The Lions didn’t stomp on any Packers Sunday.
Keeping them off each other might have been more of a challenge.
Lions receivers coach Shawn Jefferson was seen barking at offensive coordinator Scott Linehan after a conservative set of play-calls in the red zone.
“I’d rather not go into it,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz said, via Anwar Richardson of MLive.com. “Everybody was disappointed not to be able to score a touchdown on that last drive.”
Leading 17-14 with the ball the Lions turned a first-and-10 at the Packers 10 into a field goal, when Mikel Leshoure ran twice and Matt Stafford threw incomplete to Titus Young. They settled for a field goal to push the lead to 20-14 with 4:25 left.
The Packers responded with a touchdown, and after Detroit had to punt on the next possession, Jefferson was seen yelling at Linehan, saying: “I said throw the ball.” Linehan did not respond.
Jefferson’s biggest beef could have been ignoring Calvin Johnson there, despite the fact he had 113 yards and a touchdown at that point.
“It’s not unusual [not to not get the ball on first-and-goal late in the game],” Johnson said. “I mean, the coverage kind of dictates what happens a lot of times. They were playing a little two-trap, so it made it tough.”
Frustrations often boil over on the sidelines, but it’s usually between players, or a player and a coach.
When the guys charged with keeping control lose theirs, it’s not hard to wonder why things are the way they are for the Lions.