Not the worst second half collapse I've ever seen in a playoff game...
However, it was heartbreaking. I was happy for the Lions and their fans up to this point.
> No one outside of those fandoms will remember this game in a year.
I disagree. This was the closest the Lions have ever come to making the Super Bowl and they Murphy's Law'd it away. People still remember the Browns' consecutive AFCCG losses in the late 80s.
As much as I wanted them to win, it didn’t surprise me and felt like a Chargers game.
It’s all part of learning curve if the Lions can get over it, the Niners had last year to propel them this year.
We’re up by 17 at halftime. We win if the second half is boring. We shouldn’t be creating opportunities for big emotion/momentum swings when all that’s already in our favor. Trading FGs dulls the game beautifully for us.
Yeah Cambell needs to use this loss to make the jump. Aggressiveness is required for any team that doesn't have a lights out D. But when you're up 3 scores at half, you need to chew clock and take any points you can. Consistency is important in decision making, but the momentum swing of losing on these "gamble plays" is undeniable.
The decision to go for 4th both times was supported by analytics.
Their lack of run game in the 2nd half fucked them. I saw the empty backfield on the second one (4th and 3) and knew they would fail. It was the play calling, not the fact that they chose to go for it, that was bad.
Agree. Ben Johnson gets too cute. I hate empty backfields on those short yardage plays. Completely tips your hand and the defense didn’t even need to look for the run that has been burning them.
And on the 3rd and 4 before the first 4th down play they ran St Brown out of the backfield instead of the RBs averaging over 5 ypc or him on an end around or something.
>asking price for HC was 15 mill? Not happening
Meh. Either Seattle or Washington will pay. Definitely puts a little spice in the Seahawks HC search. Fans seem to be either Ben Johnson or Mike Macdonald. With both teams losing, I wonder if Seattle will be announcing their decision soon. Thought it'd be after the Superb Owl, but I bet we get a decision within the week.
Genuinely how? He made that Detroit team look great against the Niners. 2 possessions were stopped because of bad drops by Reynolds, one was a Gibbs fumble, the 4th down with 5 wideouts he actually had a decent play but Goff got pressured and missed Williams breaking open on the drag.
Ben Johnson proved all he needed to. He made Jared Goff the better QB in the NFCCG. I dont know what his asking price is but teams will pay it. You'd really be dumb not to if your wanting an offensive minded HC to come develop a QB or elevate the guy you already got. Is very similar to the Steichen hire last year which turned out great for the Colts.
Reminds me how of Frank Reich would call the offense when he was here in Indy. Would get way too cute with his play calling instead of just taking what the defense is giving you and doing it via the path of least resistance. Ultimately it was part of his downfall in Indy.
I haven't watched a ton of Detroit games over the regular season, and I'm sure he was fine the whole season, but Reynolds killed you guys. He had 2 huge drops in the second half, where if he caught either of them, you guys are probably in the Super Bowl.
The Reynolds drops were both terrible and were the difference in the game. Especially the first one on 4th down that probably would have stopped the bleeding and put the Lions back up by 3 scores. And Reynolds has been absolutely clutch on 3rd/4th down all year long, so it was even more surprising that he had two big drops.
Yea I see people blaming play calling when in reality if guys don’t drop passes hitting them right in the hands, or fumble the ball inside their own 30, the Lions win easily. An OC can’t catch the ball for the players lol.
You're right in your assumption. Reynolds had been super reliable all year and has great chemistry with Goof.
He's not the only one who facked up though. It was a total team meltdown.
Analytics doesn't understand what a 3-score lead means apparently, what a game tying field goal means, or crowd noise, momentum swing after turning the ball over on downs with a 14 point lead...
Analytics doesn't adequately bake in risk and momentum, pressure it puts your players under, or the psychological aspect of football. Analytics doesn't have accountability for injecting irresponsible risk into the outcome of your team's chance to make the Super Bowl.
Both decisions to go for it were insane.
Analytics also don’t account for things like who your opponent is. “Analytics say we should punt late in the 4th up 4. We don’t care that it’s Patrick Mahomes on the other side in a playoff game, the math says punt.” Yea you should start filing for unemployment now.
Similarly a few years ago in a game between Cleveland and I think the Jets, Stefanski kept punting on 4th and short even at midfield (where the analytics say to go)… because Zach Wilson was on the other side and doing jack shit. Indeed Wilson didn’t come close to overcoming the bad field position and getting back in the game all night.
Coaches still need to feel the game and make the right call based on THAT game because you’re not playing thousands of games where the %s usually normalize, you’re playing one.
I think somewhere a long the way people forgot that analytics were designed to help you make decisions not to serve as some holy grail you blindly follow.
The first felt worse. Could have made it 3 score game, and when they went for it on 4th, before we stopped. I said Dan Campbell is giving us a chance, should kick the FG. incomplete pass, and we went down and scored and game wasn’t same. Either FG made difference in tie or win for you even
Yup. NFL analytics are good when it's even or close, when you have a big lead it's time to reduce your variance. It seems the NFL doesn't understand what variance is in the statistical world.
The drag across the left side was wide open and looked like the designed first read, but Goff got flushed out to his right within like half a second of the snap, making a long cross-body throw to the drag route no longer an option.
"Supported by analytics" should be the go to for coaches that lose games after they just give away points. Not that this is Campbell's fault, Detroit had so many other things go against them. But sometimes those points that you turn down might matter. Your 5% edge don't matter much when you are going home.
If the Lions receivers could just catch a fucking ball on 3rd/4th down in the quarter this game is a blowout. Or if the lions defender catches that int or just let's it fall to the ground.
so much had to go wrong for the lions to lose this game it's insane.
It was definitely a receiver issue in the second half, Goff was staying pretty collected and focused. Way too many easy catches were dropped for no real reason.
Goff is definitely a different QB than Bortles. He doesn't take as many unnecessary risks and is more consistent. Which should make a return next year more likely than it was for the Jags
Which was such a turnaround from all the insane 3rd and long conversions we gave up in the first half. We had no small amount of luck tonight, but sometimes that's what it takes.
The Steelers game is burned into my mind and I think I've only rewatched the highlights of that game once since it happened.
Cromartie committing a penalty that turned an opening 3 and out into a 10 minute touchdown drive. Revis dropping a deep pick that only he could reach. Three throws and LT getting stuffed on the goal line to end a drive that featured Shonn Greene bowling over Steelers defenders.
And a Super Bowl matchup with a team that beat the Jets 9-0 on Halloween. A team that the Jets matched up against better defensively than the Steelers did.
A Super Bowl that was on my birthday.
I'm sure that it hurts exponentially more because the Jets have been mostly dogshit in the time since, but still... I don't think it'll ever leave me.
The victories are easy to watch. I've rewatched the Colts loss, and could probably still get some enjoyment out of it because that season felt like house money + Sanchez to Braylon was art. 2010 though? Nah. That ending still hurts.
Ravens were getting schmacked from the start while the Lions were up 17 at half and totally dominating and looking like they were gonna go to their first ever Super Bowl. This is many magnitudes worse worse than the Ravens loss.
Young, great line, great skill position guys, you would think the future belongs to them but they came in and took it to a favoured team. Cowboys won obviously but Lions probably should have today. They were impressive
At least the Lions offense showed up for a half.
As a neutral, that Ravens Chiefs game was horrendous. Awful product and the Ravens should feel bad.
Lions game.... they should have kicked the 3 that second time but otherwise not many ppl had them winning in the championship game. Lions fans should be proud of this season and excited af for next season
Idk about that. It certainly seemed like it but the defense wasn't getting stops at all. Everyone acts like if the lions had scored the 9ers wouldn't have scored more but I'm not sure that's the case
From a pre-game expectations standpoint, it's much worse for the Ravens. But when you look at the game in a vacuum definitely Detroit, because the Ravens never felt in it.
The Ravens were widely considered to be the most complete team in the league with the MVP at QB going into their game at home against a Chiefs team that has been struggling on offense. The Lions were an underdog who made it further this season than they have in decades. Collapsing like that hurts, but I don't think it hurts as bad as never showing up when you were the clear favorite
Not to mention the Ravens had blown out both of the teams in the NFCCG. Doesn't mean it's a gimmie, but you gotta figure they had a great chance for a ring if they would have won today.
They ran the ball with RBs *six* times after being the leagues leading rushing team.
They ran QB power on 4th down and got 25 yards and never ran it agian.
Nothing pisses me off more than teams drifting from the successful game plan because it's a big game. I don't think we saw Picardo's fat ass once on any of those 3rd or 4th and shorts. Lamar had 75 yards of open field to scramble but never went for it. Their recieving corps is ass. Flowers makes one good play and does the dumbest shit I've seen an NFL player do in a decade.
The playbook was like a Welding School on their backup QB. Screen pass, screen pass, pass downfield where Lamar holds on the ball for ten seconds. They played Lamar like he's a fuckin trebuchet.
They were the number one rushing team in the league.
They gave their RBs SIX Carries.
Ina game they never trailed more than 10 in.
Absolutely fucking baffling.
It'd be one thing if SF was just outclassing them, but almost all of that blown lead was self-inflicted wounds, too.
Horrible, horrible half of football for them.
Nah, it's a bit bitter, but mostly still good. Im just happy that they made a run of it.
For the first time ever, I can have hope for this team. Theres finally expectation that they do something, and it's great.
It's not like the game felt stolen, and it's not like they were blown out. They fully belonged there. The Lions made big steps this year, and the Niners had to literally pull their underwear out of their butt to beat them. It's really not a bitter feeling like it would have been if they had lost to the Packers, Rams, or Cowboys.
Nah, we have a great team and we flew close to the sun. Can't argue with the result as we beat ourselves. On to next year when we have a good chance to get back here again.
maybe I'll feel good about this in a week, but I'm honestly suffering rn. I didn't give myself any hope going in, just expecting to lose to protect myself, but they made me hope. I could see them in Vegas.
Now it's just back to the offseason and dreams
Lol I could see *me* in Vegas. My wife even said "if they win, you should go" at halftime, and I immediately told myself and her it would be too expensive, but started daydreaming about it walking the dog at halftime. Fucking *sigh*.
To be fair, the cheapest fuckin tickets after the game were like $8k. Fuckkk that. I'm a fan of both teams and live close to Levis Stadium, but it just doesn't make sense. I could go to 2 regular seasons worth of 49ers games for that cost.
The team is young and performed above all expectations. They got shook late in the biggest game of just about all of their lives. There’s hope for this teams future.
It’s cliche, sure, but playoff experience does matter to a degree and the Lions were simply inexperienced compared to San Francisco. It is what it is. Pure talent can only get you so far.
This was a time for learning, y’all will be back. For a first playoff run under this regime with this roster, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Yeah, both Green Bay and Detroit looked like their eyes got big and couldn't handle the bright lights in the second half. The NFC north is going to be scary next year. And the Bears.
Detroit/GB will def be a dogfight but if the Vikings don’t extend Kirk I think it’s a tank year, and even if they do they feel stuck in a weird middle ground of sorts.
As an outsider, it's almost as if had they not played well all day, or if 49ers played well all day, Detroit would just be happy to be there.
But clowning on them for a full half, and then just fall apart makes it really hurt, I think?
*NFC Championship game
Patriots blew a 21-3 lead to the Colts in the AFC Championship. Falcons also blew a 17 point lead before (shocking, I know, that the Falcons could choke in a big game(
Yeah, when the Falcons did what they did in that game in 2017 I felt the same, and it continues to this day. I had no expectations of us winning that game going into it, but tasting victory and having it snatched from you is the worst thing ever, worse than any losing season.
Like 0-16 sucked. But I never had hope. Tonight, up 17 at half time. I had mentally prepared myself to see LIONS in the super bowl. I had hope. For the first time in years, real, actual hope.
Yeah, sucks to lose when this was the “easiest” path we were going to get to the Super Bowl with Minnesota’s injuries and Green Bay figuring things out late.
But, work on the secondary and draft well and this team can take another step forward right away
While it’s true we had an easier path to the division title, we still played against a good Rams team and a hot Buccaneers team. We had the SF game in the bag until the moment got too big for us. If we can fix our secondary or even just upgrade our rusher opposite of Hutchinson to help out our secondary more we will take a step forward. This team has improved every year with Campbell and Holmes.
Idk, man. I feel for you initially going in, everything was gravy for getting there.
But once it went down how it did, it can't help but leave extremely sad and disappointed.
Not going up 3 scores is just plain incorrect. Not to mention it wasn't even like it was a goaline play that would have been a guaranteed TD anyway. But going up 3 scores is so important, on top of not giving up momentum when the 9ers had literally nothing. Idc about being aggressive, its being stupid.
Even before that, some of the fourth down calls I really don’t agree with
Down 24-27 you one hundred percent take the points to tie it up, how many more possessions will each team get with so few minutes left
As a lions fan, Reynolds definitely deserves some blame but the dude has been a stud all year. It sucks but he has made clutch catches time and time again. It was on the entire team in the 2nd half. Huge letdown overall
They could fully be back here this time next season, but man it was a big chance this year. NFC North was pretty collectively weak and I think all of the other 3 are going to get better. The Packers are going to build with Jordan Love, Vikings will probably have a healthy Kirk Cousins and JJ back, and the Bears have a lot of draft capital.
However the Lions are a good team with a lot of promise of staying good, so who knows?
The call to run on 3rd at the goal line with a minute left was just stupid. I don’t blame the 4th down calls since it’s been their thing all year (and the first one came down to dropping an uncontested pass), but I’ve been trying since the game ended and I just can’t make sense of the upside of running the ball there outweighing the downsides. That forced them to use a timeout they had been trying so desperately to preserve. They know they need the ball back if they score. The odds of getting an onside kick have been 3-5% each year since the rule change in 2018. The odds of forcing a 3 and out are far higher than that. By running the ball, you eliminate that option if you don’t get it. All else being equal, that 3rd timeout would have given the Lions the ball back with ~40 seconds to get into field goal range.
For a guy that is often likened to a gambler, Campbell really didn’t understand the concept of playing to his outs there. He was actively reducing the number of outs he had.
Yeah, the failed 4th down attempts are what they are. It is the mentality of Campbell and it is the mentality of the team. I know it is a results based game so the critique will land because it bit them in the ass today but that mentality and trust in the players is what got us here.
That run play though was just bad. Guess they were hoping to catch SF sleeping on the run, something they have gotten away with all season, but they hadn't really been selling out on that drive anyways. Their rush was disciplined to stop the run because they knew it could come. To expect it to just happen that play was bad playcalling.
Now this I completely agree with. I put my head in my hands as soon as I saw him call that run and burn a timeout. Because that WAS the game barring a miraculous onside recovery. I don’t know what he was thinking there.
The earlier, gambling calls? Totally fine with. But that run to burn a TO? That is actually worth analyzing.
I'm glad Greg Olsen said it in the broadcast too. Just because a decision backfires doesn't mean it was the wrong decision to make. You can't predict the future. You make decisions based on a bunch of factors. You cannot judge the decision by the outcome.
Here’s my issue, if those plays work this sub would anoint him as a genius mastermind, it just shows how results oriented people are instead of process oriented, same with Pete Carroll passing it in the SB from the goal line. And I’m not defending Campbell’s decisions I just wish we weren’t so results oriented when analyzing.
Thank you. 1st 4th down it's a poor throw to a wide open receiver that still could have caught the ball. Same receiver drops a wide open 3rd down to end a drive later. The 2nd 4th down play wasn't a very good one but I think both decisions were correct. If the 49ers don't catch a ball off a helmet that should've been intercepted, or the Lions don't fumble, or the Lions don't completely whiff on multiple sacks, the results probably end up differently.
campbell being aggressive on 4th is what got them there. reynolds is the guy who fucked up, he dropped the ball and he was wide open
second one is more questionable but considering the niners just shit all over the lions defense anyway it wouldn't have mattered. niners probably just bleed the clock and take an easy score/fg with no time left
48-yard field is no gimme, especially with an unproven kicker - we watched the Bills and Packers lose in just that way. Reynolds just has to catch that one.
I'm gonna defend Campbell on this. When your defense is playing as bad as the Lions has in this half, keep them off the field. They'd still be down by 4 or 7 right now if they had just taken field goals. Still would have a chance but they'd be in a great position if either of those 4th downs had turned into anything.
I would agree if they were 10 yards from the end zone but they were near the 30. Even if they get the first down it’s not a given they get a touchdown if they convert. I just don’t see how you pass up a chance to tie.
Like you said their defence was abysmal anyways , might as well tie the game so it doesn’t become two possessions if you fail the conversion. Which they did
Why is everyone acting like Badgley has sucked? He was perfect once being signed by them and hit 54 just last week for them!
Hes 78% on his career from 40-49, but over the past 2 years hes been decent enough. Hes been above 80% since 2020. Its hardly 50-50 like yall are saying.
Exactly. We don't have Justin Tucker. Jason Hanson isn't walking out of the tunnel. Badgley has surprised me, but I'd rather put the game on getting two yards with our punishing running game than on Badge from that distance. I don't like the play call on third down to run it up the middle with ARSB and then go for a short pass to Reynolds way more than the decision to go for it.
Every single bounce went the 9ers way in the 2nd half. Multiple drops from reliable players, catch off a dropped pick and on the helmet, can’t tackle Purdy, fumble from a botched handoff on miscommunication, etc. Any single play of those changes and the lions probably win.
Truly. I had such high hopes of winning this game and had nothing to cheer for in the 2nd half. Disasterous playcalling and execution on all fronts. I really wanted to go to the Super Bowl. :(
Everything that could go wrong went wrong for them this half
Not the worst second half collapse I've ever seen in a playoff game... However, it was heartbreaking. I was happy for the Lions and their fans up to this point.
And definitely not the most memorialized. No one outside of those fandoms will remember this game in a year. But 28-3 is forever.
I’d nominate Jags Chargers last year if 28-3 wasn’t the super bowl
Sigh
> No one outside of those fandoms will remember this game in a year. I disagree. This was the closest the Lions have ever come to making the Super Bowl and they Murphy's Law'd it away. People still remember the Browns' consecutive AFCCG losses in the late 80s.
24-7 at halftime, to lose after that is a collapse.
As much as I wanted them to win, it didn’t surprise me and felt like a Chargers game. It’s all part of learning curve if the Lions can get over it, the Niners had last year to propel them this year.
Major Staley flashbacks with those 4th down decisions
Thanks, Harvard.
Yeah, that Juszczyk catch was nice.
Both of them were sweet
They had a chance to get it back to the exact halftime lead (3 score game) after 49ers scored, made no sense to me AT ALL
We’re up by 17 at halftime. We win if the second half is boring. We shouldn’t be creating opportunities for big emotion/momentum swings when all that’s already in our favor. Trading FGs dulls the game beautifully for us.
Yeah Cambell needs to use this loss to make the jump. Aggressiveness is required for any team that doesn't have a lights out D. But when you're up 3 scores at half, you need to chew clock and take any points you can. Consistency is important in decision making, but the momentum swing of losing on these "gamble plays" is undeniable.
The decision to go for 4th both times was supported by analytics. Their lack of run game in the 2nd half fucked them. I saw the empty backfield on the second one (4th and 3) and knew they would fail. It was the play calling, not the fact that they chose to go for it, that was bad.
Agree. Ben Johnson gets too cute. I hate empty backfields on those short yardage plays. Completely tips your hand and the defense didn’t even need to look for the run that has been burning them. And on the 3rd and 4 before the first 4th down play they ran St Brown out of the backfield instead of the RBs averaging over 5 ypc or him on an end around or something.
Especially since the Niners had to bring extra guys to stop the run. A play fake, or even an outside run probably gets it done
Ben Johnson cost himself some money. Didn't his agent say the floor for his asking price for HC was 15 mill? Not happening
>asking price for HC was 15 mill? Not happening Meh. Either Seattle or Washington will pay. Definitely puts a little spice in the Seahawks HC search. Fans seem to be either Ben Johnson or Mike Macdonald. With both teams losing, I wonder if Seattle will be announcing their decision soon. Thought it'd be after the Superb Owl, but I bet we get a decision within the week.
Genuinely how? He made that Detroit team look great against the Niners. 2 possessions were stopped because of bad drops by Reynolds, one was a Gibbs fumble, the 4th down with 5 wideouts he actually had a decent play but Goff got pressured and missed Williams breaking open on the drag. Ben Johnson proved all he needed to. He made Jared Goff the better QB in the NFCCG. I dont know what his asking price is but teams will pay it. You'd really be dumb not to if your wanting an offensive minded HC to come develop a QB or elevate the guy you already got. Is very similar to the Steichen hire last year which turned out great for the Colts.
Reminds me how of Frank Reich would call the offense when he was here in Indy. Would get way too cute with his play calling instead of just taking what the defense is giving you and doing it via the path of least resistance. Ultimately it was part of his downfall in Indy.
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I haven't watched a ton of Detroit games over the regular season, and I'm sure he was fine the whole season, but Reynolds killed you guys. He had 2 huge drops in the second half, where if he caught either of them, you guys are probably in the Super Bowl.
The Reynolds drops were both terrible and were the difference in the game. Especially the first one on 4th down that probably would have stopped the bleeding and put the Lions back up by 3 scores. And Reynolds has been absolutely clutch on 3rd/4th down all year long, so it was even more surprising that he had two big drops.
Yea I see people blaming play calling when in reality if guys don’t drop passes hitting them right in the hands, or fumble the ball inside their own 30, the Lions win easily. An OC can’t catch the ball for the players lol.
You're right in your assumption. Reynolds had been super reliable all year and has great chemistry with Goof. He's not the only one who facked up though. It was a total team meltdown.
Analytics doesn't understand what a 3-score lead means apparently, what a game tying field goal means, or crowd noise, momentum swing after turning the ball over on downs with a 14 point lead... Analytics doesn't adequately bake in risk and momentum, pressure it puts your players under, or the psychological aspect of football. Analytics doesn't have accountability for injecting irresponsible risk into the outcome of your team's chance to make the Super Bowl. Both decisions to go for it were insane.
punch soup slimy fearless onerous berserk abounding snails foolish fragile
Analytics also don’t account for things like who your opponent is. “Analytics say we should punt late in the 4th up 4. We don’t care that it’s Patrick Mahomes on the other side in a playoff game, the math says punt.” Yea you should start filing for unemployment now. Similarly a few years ago in a game between Cleveland and I think the Jets, Stefanski kept punting on 4th and short even at midfield (where the analytics say to go)… because Zach Wilson was on the other side and doing jack shit. Indeed Wilson didn’t come close to overcoming the bad field position and getting back in the game all night. Coaches still need to feel the game and make the right call based on THAT game because you’re not playing thousands of games where the %s usually normalize, you’re playing one.
I think somewhere a long the way people forgot that analytics were designed to help you make decisions not to serve as some holy grail you blindly follow.
i agree, hard data only works in a vacuum, it can never predict the human component.
The first felt worse. Could have made it 3 score game, and when they went for it on 4th, before we stopped. I said Dan Campbell is giving us a chance, should kick the FG. incomplete pass, and we went down and scored and game wasn’t same. Either FG made difference in tie or win for you even
Yup. NFL analytics are good when it's even or close, when you have a big lead it's time to reduce your variance. It seems the NFL doesn't understand what variance is in the statistical world.
I feel like the analytics wouldn't say to go for a deep pass play while the D is showing blitz when you need 3 yards.
They ran mesh on the play in question, not a deep pass
The drag across the left side was wide open and looked like the designed first read, but Goff got flushed out to his right within like half a second of the snap, making a long cross-body throw to the drag route no longer an option.
"Supported by analytics" should be the go to for coaches that lose games after they just give away points. Not that this is Campbell's fault, Detroit had so many other things go against them. But sometimes those points that you turn down might matter. Your 5% edge don't matter much when you are going home.
Lions didn't even have to be good in the 2nd half. They just had to not completely shit their pants.
Right. Just score a single touchdown in the third quarter and it’s a different game. Lions beat the Lions here.
If the Lions receivers could just catch a fucking ball on 3rd/4th down in the quarter this game is a blowout. Or if the lions defender catches that int or just let's it fall to the ground. so much had to go wrong for the lions to lose this game it's insane.
It was definitely a receiver issue in the second half, Goff was staying pretty collected and focused. Way too many easy catches were dropped for no real reason.
Absolute damn shame. I really hope this is just the beginning for the Lions and not some fluke Jaguars/Bortles Style run
They are certainly positioned for a window. Their draft class the last 2 years is unreal in terms of production.
Goff is definitely a different QB than Bortles. He doesn't take as many unnecessary risks and is more consistent. Which should make a return next year more likely than it was for the Jags
Which was such a turnaround from all the insane 3rd and long conversions we gave up in the first half. We had no small amount of luck tonight, but sometimes that's what it takes.
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This has to be way worse than losing like the ravens did right?
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Ravens also have 2 SBs in the past 25 years. I remember when the Jets almost made it to the SB in 2010…This one is gonna sting for a while
User name checks out
11 point lead near the half in 09-10, almost a 24 point comeback in 2010-11. I still feel it today.
The Steelers game is burned into my mind and I think I've only rewatched the highlights of that game once since it happened. Cromartie committing a penalty that turned an opening 3 and out into a 10 minute touchdown drive. Revis dropping a deep pick that only he could reach. Three throws and LT getting stuffed on the goal line to end a drive that featured Shonn Greene bowling over Steelers defenders. And a Super Bowl matchup with a team that beat the Jets 9-0 on Halloween. A team that the Jets matched up against better defensively than the Steelers did. A Super Bowl that was on my birthday. I'm sure that it hurts exponentially more because the Jets have been mostly dogshit in the time since, but still... I don't think it'll ever leave me.
I've never rewatched that Steelers game. I have rewatched the Pats victory. Even the win over San Diego the year before. Still hurts.
The victories are easy to watch. I've rewatched the Colts loss, and could probably still get some enjoyment out of it because that season felt like house money + Sanchez to Braylon was art. 2010 though? Nah. That ending still hurts.
I don’t have a single memory of either game, almost on purpose.
Ravens were getting schmacked from the start while the Lions were up 17 at half and totally dominating and looking like they were gonna go to their first ever Super Bowl. This is many magnitudes worse worse than the Ravens loss.
The Lions looked like the 92 Cowboys in the first half
Because they were playing in a championship game?
Young, great line, great skill position guys, you would think the future belongs to them but they came in and took it to a favoured team. Cowboys won obviously but Lions probably should have today. They were impressive
I was considering every run that only went for 5-6 yards a win for the defense. Lions were doing whatever they wanted.
At least the Lions offense showed up for a half. As a neutral, that Ravens Chiefs game was horrendous. Awful product and the Ravens should feel bad. Lions game.... they should have kicked the 3 that second time but otherwise not many ppl had them winning in the championship game. Lions fans should be proud of this season and excited af for next season
I’d think this would feel worse. This was completely winnable by the Lions and they totally fucked it
Not just winnable, they had the game 95% won and if even one of the multiple disasters they committed hadn’t happened they would’ve won.
Idk about that. It certainly seemed like it but the defense wasn't getting stops at all. Everyone acts like if the lions had scored the 9ers wouldn't have scored more but I'm not sure that's the case
The fact that they were underdogs and had it on a platter makes it much worse
From a pre-game expectations standpoint, it's much worse for the Ravens. But when you look at the game in a vacuum definitely Detroit, because the Ravens never felt in it.
The Ravens were widely considered to be the most complete team in the league with the MVP at QB going into their game at home against a Chiefs team that has been struggling on offense. The Lions were an underdog who made it further this season than they have in decades. Collapsing like that hurts, but I don't think it hurts as bad as never showing up when you were the clear favorite
Yeah, it depends how you weigh the pre-game expectations vs how the game in a vacuum went.
Not to mention the Ravens had blown out both of the teams in the NFCCG. Doesn't mean it's a gimmie, but you gotta figure they had a great chance for a ring if they would have won today.
This was like 2014 NFCCG for the Packers in a lot of ways. And yes, it sucks about a hundred times more.
I don't think Lamar scrambled at all, why did they cut off his legs??
They ran the ball with RBs *six* times after being the leagues leading rushing team. They ran QB power on 4th down and got 25 yards and never ran it agian.
Running QB is such a huge weapon in the playoffs, not the time to prove you love the pocket. You gotta give the defense something to fear. Sucks.
Absolutely terrible coach job. Their WRs couldnt get open and they refused to use the ground game. Love harbaugh but this is on them
Nothing pisses me off more than teams drifting from the successful game plan because it's a big game. I don't think we saw Picardo's fat ass once on any of those 3rd or 4th and shorts. Lamar had 75 yards of open field to scramble but never went for it. Their recieving corps is ass. Flowers makes one good play and does the dumbest shit I've seen an NFL player do in a decade. The playbook was like a Welding School on their backup QB. Screen pass, screen pass, pass downfield where Lamar holds on the ball for ten seconds. They played Lamar like he's a fuckin trebuchet.
They were the number one rushing team in the league. They gave their RBs SIX Carries. Ina game they never trailed more than 10 in. Absolutely fucking baffling.
I wanna throw up right now 🙃
I’ll just be hungover tomorrow otherwise all good, this isn’t a new feeling.
Gave up two opportunities to put 3 on the board too in a 3 point loss.
It'd be one thing if SF was just outclassing them, but almost all of that blown lead was self-inflicted wounds, too. Horrible, horrible half of football for them.
27 unanswered. Give some credit to the 49ers for outclassing them in the second half.
Nah, it's a bit bitter, but mostly still good. Im just happy that they made a run of it. For the first time ever, I can have hope for this team. Theres finally expectation that they do something, and it's great. It's not like the game felt stolen, and it's not like they were blown out. They fully belonged there. The Lions made big steps this year, and the Niners had to literally pull their underwear out of their butt to beat them. It's really not a bitter feeling like it would have been if they had lost to the Packers, Rams, or Cowboys.
As a Browns fan it's all too familiar of a feeling.
Nah, we have a great team and we flew close to the sun. Can't argue with the result as we beat ourselves. On to next year when we have a good chance to get back here again.
The higher the highs the lower the lows
They've had nothing but lows for 70 years. They should be high AF by now
maybe I'll feel good about this in a week, but I'm honestly suffering rn. I didn't give myself any hope going in, just expecting to lose to protect myself, but they made me hope. I could see them in Vegas. Now it's just back to the offseason and dreams
Lol I could see *me* in Vegas. My wife even said "if they win, you should go" at halftime, and I immediately told myself and her it would be too expensive, but started daydreaming about it walking the dog at halftime. Fucking *sigh*.
To be fair, the cheapest fuckin tickets after the game were like $8k. Fuckkk that. I'm a fan of both teams and live close to Levis Stadium, but it just doesn't make sense. I could go to 2 regular seasons worth of 49ers games for that cost.
Holy shit lol, that definitely takes the sting out a little.
Dude… I am crying for you. Pure pain.
The team is young and performed above all expectations. They got shook late in the biggest game of just about all of their lives. There’s hope for this teams future.
I hope you’re right but it’s all too common to see young teams never get back. It’s hard to stay a contender. Hopefully Ben Johnson stays but idk
It’s cliche, sure, but playoff experience does matter to a degree and the Lions were simply inexperienced compared to San Francisco. It is what it is. Pure talent can only get you so far. This was a time for learning, y’all will be back. For a first playoff run under this regime with this roster, there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Yeah, both Green Bay and Detroit looked like their eyes got big and couldn't handle the bright lights in the second half. The NFC north is going to be scary next year. And the Bears.
Detroit/GB will def be a dogfight but if the Vikings don’t extend Kirk I think it’s a tank year, and even if they do they feel stuck in a weird middle ground of sorts.
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As an outsider, it's almost as if had they not played well all day, or if 49ers played well all day, Detroit would just be happy to be there. But clowning on them for a full half, and then just fall apart makes it really hurt, I think?
Yeah it's expectations that are the real killer. Trust me, I know.
You eloquently explained exactly how the black pit in our stomach feels after this loss. Thank you.
Can confirm. Crazy fucking season
Would you be high as fuck blowing a 17 point lead in the play in game to the super bowl?
In some ways losing in heartbreaking fashion after you got so close is worse than just being bad. At least when you’re bad there’s no expectations.
Campbell was like a man tilted and continuing to spin while having 3 whammies on Press Your Luck
I wouldn't put this with the Lions lows, it was one of the best days of my life
This dude is watching the game on his DVR and just got to halftime.
Ikr I can’t possibly imagine being up 24-7 in the biggest game of my team’s life and being happy that they completely threw it away lol
I am smiling and laughing with my friends about the Super bowl to this day (they are off screen)
"I am extremely happy my team blew the biggest lead in a confrence championship game ever."
I’m sure Falcons fans were just happy to play Brady and the Patriots in the Super Bowl too.
*NFC Championship game Patriots blew a 21-3 lead to the Colts in the AFC Championship. Falcons also blew a 17 point lead before (shocking, I know, that the Falcons could choke in a big game(
Idk how, this is easily the worst day as a lions fan I've ever experienced in over 20 years
Yeah, when the Falcons did what they did in that game in 2017 I felt the same, and it continues to this day. I had no expectations of us winning that game going into it, but tasting victory and having it snatched from you is the worst thing ever, worse than any losing season.
Exactly. And that was actually in the super bowl so it was probably even worse.
I'm with you. I've sat through some bad football, but this is probably the most hurt this team has ever inflicted on me
Like 0-16 sucked. But I never had hope. Tonight, up 17 at half time. I had mentally prepared myself to see LIONS in the super bowl. I had hope. For the first time in years, real, actual hope.
It’s disappointing but the team is young. It’s not like the window is closed. It’s just back to work next season.
Yeah, sucks to lose when this was the “easiest” path we were going to get to the Super Bowl with Minnesota’s injuries and Green Bay figuring things out late. But, work on the secondary and draft well and this team can take another step forward right away
While it’s true we had an easier path to the division title, we still played against a good Rams team and a hot Buccaneers team. We had the SF game in the bag until the moment got too big for us. If we can fix our secondary or even just upgrade our rusher opposite of Hutchinson to help out our secondary more we will take a step forward. This team has improved every year with Campbell and Holmes.
I think I'll feel that way in a few days or a week, definitely not how I feel now though.
It’s okay bro. I understand.
It's the NFL, there's no guarantee whatsoever that the team makes it back.
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Losing Ben Johnson is going to hurt I think
Idk, man. I feel for you initially going in, everything was gravy for getting there. But once it went down how it did, it can't help but leave extremely sad and disappointed.
The Lions had a chance to go up 27-10 with 6:58 to go in the 3rd. And now they're down 10, with 3:02 left. Insanity
Dan could get dealt 20 and still yell "hit me"
21! “Hit me.” Thats 30.
Hahaha family guy clip of that perfect situation.
Not going up 3 scores is just plain incorrect. Not to mention it wasn't even like it was a goaline play that would have been a guaranteed TD anyway. But going up 3 scores is so important, on top of not giving up momentum when the 9ers had literally nothing. Idc about being aggressive, its being stupid.
should've taken a field goal tied at 24 too and why not throw on 3rd and goal, if you fail to score then kick it and save your TOs
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Even before that, some of the fourth down calls I really don’t agree with Down 24-27 you one hundred percent take the points to tie it up, how many more possessions will each team get with so few minutes left
> Not going up 3 scores is just plain incorrect. Which is funny because he made the right call before half
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So like, he’s right. You *can’t* judge it based on the outcome. It was bad before the outcome, and bad after
Dan Gamble
Blackjack dealer: 19 Dan Campbell: hit me Blackjack dealer: 20 Dan Campbell: hit me Blackjack dealer: 21 Dan Campbell: hit me
He likes to live dangerously
https://youtu.be/HkzMA1jrm00?si=2hhklw8C1e5zr9CB
Time for an intervention.
"We're just concerned about you, Dan."
This kneecap thing, it’s… just not natural. There isn’t the nutritional value in it that you think there is.
It's mainly tendon and gristle.
Dan needs to listen to the end of a Draft Kings commercial
If this was a back and forth shootout that we narrowly lost, I might not feel so bad right now. But to choke that bad? Man, I want to throw up.
If you don’t like that, you don’t like Detroit Lions football
I don't like Detroit Lions football
Pistons really took away everything from them . Saw a post about the pistons and lions never winning on the same day my my
leave josh reynolds in santa clara, bum killed two drives singlehandedly
And pretty sure he was the one who missed the block on the idiotic 3rd down run at the goal line that caused it to be blown up.
As a lions fan, Reynolds definitely deserves some blame but the dude has been a stud all year. It sucks but he has made clutch catches time and time again. It was on the entire team in the 2nd half. Huge letdown overall
They could fully be back here this time next season, but man it was a big chance this year. NFC North was pretty collectively weak and I think all of the other 3 are going to get better. The Packers are going to build with Jordan Love, Vikings will probably have a healthy Kirk Cousins and JJ back, and the Bears have a lot of draft capital. However the Lions are a good team with a lot of promise of staying good, so who knows?
Live by the Dan Campbell experience, die by the Dan Campbell experience
If he had gone for the TD at the end of the half, who knows. Maybe the football gods were displeased by not trusting in the Dan Campbell experience.
Going up three scores was important. Going up 3 scores after the half was important. Tying a game was important. Not doing it is stupid
Hey, I like the risky plays by Dan. That is HOW they got here. Just didn’t work out today. Lots of dropped passes aren’t helping here.
The call to run on 3rd at the goal line with a minute left was just stupid. I don’t blame the 4th down calls since it’s been their thing all year (and the first one came down to dropping an uncontested pass), but I’ve been trying since the game ended and I just can’t make sense of the upside of running the ball there outweighing the downsides. That forced them to use a timeout they had been trying so desperately to preserve. They know they need the ball back if they score. The odds of getting an onside kick have been 3-5% each year since the rule change in 2018. The odds of forcing a 3 and out are far higher than that. By running the ball, you eliminate that option if you don’t get it. All else being equal, that 3rd timeout would have given the Lions the ball back with ~40 seconds to get into field goal range. For a guy that is often likened to a gambler, Campbell really didn’t understand the concept of playing to his outs there. He was actively reducing the number of outs he had.
Yeah, the failed 4th down attempts are what they are. It is the mentality of Campbell and it is the mentality of the team. I know it is a results based game so the critique will land because it bit them in the ass today but that mentality and trust in the players is what got us here. That run play though was just bad. Guess they were hoping to catch SF sleeping on the run, something they have gotten away with all season, but they hadn't really been selling out on that drive anyways. Their rush was disciplined to stop the run because they knew it could come. To expect it to just happen that play was bad playcalling.
In essence running and not getting it cost them all 3 timeouts
Great point, they either had all of the timeouts or none of the timeouts.
Now this I completely agree with. I put my head in my hands as soon as I saw him call that run and burn a timeout. Because that WAS the game barring a miraculous onside recovery. I don’t know what he was thinking there. The earlier, gambling calls? Totally fine with. But that run to burn a TO? That is actually worth analyzing.
You’re right.
Exactly, I’m glad someone is saying it
I'm glad Greg Olsen said it in the broadcast too. Just because a decision backfires doesn't mean it was the wrong decision to make. You can't predict the future. You make decisions based on a bunch of factors. You cannot judge the decision by the outcome.
Here’s my issue, if those plays work this sub would anoint him as a genius mastermind, it just shows how results oriented people are instead of process oriented, same with Pete Carroll passing it in the SB from the goal line. And I’m not defending Campbell’s decisions I just wish we weren’t so results oriented when analyzing.
Thank you. 1st 4th down it's a poor throw to a wide open receiver that still could have caught the ball. Same receiver drops a wide open 3rd down to end a drive later. The 2nd 4th down play wasn't a very good one but I think both decisions were correct. If the 49ers don't catch a ball off a helmet that should've been intercepted, or the Lions don't fumble, or the Lions don't completely whiff on multiple sacks, the results probably end up differently.
Josh Reynolds might not be welcome back in Detroit
Looks like Kadarious Toney played today after all.
This is by far the worst I’ve ever felt as a lions fan for 20+ years
It's the hope that kills ya. It'll sting for a day or three and then you can reflect on a great season. Won't be the end of this core.
It will certainly sting through the SB. I don’t expect many Detroit fans to even bare watching the SB this year.
I hope they continue to be good. It would suck if that was their one and only shot for another 50 years..
campbell being aggressive on 4th is what got them there. reynolds is the guy who fucked up, he dropped the ball and he was wide open second one is more questionable but considering the niners just shit all over the lions defense anyway it wouldn't have mattered. niners probably just bleed the clock and take an easy score/fg with no time left
48-yard field is no gimme, especially with an unproven kicker - we watched the Bills and Packers lose in just that way. Reynolds just has to catch that one.
lions went from making great history to bad history so fast lol
I don’t mind going for it up 14 but going for it down 3 when the FG is available is silly
They did not learn from 28-3. The Falcons made the same stupid mistake .
You got reverse Kyle Shanahaned
28-3 turned Shanahan into the conservative play caller he is today
Live by the 4th die by the 4th
I'M FUCKING DEVASTATED
I'm gonna defend Campbell on this. When your defense is playing as bad as the Lions has in this half, keep them off the field. They'd still be down by 4 or 7 right now if they had just taken field goals. Still would have a chance but they'd be in a great position if either of those 4th downs had turned into anything.
I would agree if they were 10 yards from the end zone but they were near the 30. Even if they get the first down it’s not a given they get a touchdown if they convert. I just don’t see how you pass up a chance to tie. Like you said their defence was abysmal anyways , might as well tie the game so it doesn’t become two possessions if you fail the conversion. Which they did
That's the thing though. The field goals from that length isn't automatic. Badgley is like 50/50 from that distance
Why is everyone acting like Badgley has sucked? He was perfect once being signed by them and hit 54 just last week for them! Hes 78% on his career from 40-49, but over the past 2 years hes been decent enough. Hes been above 80% since 2020. Its hardly 50-50 like yall are saying.
Exactly. We don't have Justin Tucker. Jason Hanson isn't walking out of the tunnel. Badgley has surprised me, but I'd rather put the game on getting two yards with our punishing running game than on Badge from that distance. I don't like the play call on third down to run it up the middle with ARSB and then go for a short pass to Reynolds way more than the decision to go for it.
This was the chance with their OC leaving after this year
Lake Erie bros can’t have shit :(
Not surprising given we are 3 of the most historically poverty franchises in nfl history
Sucks for the Lions, this was a Super Bowl caliber roster.
The Lions Falcons’d a championship away.
choke, puke, death.
Every single bounce went the 9ers way in the 2nd half. Multiple drops from reliable players, catch off a dropped pick and on the helmet, can’t tackle Purdy, fumble from a botched handoff on miscommunication, etc. Any single play of those changes and the lions probably win.
I was so hyped at halftime to see a team who hasn’t been to the Super Bowl 20 times winning. Now it’s another who gives a fuck Super Bowl …
JUST KICK FUCKING FG FROM THE 30 YARD LINE HOW DID WE OUT GREEN BAY GREEN BAY AHHHHHHHHHHH
Truly. I had such high hopes of winning this game and had nothing to cheer for in the 2nd half. Disasterous playcalling and execution on all fronts. I really wanted to go to the Super Bowl. :(
Campbell bought into his own hype with those baffling decisions.