In typical Lions fashion
After I stayed out very late Saturday night, I slept in until 2:48 p.m.
Sunday afternoon. Before cursing myself for wasting half the day or trudging
to the bathroom to wash my face, I grabbed the bedside remote to check on
the Week 14 NFL scores.
The first score I noticed? Detroit 20, Dallas 14 — in the third quarter.
Since I made the Michigan-to-North Carolina jump the first week of October,
I hadn't seen one Lions game. Of course, usually that's a good thing, but
not when the alternative is watching the dull Panthers. And something told
me, after my long hibernation, that this was one Lions game I didn't want to
miss.
So instead of reading the Sunday paper or cooking myself some eggs, I bolted
out the door and drove the 8.3 miles to Buffalo Wild Wings — the dream spot
for NFL fans. When I entered, every early game had its own TV. The
Cowboys-Lions battle had gained access to one of the big screens (mostly
because of the number of 'Boys fans in attendance).
There was one other Lions fan in the join, and as I took the only available
seat and introduced myself to a grizzly, likes-to-swear Giants fan, the
other Lions rooter pounded fists with me. Could the 6-6 Lions knock off the
NFC's elite, the 11-1 Cowboys? Could thy get that win that might just sneak
them in the playoffs?
We wanted to be witnesses. It's not every year a Lions game during the
Holiday Season actually matters. Usually by the time my family mounts the
tree, the Lions have 11 losses in their back pocket.
So this Sunday was special. Until, that is, the game ended.
In typical Lions fashion.
First there was the missed field goal. Jason "Automatic" Hanson — the MVP of
the team for the past 10-plus years — pushed a gimme 35-yard attempt to the
right that would have given Detroit a two-possession lead, 30-21.
Then there was the booted fumble. On Dallas' game-winning drive in the
waning moments, quarterback Tony Romo was stripped of the ball, which
bounced directly toward Lion Paris Lenon. All he had to do was fall on the
ball, and the timeout-less 'Boys would be done, sauteed, boiled. But,
instead, Leon tried to scoop up the pigskin and kicked it directly to a
Dallas lineman. Who knew what to do.
From there, the rest of the Lions' demise was all too predictable. As I sat
watching, there was no rally cap, no superstitious move I could make to
change the ending. Dallas converted a fourth down. Romo guided them down to
the Detroit 16-yard line.
And, finally, he completed the inevitable with a touchdown pass down the
middle to super tight end Jason Witten, who caught a team-record 15 balls on
the day but somehow raced untouched to pay dirt on game's most important
play.
A terrible kickoff return, two incompletions and a sack later, the comeback
was complete. Dallas had outscored Detroit 14-0 in the fourth quarter — in
Detroit — to win 28-27. This one had to hurt the most of the hundreds of
losses the Lions have sustained in recent memory.
In my 2007 NFL Preview, I predicted six wins for the Lions. I didn't,
however, expect them to arrive at that number in this fashion. Five weeks
ago, after Detroit drilled Denver 44-7, my friend texted me, saying the
Lions would make the playoffs. I wanted to agree with him, really did, but I
knew this franchise too well.
Now, the Lions are toast. With games at San Diego next week and at Green Bay
the season's final week — sandwiched around a home game against the awful
Chiefs — there's no way Detroit wins its remaining three games, which is
almost certainly what it needs to do to play into January.
It still might surpass my expectation of six wins. And, I must admit, this
team has been better on several levels than I expected. Except for a few
duds, the offense has been as explosive as advertised. The defense has shown
up on occasion. And no "Fire Millen" marches have occurred outside Ford
Field.
But there are no moral victories in the NFL. The bottom line is how many
games you win. And for the eighth consecutive season, it appears the Lions
are headed for familiar territory — a seat in front of the TV during the
playoffs.
As I left "B-dubs" late Sunday afternoon, with the North Carolina sun
beginning to set, I could only shake my head and smile. Why, I wondered, did
I squander the first two hours of my day to watch the same old story?
Not to mention have to listen to the cigarette-wielding, voluble Giants fan
spout off about Plaxico Burress until I had to turn my chair.
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