They did show up against the titans, they gave it away. They did show up against the bears defensively and given where that game was played in primetime, they did well. They beat the 4-3 seahawks and after beating jags is where their losing slump began. At vikes, who were 5-4, packers who were 6-3 and won late on a int return, texans who were 10-1 and we know how that turned out. After that they were done at 4-7, and in came the under the radar overachieving colts who were down 13 at one point in the game, then came the packers again in which they led until late third in Lambeau, after that they were drained on a second straight road trip going to Az out west. With the exception of that game and Atlanta, their last seven games 5 of them were all close losses. Lions had to play contender after contender. Their problem was not not showing up on game day but not being able to finish games.

The Lions are a team.... An organization and that means if the players bust arse for 60 minutes but the coaches screw up the second half adjustments as a whole they have problems. Problems that players can not effect ... As much as Payton is the reason we win, Schwartz is the reason the Lions lose.

Not all head coaches can get it done.

I get a lot of grief for it, but I'm also of the opinion HC Schwartz/OC Linehan/DC Cunningham just aren't going to provide the level of coaching necessary for Detroit to be perenniel playoff contenders or make the jump to the next level. They're Ok and will string together a winning season now & then, they just ain't taking you to the promised land anytime soon.

It's one of those things where you hope you're wrong, but you're afraid you may be right.