Sunday, October 18, 2009

What's wrong with this picture?

If you watched this "game" yesterday, know the the quarter, down, and distance during this play. And if you know anything about NFL football and quarterbacks, you obviously know exactly what's wrong with this picture.
Okay - for those of you who didn't waste their time watching a depleted Lions team go in to Lambeau for an old-fashioned beatdown, I'll deal you in. Here's the situation:

With 2 minutes and change on the clock in the 3rd quarter, its first and goal on the 3. Rodgers drops back to pass and is quickly brought down by Julian Peterson in an ugly mess of downed linemen. He fumbles, and the Lions recover. What's the big deal you say? The problem is that the score was 26 to 0, Packers.

Yeah, but its the NFL and teams have come back in the 4th quarter from some pretty steep deficits you say? How 'bout a few more details. The Lions hadn't been able to move the ball much all day (149 yards for the game, and only 34 in the 4th), were on their 3rd string QB, and their best and most explosive player was injured and sitting out for the game. Figure out the problem yet?

Yup - you got it. Why was Rodgers even in the game at this point? Somebody who bleeds green and gold, please explain this to me. Otherwise I'm just going to believe that Mike McCarthy is a blithering idiot. Why not bring Matt Flynn in? Get your back up some real time snaps. If the Lions storm down the field and make it a threatening 26-7, bring Rodgers back in if you feel the need. Any O-line who yields 5 sacks to a Detroit front 4 who could only dress 6 men for the game due to injuries should: 1) Be ashamed of themselves; and 2) Not be trusted with protecting your franchise QB in mop up time, as early as it may have been. Coach McCarthy, you obviously had the team well-prepared to play. But did you really believe Drew Stanton and Dennis Northcutt could potentially pull out a 4 TD forth quarter and wrest this game away?

Now full disclosure here. I've masochistically been a Lions fan for what is approaching 30 years now. I didn't enjoy the beating my Kitties took Sunday, but that plays absolutely no factor here. Keeping Rodgers on the field at this point in the game was just straight up a stupid decision. Potentially one that ruins the season. And for those who didn't see the 4th, Rodgers played the entire quarter (although he almost exclusively handed the ball off). Please tell me there is a Packer fan out there who wants to challenge me on this notion. I'm pretty feisty today, given that my two football teams collectively scored zero points all weekend...UGH.

2 comments:

  1. The Patriots had the largest halftime lead in NFL history, and Brady was still chucking it around on a snowy field into the 3rd quarter.

    (I agree with you, and my friends and I were saying the same thing on Sunday.)

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  2. I know - I saw that is well. What is up with this? Unbelievable.

    But I guess in a league that does everything but throw the ball away for the QB to protect him, the risk of leaving your starter out there can all but be forgotten about.

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