In the first game of the 2022 NFL season, the Lions didn’t play badly by any means. They lost 38-35 to a very good Philadelphia Eagles team and fought back relentlessly in the fourth quarter. However, the Lions have a tendency to be down big and fight back when the game is already out of reach.
Remember the Lions stellar start to the 2019 season? If not, allow me to refresh your memory. They started the season undefeated, with a record of 2-0-1, and took on the Kansas City Chiefs in game 4 of the season. The Lions played a very good game throughout, and ended up losing 34-30, a score that almost all Lions fans were content with, since we were not meant to compete with the Chiefs regardless. This is where the “moral victory” trend officially started.
The Lions 2021 campaign, for example, was filled with moral victories. One example of this was the season opener vs the 49ers. This game was almost identical to the game vs the eagles this past weekend, as the Lions were down big in the 4th quarter but fought their way back late instead of playing a complete game of football. After dropping this game 41-33, the city of Detroit was content with the performance because the 49ers were a tough opponent. After the game, the Detroit Free Press wrote, “Campbell said he was pleased with the team’s fight, especially given the hole it was in.” This shows that even a loss is a win for Detroit.
Lions coaches and fans NEED to only be satisfied with actual wins from here on out. Over the years, fans have been wrongfully encouraged by “good” losses and continue to be falsely encouraged by such games. The term “Same Old Lions” is still around because the Lions have never done anything of significance as a franchise. In order to change the reputation of how this franchise is viewed, the Lions have got to start winning games by any means, even against fierce opponents.
