Much Better Effort; But Plenty of Questions Remain

Much Better Effort; But Plenty of Questions Remain

October 13th, 2008

Matt Loede

Posted in Features, Opinions

The effort against the Vikings on Sunday was by far the best of the season for a Lions team that appeared to have given up last Sunday vs the Bears. The issues remain though that the team is 0-5, and that they still look more like a bad high school JV team on offense no matter who is under center. Here are yet more questions that the coaches are going to have to answer when it comes to this team:

1. What is going on with the RB Spot? – They did little yesterday vs a great Vikings run defense, but at the same time, who are we expecting to see carry the ball on any given down? Kevin Smith showed early flashes of being good, but he’s a rookie, and he seemed to flat-line the last two weeks. Now enter Rudi Johnson, who was told before the Bears game he’d be the starter, yet didn’t and then yesterday did finally have a team-high 17 carries for 38 yards. This spot simply has to get better.

2. And the QB Spot? – Well, Dan Orlovsky didn’t exactly make me think he should get another shot. He was not very good yesterday, and made the bonehead move of the year when he ran out of the endzone for a safety. Jon Kitna is still hurting, and now might be a time to give Drew Stanton, who could be the QB of the future, a shot. I don’t want to see Orlovsky again this Sunday.

3. As for the D - They gave up 392 yards vs the Vikings, and while they were robbed at the end with that bad pass interference call by Mike Weir that put the Vikings in position to win the game, the D simply has to get better, and right now they are not. More pressure on the QB, better against the run, and how about some turnovers already?!