For most of the season, Reggie Bush has appeared to be a perfect fit with the Detroit Lions. He has racked up at least 94 total yards from scrimmage in six of nine games. However, Bush found his opportunities limited on Sunday after he put the ball on the ground in the second quarter.
Head coach Jim Schwartz benched Bush after his first-half fumble — his second lost fumble in three games.
“Reggie didn’t have an easy time getting started today,” Schwartz said, according to The Detroit News. “That had a lot to do with our inability to get points in the second half.”
That was nice of Schwartz to not throw his player under the bus, but we all know what really happened. Bush was replaced by Joique Bell after his fumble led to three points for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bell injured his foot in the second half, which may be the only reason Bush came back into the game.
“You turn the ball over, that’s what happens,” Bush said. “I’ve been in this league long enough to know that. There is nobody to blame but myself.”
Of course, the former USC star was not the only person who made mistakes. For whatever reason, Schwartz decided to try a fake field goal at the Pittsburgh 10-yard line while leading 27-23 late in the fourth quarter. Rather than opting for a chip-shot field goal to give his team a 30-27 lead, Schwartz made a regrettable call and kicker David Akers was stuffed trying to run the ball in.
“You can say whatever you want about me, but don’t say I’m scared because we ain’t,” Schwartz said. “This team is going to be aggressive. We didn’t play well enough to win this game but it’s not because we were passive.”
There’s a difference between being aggressive and making a dumb call. Attempting the fake falls under the latter category. Benching Bush may have cost the team as well.
