Detroit Lions: The more the NFL changes, the more it stays the same
By Robert Jones
The more the NFL changes, the more it stays the same. Back in the embryonic stages of the NFL, it was all about ‘might makes right’. Between the flying wedge and stacked defenses, players took their lives into their own hands to play.
As the game became more sophisticated and teams actually started to somewhat explore the airways in the 1950s, the game evolved. However, it was still predicated upon good defense and running the ball.
In the decades since the aerial game has taken off literally at various stages with some explosive results. Yet somehow or another despite all the acclaim these aerial circuses get from entertained fans, no team that predominantly throws the ball has won the Super Bowl.
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We may think about Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann or Joe Montana to Jerry Rice or Troy Aikman to Michael Irvin or even Tom Brady to Rob Gronkowski as exciting passing combinations that have won the Super Bowl, but the truth is that all of those tandems had outstanding running backs that balanced the offense.
Franco Harris, Roger Craig, Emmitt Smith and even the platoon of Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead were the backbone of those offenses. Their efforts allowed game-breaking passing combinations to work when needed the most and carried their teams in poor weather games when running the ball is at a premium.
Then there is the elephant in the room; defense.
In 2018 the word ‘defense’ had pretty much been considered a dirty word in the NFL vernacular. Yet the best defense on Sunday took home the Vince Lombardi Trophy, while in all honesty, the Rams defense was just as deserving for their efforts as well.
While some fans sit in front of their television watching teams like the Patriots, Rams, Chiefs, and Saints wondering how the Lions could ever compete with them for a title, the answer is right in front of you; defense and running the ball.