An optimistic look at the Detroit Lions’ current position
By Jack Ozark
This was the first week in awhile that as a Lions fan, I didn’t know how to spend my time. When the Lions were bounced from the playoffs it left me with a withered heart, but at the same time, proud of what they accomplished this season. I, just as many of you, expected this season to be a mess. Calvin was gone, the defense lost more players and the entire front office had just gone through a makeover. Detroit had no business making any noise this season.
But as the weeks came and went, somehow, magically, they were winning games and playing the most exciting football possible. Stafford looked beautiful. Darius Slay took another step. DeAndre Levy actually came back. And Golden Tate flipped into the end zone on a game-winning play in overtime. He put the team on his back and completed one of the greatest plays I have seen in recent Lions history.
This team did something I haven’t seen in years. They had fun. They made us, as fans actually have fun. Ford Field felt like it never has before. I didn’t hear the boos that always appear around the second quarter. Fans, Lions fans, enjoyed watching this team. It’s what so many of us have never actually had the chance to do. To forget about all the bad seasons and come in and cheer for our team. Deep down we all really believed that “Lions-ing it up” wasn’t going to happen anymore, that maybe this change worked and they are becoming winners.
Sure, Detroit didn’t win the division, and sure they still didn’t win that elusive playoff game, but for me at least, those goals seem plausible now. This team is trending upward and trending upward strongly. And yes, there are some holes in the roster, but every roster has those. But without a doubt, Bob Quinn’s strategy is going to be filling those holes and making sure that this team is set from the first roster spot to the last guy on the practice squad. The best franchises treat the team like a business, and that’s what the Lions are doing today.
Again, this team has weapons. They have pieces in key spots that are only getting better. Look at a team like the Falcons for a similar blueprint of what could happen. They’re currently a contender after handling the Seahawks on Saturday with ease. Still, that was only Matt Ryan’s second career playoff victory. Doesn’t that sound eerily familiar? And with everything I saw this season, and how much I have seen change in the past few, I really believe the Lions are only a moment away from being a top tier team in the NFC.
Football’s a weird sport. The culture aspect of it matters so much. Every single game matters, a week one loss hurts just as much as a week 17 loss. No other sport has that type of power. So next season let’s remember what we saw from this team, and back them 100% of the way. Most importantly, when they lose a game we don’t crawl back in our sadness holes claiming that this team will never amount to anything. It’s okay to back them now, it’s okay to have faith. Because these Lions aren’t the ones that we grew up watching, these ones have what it takes to give the fans what they’ve always dreamed of.
Like SideLion Report on Facebook! and follow Jack on Twitter @J_zark