As a Detroit-area resident, I’m keenly aware our hometown NFL team – the Detroit Lions – are experiencing a season unlike many (any?) they’ve experienced before. As I write this, they’re 10-4 and sit three games ahead of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North Division. With three games remaining, the math is pretty simple for the Lions: Win one of those remaining games and they’re the North champs and will host a playoff game.
So why do some long-suffering Lions’ fans have their doubts?
Akin to Stockholm Syndrome, the “Same Old Lions’ Sensation” is a very real emotion that can render even the most ardent fan immobilized with fear that the other shoe is about to drop.
Perhaps it’s because the Lions are one of four teams who’ve never appeared in a Super Bowl or the fact their last NFL Championship came in 1957 or their last playoff victory followed the 1991 season or the utter wasting of Barry Sanders‘ otherwordly talent.
Whatever the reason, Lions’ fans will never be mistaken for, say, New England Patriots’ fans because, quite frankly, they have no experience enjoying success and knowing how to react when things are going well.
So, yesterday I saw a post on a buddy’s social media account that outlined the 0.8% chance the Lions don’t qualify for the playoffs (never mind winning the North, this was about not even getting a ticket to the dance). Here was the scenario that needed to unfold for Detroit to be on the outside looking in:
- Seahawks beat Eagles – Monday (check!)
- Rams beat Saints – Tonight (check!) Updated 12/22
- Vikings beat Lions – Sunday (Lions Win! Lions Win!) Updated 12/24
- Seahawks beat Titans – Sunday (check!) Updated 12/24
Cowboys beat Lions – December 30Rams beat Giants – December 31Seahawks beat Steelers – December 31Vikings beat Packers – December 31Vikings beat Lions – January 7Seahawks beat Cardinals – January 7Rams beat 49ers – January 7
As I scanned this list, I thought: All of these are plausible!
The least of which is, likely, is the final one. Are the Los Angeles Rams really going into San Francsico and beating the Niners? Well, San Francisco has already clinched the NFC West and, by the final weekend, may have wrapped up homefield throughout. Is there an impetus for the host Niners to do anything more than field a team that afternoon?
And with that, Detroit Lions’ fans anxiously await the results of each of these games. Hoping that one, just one, breaks in Detroit’s favor so they can move onto worrying about what the next shoe to drop will be: Not winning the North? Not winning the first playoff game in over 30 years?