Exercise your demons. That was the goal going into the 2023 season for Dan Campbell and his squad. The coach started the year by having players read off the team’s rough past. Last playoff win, 1991. Last Division Championship, 1993. Last League Championship 1957. The sights were set on resetting a few of those numbers. Brad Holmes made it very clear that not only did the team feel like they could win the NFC North for the first time, but they expected it. Now, 17 games later with the division title under their belts, the team has its sights set on the playoffs and looking to end that 33 year drought. But the Lions have more recent demons that could also be put to rest in the near future, in what could be a playoff run for the ages.
The Lions have been put in a very unique situation when it comes to seeding for the playoffs. They can be no lower than the 3rd seed, and with the controversial loss in Dallas, the likelihood is that they will sit in the 3rd seed when it comes playoff time, meaning they will host a playoff game against the team who holds the 6th seed. In all likelihood, this means Matthew Stafford will be making his Ford Field playoff debut, coming to Detroit leading the Rams to an impressive late season push. To many Lions fans, the significance of this game isn’t lost on them, but to be completely clear, beating Stafford in the playoffs will finally put to rest the last decade-plus of Lions football that was plagued by misfortune, mismanagement, and more. Stafford is an important part of Detroit sports history, but it’s time to put that era behind us, and end the playoff win drought in the process.
Dallas and Detroit have a history now when it comes to important games for Detroit. The Lions last playoff win was against the Cowboys. The infamous picked up pass interference in the 2014 playoffs caused further bad blood between the teams. Now, another questionable call in a game between the two teams has cost the Lions a guaranteed spot in the 2nd seed, and a shot at the 1st seed. Needless to say, there’s some tension between the teams as they head towards the postseason. If the Cowboys hold on to win their division, they will be the 2nd seed in the playoffs. This would also mean that if both teams make it past the wildcard round, they would meet in the divisional round and would have a rematch in Dallas. Detroit has now lost 7 of its last 10 against the Cowboys, and have a fire lit under them that’s fueling them going into this potential matchup.
The stage is set for the Lions to put together a playoff run that could put the end to narratives, further establish a winning culture, and finally put the past in the past. It all starts with the wildcard round, where the Lions can finally quiet the same old lions crowd. After that, we could have a team that has no limit to how far their run could go.
