Jason_R

There they are.

Waiting for the complaints about Dan Campbell's play calling on that fake punt that worked. Edit: Gulp.

I thought Russell Wilson was gone.

The Leos aren't going to make it easy on us fans today, are they?

Oh please. Arguably Williams wasn't even the best RB in the Lions-Vikings game. The Bears had a guy go for 157 on 20 carries with two touchdowns. Cordarelle Patterson carried 17 times for 141 yards. Nick Chubb went for 113 yards on 23 carries. Are you telling me that you really, honestly, truly believe that Williams had a better game than those three? And there are a handful more who also arguably had as good a game as Williams. So if Williams was the best RB on Sunday, how awful did the Lions OL grade out to make his performance more impressive than those? Williams had a good game on Sunday, for a backup running back. But the explosive offense was all coming through Swift. I hope we get to a point where we don't need to pick up running backs in free agency.

Clearly he was right to be aggressive when it was successful but wrong when it was unsuccessful. /s Remember, they were clicking on all cylinders in the first two games when they were breaking off 50 yard runs. By the 4th quarter yesterday, their two players capable of keeping a defense on its heels were hobbled. That is probably the reason Campbell did not go for it, but he is protecting the team by taking the blame on himself. Again, a team with more depth on defense could have stopped the final drive. A team with more depth at RB could have churned out a few more first downs. That lack of depth is why it is a little troubling that Holmes took some injury risks in the draft, and it is why I hope he does not take a risk on a QB next year. Build your roster then get your QB.

Yes, they were the better team until Swift couldn’t carry the ball, ASB couldn’t get separation from a LB, hobbled Hutch and the DL couldn’t pressure Cousins, and their weak DBs got exposed. And then when their second and third string players were asked to close, they couldn’t.

Yes, Williams is “fine.” Average. No, he is not the biggest problem. But he is one of several examples of the team’s lack of depth. That lack of depth is why I’m not bent out of shape about the loss. The team is outperforming my optimistic expectations on offense and meeting my pessimistic expectations on defense. Still, there is no reason they can’t go into the bye 3-2, then come back with Swift and Jaymo rested and mow down a weak schedule down the stretch.

They do not have the depth to close out games. Yes, Campbell should have gone for it at the end. But maybe the result would have been the same. In any case, Swift was hurt, ASB was dinged, Reynolds was dinged, Hutch was dinged, Amani had a horrible game, Walker probably tore his Achilles, and Holmes gambled on two DL who have given us nothing this season. Another draft will make a substantial difference.

If Swift and Jaymo are ever healthy at the same time, watch out.

Williams is at 3.9 YPC for the season. Despite the strength of the OL.

Yes and Swift is playing on one ankle. Edit: They both rushed for 4.4 ypc. The league average. Mediocre. Yes Williams’s average would have been higher had he not hit paydirt, but we did not have the explosive plays in the running game that powered the offense in the first two weeks.

Swift had seven rushes for 31 yards. The offense is nowhere near the same without his explosiveness. Jamaal Williams is a great story but he has been mediocre as RB2.

They lost a game they were expected to lose on the road. They are not going anywhere this year. The key for this year is whether they spend their first round picks next season on a new QB or on defensive help. QB play was not their weakness today.

The 3rd and short where they tried the back shoulder fade early in the 4th was the worst decision. The run game doesn’t look nearly so good without Swift. Maybe if Levi and Paschal can get healthy this season we replace Amari with a 1st round CB and get another explosive runner.

That decision to throw on third and a foot is looking worse and worse.

Did not like the call.

Quite a bounce.

They wanted the big play action shot on first down. Almost hit it, but almost doesn’t count.

FINISH THEM!!!

Run game is sputtering a bit today but Goff is bailing them out.

Vikes getting away with physical play in the secondary.

Goff had a passer rating of 108 in that half. Amani got picked on, and the DL got no pressure. Would we rather have had improvements on the DL and secondary that half, or the QB behind door number two?

Doesn’t matter as much if you hold the ball for almost the whole quarter.

Dan Campbell!