Lion-Hearted

It's a good time for Michigan sports fans. The Tigers are in the playoffs (go to Tiger Rank to follow that more closely; link is at right), the University of Michigan Wolverines are 5-0 (though not against stiff competition), and most amazingly, the Detroit Lions are 4-0, after winning their last two games after being down by 20 or more points. That's the first time that's ever happened. It's the first time the Lions have been 4-0 since 1980 (it was pointed out to me that on Saturday Michigan State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, and Eastern Michigan all won their football games as well).

I haven't made a post on the Lions since they got off a to a good start four years, when Jon Kitna was quarterback. Since then, they've gone on a monumental slide. The following year they set a standard for futility, going 0-16. They took Matt Stafford with the number one draft pick, but he's had a hard time staying healthy. Then, last year, they took the beastly lineman Ndamukong Suh with the second overall pick; he has added some integrity to the defense, and the Lions improved to six wins, winning their last four in a row.

Under coach Jim Schwartz, the Lions were the pick of many football writers this year to be the team to watch out for. That's usually the kiss of death, but so far so good. They beat a good Tampa Bay team on the road (the Lions had a more than one-season losing streak on the road). They beat up on Kansas City, then pulled a comeback on the Vikings after being down by 20 at halftime, again on the road.

This weekend's win against the Cowboys, in Dallas, is the kind that could propel them to good things. Down at one point 27-3, the Lions preyed on Dallas mistakes, returning two interceptions for touchdowns (why the Cowboys were throwing that far up is a question). Stafford, who didn't have a great day, did manage to find Calvin Johnson in the end zone twice. Johnson, a holdover from the days of Matt Millen's wide receiver fetish, is one of the best in the game, particularly at making jump ball catches. It reminds me of my days playing football with the guys, where I would be quarterback and be told to just heave it up and my receiver would fight for it.

The Lions have a big game this Monday night against the Bears. They don't play the Packers, the only other undefeated team in the NFL, until Thanksgiving day. Of course I don't expect them both to be undefeated then, but if they are it will be a game much focused on in my brother's house, where I will be watching.