The Puzzle Of New Lions Coaches
December 26th, 2020
No need to overthink.
When the week started, Bucco Bruce Arians was fully expecting offensive coordinator/interim head coach Darrell Bevell to be running the Lions and defensive coordinator Cory Undlin to be running their defense.
Not happening. The Lions got hit hard by the COVID. Bevell, Undlin and the Lions’ three primary defensive coaches, Bo Davis (defensive line), Ty McKenzie (linebackers) and Steve Gregory (defensive backs) will also miss the game.
So the Lions will be coached on defense by quality control guys and front office stat geeks.
When asked how he can prepare against Lions coaches with no NFL history, Arians laughed and said, “Well, you can throw out all the tendencies for sure,” Arians said. “They have new playcallers on both sides of the ball.”
All coaches tend to have tells. For example, they like to run the ball to the left; pass the ball to the right, run on a specific down, blitz on second down — you get the drift.
If a coach has never run a team, good luck trying to figure out a pattern.
Later in his Thursday press conference, Arians even said guys who have never been a coordinator or a head coach may try to make a name for themselves to build a resume, so look out! Anything could happen.
Arians seems to believe he and his staff may overthink all of this tendencies stuff.
“Let’s go play ball,” Arians said. “It’s a shame. I hate that [the COVID outbreak with the Lions] would happen to anybody. It’s tough enough taking care of ourselves than worrying about other people.”
Joe thinks Arians hit the nail on the head: Worry about yourself. This is a crappy Lions team. If the Bucs play good, smart football, block and tackle and catch the ball, then this is not a game the Bucs should be sweating.
And when the Bucs board the plane to return to Tampa tonight, they should be a playoff team.
December 26th, 2020 at 3:06 am
Man, the Bucs a playoff team in only a matter of hours from now? I was a relatively young guy the last time that happened. Didn’t a can of soda cost five cents back then?
December 26th, 2020 at 3:36 am
Bucs often lose games Bucs are supposed to win.
December 26th, 2020 at 3:42 am
I like Arians saying “Let’s go play ball” but that is only valid when YOUR team DOES play ball. Last week Arians called the game in ATL a playoff game (and they got off down 17 points).
So the big issue is the Bucs have rarely put together four quarters of solid football this half of the season. And they lost to the Bears n the first half. This DET team is a shambles, but they still played their division rival and #1 seed GB tough just a couple of weeks ago. The Jets just beat the Rams, and so on, and so on. So, yeah, don’t overthink, and yes, go play ball. But with Christmas, short week, etc, I wonder if that statement can also be “we didn’t realy game plan” and I’d believe that about Arians and Leftwich.
December 26th, 2020 at 5:14 am
Pretty simple, pressure Stafford, protect Brady and run the ball some= win. It is not complicated, no reason to over think it. Get in and get out without injuries. GO BUCS!!!!
December 26th, 2020 at 6:26 am
we haven’t even played 4 quarters of good football this season…
at best i think it was 3 quarters of southern goodness…
if…if…if we can play a solid 4 quarters on both sides of the ball we can be considered contenders…
also stafford – before all is said and done, is going to be given a shot as a game manager on a very solid team before he hangs it up…
just imagine of he replaces drew brees…
yikes…
because dude is more than just a game manager
December 26th, 2020 at 6:46 am
Teams are likely prepared for the loss of any coach….but multiple coaches & backup coaches absent should cause turmoil on game day
This is a game that if we are able to take the leas early…..could be a blowout.
The good news is that if it’s close, that’s when they will miss their coaching the most.
December 26th, 2020 at 6:47 am
This is THE GAME when the Bucs need to prove that they can come out firing on all 11 cylinders. Develop a sound game-plan based on a BALANCED ATTACK and control the game from the git-go. Lions’ defense has struggled all year long (#32 right now by giving up 435 pts … 31 PPG average), but their offense is still dangerous (#19 presently by scoring 335 pts … 24 PPG).
Bucs have a LOT to prove in these last 2 games. If we stroll into the playoffs playing like we’ve been playing, we’ll be toast pretty quickly. This is OUR YEAR with the Super Bowl being here in Tampa. Stop screwing around and take charge from the opening kickoff.
December 26th, 2020 at 7:19 am
we haven’t had a home field advantage at ray jay in years…
some fans are delusional…
quite honestly we might be better off on the road…and with little to no fans…limited noise…
and the superbowl in tampa sounds fine and dandy – yet we lose so much at home…even this year…
let’s just whoop on these lions and go from there…
let’s go for 4 quarters of solid football
December 26th, 2020 at 7:22 am
today’s a day to slap balls off chins…
even jameis did it last year in detroit rock city
December 26th, 2020 at 7:46 am
Against a team in this situation that is already bad and has half their coaches out, the goals should be very high:
* ME gets his 1,000 yard milestone today and rests next week to give AB a turn.
* Fournette rushes for over 100 yards.
* Bucs play at their full potential for 4 qtrs, win by 24
* D White gets another 2 sacks
* Lavonte crys after the game bc he is FINALLY in the playoffs!
Less likely, but desirable:
* Barrett gets back to 19.5 sacks
* Brady breaks 5,000 yards passing for the season.
* Suh steps on Stafford just for old-time’s sake
* SMB get a pass breakup
* BL is offered the Lions HC position, which he accepts immediately (Bucs
then go to SB with BA calling the plays)
December 26th, 2020 at 7:50 am
No one should worry about ole stale biscuit “over thinking” any game plan!!!!!!! In fact, if you ask Tom Brady, people should not worry about the coaches putting in too much effort either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!
December 26th, 2020 at 8:06 am
I moved here from the Detroit area, back in 1971
The Lions have always been a mess, as long as I can remember.
December 26th, 2020 at 8:17 am
We almost always lose to unfamiliar rookie and backup qbs for this same reason.
Be nice if he said something like “we have a plan to be able to make quick adjustments as their tendencies begin to unfold and we see how they use key players” instead of: meh, I aint gonna think too hard about it.
December 26th, 2020 at 8:22 am
Can we show good sportsmanship and let the Lions borrow Leftwich for the game? He is a potential head coach candidate right?
December 26th, 2020 at 8:23 am
i thought billy simms was a terrific running back in like the early 80’s…
pre barry sanders
December 26th, 2020 at 8:23 am
sims*
December 26th, 2020 at 9:25 am
I agree with most observations except for those questioning whether this could be a “trap” game.
Win and you’re in can never be a trap game. If you’re looking for an excuse in this situation it’s not getting trapped…it’s CHOKING!
The ONLY way the Buc’s lose today is to beat themselves…that won’t happen because anybody is taking anything for granted, especially after some of the first halves including last week’s performance. The Bucs clearly know they’re beatable. They also know what I just posted. The ONLY way the Bucs lose today is to beat themselves…AKA CHOKING!
So do we thing the pressure will tighten collars too much. I like the Bucs odds with the GOAT leading the way.
The “trap” excuse is simply out the window, Win or choke it’s as simple as that.
December 26th, 2020 at 9:25 am
Nobody in the NFL is playing 4 quarters of solid football. Yes the Bucs have a slow start issue but the league especially the NFC is wide open. Every team is inconsistent. The media drives this point with the bucs. Seattle, Rams, Saints, Pack, Cards, all inconsistent. Week in week out it’s a couple good quarters from them all.
December 26th, 2020 at 9:47 am
Good stuff, Senor Harry in Costa Rica!!
December 26th, 2020 at 9:57 am
Doesnt matter.This coachign staff doesnt game.plan based on the opppnents skill set, scheme or tendencies. At least Byron doesnt…his words. Cant make this sh!t up.
December 26th, 2020 at 10:06 am
😋 ’79 Defense, I am really dating myself but I do remember when I was a kid going down the street to the corner grocery store and getting a Coke out of the machine for a nickel. It was in a heavy glass bottle with about 6 ounces of the elixir. When you drank that “soda pop” it would fizz and come out of your nose! I’m telling the truth. That was back during the old Stone Age.
Looks like the playoff drought really is over for us. Happy days are here again! Go Bucs! Stomp the Lions!
December 26th, 2020 at 11:00 am
The Lions have said a statistician will be running the team. If any team functions on high probability plays and no gut instinct, it could be a long day for the opposing team to overcome. I hope this does not start a trend in the NFL. It will be interesting to watch how the Lions operate today. It scares the hell out of me. I do not want to see that type of football now or in the future. If you have every player’s moves and style on both sides of the ball loaded into a computer program, and the statistics for success of each individual play, you will call a successful game. This is happening now I’m sure and it will only get worse. Say goodbye to football once we reach that level of sophistication. It will become nothing more than a wrestling match.
December 26th, 2020 at 11:14 am
Lions WR coach is definitely not a statistician, you can remove your tin foil hat.
December 26th, 2020 at 11:33 am
Looks like Kwon is gone for another year with ruptured Achilles.
December 26th, 2020 at 11:36 am
Carlton Davis is out today, I’m looking for something good out of Sean Murphy-Bunting back here in his home state. It’s a lot to ask for, but I HOPE this kid can do something positive and gain some confidence back.
December 26th, 2020 at 1:20 pm
The Bucs vs GB was about as closed as any team can get to 4 good Quarters of football.
December 26th, 2020 at 2:24 pm
Puzzle solved. lol