Calvin Johnson must shoulder some blame for Lions’ loss
Detroit Lions’ wide receiver Calvin Johnson is arguably the best football player in the world, but he did not play like it last night on Monday Night Football.
Johnson, who is an athletic freak in the good sense of the word, put up decent numbers against the Baltimore Ravens—six receptions for 98 yards—but he dropped a few balls that the Lions really needed.
Drops are uncharacteristic for the man they call Megatron, but they symbolized the Lions 2013: missed opportunities.
The Lions were essentially gift wrapped the NFC North with both Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers missing extended time due to injury, but somehow, someway; the Lions couldn’t capitalize. Detroit has lost four of its last five games and has gone from first in the North to third. And with Cutler back for the Bears and the potential of Rodgers coming back for the Packers; things aren’t looking good for Jim Schwartz’s team.
All the Lions had to do was beat Baltimore and fate was theirs to control. Unfortunately, in true Lions fashion, they came up short on the big stage.
For as good as Johnson is and has been during his career, when the lights were brightest Monday night, he failed to deliver. The two dropped balls really hurt his team, and one of them could have been a huge play. In a game that came down to an unbelievable 61-yard field goal from Baltimore’s Justin Tucker, those opportunities could have made all the difference for Detroit.
Megatron will go down as one of the best ever and I’m sure he’ll recover. Unfortunately, at least in 2013, he team may not.
Even he deserves some blame for Detroit’s loss.