Detroit Lions: The keys to build upon last week’s success

Last week, the Detroit Lions played like contenders to defeat the New England Patriots. But what do they have to do in order to continue winning?

The Detroit Lions beat up on an undermanned New England Patriots team last Sunday night. Something they have no reason to apologize for even though they are getting very little  credit nationally for their accomplishment.

Yet for anyone who tuned in, there was no question who the better team was that evening, and if some visitor from Mars suddenly dropped in and had to guess which team was the dynasty and which team has been lost in the desert of despair for the last 60 years they most likely would have been wrong in their answer.

Lions fans could sit around and savor the sweetness of that win forever. As a matter of fact, many of them might have been happy if the season ended right then and there because how could it get better?

The answer is; it could get better. It could get much better if the ‘Patricia Dynasty’, as my friend dubbed it, were to actually become a legitimate championship contending era.

For the national pundits, the thought of such a thing is absurd. The Lions have been doormats for well over half a century and always will be. However, before the Pittsburgh Steelers became a dynasty in the 1970’s, their pre-dynasty days were even worse than the Lions.

This was a franchise that had only one playoff appearance in that time period, which they lost 21-0, and were basically dismissed as being the worst franchise in NFL history. They even lost to the Lions in the 1962 Playoff Bowl 17-10 which was an exhibition game played in that time period between the two conference runner-ups since the only postseason game was the NFL championship.

Then with the hiring of head coach Chuck Noll and good drafting, the Steelers ended nearly 40 years of frustration by becoming an NFL powerhouse.

The question is; Can Matt Patricia and the Lions do the same?