reporters set up the Lions game

#LARams will Face Lions After the Bye

First look at #DETvsLA 🔍 » https://t.co/1V88472YGu pic.twitter.com/1NpQugfmwB

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) November 28, 2018

What went wrong for the 2018 Detroit Lions?

https://www.prideofdetroit.com/2018/11/24/18109169/matthew-stafford-is-bad-right-now-but-trading-him-is-dumb

Matthew Stafford is bad right now, but trading him is dumb

Why, for the millionth time, the Lions shouldn’t trade Stafford.

Who’s ready for the overreacting period of the Lions season? It came a little earlier than usual this year ,with the Lions hitting 4-7 after a bad loss to the Bears on Thanksgiving. But even though the overreactions came in early, the topic is still the exact same one it’s been for years. It’s all rooted in this weird fetish that Detroit sports fans have about sending their best athletes out of town.

Finally, there’s some meat on the bone here, though. Lions fans actually have something to point to when they say the Lions should trade Matthew Stafford. Usually it’s the classic “but he hasn’t won anything” comment that makes me roll my eyes so hard that they damn near fall out, because, as I mention nearly every day, quarterback wins are not a real stat. Teams shouldn’t be basing their quarterback personnel decisions off of them.

But that meat on the bone I was talking about is that Stafford and the offense are in a real funk right now. There’s a lot to point to when you’re trying to explain it, such as the lack of solid receiving threats. The ones Stafford does have can’t create separation. His offensive coordinator is about to get fired for being so bad, and the Lions offensive line went from top five to bottom five seemingly overnight. But, to be fair, Matthew Stafford has been making some very poor decisions this season.

I don’t know if Matthew isn’t making good decisions because he’s trying to force something or if he’s just regressing. I’ve been thinking about that for weeks. It’s really odd because after the Miami game, Stafford looked like the elite quarterback we all knew he was at the time. Statistically speaking, only Drew Brees and Matt Ryan had put up better overall numbers then.

Everything changed against Seattle. The once completely reliable in the clutch Matthew Stafford started making mistakes in the clutch—a fumble in the fourth quarter on a drive to bring the game to within a touchdown followed by an ugly interception on the 1-yard line the next drive.

Then against Minnesota, in a game the Lions weren’t out of, Matthew decided to pitch to Kerryon Johnson while running and we all know what happened next. In Chicago, Stafford threw two picks, but it was his odd choice to try and pass to Marvin Jones on a second down when he needed to run 5-yards in an open field for a first down to keep the drive going. He got sacked on the next play.

When I asked him about it after the game, he said that he was “trying to make a big one.” I’ll touch on that in a moment.

Then on Thanksgiving it came to a head again. It’s the fourth quarter and the Lions are down by a touchdown. It used to be okay, because you knew Stafford was going to lead the team down the field, but then he threw a pick six.

I’ve talked to death about that pick six all weekend. When your offensive coordinator draws up the most conservative offense of all time with passes to the flat on nearly every play, someone is going to jump that route eventually. There was nothing Stafford could have done there.

But on the second interception, I have to place some of it on Stafford. Yes, there was a push off. Yes, Roberts was nowhere close to where he was supposed to be as well. But why throw it? In that moment, I can’t begin to comprehend what Stafford is going through in a barrage of movement happening around you. It’s hard to think. But from my couch I can say, “Why go to Roberts there?” It was clear Michael was having a really bad day. He had only caught one ball for 9 yards on three targets. Even if he’s where he needs to be, what are the chances he beats the corner? Especially when said corner is Kyle Fuller, one of the best in the league.

It’s things like Stafford’s play the past few weeks that make you wonder if regression is really what’s happening here? Did we see Matthew’s peak already? Is he really this bad? Should the Lions actually trade him this time?

That was a question that Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon asked on Friday in his column. Should the Lions give up on Stafford? ‘

Despite Brad’s use of quarterback wins, he makes some good points in this piece. The Lions would save $28.5 million a season if they decided to ship Stafford off somewhere. As Gagnon mentions, the Lions certainly could spend that on their defense.

But that figure is pretty misleading. $28 million is really nice, but what’s not nice is paying Stafford $49 million to play somewhere else. That’s the dead money the Lions would owe Stafford if they decide to cut him. Trading him isn’t all that better, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press explains here:

In Stafford’s case, if the Lions wanted to trade their quarterback and undergo a total rebuild in the spring, they would face an immediate $30 million hit to their cap.

Stafford right now counts $29.5 million against the Lions’ 2019 cap, so by keeping him, the team would devote less cap space to him than if he was playing for another team.

So trading or cutting Stafford in the upcoming offseason would actually costthem more than keeping him.

It doesn’t get much better from there. If the Lions decide to move on in 2020, they would still have to pay Stafford $20 million in dead cap. They would end up saving $11.5 million in cap space overall, but that’s nowhere near the $28 million/year Gagnon implies in his misleading column.

The next part is that I wouldn’t say Matt Patricia is bringing a conservative approach. That’s all on offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter. It’s also all on the Lions having guys like Andy Jones and Bruce Ellington out there. Cooter is trying to mask the Lions’ inefficiencies with Joe Lombardi-like dinking and dunking. If it worked the way he’s drawing up, we’d say he was a genius, but it’s not working and he’s not.

I hate to say that Stafford needs a third offensive coordinator in his life, but he does. If only there were a combination of Scott Linehan and Jim Bob Cooter out there somewhere. Paging Scott Bob. Scott Bob, please come to the film room.

Lastly, I’ll finish with this: Where are all these great quarterbacks that washing up to shore to replace Stafford? I ask this to Lions fans as much as I can. Name a quarterback that’s better than Matthew Stafford that the Lions can have right now.

Because I’m not seeing the guy. I’m not seeing any guys that have come out recently outside of Jared Goff, Carson Wentz and Patrick Mahomes that can replace Stafford and play better than him. I mean look at the names.
Blake Bortles is, well, he’s Blake Bortles
Teddy Bridgewater is a backup quarterback now
Derek Carr is a shell of himself
I told y’all Jimmy Garoppolo wasn’t good
Jameis Winston is sitting behind Ryan Fitzpatrick
Marcus Mariota is meh
Christian Hackenberg is a god, but the Lions can’t afford him
Mitchell Trubisky is meh. Don’t tell Bears fans that, though.
Deshaun Watson is good, but he’s not what we thought he was last year.
Does anyone know where DeShone Kizer is right now?
Baker Mayfield is entertaining, but he’s not better than Stafford
Sam Darnold is clearly not what Week 1 suggested he wa.s
Josh Allen is Josh Allen
Josh Rosen might be okay
I like Lamar Jackson
Where are all these quarterbacks coming from? Maybe they can get one in free agency. Let’s see who’ll be on the market. Oh, here we go. The Lions can sign Josh McCown. Problem solved.

In the end, trading Stafford is not the answer. No matter how badly some Lions fans want it to be. Your best bet right now is to hope the Lions can find a good offensive coordinator and Stafford can snap out of this funk. Because at the end of the day, that’s really all this is. And remember, we’re all just overreacting to it.

O’HARA’S SCOUTING REPORT: Los Angeles Rams

https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o-hara-s-scouting-report-los-angeles-rams

The Los Angeles Rams’ 10-1 won-loss record and lofty offensive ratings are enough to show what the Detroit Lions are up against at Ford Field Sunday.

In the Rams’ case, the numbers don’t lie. They’re good – scary good for a struggling team facing them.

As the Rams return from a bye, the season is just starting in the mind of Aqib Talib, a five-time Pro Bowl cornerback and member of the 2015 season Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos who has returned to practice from the injured list.

“The season – real season – starts right now,” Talib told reporters covering the Rams earlier this week. “If you plan on doing something, you should have about eight games left. Your last eight games, you should be working harder than the first 11.”

Talib’s eight-game projection would take the Rams to Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta.

There’s a long way to go before anybody gets to the Super Bowl, but the Rams can take one more step in that direction Sunday. They need only a victory or a tie to clinch first place in the NFC West for the second straight year. Second-place Seattle (6-5) is five games behind.

The stars are aligning at the right time for the Rams to make a Super Bowl push.

One of those stars is second-year head coach Sean McVay, who was only 31 when the Rams hired him last year.

McVay brought with him a reputation for having a keen offensive mind that was developed over nine NFL seasons as an assistant coach. He was Washington’s offensive coordinator the last three.

McVay got instant results. The Rams’ record improved from 4-12 to 11-5. The offense – his specialty – skyrocketed from last in the league in yards (262.7) and points per game (14) in 2016 to first in points (29.9) and 10th in yards (361.5).

Third-year quarterback Jared Goff, drafted first overall in 2016, has benefitted from McVay’s presence. Goff is headed for a second straight Pro Bowl with 26 TD passes against six interceptions.

Goff is blessed with a talented supporting cast.

Todd Gurley, second in the league in rushing with 1,043 yards and first with 13 TDs, already has his third 1,000-yard season in four years.

Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods, with 59 catches each, form a lethal receiving duo. Cooks has 964 receiving yards. Woods has 904.

And on defense, tackle Aaron Donald is playing like Aaron Donald. In other words, the league’s best defensive player – voted the defensive MVP a year ago – is playing to his own standard of supreme excellence with a league-high 14.5 sacks.

In a city that demands star power and style points to go with performance in its sports teams – college and pro — the Rams are giving the L.A. glitz crowd the entertainment it expects in its arenas and stadiums.

There was no higher level of that than the Rams’ last game – a 54-51 victory over the Chiefs in a Monday Night TV game that had the trappings of a heavyweight championship fight.

Goff threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 478 yards and six TDs, but he also had three interceptions and lost two fumbles.

“It was a crazy game … crazy game,” Goff told reporters. “It was back and forth the whole game.”

Goff was asked if it felt like an NBA game.

“It felt like a college game, is what it felt like,” Goff said. “It was a lot of fun.”

It is a tribute to the Rams’ collection of stars that in a game that looked like a 100-yard relay race, back and forth to the end zone, a defensive player could steal some of the limelight.

Donald dominated the interior. He sacked Mahomes twice, forcing fumbles both times. Linebacker Samson Ebukam returned one fumble for a TD and added a second TD on an interception return.

“Our defense made the plays when they had to,” Goff said. “Whenever we need it, they get it done.”

For every pass target, these defenses give up the highest/lowest percentage of completions.#GoBucs #Colts #BeRedSeeRed #OnePride #InBrotherhood #DallasCowboys #GoSaints #Seahawks #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/yWcQRoMyhu

— NFL Matchup on ESPN (@NFLMatchup) November 29, 2018

5 things to know about Rams vs. Lions in Week 13

Cameron DaSilva

5 things to know about Rams vs. Lions in Week 13

After a week off, the Los Angeles Rams return to action on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. They’re seeking their 11th win of the season against a 4-7 Detroit team, hoping to keep pace with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC.

The Lions don’t pose much of a threat to Los Angeles, but playing at 1 p.m. ET isn’t something the Rams have had to do this season.

Here are five interesting stats and facts to know for Sunday’s game.

Lions are 5-10 in last 15 games vs. teams off bye

The Rams are coming off their Week 12 bye, which gave Sean McVay and Wade Phillips additional time to prepare for the Lions. That doesn’t bode well for the Lions, especially considering the Rams’ dominant performance after their bye last season, beating the Giants 51-17.

Since 2004, Detroit hasn’t fared well against teams off bye weeks. The Lions are just 5-10 in their last 15 such games, including eight straight losses from 2004-13. They are, however, 4-2 in their last six against teams off byes, but did lose to the Seahawks 28-14 this season.

Lions average more time of possession than Rams

Believe it or not, but the Lions actually do a better job controlling the clock than the Rams. That could be due to the fact that the Rams score so quickly with their average drive lasting just 2:46 compared to the Lions (2:54). No matter how you cut it, though, the Lions hold the ball throughout the game more than the Rams typically do.

Their average time of possession, 31:22, is third-best in the NFL, while the Rams are seventh (31:08). Not a huge difference, of course, but still surprising considering how bad the Lions’ offense is.

Aaron Donald owns the Lions

Donald has only played Detroit twice, but he has a strong track record against it. In those two games, he has nine tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks. That’s the third-most sacks against any team he’s faced in the NFL despite only playing the Lions twice. It’s the only team he’s faced multiple times and averaged two sacks per game.

For comparison, he has seven sacks in eight games against the 49ers and just 6.5 sacks in nine games against Arizona.

All-time series is nearly split down the middle

The Lions and Rams have faced each other 85 times, nearly splitting the all-time series. The Rams are 43-41-1 against Detroit but have lost three of their last four games. Their largest margin of victory was 41 points in 1950, beating the Lions 65-24. Strangely enough, the Rams have been shut out by the Lions six times, while Detroit has scored zero points four times against the Rams.

Rams have fewer sacks despite Lions’ leader only having 6.0

No player in the NFL has more sacks than Donald (14.5), but the rest of the Rams haven’t followed suit and provided much help. The next-closest player is Ndamukong Suh with 3.5 and the Rams only have 29 as a team, which is 14th in the NFL.

The Lions, on the other hand, are getting it done in a different way. Their top sack artist is Devon Kennard with six, but they have 32 as a team, which ranks ninth in the NFL

Game Preview: Rams Face Lions with Opportunity to Clinch NFC West Title

https://www.therams.com/news/game-preview-rams-face-lions-with-opportunity-to-clinch-nfc-west-title

Lions interior linemen preparing for battle with Rams

https://www.detroitlions.com/news/notebook-lions-interior-linemen-preparing-for-battle-with-rams

Lions vs. Rams: Must find way to slow RB Gurley

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2018/11/30/detroit-lions-rams-todd-gurley/2146977002/

Can the Lions slow down the Rams? pic.twitter.com/S7WHnfwQrv

— Pro Football Focus (@PFF) December 1, 2018