After their 34-31 victory over Green Bay, the Detroit Lions set a franchise record of 11 straight wins as they claw their way to the NFL Playoffs.
Michigan sports fans have been waiting too long for a professional team to be championship-bound – the Lions particularly, considering they have never won a Super Bowl. Finally, after 67 years from their last championship appearance, the Lions are a favorite to win in February.
“Thirty-seven years! I have been a dedicated fan from day one and watched every game I could…even the 0-16 season. The Lions have always been my team, even after Barry (Sanders) broke our hearts,” said Football Head Coach Stafford Newsome.
When asked about the hardships of the fanbase, Newsome claimed “It’s been tough at points. My biggest thing is this; if this is your team it’s your team… My dad used to tell me when I was younger to pick a different team now because we’ll never be good… When we win, we win. When we lose, “WE” lose. It doesn’t change to “them” or “they.” I’m a diehard fan and I’m in it for the long haul.”
All of the troubles that fans have experienced up to this point have paid off now that the Lions have become true contenders in the league.
The Detroit Lions average 32.8 points per game, first out of 32 teams. Junior Javen Palmer excitedly discussed the statistics of key players on the team’s offensive side. He highlighted Quarterback Jared Goff, Halfback Jahmyr Gibbs, and Wide Receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“As of now he has thrown for 25 touchdowns, 3,000 yards; it’s absolutely insane what he’s doing right now,” said Palmer. “He’s already got 10 touchdowns which is pretty hard to get… he’s averaging 5.7 yards per carry. It’s very good! He’s had 81 receptions so far this season, which is huge!”
With MVP-caliber players putting up stats like these, the Lions are a great contender for the title if they continue to contribute. These achievements are just a reserve of what they are capable of.
There is reason to consider placing the Detroit Lions as the best all-around team in the National Football League this year.
With week 14 completed, the Lions remain the number-one seed in the NFC division while continuing to have the most successful season in franchise history.
There is controversy about whether the Lions deserve the record they uphold. When asked whether the Lions deserved their current record, Northwest coach Daykon Hiram felt confident in where they stand.
“When you win a game, you win a game,” said Hiram. “With the gambling on fourth down, I think they’ve set a trend with other teams in the pros that wouldn’t normally go for it on fourth down, and within two or three yards from a first down, I think other teams are saying ‘We should be able to do that too.’”
Considering the credibility of Hiram being a football coach, his security of football knowledge highlights the confidence that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has in his team.
Confidence is a key factor that affects the performance of pro sports teams.
“I kind of saw it coming. They’ve had a good team, they’ve been building up several years, and they’ve done it in a way that’s consistent. People should expect wins. It was a matter of time,” says teacher Brandon Baker while explaining his reaction to the Lions breaking their 7-year losing streak on Thanksgiving.
This fanbase has a set of expectations that have been building up ever since the Lions showed they were ready to take the NFL by storm. The remaining success for years to come for the Lions may rest upon how supportive and active the Lion pack is on gameday.
“At a Lions game, everybody is yelling every single play. They have a decibel reader when they are on defense; it’s about 115-120 and it’s absolutely insane,” said Palmer.
To put that into perspective, 115dB is similar to a loud rock concert and is the threshold for the ear without feeling pain. This constant noise expresses the pride of the Lion Den fanbase.
The atmosphere of the Lion Den is proven to be electric. There is excitement for what is to come.
