If there are any Detroit Lions fans who still care about the once proud NFL franchise after this season, they are in mourning because the team has made history in a negative way.They fought hard to avoid the stigma. They were even tied 14-14 at the end of the third quarter. But unfortunately for them NFL football games are 60 minutes and four quarters long and fell to the Packers 31-21 in Green Bay.
The loss means that the Detroit Lions become the first team since the NFL went to a 16 game schedule to go winless for the season. The Lions haven't won since the defeated the Kansas City Chiefs on December 23, 2007.
The last team to go winless for the season was the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their expansion year. The NFL only played a 14 games schedule at the time.
I feel your pain, Lions fans. Back in the day the 1972 and 1973 Oilers compiled back to back 1-13 records. I also enjoy reminding Irving Cowchips lovers that their beloved team also went 0-11-1 in their expansion season in 1960 and didn't have a winning record in their first five years of existence. Speaking of my hometown NFL team, the Texans beat the Chicago Bears today 31-24 at Reliant Stadium to finish 8-8 for the second straight season. Fellas, is it too much to ask for in 2009 to win more than 8 games and make the playoffs?
I also got to enjoy watching the Tennessee Traitors being beat down by the Colts 23-0.
No, I'm not going to forgive, forget or let it go that Bud moved my Oilers to Nashville. But back to the Lions. They have the number one pick in the upcoming draft and they've got a lot of work ahead of them to rebuild this team into a contender.
But take heart Lions fans, it can be done. Remember, you witnessed those same 0-14 Buccaneers four years later, thanks to some shrewd draft picks, trades and a rifle armed quarterback from Grambling named Doug Williams win the NFC Central Division, host the NFC title game in Tampa and came agonizingly close to making it to the Super Bowl
So your winter of discontent with the Lions hopefully shouldn't last long and you'll soon be cheering a team that's worthy of your football affections and that will make you proud.
