Detroit Lions: Would winning actually fix everything?

Winning, above all else, is said to fix everything. But would that actually be the case for the Detroit Lions this year and beyond?

When the Detroit Lions walked onto the field in San Francisco, they were looking to get a notch in the win column. Things didn’t turn out their way. They might have been outplayed or they might have shot themselves in the foot. But something else happened that day. Unfortunately for this team, it’s all too familiar.

Since 2000, the Lions have made the playoffs just three times – all three this decade – and have ended the season with a winning record just five times – four this decade. Even with the recent success, the perception of the “Lowly Lions” or “Same Old Lions” seems to be retained. If not by the fanbase, by others around the league.

Every team and fanbase probably feel like they don’t get the calls from the referees. On Sunday, when the flag hit the ground for a jam within five yards of the line of scrimmage – a legal play – Lions fans surely felt slighted. Unlike the non-pass interference call against the Dallas Cowboys in the 2014 playoffs, this flag wasn’t picked up and stuffed back in a referee’s pocket.

The call on Sunday went against the Lions, nullifying an interception that put the team well within kicker Matt Prater‘s field goal range with less than two minutes to play in a three-point game. Still, after that call, the Lions had chances to come back and win this game. But that’s not all that ails this team.

Where there doesn’t seem to be any consistency is the new “landing on the quarterback” rule. Or protection of quarterbacks in general. On Monday night in Week 1, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford took a beating. On one play, a defender landed on Stafford with the weight of his body. No flag. On another play, Stafford was speared with the crown of a defender’s helmet striking his sternum – a penalty according to another new rule where you can’t initiate contact with your helmet while tackling. Again, no flag. We’ve seen players fined for lesser hits in the preseason.

Then on Sunday, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews completes a tackle on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins immediately after the ball was released. This hit was less egregious and less obvious fit for the “landing on the quarterback” rule, yet it was flagged. While the QB will be protected no matter what in today’s NFL, there appears to be no consistency. Even the likes of ESPN are acknowledging the issue arising from this rule.

Is it the perception of the Lions over the past 18 years keeping them from getting the benefit of the doubt on these calls? Certainly, that can’t be the case if quarterback safety – and the safety of all players for that matter – is at the forefront of the NFL.

Recently, the Detroit Lions have been winning. Yet the perception isn’t changing and consistency hasn’t spread to the Honolulu Blue. The Lions most recent loss has led to Detroit news organizations questioning if it’s the fan’s fault and articles talking about Lions fans being numb to losing. Of course, nobody likes losing. But the recent winning seasons don’t seem to be helping, either.