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The Detroit Lions killed themselves on Sunday by racking up 11 penalties for over 100 yards in their loss to the Saints, taking their reputation as an in-your-face team to a whole new and destructive level. It wasn’t so much the fact that they committed so many penalties, it was the types of penalties that highlights the larger problem with the team. The three offensive pass interference calls on wide receiver Nate Burleson were bad enough to show how undisciplined the Lions can be, but unnecessary roughness penalties on tight end Brandon Pettigrew and receiver Titus Young, plus an unsportsmanlike conduct call on returner Stefan Logan show that the Lions have difficulty keeping their emotions in check as well.

Ndamukong Suh has drawn the ire of the NFL and a league-wide reputation for dirty play this season, but this shows that it’s a much larger problem than just him, and the onus for that falls on Jim Schwartz. The head coach has cultivated this mentality with his team, and while aggressiveness is always going to be an advantage for an NFL team, there is undoubtedly a fine line to walk there before it starts hurting you, and the Lions have made a habit of crossing it all to often this season.