RADIO
If Kam Chancellor doesn't punch the ball out of Calvin Johnson's hands at the goal line, Megatron likely escapes making my warning signals list. Hell, if the referees don't blow that batted ball call and Calvin finds the end zone on the next play, he's still probably safe. But alas, here we are with another mediocre week from the man with a Decepticon nickname.
There's really been two different narratives regarding the Detroit offense thus far. The first is that quarterback Matthew Stafford has been banged-up since the start of the season, greatly hindering the team's passing attack. The second is that even when this offense does get moving, Stafford isn't looking Calvin's way as often as he has in years prior. I think both things are true here; Stafford still isn't fully healthy and the Lions are trying to utilize a more balanced attack. I'm still fairly confident that better days are ahead for Calvin Johnson but I do think it's time to lower expectations.
If Detroit is so obsessed with trying to spread the ball around while force-feeding their running backs to below-average rushing totals, then obviously Calvin's numbers are going to decline. Throw in a nicked-up QB and you're looking at a scenario where you're stuck with an under-performing second-round wide receiver. As a Calvin Johnson owner myself I'm still crossing my fingers that things turn around, but I'll admit I'm worried. If you've been able to weather the storm to a decent record through four weeks, hang in there on Calvin barring a great trade offer.
