8. These stats can’t all be a coincidence.
All of these things just so happened to occur on the first game since the Detroit Lions parted ways with Matt Patricia:
- The Detroit Lions scored five touchdowns in a game (happened zero times under Patricia).
- The Lions pulled off a comeback win from ten points down (happened zero times under Patricia).
- The Lions beat the Bears (happened zero times under Patricia).
- Matthew Stafford threw for over 400 yards (happened one time under Patricia).
- Four straight defensive stops with the game on the line in the fourth quarter (happened very rarely under Patricia).
Coincidence?
9. The Lions are somehow only a game out of the playoffs with a month left…
For the type of season this has been, it’s almost unthinkable that the Lions are still hanging around for a shot at postseason play, but there they are. Now sitting at 5-7, the Lions are just behind the surging Vikings (6-6) and slumping Cardinals (6-6) for the newly created seventh spot in the NFC playoffs.
It’s December, and there’s at least one final meaningful game to be played at Ford Field this year. It’s not much, but after the past few years, and with a total rebuild on the way, I’ll savor this one while I can.
10. But take a good look at the upcoming schedule before daring to dream.
With Green Bay (9-3), Tennessee (8-4), Tampa Bay (7-5), and Minnesota (5-1 since their bye week) remaining, the Lions will be heavy underdogs in every game from here on out. For those among the fan base who insist on this idea of tanking for draft position (ignoring the fact that the Lions aren’t getting anywhere near Trevor Lawrence no matter how they finish), an 0-4 finish would hardly be a surprise.
For one week though–and maybe only for this one last week–the Lions are victorious, Darrell Bevell is undefeated, the old regime is forgotten, Matthew Stafford is immortal, and hope is alive in Detroit.