With football set to return in just a few short weeks, fans everywhere are eagerly awaiting their favorite team’s first game. We Detroit fans are among the most diehard fanbases in the country, and this time for good reason. The Lions are coming off a nine-win season after just barely missing the playoffs. Many sports experts are even betting sites have picked our Detroit Lions as the favorite to win their division, with Aaron Rodgers finally gone and now playing for the New York Jets. The only presumable threat to the Lions winning the division would be the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions are widely considered to be a more complete team than Minnesota, which is why Detroit is the favorite to win the NFC North and make the playoffs.
The Detroit Lions have a long and storied history. Not many people know that the Lions didn’t actually start off in Detroit. Before the Detroit Lions existed, there was the Portsmouth Spartans of Portsmouth, Ohio. The Spartans were founded in 1929 and played in Ohio until 1934 when the team was relocated to Detroit, Michigan. The team was rebranded as the Detroit Lions and have worn the Honolulu Blue and Silver uniforms ever since. Interestingly enough, the Lions have played on Thanksgiving since 1934 because their original owner George Richards had major influence in the media markets. Richards was not only the owner of the Lions but he also owned the well-known Southeastern Michigan radio station WJR.
Going into the 2023-2024 Season
The Lions are poised to do serious damage this season behind hard-nosed head coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff. I have the team winning at least 11 games, as I think they are significantly improved from last year. General Manager Brad Holmes has both improved the defense and offense by adding star power in the secondary and bolstering the front seven with young talent. All while adding star Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs and former Bears back David Montgomery to the backfield. One thing is for sure the Lions are going to be good. In honor of how excited fans are heading into the season, here are some of the team’s greatest moments over the years! I did have to place links to the videos of some of these moments at the bottom due to the NFL’s strict copyright rules.
The Fake Spike
GREEN BAY, WI – DECEMBER 09: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions celebrates in the end zone after scoring against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on December 9, 2012 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
With just a little over 1 minute left in the game former Lions Quarterback Matthew Stafford marched his team down the field for a score. It wasn’t just that he got the comeback win, it was also how he did it. After completing a 22 yard pass to Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson, the ball was placed at the 1 yard line with under 30 seconds left. With no timeouts Stafford motioned his team to quickly get to the line so they could spike the ball and stop the clock. Instead when the ball was snapped Stafford dove into the endzone for the game winning touchdown!
Watch the fake spike win here.Rookie Stafford Vs The Cleveland Browns
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 03: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions celebrates a touchdown during the fourth quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on January 03, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan.
The game that won Lions fans over. Matthew Stafford played out of his mind against the Cleveland Browns, passing for 422 Yards and 5 Touchdowns in a last second win. Stafford shows Detroit fans that he is tough as nails in this game, as he gets drilled as time expires and visibly injures his throwing shoulder on the play. The Lions got an extra shot after the play since there was a penalty in the endzone. Stafford refused to sit out for the last play, stayed in and threw the game winning score!
Watch the heroic drive by Stafford here.
Lions Clinch The Playoffs For 1st time since 1999
Clinching the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. Matthew Stafford lead the team to a 10 and 6 record in 2011 and a NFC wildcard appearance against the New Orleans Saints.
DETROIT – OCTOBER 16: Cliff Avril #92 of the Detroit Lions walks out of the tunnel with his teammates before the NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers at Ford Field on October 16, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. The 49ers defeated the Lions 25-19. (Members of the 2011 team pictured).
Here are the highlights from that game!Kicking Aaron Rodgers out of Green Bay
I know former Green Bay Quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t simply leave the team because the Lions beat him twice in 1 year. However it definitely didn’t give him more of a reason to stay. Knowing the last time he was in a Packers uniform was when he was handed a season ending defeat at the hand of the Detroit Lions. This game also turned out to be a type of “prove it” game for Detroit fans, putting their confidence in this squad at and all-time high heading into the next season.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 08: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers is sacked by Aidan Hutchinson #97 of the Detroit Lions during a game at Lambeau Field on January 08, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Lions defeated the Packers 20-16. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Checkout the highlights from that game here!.
Lions Make the NFC Title Game
Behind the heroic performance of Erik Kramer and Barry Sanders the Lions defeated the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 in the NFC divisional round of the Playoffs. Making their first ever NFC championship game and capturing their first playoff win since 1957.
Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders during a game in 1991. Sanders was instrumental in the Lions making the NFC championship game in 1991.
To relive the moments of that game watch the highlights here.
