Tampa Bay Buccaneers running up the score on the Detroit Lions was bush league
Free Press sports writer Carlos Monarrez answers three questions after the Detroit Lions lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 47-7, on Saturday at Ford Field:
Should the NFL should have moved this game to Sunday?
Without a doubt. For the record, I think all this “Same Old Lions” and “Detroit always gets picked on” talk is a weak, convenient excuse and exhibits a victim’s mentality. The NFL doesn’t have it out for the Lions. But forcing them to play a game without five coaches, including the head coach and a coordinator, was borderline sadistic and smacked of cold, corporate greed. It was embarrassing, and made more so because it was nationally televised as the only game being played. I’m sure the NFL saw this more as a broadcast of the Buccaneers clinching a playoff spot in Tom Brady’s 300th game. But the national audience’s real takeaway was how bad the Lions looked and that they appear to be a poorly run franchise in shambles. The NFL should have put the pride of one of its oldest franchises ahead of programming and sponsorship concerns and honored their request to postpone the game for one day.
[ Tom Brady just did something against the Lions no other QB has done ]
Were the Bucs running up the score?
Yes. I understand there was only so much the Bucs could do since the Lions were extremely shorthanded, especially when Matthew Stafford left after the first series with an ankle injury. And yes, the Bucs pulled Brady at halftime when they were up, 34-0. But then Blaine Gabbert came in and started passing deep. On his first play, they threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski — and why was Gronk still in the game? — for a 40-0 lead. Then he threw a 22-yard TD pass to Mike Evans for a 47-7 lead. With about 10 minutes left, Gabbert threw a 40-yard bomb to Evans on first down that was incomplete. Gabbert even completed a 10-yard pass to Antonio Brown on the second to last play of the game. I can understand throwing on third down or even when you’re deep in your own territory. But deep throws for TDs? Late bombs on first down? Come on, man. And why was Evans still in the game that late? Sure, the Bucs are trying to get ready for the playoffs, but this was bush league.
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What should Lions do for their final game next week?
For starters, don’t win. The Lions started the day 11th in the draft order and after the loss they fell to 5-10. After Sunday, they’re sure to move up at least a little in the draft order. Every spot counts as the team moves toward a house cleaning that should including drafting a quarterback with its first pick. So let’s see what the young guns have. Let’s see tight end Hunter Bryant, offensive lineman Logan Stenberg and receiver Quintez Cephus, among others. It’s tryout time. So let the youngsters get some valuable game experience and give the incoming general manager and coach as much game film as possible so they can make a better evaluation as they look to the future.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tampa Bay Bucs running up the score on Detroit Lions was bush league
