Ohhh and sixteen! Ohhh and sixteen! Ohhh and sixteen! These were the words that were poring from the dedicated fans that had filled the seats of Lambeau Field on December 28, 2008 in hopes that they could witness a historic event unfolding right before their very ow
n eyes. The Lions were coming off a loss that made them the first team in NFL history to go 0-15. For both teams this game was very important. For the Lions, it was important for the obvious reason that they didn’t want to continue their losing ways and go into the Hall of Fame in Canton the wrong way, being known as the worst team to ever play professional football. For the Packers it was equally important because they didn’t want to be the only team to lose to the Lions this season.Then-coach Rod Marinelli, whose fate has already been sealed (he was fired the day after the season was over), was mostly playing for pride and honor, which is a rarity in Detroit nowadays.
The game had been filled with a bunch of surprises; for instance, a 70+ yard field goal attempt that just fell short of traveling over the cross bar, but for the most part the Lions were sticking in the game even though being down 14-0 early in this “epic.” The Lions would bounce back and tie the game at a hefty 14 at the beginning of the third. Green Bay quickly responded with a score of their own a touchdown pass to Donald Driver that went 71 yards to the house, and completely deflated all of Detroit’s momentum. The Packers would get a field goal to add to their score of 24 and the game would end in a 10 point win favoring the team wearing green and gold.
The Detroit Lions, the worst team in NFL history and the worst team of the 21st century, is not the only team to go winless. They are the second team in modern NFL history to have a “perfect” season; in the loss column, that is. The 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only other team to do such a thing, but they went 0-14, not 0-16 (the schedule only consisted of 14 games at that time). Tampa Bay was in the same conference as the Detroit Lions are currently (NFC North). On the lighter side of things, the Lions will have two first round picks in this years NFL draft. Thanks to the Cowboy’s soap opera and not making the playoffs, both of the Lions picks are in the top 20. Let’s just hope they don’t blow them, again!
A conference rival is showing interested in ex-head coach Rod Marinelli. Marinelli is now the associate head coach and the defensive line coach of the Chicago Bears. Even though his coaching record is less than impressive, he quickly found work. Even ex-General Manager Matt Millen is moving on in big strides, as he will be a commentator in this year’s Super Bowl pregame show on NBC. He had always said his goal was to go to the Super Bowl, so I guess he made it.
Why do people get rewarded with opportunities after they have proven that they are failures? Shouldn’t GMs and coaches that have proven themselves in this league be worthy enough to appear on the Super Bowl? Instead we give it to the man that knows pretty much nothing on how to build a team, and he commentates on the Super Bowl? That does not make any sense. At least the people who put up with the Lions every single week and were forced to watch them because that was the only game they received from their local television provider, these people deserve better. At least get someone who knows what he is talking about and is worth listening to a deserving prospect for these loyal NFL fans who dedicate their Sunday afternoons and evening in front of their TVs, even if their fate is grim because that fan turned his wife’s show and replaced it with a game that was out of reach by all means. That is the fan that is deserving!
Hopefully the Lions won’t do so bad; all we are asking for is just one win! 1-15 here we come!
