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The Detroit Lions lost to the New York Giants by a score of 23-20 on Sunday. Here are my three main takeaways from the game:
Yet again, turnovers were to blame for the Lions' loss
Once again, the Lions were unable to take care of the ball and lost as a result. They finished with 3 turnovers on Sunday -- 2 interceptions and a lost fumble. In reality, Matthew Stafford could have easily finished with 4 interceptions, but the Giants were unable to catch his errant passes for most of the first half. Will Hill had no trouble catching Stafford's errant pass that deflected off Joseph Fauria in the fourth quarter, though. Hill also had no trouble returning it 38 yards for the game-tying touchdown, which ultimately was the only reason there was overtime in the first place.
Throughout the second half of the season, the Lions haven't been able to avoid turnovers, and that's really the main reason they are now 7-8 after starting 6-3.
Joique Bell should start at running back in Week 17
After yet another fumble by Reggie Bush, the Lions pretty much went strictly with Joique Bell at running back. That decision paid off, as Bell ran for 91 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries (4.6 average) and caught 10 passes for 63 yards. He was a beast on offense for the Lions, and at times it seemed like he was the only one out there who truly cared about getting a win. I would reward him with a start next week over Bush.
Calvin Johnson shouldn't play in Week 17
It seemed like Calvin Johnson barely even played on Sunday. He finished with only 3 catches (on 4 targets) for 43 yards, and he was nonexistent in the second half and overtime, likely because he was dealing with injuries to both his ankle and knee. He's been dealing with a knee injury all season, and with nothing to play for in Week 17, there's no reason for him to suit up. The Lions should just shut Johnson down for the final week of the season and let him start recovering from these injuries right now. There's no point in risking further injury in a meaningless game.
