MSU collapses and the Lions get humiliated. This stinks!

September 24, 2006 Detroit, Michigan Ford Field ÂIn a must win game that would send a statement to the ever faithful Lions fans, Ford Field was more subdued

September 24, 2006

Detroit, Michigan

Ford Field

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In a must win game that would send a statement to the ever faithful Lions fans, Ford Field was more subdued then usual as the fans sat back and waited for a team to win a game they should.Â

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Forget Marinelli and forget Millen, this was about the players. Stepping up and winning a game that they needed to. If the thrown together offensive line could step up, then winning today should not be a shock. The Lions held the Packers on their first drive but got a stupid penalty on the punt return and when the offense moved the ball well they gave up a dumb sack on Kitna.

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On the Packers second drive, Favre hit former WMU WR Greg Jennings for the 75-yard score and early in the first quarter the Lions were behind 7-0! Jon McGraw who has never looked good as a Lion got burned by the rookie, making him look silly and Dre’ Bly simply couldn’t catch up to stop the TD.

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Jon Kitna wasted no time letting Favre know that he was a very good QB in his own right. He had some help from and offensive line that had lost Ross Verba (has he ever been a part?) and he drove 79-yards on 6 plays the highlight being a 37-yard strike to Shawn Bryson and in no time flat the Lions had tied the game at 7, thanks to yet again some superb play by and underrated Kitna.

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The Lions quickly held the Packers, and when the Lions got the ball back Kitna had a great pass hit Bradford in the arms (he was interfered with) and he couldn’t hold it and the Packers intercepted it for a 29-yard TD and just like that the Packers were back in the lead 14-7 sadly Jon Kitna had looked good but the score didn’t show it.

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Kitna the man of steel willed his team however and they marched right down the field for the score. It was a 4-play 76-yard drive what was culminated in a 42-yard TD from Kitna to Roy Williams for the TD. The pass showed Kitna’s pinpoint accuracy. The Pat was good and just like that the Lions were tied with the Packers at 14.

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With the Lions defense allowing nothing with the Packers running game, they went right at the Lions Achilles heel the passing defense and Favre drove right down the field for a 24-yard field goal by the Spartan Nation’s Dave Rayner. With 7:51 left in the second quarter the score was 17-14 cheese heads.

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The Lions once again marched down the field but the WR’s dropped passes that killed the Lions drive and gave the ball back to the future hall of famer Brett Favre who had killed the Lions secondary throughout the game.

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The Packers Favre wanted everyone around the nation to know that his tank wasn’t empty and he came out with 11 minutes to go in the third quarter and drove 80-yards for the TD strike. The Lions defense was sickening as Jon McGraw and the secondary let Favre kill them. With 6:44 left in the third the score was 24-14 Packers.

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To quote the coach Lee Corso Jon Kitna answered Favre with a quick: “not so fast my friend.” Kitna once again did a great job leading the Lions down the field for a score using his blue-collar work ethic. Roy Williams and Kitna looked like the stars they are and Dominic Raiola led the offensive line and the 7-play drive was capped off with a beautiful Kevin Jones run of 5 yards for the TD. With 3:24 left in the third it was 24-21 Packers.

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The continued to move the ball but the Lions stood strong and stopped them on a critical third and 3 on their own 47 and the Lions got the ball back at their one. On the last play of the third quarter, the Lions got 7-yards on a nice swing pass to Schlesinger and they had a third and three on their own 8 to start the fourth quarter with the game still 24-21 Packers. The Lion were not able to move the ball however so the Pack got the ball back. They marched down the field in 4 plays for the Favre TD pass (his third of the game) and took a commanding 10 point lead with 12:19 left in the fourth. The score was now 31-21 Packers.

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With 7 minutes in the fourth the Lions fans began to chant “lets go Lions” and the team responded. Kitna worked his magic masterfully leading the home team down the field for a field goal and that was great making the game 31-24, but that was as close as the Lions could get.

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Kitna ended the game 25 of 40 for 342 yards and 2 TD’s. Jones had 81 yards an Roy had seven catches for 138 yards but it all was for naught as the Lions pass defense again failed them and the Packers got a huge win.

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Ernie Sims led the defense with 9 tackles and his fellow rookie Daniel Bullocks was second with six. Not a good sign for this season but possibly a harbinger for later years.

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Grades:

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Offense:Â B did all the right things and looked good.

Defense:Â F lost the game with terrible DB play.

Coaching:Â D if Mike Williams is not good enough to play in the game and you use him in the biggest drive (the last of the game) then you (staff) has issues.

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The fans deserved better and so did the team. Some of the guys on this team and I emphasis some need a gut check. This is embarrassing and humiliating.

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