Lions vs. Dolphins quick thoughts: What Just Happened?

It was really fun while it lasted, but despite a great start from the Detroit Lions, they’re headed to 1-6 after another second-half letdown, losing 31-27 to the Miami Dolphins. I just don’t know when the next win will come for this team. I fear that it’s far down the line.

As always, I have thoughts on this game. These are those thoughts.

The good defense was a mirage

The Lions defense looked much improved for much of the Lions game against the Cowboys in Week 7. It turns out that was just a figment of your imagination. The Lions defense had another really bad showing against the Dolphins.

Tua Tagovailoa was unstoppable in this game. Unfortunately, so were Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. So unstoppable that they scored on nearly every single possession. It’s not time to start firing people, but it is time to start wondering what it would take for the Lions to be able to fix this defense. Sadly it seems like the only thing the Lions really can do is wait until the offseason when they can start loading up their defense with talent.

Barry and Robocop

It was announced during halftime that the Lions will be putting up a statue of Barry Sanders outside of Ford Field in 2023. This is a much-deserved honor for one of Detroit’s greatest athletes of all time. I will now petition to make sure that the Robocop statue, that’s looking for a home, goes right next to it. Two Detroit legends in all their glory outside of Ford Field. Let the tourist money start flowing.

Top Gun 3: Rodrigo

Lions rookie Malcolm Rodriguez showed up to the game dressed in a “Top Gun” inspired flight suit on Sunday. After he made all of your wives or husbands swoon, he went out and got his first career sack and then followed that up a short while later with a fumble recovery. Despite the Lions defense putting up another really bad game, Rodriguez looked pretty good. Is it the flight suit? If so, he needs to wear it again next week.

Got me a marlin!

This is the best touchdown celebration of the year so far.

Offensive line really blew it

Seriously. Where does this come from? The Lions offensive line goes the entire first half with zero problems. They looked quite good, in fact. Then in the second half, they suddenly forget how to keep their composure. Multiple false starts, a bad holding call and an untimely sack.

The Lions have a discipline problem, and it always seems to rear its head at the worst possible time. This week it reared its head on the Lions offensive line, and it killed the Lions most important drives of the second half, drives they needed to go down and score on.

What are you doing Amani?

Offense looked good until they didn’t

The Lions really needed to get their offense back on track in this game and, for the most part, they did. The Lions put up a nice 27 points in the first half. It looked like they did it with ease too. Jared Goff rebounded with a nice game and Jamaal Williams too. Unfortunately, the Lions were not able to keep that up after they began to shoot themselves in the foot.

The Lions did have a nice drive on their final possession, but then they blew it with a questionable decision to go deep on a fourth-and-1 instead of just aiming to get the first down. This, of course, means we have to complain about another bad decision this week. Get ready for that.

Let’s play another game of Why Make That Decision? Here’s your host, Mike Payton!

Hi, I’m Mike Payton. Welcome to “Why Make That Decision?” Here’s your first question.

You’re down four and it’s fourth-and-1 late in the game. You’re doing a great job of running down the clock and keeping the ball out of the hands of the opponent’s offense you’ve forced to punt once. Instead of just getting that yard and keeping the drive going, you throw deep to a receiver that virtually never catches the deep ball.

Buzz!

Yes, contestant number one?

“Why make that decision?”

That is correct! Congratulations contestant number one. You’ve won a brand new Dirt Devil vacuum!