Best Lions Team of the 2010s
The 2010s have come and gone. And I'm left wondering where did the time go.
It was a memorable decade for a variety of NFL teams or at least for those not named the Detroit Lions.
The Lions go into the start of a new decade with little-to-no hope of being a highly competitive franchise in the near future -- an all-too-common theme among Detroit's four major pro sports teams.
The decade-in-review for the Ford family-run franchise doesn't feature many highlights. Instead, it features many lowlights, including no division titles or playoff wins, and nothing worse than the dismal 2019 campaign that has almost finally reached its conclusion.
Yet, in the spirit of the holiday season, let's go searching for a positive campaign the franchise experienced over the past decade.
It can be easily argued that the most positive season for the Lions since 2010 was the 2014 campaign -- a season in which the then-Jim Caldwell-led Lions qualified for the postseason as a wild card team.
It was Caldwell's first season on the job, after five seasons of mostly disappointing results with Jim Schwartz as the head man.
And it was the best Lions team this decade in terms of both wins (11) -- 11-5 record was best since 1991 -- and overall talent.
The '14 squad had playmakers on offense -- Matthew Stafford under center with receivers Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate -- and playmakers on defense -- linebacker DeAndre Levy, safeties James Ihedigbo and Glover Quin, cornerback Darius Slay and defensive linemen Ezekiel Ansah and Ndamukong Suh.
Stafford threw for 4,000-plus yards (4,257), and "Megatron" and Tate each recorded 1,000-plus receiving yard campaigns -- Johnson with 1,077 in 13 games and Tate with 1,331 in 16 games.
Meanwhile, Levy recorded 155 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception, Ihedigbo produced two sacks and four interceptions, Quin recorded seven INTs and Ansah and Suh each posted at least 7.5 sacks -- 8.5 for Suh and 7.5 for Ansah.
Suh was named first-team All-Pro as a result of his efforts. Additionally, Suh along with Johnson, Quin, Stafford and Tate were all named Pro Bowlers.
Of the Lions' three playoff appearances in the 2010s (also made playoffs during 2011 and 2016 seasons), 2014 was the only time in which they came close to advancing past the wild card round -- lost to the Cowboys, 24-20.
Many Detroit fans, to this day, believe the Lions were hosed by the refs against Jason Garrett & Co., and would've won the contest if such wasn't the case.
The major reason why Lions fans felt that way about the “zebras” on that fateful day: the controversial decision made by referee Pete Morelli to pick up the flag after initially calling pass interference on a crucial third-and-1 play in the fourth quarter.
On the play, then-Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens clearly interfered with former Detroit tight end Brandon Pettigrew.
At the time, Stafford and the Lions were driving near midfield with a 20-17 lead.
Stafford & Co. were never the same after the erroneous pick-up of the flag.
Sam Martin proceeded to shank a punt on fourth down that only went 10 yards, and Tony Romo -- yes, the same Tony Romo who is now the lead color commentator for the NFL on CBS -- responded with an 11-play, 59-yard game-winning drive that gave the Cowboys the 24-20 win.
The Lions led by as many as 13 points, 20-7, after a 37-yard field goal made by Matt Prater with 8:41 to play in the third quarter.
It got many fans believing that the Lions were about to win their first playoff game since 1991.
Could’ve, should’ve, would’ve … but at the end of the day, it didn’t happen.
And guess what … since that loss, the Lions have only made the playoffs once more (during the ’16 campaign), and got blown out by the Seattle Seahawks, 26-6.
It means the Lions will go another entire decade without a single playoff victory.
Sadly, it's become the norm in the Motor City with a franchise that has just one playoff victory in six decades.
Before '91, the last time the franchise won a playoff game was in 1957 -- in the pre-Super Bowl era -- when it won the NFL Championship.
No matter what happens in the regular season finale against Green Bay, the Lions are going to finish the 2010s with an under-.500 mark. They head into Sunday with a 72-86-1 record over the last 10 years.
Losing is synonymous with the Lions organization. It's a part of their brand.
2014 was different, though. Talent played up to its potential, and made games fun to watch for Lions fans -- despite the disappointing first-round playoff loss.
It was a nice change of pace for the fanbase, and it easily marked the best team the organization had in the last decade.
Related
