For the Detroit Lions and their fans, life is tough.
You saw your quarterback waste away the best years of Calvin Johnson‘s career.
Then you see him head to sunny California to win a Super Bowl in his first year there.
While he’s soaking up the California rays, Michiganders are stuck in the snow with the Lions.
However, the news only gets worse when you see your coach is Dan Campbell.
Lions fans who remember Campbell from his days as a player know what they are getting with him.
In Three Seasons With Detroit, Campbell Only Played 19 Games
Campbell served as Detroit’s tight end from 2006 to 2008 and played 19 games with the team.
However, he only started in 12 of those games for the team, with all 12 starts coming in 2006.
An elbow injury would end his 2007 season while a hamstring injury ended his 2008 season.
He was thought to be a promising tight end for the team.
However, he spent more time on injured reserve than he did on the field for Detroit.
He would retire in 2009 and go into coaching jobs throughout the rest of his career.
Now he returns to his former team from his days as an NFL player.
While his career in the NFL was never stellar, it was ended in Detroit.
The careers of other fan favorites of the team, like Barry Sanders and Johnson, ended the same way.
Detroit seems like a city that sucks the soul out of players.
Detroit, Rebuilding Since 1958
One thing my brother always says about the Lions is how they’ve been rebuilding since 1958.
That’s because the last championship title they won was in December 1957.
Playoff wins:
Matthew Stafford last 2 weeks: 2
Detroit Lions since 1958: 1 pic.twitter.com/efa78wMwir— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 23, 2022
The team only has one playoff win since then, coming in 1991-92 NFL season with Sanders.
Campbell can’t fix the team when ownership is content with what they got in Detroit.
100-yard rushing games from running backs were nearly non-existent since Sanders retired.
However, 2021 saw three games with a running back going over 100 rushing yards.
While those games were a start for Detroit, they don’t have consistency at running back.
Until they do, they will suffer overall as the pressure is put on their quarterback to do it all.
2021 Saw Too Many Close Games Lost By The Lions
Of the 14 games that the Lions lost or tied, six of them were by four points or fewer.
Costly mistakes, and last second luck, are what keep the Lions at the bottom of the NFL standings.
-Give up a wide open pass on 4th and 19.
-The refs let the play clock run out by 3 seconds with no flag.
-Justin Tucker kicks a 66-yard field goal off the crossbar to win.That is the definition of Detroit Lions football.
— Adam Ruff (@AdamRuffPhoto) September 26, 2021
While those games wouldn’t have given the Lions a playoff berth, it would have given them a winning season.
Also, it would have given them confidence coming into the 2022 NFL season.
However, they have the second pick of the NFL Draft for 2022.
The fate of the Lions for the next five years could be determined by the team’s pick.
It also gives Campbell something to build on in Detroit.
However, Campbell believes he doesn’t need a franchise quarterback in Detroit from the NFL Draft.
After those words from him, you could say his coaching in Detroit is only false hope to the fans.
NEXT: Lions Fans Reminded Of Their Shocking Playoff Problems
It almost seems that no matter who comes in as a coach , people pick it a part if a winning season isn’t produced, The lions are not the only team to get burned because of a fluke play of luck by the opposition. Mistakes will be made, that produce the out come of a game., EITHER FOR YOU OR AGAINST YOU.
Maybe it is time fans be fans and support their team no matter what. . STOP playing the blame game and it will make the wins that much sweeter.
Detroit is a sports city and didn’t get to be that way if the owners always looked at the losing side., I will be willing to bet that most viewers could come up with more negative than positive. of the game day.
There are spectators and there are fans. Which side of the fence are you on. Being loyal to your team makes winning that much sweeter..