Jim Schwartz: 'Season is not a failure'

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz believes that his side's season has not been a failure despite not reaching the playoffs for the second-straight season.

The Lions slipped from a 6-3 record in the NFC North to fall to 7-8 following their defeat to the New York Giants, which ended their hopes of reaching the post-season, in a campaign where their rivals suffered major injuries.

Schwartz told reporters: "We didn't make the playoffs and I think that's obviously anybody's goal, so we didn't achieve that goal. But I don't know if I'd be as strong as to call it failure. We haven't done a good enough job.

"I mean, it's been the quintessential close but no cigar. We've battled every game but we've come up a play short consistently, whether it was a special teams play or an offensive play or a defensive play."

Schwartz has been head coach at the Lions since the 2009 season.