Lions come to critical point in season
Allen Park — Packers right guard T.J. Lang knew not to take the Lions lightly in Week 10 despite their 1-7 start.
“I was saying it all week that week that we played Detroit, they were a team that everybody was kind of writing off, but when you watch the film and you look at the records, the two didn’t match up,” he said. “So, it was something that we knew they were a dangerous team coming in.”
Sure enough, the Lions pulled the massive upset at Lambeau Field nearly three weeks ago, ending a 24-game road losing streak in Wisconsin during what had been an abysmal season. And suddenly, thanks to improved defensive play and a newfound ability to limit turnovers, the Lions are on a three-game winning streak.
From Lang’s perspective, the firing of general manager Martin Mayhew and president Tom Lewand had to motivate the players. Multiple Lions players, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, and coaches have pointed to improved play as the reason for the current winning streak, denying the effects of the dismissals.
Obama mourns passing of Saudi king
Regardless of how the Lions changed their losing ways, they’re now at a critical crossroads. At 4-7, they could continue winning and try to make a miraculous run to the postseason, surely becoming the hot team opponents don’t want to see in a sudden death game. Or the Lions could falter slightly and see how little room for error they had after the 1-7 start.
“We’re just trying to win,” Lions safety Glover Quin said. “We just want to win. We had a tough first half of the season and lost a bunch of games, and nobody likes to lose. So, we’re just trying to win, and see where we’re at at the end.
“And if we get a chance (to reach the postseason), we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, but right now, our focus is on Green Bay.”
The Lions have a chance to win four of five games against the Packers on Thursday night at Ford Field (8:25 p.m., CBS and NFL Network). They haven’t accomplished that feat since 1989-91, but as was the case with the long road losing streak, the Lions are solely focused on the upcoming game.
A Lions win would be yet another strange twist in this year’s NFC North race. The first-place Vikings (8-3) are 3-0 against the Lions and Bears (5-6), but the Packers (7-4) dominated Minnesota, 30-13, two weeks ago.
The Packers lost to the Lions, 18-16, the week before that and to the Bears, 17-13, last week.
“Records mean nothing in this league,” Lions defensive end Darryl Tapp said. “Any given Sunday teams make plays.”
Obama mourns passing of Saudi king
The simplest way to explain the Lions’ recent success is pointing to the improved defense. They’ve allowed an average of 14.3 points in the past three games and have held teams to fewer than 70 rushing yards each game.
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, though, thinks “nothing’s changed” with the defensive approach.
“I think what happened is we’ve done a better job in terms of our push in the middle, in terms of setting edges and in terms of tackling,” he said.
Safety Isa Abdul-Quddus and linebacker Tahir Whitehead have had increased roles and given the Lions more speed on defense, but, otherwise, there’s not much reason for the defensive improvement than better play.
Coach Jim Caldwell noted the lack of turnovers — one total in the last three games — as the reason for the improved offense, though the Lions scored just 18 points in the wins over Green Bay and Oakland.
Even though his teammates disagree, Quin thinks the firing of Mayhew and Lewand must have had some impact on the team.
“I guess when you see that moves are being made, you have to obviously think if they get rid of a GM and the president midseason, well, I’d like to say everybody’s on the chopping block,” he said. “So, you better be out there playing for your job … (and) doing everything you can to stay because they’re trying to win. And if you’re not helping to win, you could be gone.”
Lang has seen that as the Lions have played with “more fire” in recent games, noting the Lions came to Green Bay “jacked up” and “obviously took it us.” But, outside of the Lions’ Week 5 loss to Arizona and the end of the Week 8 loss to Kansas City, Lang didn’t see a lack of effort from the Lions in the first half of the season.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy thought the Lions showed good signs in all three phases but were just on the wrong end of close games.
“We have a lot of respect to way the team is built and the way it’s playing,” McCarthy said.
Lions vs. Packers
Kickoff: 8:25 p.m. Thursday, Ford Field, Detroit
TV / radio: CBS, NFL Network / 97.1 FM
Records: Lions 4-7, Packers 7-4
Line: Packers by 3