The 2017 Detroit Lions are never truly out of a game

NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 15: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions throws a shuffle pass during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 15, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints defeated the Lions 52-38. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - OCTOBER 15: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions throws a shuffle pass during a game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on October 15, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Saints defeated the Lions 52-38. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 08: Armonty Bryant #97 and A’Shawn Robinson #91 of the Detroit Lions celebrate a fourth down stop against the Carolina Panthers at Ford Field on October 8, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Carolina defeated Detroit 27-24. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – OCTOBER 08: Armonty Bryant #97 and A’Shawn Robinson #91 of the Detroit Lions celebrate a fourth down stop against the Carolina Panthers at Ford Field on October 8, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Carolina defeated Detroit 27-24. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

Only one per lifetime? Let’s save it.

Down two touchdowns with eleven minutes left to play, thoughts of Buffalo Bills-Houston Oilers were gaining wings in my head. Buffalo’s comeback to win that AFC Wild Card game after trailing 35-3 in the third quarter remains one of my favorite non-Lions NFL games.

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It was an absurd comeback made even more absurd by Buffalo’s injury-riddled lineup for that game. Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas were both out of action, leaving backup QB Frank Reich as the man to lead the greatest comeback in NFL history.

Stafford has just as much right as a guy like Frank Reich to pull off something like this, doesn’t he?

I texted my brother, “So assuming you get about one chance per lifetime to see your team do something like this…do you want to play that card today?”  His answer was actually no. He said he’d want it to be in a playoff game. So much for that.

On the next Saints possession, A’Shawn Robinson seemingly had other ideas. He picked one off near the goal line and walked it in. 45-38. And there’s STILL quite a bit of time left. The way things were going, New Orleans could score a quick touchdown and this thing still might not be over.

So of course when the Lions get another stop, they have to start off on their own one yard line. 99 yards away…I’ll take that over being 99 yards and 5 touchdowns away. Game on.