The Detroit Lions must be big fans of Bobby Petrino. They certainly live by Petrino's creed: When the goin' gets tough, the tough up and quit.
Lions fans - the ones still willing to admit they are, anyway - might take issue with that statement, but I honestly don't see what other conclusion one can reach after the 51-14 beat-down they received today at the hands of the San Diego Chargers. Clearly, the Dallas loss last week - in a game the Lions had a chance to win until Romo led the late comeback - took the remaining starch out of Detroit, and now they're done.
A pretty sad result for a team as chippy as this Detroit gang was earlier in the season. But, the lesson is learned again - talk doesn't equal performance.
The leader of the Detroit fold-up job today was Jon Kitna, who threw 5 interceptions. Then there was the Detroit running game - 26 yards on 9 carries (they were way behind and had to throw I realize). And then there was the defense, which gave up a pair of 100-yard rushers in Darren Sproles and LaDanian Tomlinson, while allowing each back to also score 2 TDs.
That makes it six straight losses for Detroit, a team that at one point this year was looked upon as a legit third contender in the NFC behind Dallas and Green Bay. Now the Lions can not only kiss the playoffs goodbye, but likely kiss .500 goodbye, unless they can somehow pull themselves together and win both of their remaining games. The Lions themselves must be stunned that this has happened. But, when you can't run the ball or play defense, eventually teams are going to catch up with you. You don't get to just tear your way through an NFL schedule by only throwing the ball. Mike Martz may be an offensive guru, but when he was winning with the Rams, he had a guy named Marshall Faulk. He doesn't have anyone like Faulk in Detroit, that's safe to say.
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Tags: detroit lions, jon kitna, ladanian tomlinson, mike martz, san diego chargers
