Starting Slow

by giggy09 on Sep 26, 2011 1:18 PM EDT

Hello POD. Our Lions are 3-0. Pretty exciting. They've looked great at times, and sluggish at others.

Although we have the talent on this team to be great, my main concern this season is our slow starts. Against Tampa, KC and Minnesota, the Lions offense has taken a while to get rolling.

In Tampa, Detroit's offense stalled and had to settle for two field goals before getting hot in the 2nd quarter.

At home vs. KC, again we settled for a field goal before catching fire late in the second quarter and ultimately for 21 points in the 4th quarter alone.

In Minnesota, we all know it took midway through the 3rd quarter to get rolling.

Granted our opponents are better than their records suggest, I still can't seem to figure out why it takes this team a little while to get moving. We saw in preseason our offense step up right at the start of the game. Yet this season has been the opposite. Even our defense seems to need halftime adjustments before settling in, particularly when trying to stop the run game. Good teams battle through adversity, and the Lions have ultimately coming home with a win even after starting every game slow. My concern is that when we start playing better teams (Dallas is a great example this upcoming week), the Lions won't be able to afford to play only 2 or 3 quarters. That's when losses happen.

So I wanted to reach out to my fellow POD members to help me solve this mystery. What are your thoughts on why our team seems to stall at the start of every game this season?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit or its writers. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.

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hopefully it doesnt take a loss because of slow starts to get this train moving

but just as important as how you start is how you finish. the game planning and adaptation by linehan and co. has been impressive. that being said, i want to see another blowout in dallas next sunday

by staffordfan on Sep 26, 2011 1:27 PM EDT reply actions

I think that

This will improve over time, also this is credit to a lot of the depth we have at all positions

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by Detroitnr1 on Sep 26, 2011 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

I think

It is just us coming in with game plans that the defense was ready for. That and our o-line getting trucked play after play. Big adjustments needed to happen and seems like we needed the time during the half to work them out.

by chaunce on Sep 26, 2011 2:23 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I'd take starting slow

Than finishing slow any day of the week, just ask Vikings fans.

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by Bighaircut on Sep 26, 2011 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

+100

by staffordfan on Sep 26, 2011 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

its not that they stall

they just cant seem to let the clutch out. and when the do in the 2nd half they smoke the tires like a top fuel car warming up its tires before a 300mph run down the 1/4 mile. they ’ll pick it up they are young. If the opponents defense doesnt play how they anticipated it takes more time for them to adjust, they are young and still learning.

by mochaj on Sep 26, 2011 5:18 PM EDT reply actions

Schwartz seems to have made it sound like

the other teams have game planned real well against us – showing us different looks and such. Stafford seems to feel out the defense for a few series before knowing exactly how to dominate. He did the same against Wash last year. He said he wasn’t totally sure what they were doing, but then made the adjustments and threw 4 TDs…He’s a baller. It is only his 16th game and he’ll get better at coming out of the gate on fire!

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by rames on Sep 26, 2011 10:20 PM EDT reply actions

That's right....Let these other teams show their shit, then scheme against it, and let dominate talent win it.

What’s the issue?…lol

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by delusional on Sep 27, 2011 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

and he'll get better and better at it as time goes on.

It’s easy to forget that Staff is still relatively inexperienced as an NFL qb, with one season’s worth of games played, total. I guess you have to throw in clipboard and game film experience when he was hurt. It does make a difference.

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by studmo on Sep 27, 2011 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions

From what I've seen

We go with safe plays the first few series. Several runs, which we are not equiped to make at this point. Most of which get bounced to the outside due to collapsing running lanes. Then we turn to the shorter 5 yrd outs and curls to the TE to try and establish a drive. This gives the coaching staff time to evalyate what we are seeing and find weaknesses in the zone and one on one match-ups.

Personally I would like to see more running plays designed for off tackle which would allow Best to get 2-3 yrds down the field and then try to make a cut back instead of doing it in the backfield. I would also like to see more screens earlier in the game to slow down the edge rush. That allows us to get the downfield game going that much sooner.

I think as the season goes on they will get more comfortable coming out and just playing a more aggresive style.

by ncbur10 on Sep 27, 2011 12:20 AM EDT reply actions

I think there could be something to this theory about having to adjust to opposing team gameplans

by Hyperion Ecta on Sep 27, 2011 1:27 AM EDT reply actions

Well, I can answer that in one word, Stafford

I am not saying Stafford is a bad player, far from it. I am saying that he is young, and it takes him a little while to figure out the other team. We have to remember that Matthew only has one season of experience playing even though he has been here more than two seasons. I think he still comes into the game a bit tense as well, and that causes him to miss some early throws. As he settles down and he starts to understand what the defense is doing, he becomes more effective.

If the Lions had a better running game it would help to carry the team a bit while Stafford is settling down, but we don’t. We will either have to find a way to run more effectively early in the game, or Stafford needs to settle down quicker if we want to be more effective early on. Fortunately, that is something that should happen all on its own as Matthew gains more experience in the league.

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by TuffLynx on Sep 27, 2011 9:47 PM EDT reply actions

OK, I really shouldn't put it all on Stafford.

There are a LOT of reasons for the slow starts and Matt is only part of it. I already answered that a better running game would help get us started as well. In the game against the Vikings our first tow series were ended with sacks. Lot so reasons to go around and lots of things that will need to be fixed.

I never met him, but he was family to me... R.I.P. Tom Kowalski We will all miss you.

by TuffLynx on Sep 27, 2011 9:50 PM EDT up reply actions

STAFFORD HATER!!!

Just kidding guy. No, we can’t put it all on Stafford, but we do have to keep in mind that despite being in his third season the dude doesn’t have that much game experience. I fully expect him to hit be in full stride by the time the playoffs hit though.

by motown313 on Sep 27, 2011 10:37 PM EDT up reply actions

This slow start worry is such a non starter in my mind.

First why does it really matter as long as were ahead at the end..

Game 1. Road game, feeling out process, everyone just getting their feet wet, score slow and steady and get out of there with the win, and just get the season off to a good start which their turtle end of the game strategy showed was on their mind.

Game 2. Home game, up 20 to 3 at the half,,,,WTF? that’s a slow start?

Game 3. Pure shithole of a stadium, young players at key positions never experienced anything like it. Man, nothing compares to that loud ass crowd. They got their footing, and their superior talent and coaching showed itself and we won.
IMO, they get a pass…..Even Backus

Now if the slow starts continue, which I really don’t think it matters as long as we win, or that were doing it, then there’s reason for some light concern just out of boredom.

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by delusional on Sep 27, 2011 11:34 PM EDT reply actions