The Lions set a strange bar for me honestly. When I was a kid and first started watching them, they had Barry Sanders who was must see tv and they weren’t too bad of a team and at least competed to make the playoffs most seasons. Then Barry Left and Oh My goodness. I pretty much became numb to the team for the entire 2001-2010 decade. During that decade, they didn’t have a single winning season and had a overall record of 39-121. Can you imagine winning, on average, 1 out of every 4 games for an entire decade?!?!?!?!?! That is almost impossibly bad. That decade took place from age 14-24 for me, so that is a significant chunk of growing up for me where they were so horrible that I couldn’t even feel anything other than numbness. The 0-16 season was the icing on the cake as well.
So the bar was kind of high as a young kid. But a decade of miserableness is enough to pretty much cancel out any previous bar that was set. It’s crazy how quickly the bar raises again though. Literally one full calendar year of them looking like a competent franchise and I am ready to go after that ring.
Lions obviously
In terms of opponent, I think a game between them and the Dolphins would be super entertaining. Ben Johnson and Mike McDaniel drawing up plays. Stud Rookie RB’s in Gibbs and Achane. Playmakers everywhere on both teams. Two Qb’s with a lot to prove.
Chiefs/Lions would be kind of cool too considering that would mean that the matchup that kicked off the NFL season would also finish it.