DETROIT -- It’s the same problem over and over with Eric Ebron. The potential is there. The athleticism is there. So, too, are the drops that have been an issue for him throughout his career.

For much of Ebron's four years in Detroit, the Lions have lived with the former first-rounder's mistakes because he was the best tight end on the roster and provided advantages in matchups. His two potential drops Sunday -- one in the end zone after Matthew Stafford's pass went through the hands of Shaq Thompson and the other on a ball over the middle where Mike Adams collided with him -- were not the garden-variety drops. But they were concerning, again.

"Shaq made a great play on that one, actually," Ebron said after the game. "If you want to call it a drop, that’s cool. It hit my right shoulder but he should have intercepted that ball, it went right through his hands and blinded me from it. But I should have caught it. I guess if you want to say it, it’s professional football. I should have caught that.

"And Mike Adams, another veteran guy, made a great play going across the middle. So, yeah, I could kick myself in the butt but then again, this is the game of football and this is what people get paid to do."

Ebron ended up with one catch for six yards on his four targets -- his other non-catch was a ball that was thrown too far from him. After the end-zone drop -- a play that Stafford said "was not the best throw of my life" and would have been a "hell of a catch" -- Ebron was booed both after the drop and also when he was shown on the Jumbotron during a promotion in the break.

Ebron said the booing doesn't bother him -- and that he's focused mostly on improving.

"The crowd doesn’t affect me none. The only thing that affects me is if there’s a situation where I let my team down," Ebron said. "I felt like I should have caught that pass over the middle, yeah, I blame that on me but then again, Mike Adams has been in this league 14 years. He’s seen plenty of tight ends trying to come across the middle. He made a great play to break it up and yeah, so I kick myself in the butt for that one but every other one, he made a great play."

Ebron, though, is losing some work to Darren Fells, who the team signed in the offseason primarily for his blocking skills.

Fells' overall skills are also interesting. The former pro basketball player has the athleticism to frustrate opponents. He also has the size, at 6-foot-7, to be a good red-zone target for Stafford. And with two touchdowns on Sunday and six catches over the past two games, Fells has proved to be a reliable option.

"It's just one of those things that if I get an opportunity, I'm just going to do what I can to make plays," Fells said. "But like I said, I'm not seeing that right now. I'm seeing what we need to do to get the W [next week]."

The Lions had already been giving him a time-share of sorts with Ebron, primarily to help the offensive line block in Taylor Decker's absence. But considering Ebron had two more drops Sunday during Carolina’s 27-24 win over Detroit -- including one in the end zone -- it might be time to use Fells more over Ebron.

• What it means: It’s not great for the Lions. There have to be questions about the conservative nature of the offense and how it has been unable to move the ball when not in the two-minute hurry-up offense, which turned a blowout into a one-score game. The loss gives both Atlanta and Carolina tiebreaking edges over Detroit for potential playoff berths.

• What I liked: Fells. He’s playing really well now and blossoming as an older player without as many miles on him because of the basketball interlude. Also, despite the score, Detroit’s defense got pressure on Cam Newton. The offense put Detroit in bad spots.

• What I didn’t like: The conservative playcalling was rough -- as were five straight drives of three-and-out or worse. The Lions need to start thinking about opening up the offense earlier. Stafford has one of the best arms in the game, but they haven’t let him use it as much in favor of guarding against interceptions at all costs.

• Fantasy fallout: The Lions' receivers continue to be hit-and-miss when it comes to fantasy production. None scored touchdowns against Carolina and the Lions continued their spread-it-out style. But a player to pick up? Fells. The tight end is playing like someone who should have a bigger role in the offense -- particularly with the drop issues Ebron is having again.

• Injuries are a concern: Stafford gutted through an injury, hobbling a lot. Ezekiel Ansah had his finger looked at. And Haloti Ngata was out with an elbow injury. Things to watch over the next week.

• What’s next: Detroit goes on the road to New Orleans, a place where it has won in each of the past two seasons. The Lions need to win next week to avoid a two-game losing streak going into the bye.