Detroit Lions’ loss to end this strange, pathetic season actually feels like a win

Detroit Free Press

Jeff Seidel
 
| Detroit Free Press

I made a resolution to try to be more positive.

So let me view this Detroit Lions finale — a 37-35 loss against Minnesota — through the eyes of big-picture optimism.

By losing this game, the Lions improved their draft stock — and more than anything, this team needs more talent. On defense. On offense. Everywhere. The cupboards at the Lions facility are so bare, especially on defense, it’s like looking into a cabinet and finding nothing but a can of Spam in the back corner. No offense to Spam.

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By losing this game, the Lions will have a better shot at drafting a quarterback, and this organization desperately needs a quarterback of the future.

By losing this game and improving their draft stock, the Lions will be more attractive and could land better GM and coaching candidates.

So while I am never in favor of playing to lose, well, the Lions, bless their hearts, lost this game and the benefits of losing far outweigh any momentary, fleeting, empty happiness that could come from winning a meaningless game.

So yes, the Lions showed all kinds of grits and fought valiantly on Sunday.

Yes, they got screwed by the refs on Sunday.

Which set up a crazy dilemma for Lions fans.

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You could almost hear them screaming: “That’s a horrible call!”

And then it would dawn on them: “Hey, that will help us in the draft! Thank you refs, for being so pathetic.”

In the old days, when this franchise was cursed by unseen forces affectionately known as being the Same Old Lions, they would have won this game, worsening their draft stock.

Matthew Stafford would have masked a horrendous defensive effort with another wild, come-from-behind win. Or worse, the Lions would have won and Stafford would have gotten even more injured.

But none of those things happened.

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Because this team is so bad, its defense was so pathetic, that not even the forces of Same Old Lions could change the outcome.

The Lions lost their fourth-straight game because they have the worst defense in franchise history. And that is the legacy of former general manager Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia.

They’ve been gone since week 11. But their legacy continues, like a stench that you just can’t get out of a piece of old carpet.

Which brings us to the most Lions play ever.

With just a few seconds left in the first half, Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins dropped back to pass and hit Chad Beebe. Two Lions defenders bounced off him. Neither one wrapped up. Neither one tackled him.

Of course not, they are products of Patricia’s defense.

A third Lion looked disinterested.

And Beebe scampered for a 40-yard touchdown.

If the Lions had actually tackled Beebe, the half would have ended and they would have held the lead.

But the Patricia defense is like a bad virus you can’t get rid of.

The Lions were in this game only because of Stafford and Marvin Jones, who caught three touchdowns.

Whoops. Nope, he caught two.

The refs took one away.

And normally, that would infuriate Lions fans.

But not this time.

Because it actually helped the Lions, at least when you view this debacle through a half-full glass of reality.

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So the Lions ended the season with a 5-11 record. And now, the real work begins.

If they hire the right general manager and coach, they can change this around.

Seriously. I really believe that. This organization isn’t cursed.

They just haven’t found the right people and can’t get out of their own way.

But everything can change, and it starts on draft day.

Of course, on draft day, you can thank this game.

You can thank those refs.

And you can thank that horrible defense.

At least, that’s the positive way to view this pathetic season.

The other way is just too depressing.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel/.

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