SideLion Report
FanSided

Ranking every Detroit Lions team from the last 25 years (10-6)

By Payne Schanski

21 Nov 1999: Dorsey Levins #25 of the Green Bay Packers moves with the ball as Stephen Boyd #57 of the Detroit Lions tries to get in his way during the game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Lions 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Ezra O. Shaw /Allsport
21 Nov 1999: Dorsey Levins #25 of the Green Bay Packers moves with the ball as Stephen Boyd #57 of the Detroit Lions tries to get in his way during the game at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Lions 26-17. Mandatory Credit: Ezra O. Shaw /Allsport /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 5
Next
Mandatory Credit: Ezra O. Shaw /Allsport
Mandatory Credit: Ezra O. Shaw /Allsport /

7. The 1999 Detroit Lions

Record: 5

Life after Barry (part one) saw a team galvanized rather than gutted by the loss of their transcendent superstar.  Started off 8-4 before the “we don’t need him!” train came to a shrieking halt late in the season, losing the final five games (including playoffs).

Achievements: 7

  • Surprising Wild Card playoff berth after going 5-11 (with Barry) the year before
  • Final playoff appearance until 2011
  • Thrilling 31-27 victory at the Silverdome over the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams
  • Thanksgiving Day win over Chicago
  • Five players named to the Pro Bowl (tied for the most of any Lions team on these rankings)

Star Power: 6

This squad  featured few (arguably not any) household names, but then again they sent five players to Honolulu, so there must have been some star power in there somewhere.

Entertainment Value: 6

  • Gus Frerotte and Germane Crowell connecting on 4th and 27 to help knock off the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams is a classic Lions moment (though I can’t find any video of it)
  • My Pops sarcastically exclaiming, “he’s better than Barry!” every time Ron Rivers found a seam up the middle
  • Lions were unbelievably tied with the Rams for first in the NFC midway through the season, gutting out unglamorous wins for as long as they could

Total Score: 24 

Home/Lions All-Time Lists