Ws and Ls don't matter—unless you get rolled

In the National Football League, the four-game exhibition season is a time to for the first unit to get reacquaint themselves with each other and for non-starters to fight for the remaining spots on the regular-season roster. They sell the games to season ticket holders just like the regular season, run 15 minutes off the clock in four incremental quarters and keep track of point totals on the scoreboard, just like the regular season. But the end result, they insist, is insignificant.

While the wins and losses may not mean anything, there are times when what goes on is telling. Friday night at Ford Field was one of those times.

In front of an enthusiastic, football-mad summer crowd of 64,500, the Detroit Lions embarrassed themselves and most every fan in attendance. Before the game even reached the 15-minute mark, the Honolulu blue and silver showed the world the true distance between them and the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. It was vast, and it was clear as day, be it August, October or January.

Forget that the Lions caught up and actually took the lead halfway through the fourth quarter. Never mind that the Patriots needed a last-second field goal to escape with a victory. As much as the ultimate competitiveness of the reserves gave hometown supporters something to cheer about and impartial fans a reason to continue watching, nothing could erase the spectacle that came before themm. With nothing to lose, they still found a way to lose.

From their first offensive snap, the New England Patriots' first team established their presence as the same team who roared back from 25 down to steal the Vince Lombardi Trophy from the Atlanta Falcons last February. Led by a 40-year-old Tom Brady, looking as young and crisp as a third-year starter, the Pats zipped down the field with no-pads-workout effortlessness. Julian Edelmen toyed with the Lions secondary by hauling in three consecutive Brady darts. The third catch, however, was the last of his season, as he suffered what would be revealed as a torn right ACL in a non-contact injury, cutting in open field.

The loss of Brady's go-to guy may cost the Pats dearly during the season. But it was difficult to see its effect on this night. Chris Hogan jumped in and New England didn't miss a step. The former Penn State receiver danced into the end zone with a 7-yard pass to end the drive, and after a Golden Tate fumble on the Lions' first offensive play, fought through defensive interference to snare a 32-yard quick strike touchdown pass on the first play of drive number two. Three and a half minutes in, the Patriots already had 13-0 separation, barely working up a sweat to get there.

Out trotted Matthew Stafford, first overall draft pick to Brady's 199th pick in the sixth round. Two ineffective runs by Ameer Abdullah and an underwhelming 2-yard pass later, back to the bench trotted Stafford. Taking over from his own 26, Touchdown Tommy struck again, cutting the field open with a targeted 32-yard strike to Danny Amendola and baiting the Detroit secondary once again into a goal-line pass interference call (it was their third of the game) before Mike Gillislee walked in from the one-yard line.

Not to be outdone by the flag-prone defense, the Lions special teams jumped in with an offsides penalty on the extra point, moving the ball again to the one and allowing Gillislee to score a two-point conversion on the identical play call. Boom. 21-0. 6:29 had elapsed. The Patriots had 3 touchdowns. The Lions had 4 offensive plays.

And the first act of the mid-summer night's nightmare was not yet over. Three plays later Brady was again at work from the New England 35, working his timeless magic, peppering in the occasional short pass with effective inside running to move the offense into field goal range. As the clock entered its last inconsequential minute of the quarter, Stephen Gostkowski popped a 46-yarder between the uprights. The meaningless score read Patriots 24, Lions 0.

It would get better for Detroit. Marvin Jones would haul in a Stafford pass deep into the right corner of the end zone to close the gap to 24-7 at intermission. Stafford struck again on the first drive of the second half, finding running back Dwayne Washington for an 18-yard score. Former Michigan Wolverine signal-caller Jake Rudock would lead the Lions on two long scoring drives, the second giving Detroit a lead they would hold until the very last seconds.

It did get better. But we knew better.