The NFL season is best characterized as a marathon rather than a sprint, but for Detroit Lions fans, the 2021 campaign must have felt like an epic tragedy that had no end in sight.
After 12 long weeks, Detroit, and its rookie head coach Dan Campbell, had yet to make it into the win column.
Fans across the country heard the narrative about how promising the Lions were, and how hard they were playing while getting ready for Thanksgiving.
But it was hard to take that message at face value without any results to show for it.
Finally, at long last, in Week 13, Detroit broke through at home by defeating the Minnesota Vikings.
game-winners and @DanMillerFox2, name a more iconic duo… pic.twitter.com/GQmmOcjz5O
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 6, 2021
With no time remaining, quarterback Jared Goff threw a strike to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and everyone at Ford Field rejoiced.
That throw saved them from a potentially historic level of embarrassment, and should lift the moniker of “NFL’s worst team” on to another struggling team.
The Lions Can’t Be Considered The Worst Team
For a team that started off the year 0-10-1, Detroit was not exactly getting trampled by their opponents week in and week out.
While the “we play hard” narrative only takes a team so far, the Lions actually did, and were in the mix for potential wins throughout the season.
In the three weeks before they defeated Minnesota, they missed out on wins by four, two, and one point.
They lost at the very end of their Thanksgiving contest against the Chicago Bears, and could not make that one difference-making play in their 16-16 tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Of course, they were on the short-end of one of the most incredible plays in NFL history against the Baltimore Ravens.
Had Justin Tucker’s 66-yard field goal taken a different bounce, it’s possible the Lions season goes a little more positively than it has thus far.
The Houston Texans Are Currently The NFL’s Bottom-Feeders
As a result of the Lions’ misfortune, which included a wrong bounce here, a bad coaching call there, and some inability to execute down the stretch, the Houston Texans have flown under the radar as the worst team in the NFL.
But now that Detroit is off of their skid and feeling good about itself, it’s time to shine the light back on to the most barren roster in the league.
A lot of Houston’s troubles this year stem from the previous regime’s transactions, and off-field issues being dealt with by their regular starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson.
Be that as it may, the product on the field has been abysmal, despite their one win each against division rivals Tennessee and Jacksonville.
If the Lions modus operandi is hanging in games and losing late, Houston’s has generally been being blown out before the game really gets underway.
The Texans have fallen by 10 or more points in seven of their 10 defeats.
Another look and listen at that final drive and the locker room turnup‼️
Up next: #DETvsDEN | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/44ECJ1o2rZ
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 9, 2021
In four of those games, they’ve lost by 26 or more points, and were lucky to make the score somewhat respectable in their defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams.
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