Ok, I'm going to say it - I told you so.
A one on one matchup between Backus and Jared Allen is an extreme mismatch in favor of Allen. As most of you got the opportunity to see today, Jeff Backus is quite simply not quick enough to handle a speed rush by the leagues top pass rushers without help. Far too often, Backus was put in this matchup today, and Matt Stafford paid the price.
One of the primary reasons the Lions won the game today was due to the Vikings mis-management of their opportunities. As I feared, early in the game the Vikings and Adrian Peterson exposed the Lions mystifying and ongoing weakness versus the run. The worst thing the Vikings did today was getting away from the run. Just when they were running downhill on the Lions D, they suddenly decided to go to the air with the marginally accurate McNabb.
The Vikings certainly had their opportunities today. Perhaps one lesson Vikings head coach Leslie Frasier can take from today is this - You are the head coach, and paid to make the decisions for the team, if it was as easy as listening to what the players wanted to do, they wouldn't need you. On 4th and 1 in the fourth quarter, Frasier sent Ryan Longwell out to kick a field goal that would have put the Vikings up 23-17. Instead, after emphatic waving off the field by Adrian Peterson, Frasier caved and decided to go for it. The Lions stuffed it, took possession, and marched down the field for a game-tying field goal.
I'm absolutely thrilled that the Lions are 3-0 for the first time since 1980, but it is clear to see that this team still has a great deal more to work on throughout the season if they hope to truly take the next step. It's nice that we can play competitively with contending teams and have a fair expectation of winning the game, but this team truly has the capability of so much more. This team truly has championship caliber talent, but they have to play a cleaner game in order to achieve their potential.
I couldn't agree more. Backus was clearly over matched, and so was Cherilus. I was not overly impressed with Hilliard either. The only thing I can say is we have to work on one thing at a time. Mayhew and company have done a fantastic job since the 2008 debacle. In fact they have done such a great job that we are talking playoffs, championship caliber players, and seeing people jump on a certain bandwagon that is so rusty and dusty that it's a miracle the wheels haven't fallen off yet. I am happy with the progress, and I am confident that the Lion's front office will upgrade the offensive line next. Backus can still do a good job, for the time being, when he is not facing guys like Jared Allen and Julius Peppers. Unfortunately, those guys are both in our division. The simple fact of the matter is that Schwartz and his coaching staff are going to have to start game planning for Backus's declining abilities.
ReplyDeleteWe thought we would see Pettigrew lined up next to Backus on every play, but he was not. Even when he was, he didn't exactly help much on every play. That said, Allen did seem to tire a bit in the 3rd and 4th quarter, and Backus seemed to have more control of him in the second half. Matt Stafford capitalized on that fact, with bombs to CJ and accurate passes to Pettigrew and Titus Young. However if Backus had more help when Allen was fresh in the 1st half, maybe we would have scored some points in the first half too, and maybe the game wouldn't have been close let alone one that ended in OT.
I completely agree that the Lions have a LOT to work on. They are young (mostly). I also agree that it didn't hurt them to have Minnesota helping a bit, with their own self destruction. Things may have happened much differently had we been playing New England, or some other team that scores at will. But the Vikings are just not that good...and that is both scary, in that we barely won against them, and satisfying to me at the same time.
I could not be more thrilled to see the Lions winning, and to see them go 3-0 to start the season. I just hope they don't implode when they do actually lose a game.