Note: MMQB uses a rotating staff to make selections, so they will sometimes vary drastically from week to week.

Sporting News: 21 (Previous: 25)

“The Lions played a lot more inspired offensive football with Darrell Bevell and got a few defensive breaks to avenge a shocking Week 1 loss to the Bears.” — Vinnie Iyer

Another disappointing loss for the Detroit Lions (4-7) and this one finally led to the firings of coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn as well as the promotion of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to interim coach.

The analysts don’t appear to believe the change will have much impact on this season and the Lions slide in the national rankings continues.

Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.

Touchdown Wire: 29 (Previous: 28)

“Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell will take over as the interim head coach, but the team now faces decisions at both general manager and for a permanent head coach. Names will be floated around in the near future, but for now here are some of our suggestions for both HC and GM.” — Mark Schofield

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USA Today: 28 (Previous 26)

“New principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp asserted herself by cleaning out the front office. Now, can she find a brain trust to take Detroit to its first Super Bowl?” — Nate Davis

NFL: 29 (Previous: 29)

“The Lions are blowing it up … again. On Saturday, the team announced it had fired head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn, seismic moves made 48 hours after the Lions were blown out by the Texans on Thanksgiving. Though Quinn had his share of personnel victories in his five years on the job, Patricia was more or less a total miss. The former Patriots defensive coordinator struggled to connect with players and oversaw a Lions team that regressed from the back-to-back 9-7 finishes that preceded the dismissal of Jim Caldwell. Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell takes over as interim coach, while owner Sheila Ford Hamp and president Rod Wood will spearhead the search for a new head coach and GM. If the incoming regime plans to start over, it could mean the end of Matthew Stafford in Detroit.” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 27 (Previous: 24)

“Most important game remaining: Week 13 at Chicago. This is the most important game only because it’s Darrell Bevell’s debut as a head coach and it might begin to answer the question of whether it was the talent on the roster or the coaching of Matt Patricia that caused many of Detroit’s problems this season. So it’s intriguing from that aspect to see how the players respond to a regime change. Otherwise, the most important game for Detroit is the last one because it can really push forward on its plan for the future once it concludes.” — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 27 (Previous 24)

“They fired general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia after an embarrassing Thanksgiving Day loss. It was only a matter of time.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 25 (Previous: 25)

“The Matt Patricia era is over, and it feels like a small percentage of my lasting memories from his run took place on the field. Detroit now has some work to do to rebound from an underwhelming stretch of football.” — MMQB Staff

Sporting News: 25 (Previous: 21)

“The Lions’ latest loss was the last straw for Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn. Let’s their players finish strong to save some respectability after two bad losses to bad teams.” — Vinnie Iyer

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The Detroit Lions (4-6) are coming off an embarrassing 20-0 shutout loss to the Carolina Panthers, and as expected, their status in the Week 12 national power rankings is plummetting.

There was one prevailing theme amongst the rankings this week and it’s sure to line up with what Lions fans are thinking: Coach Matt Patricia is in trouble.

Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.

Touchdown Wire: 28 (Previous: 22)

“Given that the Lions play Thursday in the early slot against the Houston Texans, Patricia might survive the week. But it would be a shocker if he is back for the start of December. This is the kind of loss that inspires change.” — Mark Schofield

USA Today: 26 (Previous 19)

“Sure, they didn’t score Sunday. But at least they didn’t look bad in the red zone … but only because they never even got that far.” — Nate Davis

NFL: 29 (Previous: 20)

“The clock is ticking louder than ever now on Matt Patricia. The Lions had a chance to get themselves back into the playoff race on Sunday against the Panthers but instead pulled a no-show, shut out 20-0 in a game that reaffirms all the doubts surrounding this team and its coaching staff. The Panthers entered the game without star running back Christian McCaffrey or starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. But former XFL glory boy P.J. Walker moved the ball far better against the Lions than Matthew Stafford and an undermanned Detroit attack did against a Carolina defense that entered Sunday ranked 29th in football. The Lions can find their way back to the periphery of the postseason picture with a win over the Texans on Thanksgiving Day, but there’s zero reason for buy-in here. Lions fans surely agree.” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 24 (Previous: 22)

“What they’re thankful for: The offensive line. Detroit’s offensive line — particularly the left side — has been phenomenal (save for Sunday against Carolina). Left tackle Taylor Decker is playing at a Pro Bowl level. Center Frank Ragnow also is at a Pro Bowl level. Rookie left guard Jonah Jackson looks like a stable blocker for years to come and should end up on a bunch of all-rookie teams. While right guard has been an issue, Tyrell Crosby has stepped in at right tackle and played well. But in another down Lions season, the offensive line has sparked a run game and protected Matthew Stafford pretty well.” — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 24 (Previous 20)

“The end is coming for Matt Patricia. Injuries have hurt, but that was a terrible showing in losing to a backup quarterback against the Panthers.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 25 (Previous: 19)

“With all due respect to the Panthers and P.J. Walker: For the Lions, working under a playoff mandate, to have their fate sealed by an opponent on a six-game losing streak and starting an XFL quarterback is a level of humiliation that I pray you never experience.” — MMQB Staff

Sporting News: 21 (Previous: 19)

“What was that? The Lions didn’t have Kenny Golladay or D’Andre Swift, but they might as well have had nobody in that ugly 20-0 loss at the lowly Panthers vs. a backup QB. It’s over for Matt Patricia.” — Vinnie Iyer

The Detroit Lions’ (4-5) managed to secure another last-second victory, this time over the Washington Football Team. It took clutch performances from veterans Matthew Stafford and Marvin Jones to set up a 59-yard game-winning field goal from Matt Prater, who is now 22 of 22 when the game is on the line under 2-minutes in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Last-second heroics are fun to experience, but it appears it’s the Lions 4-5 record that seemed to influence the movement in this week’s national power rankings.

Let’s take a closer look at what the national analysts thought of the Lions’ victory and what the experts are saying this week.

Touchdown Wire: 22 (Previous: 28)

“Somehow, the Lions were able to pull out the win on a Matt Prater field goal on the final play, aided by a roughing the passer penalty committed by Chase Young to give the Lions life on their final drive.

“Given the next three weeks (games against Carolina, Houston and Chicago) the Lions might have a winning record at the end of that stretch. They’ll need to rattle off some wins, given the fact they end the year with games against Green Bay, Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Minnesota.” — Mark Schofield

USA Today: 19 (Previous 21)

“Nice to see rookie RB D’Andre Swift have a breakthrough game with 149 total yards … but why did it take this long to start him?” — Nate Davis

NFL: 20 (Previous: 27)

“Listen, we don’t know how the Lions are 4-5, either. It snuck up on all of us, so let’s all just try to remain calm and see where this thing goes. Matt Prater’s 59-yard field goal as time expired was the difference on Sunday in a 30-27 win over the Washington Football Team. It snapped a seven-game home losing streak for the Lions at Ford Field, a stretch that covered more than a calendar year. Did they blow a 21-point lead to one of pro football’s least inspiring offenses? Yes. Have the Lions under Matt Patricia demonstrated repeatedly that they are allergic to extended success? Sure. But Detroit won’t play another team that currently has a winning record until the middle of December. A path to relevance is there. Will they take it?” — Dan Hanzus

ESPN: 22 (Previous: 25)

“What would they take back: The fourth-quarter strategy against Chicago. The Lions were up 17 points in the season opener against the Bears before suffering a collapse, resulting in a 27-24 defeat after D’Andre Swift dropped a pass in the end zone on the Lions’ final drive. The combination of Detroit’s conservative offensive play in the fourth quarter, a decision to try a long field goal that backfired and the team’s insistence on heavy man coverage turned a win into a loss and immediately altered the tenor of the season.” — Michael Rothstein

CBS Sports: 20 (Previous 22)

“They are now 4-5 and still in the playoff race. Matt Patricia always seems to win a game just when it looks like his time is up.” — Pete Prisco

Sports Illustrated: 19 (Previous: 26)

“Detroit feels like it’s cruising toward an 8–8 mark and a conversation over the future of the franchise.” — MMQB Staff

Sporting News: 19 (Previous: 20)

“The Lions are doing just enough to help Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn have a chance to stick around beyond 2020, but it might be a frustrating end as they might end up just outside of the playoff chase. At least their offense looks complete with Matthew Stafford and D’Andre Swift now.” — Vinnie Iyer