NFL: Can Detroit Lions’ coaching changes make an instant impact?

In previous wars we endured rationing and even pretended Bob Hope was funny. Now they are sending us the Detroit Lions.

This particular Silver and Powder Blue vintage probably won’t run out to the Smiths, but the misery surrounding this team is palpable. Every season it has been something, so many strange events requiring their explanation. Talk about exhausting. When they need a logo change, perhaps a horseshoe or a four-leaf clover would be an option.

All teams not coached by Bill Belichick suffer dips in form. That is expected. Even superstar running backs like Barry Sanders have been known to rush for minus-1 yard in playoff games (vs. Green Bay in 1994).
But bad luck and tragedy seems to plague the Lions.

They have never been to a Super Bowl, not won one playoff game since 1957 (7-12 in the playoffs in the last 85 years), hold the record for most consecutive road games without a victory (2001-03, lost 24) and have not recorded back-to-back seasons of 10-plus wins in the entire history of the franchise, which dates back to the 1930s. They have no division titles since 1993, have had two division playoff appearances since 2000 – both wild-card, one-and-done exits – and went 0-16 in 2008.

This is the sort of thing that happens to the Lions: In 1992 lineman Eric Andolsek was killed by a drunk driver while mowing his lawn. That is real tragedy, as was offensive lineman Mike Utley being paralyzed in a game against the Rams a year earlier, linebacker Toby Caston killed in a road accident in 1994 and head coach Don McCafferty dying of a heart attack before the 1974 season.

Inept management, terrible coaching and lots of bad quarterbacks added to the freakish bad luck. It was little wonder that Sanders abruptly retired rather than staying with the Lions in 1999. They didn’t win a road game for the next three seasons.

Detroit arrives in London with a 1-6 record and you will notice Lions’ fans at Wembley – they will have angst running through their body from head to toes and all points in between.

The individual brilliance of receiver Calvin Johnson aside, the Lions have yet to discover a recipe for success. They regularly serve up cold-porridge game-plans straight out Microwave Cooking For One.

And there appears no hope in sight. On Monday, hours after a 28-19 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and offensive line coaches Jeremiah Washburn and Terry Heffernan.

“It’s not a good day,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “It’s a tough day.”

The Lions promoted 31-year-old quarterbacks coach Jim Bob Cooter to the offensive coordinator position. He will call the offensive play and anticipates some scheme changes.

Caldwell said they were evaluating personnel changes on Monday that led to the moves, but he also said he had not consulted with ownership prior to the decision.

Caldwell also made running backs coach Curtis Modkins the running game coordinator, Ron Prince the offensive line coach and Dave Fitzsimmons the tight ends coach.

As with the Miami Dolphins – who fired head coach Joe Philbin after their London debacle against the New York Jets and then scored more points than any team in their next two games after promoting tight-ends coach Dan Campbell to an interim head-coaching role – sometimes, the genius is in the attitude.

The Lions are going from one first-time coordinator in Vince Lombardi’s grandson, to another in Cooter, insisting that the “synergy” between him and Matt Stafford will aid the embattled quarterback.

So a lot of people will be looking hard at them on Sunday when the rubber meets the road.

It is tough to find positives after averaging just 68 yards per game in the ground. The offensive line can’t block and Stafford spent so much time on his back against Minnesota (sacked seven times) that Silentnight wanted him as a brand ambassador.

To their credit, Lions fans are always attempting to turn negatives into positives. They say Stafford takes a standing eight count better than any QB in the league (he was knocked down a further 13 times against the Vikings).

When the elevator stops at the basement, as it has with the sad-sack Lions, the fans realise that the only thing more fun than discussing the Draft for three months, is dissecting it for six – quarterback Jared Goff of California could have Stafford looking over his (only working) shoulder before too long.

Kansas City (2-5) were everybody’s dark horses before the season began, with question marks over the declining arm strength of veteran Broncos’ quarterback Peyton Manning. Yet the Chiefs were a pet rock. A Disco. They were a fad pick, far worse than many predicted.

However, they kept their fading AFC West hopes alive by shocking the injury-ravaged Pittsburgh Steelers 23-13 last week, snapping a five-game losing streak.

The Chiefs lost star running back Jamaal Charles to a season-ending knee injury three weeks ago and head coach Andy Reid has subsequently employed a running-back-by-committee approach that primarily centres on Charcandrick West, with Knile Davis, De’Anthony Thomas and Spencer Ware in support.

Reid blew up his offensive line before taking on the Steelers, with Laureny Duvernay-Tardiff back at right guard, and Zach Fulton sitting. Donald Stephenson was relegated to the bench with Eric Fisher (whose run blocking has come on a ton) taking his spot back at left tackle. Jeff Allen (sometimes ugly but usually effective) also came in at right guard and it was clear for all to see that Reid’s clear message had got home: Do your job or sit.

The positive news for the Chiefs continues. While Denver has romped to a 6-0 start in the division, the AFC is top-heavy with unbeaten teams. New England and Cincinnati are all unbeaten, so while the division winners looked locked-in, the wild-card race is wide-open, with just two other teams above .500 – the Jets and Steelers both boast 4-3 records.

Don’t write the Chiefs off. Their schedule, which looked tough, now looks easier, with just one team with a winning record remaining: at Denver on Nov 15. The Chiefs have two remaining games against the Oakland Raiders (3-3) and San Diego Chargers (2-5), Buffalo Bills (3-4), Baltimore Ravens (1-6) and Cleveland Browns (2-5).

While there is not much wriggle room, a win over the floundering Lions will change the landscape. The neutrals at Wembley cannot hope to see a game as exciting at last weekend’s Jaguars’ 34-31 win over the Bills and those present should see a Chiefs victory.

For the Lions, it may be time to pay the final respects. Wembley will come and go, but the same questions will dog this franchise. Monday’s coaching changes were not about improvement. They were about putting perfume on a corpse.

WHERE: 14:30, Sunday, November 1- Wembley Stadium, London,

HISTORY: The Chiefs have won four of the last six meetings with Detroit, who seek their third consecutive win over Kansas City, something they have never done.

The Chiefs are considered 3.5-point favourites by odds-makers and will seek to avenge a 48-3 beating the last time these two met (in 2011).

Nine of the last 13 International Series games at Wembley has seen a victory for the ‘road’ team (in this case, Detroit).

CHIEFS (2-5): After two winning seasons and one of the most stable coaching staff in the league, the Chiefs were supposed to take the next step in Reid’s third season. Yet while there has been progression in offensive passing yards – improving from 29th to 20th in the NFL – the running game has regressed from 10th to 18th. Defensively they have nosedived, ranking 23rd in passing yards allowed (from 2nd in 2014). Depth at cornerback and safety is a concern, and opposing offenses are reaping dividends. This also skews the Chiefs’ stats against the run (currently 11th from 28th last year).

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The defense only had six interceptions last season – they have six already this term. Yet they have given up 28 plays of over 20-plus yards – only Baltimore (29), Detroit (31) and Indianapolis (32) have more. With Kansas City’s ability to rush the passer and Detroit’s inability to keep Stafford protected, don’t expect the Lions to create too many big-play opportunities for Calvin Johnson. Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith is not going to set the world alight, but the former No1 draft pick is quietly putting together a nice season, completing 62.8 per cent of his passes for a total of 1,824 yards. His efficiency in the red zone can improve, as can his protection – only Russell Wilson (31) has been sacked more than Smith (25). The Chiefs will be better if WR Jeremy Maclin, who has missed the last two games with concussion, returns. Defensive lineman Mike DeVito also missing the last two games, could be back.

LIONS (1-5): The Lions are the underdogs in the head-to-head battle of mediocrity. After the coaching changes, fans will be watching his every throw with crossed arms, tapping shoes and doubting minds. The losses of defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley to free agency hurt, although the arrival of Haloti Ngata has somewhat softened the blow, but while he is still durable, he is 31. The running game, ranked 28th last year, has regressed. The Lions boast the 31st-ranked rushing attack, which is averaging just 3.5 rushing yards per carry, but the strong and shifty running back Ameer Abdullah has been one of the bright spots, but he has fumbled four times and lost three of those.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Stop the blitz: Minnesota provided a blue-print and Stafford needed x-rays on his non-throwing hand after being repeatedly dumped to the turf.
Stop the turnovers: Even when they were 0-6 on their way to 0-16 in 2008, the Lions had turned the ball over nine times. This year, they’ve turned it over a league-high 18 times. After throwing just 12 interceptions all of last season, Matthew Stafford already has 10 through seven games. While he is completing a career-best 65 per cent of his passes, he’s been way too careless with the football at times, but is having to air it out more because of the struggling run-blocking. Throwing the ball over 70 per cent of the time is not a recipe for winning in the NFL unless your name is Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers.
Limit the big plays: The defensive line has been inconsistent, but when they get good effort from the front seven in terms of stopping the run, they’ve been unable to limit big passing plays down the field.

Get Ezekiel Ansah involved: Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s schemes are unpredictable. Pressure will come from all sides and Ansah, who ran 10.9 seconds in the 100m in college is a 6-foot-6, 270lb monster, who will likely give the Chiefs’ new-look line fits.

Cornerback Josh Wilson is questionable to start following a concussion, tight end Brandon Pettigrew is a doubt with a knee injury and tackle Corey Robinson has missed the last three games with an ankle injury.

SIMON'S SCORES ON THE DOORS: Chiefs 27 Lions 20