3 reasons why the Cardinals loss to Lions was not surprising
By Sion Fawkes
Kingsbury’s history against Detroit
Kliff Kingsbury has never beaten the Detroit Lions, who are routinely at the bottom of the NFL’s pecking order decade after decade. Kingsbury at least tied the Lions in his debut head coaching appearance in 2019 before losing to them on a last-second field goal last season. Oh, and by the way, the Lions ended an 11-game losing streak.
Come Week 15, Kingsbury needs to consider himself lucky, as the Lions squeaked by the Minnesota Vikings on a last-second touchdown just two weeks prior. Suppose the Lions lost that game as most teams would. Kingsbury would have once again had a place on the Wall of Shame in allowing the Lions to bust yet another winless streak.
Kingsbury doesn’t just struggle against the Lions. He struggles against anyone a team as talented as the Cardinals should beat easily. The Cardinals were blown out twice in 2021, once by the Panthers. And, of course, once by the Lions. Playing to competition was a problem last season and it’s a problem in 2021.
The bottom line is that good head coaches do not lose to bad football teams. Until Kingsbury proves he can beat bad football teams routinely, he is, at best, a middle-of-the-road coach.