Halftime analysis: Yup, the Detroit Lions have bungled another big lead

DETROIT — Oops. They did it again.

Matthew Stafford needed less than 5 minutes to build a 14-0 lead with touchdown passes to D’Andre Swift and Kenny Golladay on Sunday against New Orleans. Then the Detroit Lions did what they do best, and choked away the big lead under a pile of blown assignments, missed tackles and just generally bad defense.

The Saints went 13 plays for a touchdown. Then they went 10 plays for a touchdown. Stafford didn’t help matters by underthrowing T.J. Hockenson in the end zone, turning a potential touchdown into an interception — and with the way the defense is playing, you can probably guess what happened next.

Nine plays. Touchdown.

The Lions had one final opportunity near the end of the half to get something going, but went run-run-pass-punt. New Orleans took over in Detroit territory with less than 2 minutes left, and well, with the way the defense is playing, you can probably guess what happened next.

Four plays. Touchdown.

The Lions were up 14-0. Now they’re down 28-14. They’re allowing 7.4 yards per play. That’s not very good. Drew Brees has completed 11 of his last 13 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns. That’s also not very good. New Orleans is averaging 4.9 yards per rush, converted 5 of 6 third downs, 1 of 1 fourth downs, 3 of 3 red zone opportunities, 3 of 3 goal-to-go situations.

That’s really not very good.

There’s still 30 minutes left for the Lions to get their act together, but this start is so discouraging. They went into Arizona last week and won a game they had to. They got stops when they needed to, especially late. It felt like maybe this team was starting to find its footing, and had a chance to come in here and get back to .500 heading into the bye.

Instead, this feels just like the egg they laid back in Green Bay. The Lions raced to a 14-3 lead that day, then allowed 31 unanswered points in a 42-21 loss at Lambeau Field. That was the fourth straight time they had lost after leading by double digits, something no one else had done in the 100-year history of the NFL. And here we are two weeks later, with the same sort of meltdown unfolding once again. They’ve allowed another 28 unanswered points, after allowing 31 against Green Bay, after allowing 17 against Chicago.

It’s getting harder and harder to argue Detroit has made any kind of progress under Matt Patricia.

Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.