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Fans of the Detroit Lions are finally getting their wish. With quarterback Jared Goff trending towards an “out” for Sunday’s match against the Cleveland Browns, the situation puts Tim Boyle in line for the start. Everyone’s favorite man in town is always the backup, and for those who have been desperate to see the next man up, it’s a dream come true.
But the history of Boyle is fraught with peril, doubt and nothing. Hope springs eternal but it’s not exactly like there’s a rich fallow field in the past where he’s concerned. Not that such reality has stopped fans from calling for the backups before—even when Matthew Stafford was the quarterback, there was a loud, vocal minority who wanted to see Kellen Moore when he started to struggle. But this is quite different, and not just because Goff isn’t Stafford, but Boyle certainly doesn’t have the college career Moore had either.
Tim Boyle was terrible in three seasons at UConn (1 TD, 13 INTs, 4.5 yards per attempt, -122 career rushing yards), then dropped down to FCS Eastern Kentucky and… was still pretty bad (11 TDs, 13 INTs, 6.5 yards per attempt for a team that went 4-7)
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) November 17, 2021
That’s not the only injury the Lions need to plan around: EDGE Trey Flowers has been ruled out, and OT Taylor Decker has once again found himself back on the injury report (although he still expects to play).
The Browns, for their part, are coming off a complete devastation by a renewed New England Patriots squad, and quarterback Baker Mayfield is looking to get back off the proverbial schneid. With the AFC North up for grabs, they’ll be greedy for a win and desperate for respect after such a shellacking, but they have also proven themselves vulnerable.
The Lions avoided losing last week; can they actually win this week? Or will the Boyle Laser Light Show spell doom? Hard to tell. Let’s watch anyway.
Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns game info
Date: Sunday, November 21, 2021
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: FirstEnergy Stadium — Cleveland, OH
TV: FOX
TV announcers: Gus Johnson, LaVar Arrington
Week 11 Map: Courtesy of 506 Sports
Online stream: FUBO.TV, Yahoo Sports app (locally)
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (full list of radio affiliates here)
Radio announcers: Dan Miller, Lomas Brown
Odds: Cleveland -12.5, 42 o/u, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
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