MP has no plans to take over defensive playcalling

[Gulf of Brazil]

Midseason by the numbers: Lions on pace for worst defensive season ever

8.6: That’s the percentage of run plays for which Snacks Harrison has been on the field, and recorded a stop. That’s not very good. In fact, it ranks 42nd in the league. For comparison, he hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in this statistic since 2013, his first season as a starter. And his dramatic fall from one of the league’s premier run-stuffers to just a guy is one of the biggest reasons Detroit’s defense can’t get off the field.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Midseason by the numbers: Lions on pace for worst defensive season ever

82nd: Nobody is struggling quite like Jarrad Davis. He’s been OK when rushing the passer, but bad at just about everything else. How bad, you ask? He ranks 82nd among linebackers, according to ProFootballFocus. That’s out of -- drumroll please -- 82 players who have played enough snaps to qualify. So, dead last. In fact, Davis has also been worse than 67 of the 70 linebackers who have not played enough snaps to qualify for a grade. In other words, he’s been worse than all but three of the 152 linebackers who have suited up for a play this season.

It’s also true Davis is exceptional in every other way -- leadership, locker room, effort, etc. -- and that’s why his teammates voted him a captain. But his linebackering has been bad this year, there’s no getting around that either, and certainly not what you’d expect from a former first-round pick. Detroit is going to have some tough questions to ask about the future of its linebacker corps after the season, because these guys just aren’t getting it done, and that’s especially true in the middle.

 

[Thruthefog]

This graph sums up the Detroit Lions defense perfectly

While the problem is multi-faceted, and there is clearly not a single clear fix that would turn this unit around, there is one glaring disappointment that can explain much of their failures: the lack of a pass rush.

To give you an idea of just how bad the Lions pass rush is, ESPN’s Seth Walder put together a graph that is visually striking:


On the y-axis (up and down) is each team’s pass rush win rate. As you can see, the Lions are easily the last in the league—about five percent lower than the next closest team. To make matters worse, on the x-axis (left and right) is each team’s blitz per dropback rate. The Lions are also last in that category, blitzing around 17 percent of the time.

So in other words, not only are the Lions not successful at rushing the passer, but they aren’t doing much about it. They’ve tried to disguise their rushers a little more in the past couple of weeks, but they refuse to simply send more players.

Sure, the pass rushers need to be doing a better job, but this represents a certain level of stubbornness in the coaching staff, who appear disinterested in breaking protocol and being a little more aggressive with their pass rush.

And to think we were all over Caldwell for being predictable. MP is Caldwell on steroids.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

And to think we were all over Caldwell for being predictable. MP is Caldwell on steroids.

The Lions WERE/ARE PREDICTABLE through Schwartz, Caldwell (conservative) and Patricia. The common factor is Stafford.

 

[Rollingthndr]

Sure, the pass rushers need to be doing a better job, but this represents a certain level of stubbornness in the coaching staff, who appear disinterested in breaking protocol and being a little more aggressive with their pass rush.

A good coach recognizes mismatches in his opponent and exploits them.
A great coach does that and finds his own team's weaknesses and fixes them as well.
Fat Pat can't even recognize the weaknesses in his own team that he coaches everyday.

 

[Rollingthndr]

The Lions WERE/ARE PREDICTABLE through Schwartz, Caldwell (conservative) and Patricia. The common factor is Stafford.

Yeah, sucks Stafford has had to deal with all those weak coaching staffs.

 

[Rollingthndr]

Midseason by the numbers: Lions on pace for worst defensive season ever

25: As in, percentage of pass rushes won by Lions players. And that ranks -- you guessed it! -- last in the league. In fact, nobody is within 5% of them -- and that next team is the Dolphins. Listen, Detroit knows it’ll pressure quarterbacks less often with its three-man rushes, but the club still expects players to win individual matchups. But that’s not happening, and neither is the pressure. That’s exposing the cornerbacks, who are probably the strength of the defense even though their numbers don’t always reflect it.

Good article.
If you are the coach. Outside of benching Davis. The only thing the guy is good at is blitzing. Might as well send him 10 times a game cause he sure and hell can't cover anyone. No reason to leave him out there.

Alama Francis should be playing mike and Davis moved to WLB as well.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

Yeah, sucks Stafford has had to deal with all those weak coaching staffs.

So, all those weak ass OC's are the "common factor" with the same play book? I'm not the one being naive. Stafford needs 20 more "Game Winning Drives" to tie Peyton Manning at 54. Stafford only needs 15 more 4th quarter Comeback Wins to tie Peyton Manning at 41.

 

[Rollingthndr]

So, all those weak ass OC's are the "common factor" with the same play book? I'm not the one being naive. Stafford needs 20 more "Game Winning Drives" to tie Peyton Manning at 54. Stafford only needs 15 more 4th quarter Comeback Wins to tie Peyton Manning at 41.

So are you saying you want Stafford off the team?
Lions would be 0-8 this year without him and Fat Pat's defense on the other side.

 

[broncosmitty]

Midseason by the numbers: Lions on pace for worst defensive season ever

82nd: Nobody is struggling quite like Jarrad Davis. He’s been OK when rushing the passer, but bad at just about everything else. How bad, you ask? He ranks 82nd among linebackers, according to ProFootballFocus. That’s out of -- drumroll please -- 82 players who have played enough snaps to qualify. So, dead last. In fact, Davis has also been worse than 67 of the 70 linebackers who have not played enough snaps to qualify for a grade. In other words, he’s been worse than all but three of the 152 linebackers who have suited up for a play this season.

It’s also true Davis is exceptional in every other way -- leadership, locker room, effort, etc. -- and that’s why his teammates voted him a captain. But his linebackering has been bad this year, there’s no getting around that either, and certainly not what you’d expect from a former first-round pick. Detroit is going to have some tough questions to ask about the future of its linebacker corps after the season, because these guys just aren’t getting it done, and that’s especially true in the middle.

Yikes.


Best thing I've seen from Davis was the late hit out of bounds his first game back. Was just happy to see him be aggressive.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

So are you saying you want Stafford off the team?

If you wanna see Stafford in a Super Bowl. I doubt Stafford will ever even try to make a Super Bowl run playing for the Lions. He'll probably get into the HOF without ever being in one.

Lions would be 0-8 this year without him and Fat Pat's defense on the other side.

Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl with a third tier defense. Stafford gets paid whether he wins or loses.

 

[broncosmitty]

If you wanna see Stafford in a Super Bowl. I doubt Stafford will ever even try to make a Super Bowl run playing for the Lions. He'll probably get into the HOF without ever being in one.

Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl with a third tier defense. Stafford gets paid whether he wins or loses.

Against Rex Grossman though. Barely even counts.

 

[Rollingthndr]

If you wanna see Stafford in a Super Bowl. I doubt Stafford will ever even try to make a Super Bowl run playing for the Lions. He'll probably get into the HOF without ever being in one.

He is "trying" to win. It's obvious every Sunday to me.
Problem is he has a shitstorm of inept ownership, coaching and working against the zebra's and the NFL itself which is obvious at this point that their calls favor bigger market teams (Cowgirls and Buttpackers), which results in more of a WWE look than a legitimate sport.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

Against Rex Grossman though. Barely even counts.

Peyton Manning still carried the Colts 3rd tier defense into the playoffs. Just because Gross Rexman couldn't get it done in the rain with a late pick six doesn't diminish Manning getting er dun against da Bears top 3 defense.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

He is "trying" to win. It's obvious every Sunday to me.

It looks that way in the 4th quarter for comeback wins stats... it's the dicking around for the other team to take the lead that we'll agree to disagree!!

 

[Rollingthndr]

It looks that way in the 4th quarter for comeback wins stats... it's the dicking around for the other team to take the lead that we'll agree to disagree!!

Yeah for sure. You think he's screwing around or something?

He has been and always will be a streaky passer.

He can have 2 consecutive 3 and outs. Then go 7 for 8 with 85 yards and a TD on the next drive. That's just the nature of his game in a nutshell.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

You think he's screwing around or something?

Outside of the blatant calls by the officials and the Lions become dead fish... it's exactly that!! It's not just 2015 when the Lions started out 1-7 in the first half of the season. Martha Ford came out said "I want wins." The Lions started the second half of the season with a win in Lambeau ending the losing streak since 1991 on a 6-2 run. Ending the season with a 7-9 record.

He has been and always will be a streaky passer.

Until the 4th quarter when the Lions are moving the ball at will. It's not against a prevent defense!! Exactly who is setting the Lions "UP FOR THAT 4TH QUARTER COMEBACK?" A vast majority of the losses comes from an INT, Sack or Fumble from Stafford to kill the final drive. Everyone is like "the Lions lost a close one."

He can have 2 consecutive 3 and outs.

LOL... taking the foot off the accelerator to hit the breaks in order to give the opponent the opportunity to take the lead OR to stay within striking distance "until what quarter?" Like I said, we agree to disagree.

 

[broncosmitty]

Peyton Manning still carried the Colts 3rd tier defense into the playoffs. Just because Gross Rexman couldn't get it done in the rain with a late pick six doesn't diminish Manning getting er dun against da Bears top 3 defense.

"Barely" is better'n nothing.