NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
HBO Hard Knocks has a way of making a team relatable. For the Detroit Lions, that’s precisely what it did before the season began. Fans of the Lions and those rooting against them were tuned in and we were all led to believe that this season would be different. At the start against the Philadephia Eagles, even in a loss, there was hope. But then the Lions started doing Lions’ things and the roof caved in.
Here we are in Week 14 and the Lions, after defeating the Minnesota Vikings are now 6-7 and have earned a spot in the NFC Playoff chase. How did this happen when the Lions were thought to be dead in the water?
After falling to the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, the Lions would go on to rip off three straight wins before falling to the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving Day. That game opened the eyes of a lot of football fans across America. The Lions have the talent. It was just a matter of them putting it all together.
And putting it together they have. With Jared Goff leading the way, the offense has scored 25+ points per game in their last 5. But it hasn’t been all Goff. their ground game is on track with D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. Over that 6-game span, their RBs have accounted for 702 yards since that defeat against the Dolphins.
Goff has had his choice of weapons with WR Amon-St. Brown, Kalif Raymond, and Josh Reynolds. And now, with the rookie Jameson Williams healthy and ready to roll, this Lions’ offense is taking it up a notch.
Are The Detroit Lions Worthy?
On the defense side of the ball, the Detroit Lions are still giving up chunk of plays but they have done enough to help the offense. The name of the game is to not let the opponents score more than your offense, and the Lions have done just that. Since that Dolphins loss, the Lions have gone against Aaron Rodgers, Trevor Lawrence, Kirk Cousins, Josh Allen, Daniel Jones, and Justin Fields. How many of those contests have they lost? Just one.
Looking ahead, the Detroit Lions have remaining games against the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, and Packers again. Out of those games and with the way the Lions are playing, they could very easily run the table here.
Just to think, just a few weeks ago there were rumors that Dan Campbell may not make it to next season. Now, he’s in a position where his team is on a cinderella-type run. The Lions can put points on the board, while the defense has adopted the motto of bend but don’t break.
It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish. And right now, the Detroit Lions are coming to the finish line motivated.
