Detroit Lions look to get back to winning ways against Philadelphia Eagles - NFL Preview
The Detroit Lions will hope that their bye week will help them regain the focus and return back to winning ways as they look to snap a four-game losing streak this Sunday October 14, 2012 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This Lions team is not performing at the same levels it displayed in its 2011 regular season with poor defending being the main culprit for their 1-3 2012/13 regular season record.
Detroit is currently bottom of the NFC North Division which is surprising seeing that this was the season many expected the Lions to push on after finally making the playoffs last season.
However, that has not happened with the team’s struggles even reaching the franchise’s star studded offence.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford is yet to display the same precision he showed last year and in his first four games has passed for 1,182 yards and thrown three touchdowns.
Stafford also has four interceptions to his name.
Star wide receiver Calvin Johnson who this year won the honour of gracing the cover of Madden 13 has also scored just a single touchdown this season and made 29 receptions for 423 yards.
Coach Jim Schwartz said recently that the team has to find a way to dig itself out of its current predicament.
Speaking to the media he said:
"That's our challenge right now to dig our way out of this. There have been a lot of things that have happened that are not indicative of where this team will be after 16 games and like I said, we need to get those corrected."
Stafford also said that the bye week break would help the team refocus itself.
He said:
"Obviously, you want to head into a bye week with a win but it's a good time for us to kind of get away from it a little bit, refocus and get ready for a 12-game stretch."
Philadelphia Eagles unlike their opponents lie on top of NFC East with a 3-2 record even with the struggles of quarterback Michael Vick.
Vick has the most fumbles in the National Football League (NFL) this year while he has been picked off six times.
The quarterback has not thrown an interception though in his last three games and coach Andy Reid expects him to protect the ball better too.
Speaking to the media Reid said:
"We've got to go back and work on ball security and he knows that and he's gonna get it right just like he did with the interceptions. We're gonna get it fixed. It won't be the last time he carries the football. He just has to secure it away, keep it high
and tight. When he's in traffic, get that thing covered up with the off hand."
This is a big game for both the teams and especially crucial for the Detroit Lions as they look to get back to winning ways on Sunday.
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