Quarterback Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions reacts after throwing a second quarter touchdown pass against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 03, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The Detroit Lions are for real. And they are surreal! The Lions are a once proud organization from back in the pre-Super Bowl era when the used to regularly win NFL Championships...back in he 1950's! Since the Super Bowl era, they are one of four teams that have never been to the Super Bowl. But now, they may be the best team in the league under coach Dan Campbell. They certainly are the grittiest and toughest, physically and mentally, in the NFL. And they are once again a proud organization.
The Detroit Lions are for real. Case in point: Sunday night at Houston they played their worst game football in years. Quarterback Jared Goff, who had been just about perfect over the past six weeks, was on his way to a 5 interception night. The Texans dominated the Lions the way the Lions have dominated teams lately. Detroit found itself down 23-7 at the half. The game looked over.
Then the Lions defense stepped up with a couple of interceptions and they threw a shutout in the second half to give the Lions offense time to kick start itself. In the end it was the Lions special teams that saved the day. Kicker Jake Bates was out of football a year and half ago selling bricks at Acme Brick Company, in Houston ironically. Then he got a chance to play last spring for the Michigan Panthers in the UFL. Teams noticed him kicking 65 yard field goals on a regular basis and when the Lions regular kicker went down with a season ending injury, they gave him a chance.
LIONS ARE FOR REAL
The Lions are for real. Bates kicked a 58 yard field goal just inside the right upright with 5:01 left to tie the game. It was the third longest kick in Lions history. Then he kicked a game-winning, walk-off 52 yarder just inside the left upright to seal the win and send the Lions home with an 8-1 record.
When the Lions play well they win. If they are going to win games on the road when they play horribly, there is no stopping them. The Detroit Lions are real and surreal.
For more NFL talk and analysis tune in each weekday to Craig Shemon from 2-6pm on ESPN Southwest Florida.
