DETROIT -- Observed in the locker room after the Detroit Lions' 27-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals:

Silence: After one of the tougher losses Detroit has had in recent seasons -- and certainly its most difficult loss of this season -- it was mostly a silent, beat-up locker room after the game. Wide receiver Calvin Johnson and running back Reggie Bush declined to talk with reporters after the game.

Sitting at his locker: Give Sam Martin some credit. He did own up to the shanked punt, explained what happened and answered about two-and-a-half minutes of questions. After, though, he sat and stared at his locker for a while before long-snapper Don Muhlbach started to talk to him.

Watching the scene: After he was done with his media obligations, quarterback Matthew Stafford was one of the last players to leave the Lions' locker room. He sat in a corner and stared out at the rest of his guys. No one was really talking to him, just looking on in complete silence. Stafford, when asked after the game if it was one of the toughest losses he’s been a part of, he answered with one word: “Yep.”