What Happened to the Detroit Lions Before "The Old Man Died"

Part Four:

XLIX?

The Detroit Lions are in a precarious spot when it comes to the future; go back to the old ways before WCF died or fulfill WCF’s wishes of winning a championship.

The story of the Seattle Seahawks is a very simple one. Under the leadership of sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson, a sound offensive core, and the “Legion of Boom,” the Seahawks stormed through the divisional playoffs and conference championship, downing the powerhouses of New Orleans with Drew Brees and San Francisco with Colin Kaepernick in the process. Then, as everyone knows the Seahawks came into MetLife Stadium for Super Bowl XLVIII and from the first offensive snap’s safety, won every battle. There were no holes to be seen in the #2 defense in the league, Russell Wilson looked like a seasoned “game-manager”, and big play after big play killed Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ chances. Everything from then on was scripted, and the Seahawks and MVP Malcolm Smith triumphantly hoisted the Lombardi trophy.

It sounds like a Cinderella story, but again there’s, “No magic formula (Samuelsen).” The Seahawks sculpted the right environment for success from, “bold free agent signings…remarkable scouting and drafting… and (rolling) the dice a time or too (Samuelsen).” Though even with this, there are countless examples, like the NFC Championship interception by Malcolm Smith, where by bare inches the Seahawks continued on their Super Bowl journey. But in the end, the Seattle Seahawks had all the bounces go their way, and were on top of the world for the first time in their history.

Now the question is: How haven’t the Lions had this happen to them?

As many writers say, they “don’t believe the franchise is jinxed,” and that since the Ford family owns the team, the team can’t win (Caputo). Instead, one thing after another seemed to fall out of place for the Detroit Lions. Whether it be from self-centered wide receiver Titus Young in 2012, to hot headed head coach Jim Schwartz in 2013 that didn’t push enough for change, to many other examples over the past 50 years, it caused a negative environment to linger around the franchise. Then this paired William Clay Ford’s (WCF) questionable franchise decisions, kept the team in the same place it has been since 1957. Mediocrity.

To lose the label of mediocrity though and become a team like the Seattle Seahawks, the Lions need to employ the tactics so many other struggling franchises did to turn things around. The “Control,” “accountability,” the right people, and a “renaissance” feeling will allow the Lions to change to become successful “and win big (Caputo).” And today, we’re seeing before our eyes this change.

From the start of the offseason, one day after the less-than-average 14-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings to give the Lions their 13^th losing season since the new millennium, Lions President Tom Lewand and GM Martin Mayhew made a statement. This offseason was solely for building a championship team and bringing, “a consistently-winning football team to the city of Detroit immediately (Twentyman).” It may have seemed like the usual PR statement, but to other die-hard fans and I, a new feeling arose. For the first time in an offseason it was an immediate priority to bring change and a stop to the Lions’ label of “The National Pundits (Caputo).” Instead, become the team that’s in the spotlight, having players chat with Jimmy Fallon on late-night.

 It’s a drastic shift for the Detroit Lions with the culture they had for decades, but as Mayhew and Lewand alluded to, “We are trying to get to the next level (Twentyman).”

And there’s never been such high expectation, just look at seasons past, where there was always something holding the Lions back. Now though, the plan is lying out beautifully to, “move on from “Same Old Lions (S.O.L.) (Twentyman),” under Lewand and Mayhew’s guidance. This was first backed  up on January 14^th, where the Lions hired Jim Caldwell as Head Coach.

Maybe not the first choice or, “a big enough name to appease some fans for the Lions (Lacy),” like Ken Wisenhunt, but Jim Caldwell and the Lions soon proved that he wasn’t a second choice. His opening press conference a day later shocked the franchise, being a spectacle that no fan has maybe ever seen. Everything was planned out for how this team was to look and Caldwell coming in would keep the plan in motion. As said soft-spokenly, “Business,” was Caldwell’s motto, with him promising to the Lions that this would be a team that didn’t become too cocky week after week, but instead keep a business-like feeling throughout the whole year until they were Super Bowl champions.

The one-and-only Bobby Ross said it right with Jim Caldwell having a “tremendous” background (Lacy). A Super Bowl Championship as Offensive Coordinator of the Ravens two years ago, making a Super Bowl appearance as a head coach of the Colts in 2010, and countless praise from players and analysts like Tony Dungy shows that Caldwell is capable of instilling a winning culture. And with his “zero-tolerance” mindset and the help of his brilliant coordinators Joe Lombardi and Teryl Austin, that culture will be easier to achieve.

“It’s not a question about the Lions fighting to be a competitive football team anymore (Twentyman),” since they have Caldwell and the most talent in 50 years. With the likes of Matthew Stafford, “Megatron” (Calvin Johnson), Stephen Tulloch, Ndamokung Suh, a solid offensive line, and more, the Lions have a strong foundation for success. Then add in free agents, like wide receiver Golden Tate and safety James Ihedigbo, along with this year’s draft, and the sky is the limit for the Detroit Lions. But as the Lions organization continues to allude, it isn’t just that easy.

The Lions have to be meticulous at scouting, finding the best players to fit under Jim Caldwell’s culture and fill in the holes (Samuelsen). They need to make themselves become a “Seahawk-like” team with a strong defense and player mindset. And the Lions need to fix the flaws, whether it be from quarterback Matthew Stafford’s tendency to “force the ball (Samuelsen),” to a non-conservative playbook. Then, use these fixed flaws with the Lions’ strengths like great receiver play, speed, and heart to mold a championship team (Samuelsen).

It’s all a process in becoming a model champion like the Seattle Seahawks, and from the start the Lions are seemingly out in front of the pack in the NFL. The Lions still though have that monkey on their back of S.O.L and the whole 2014 season must be nearly perfect to win Super Bowl XLIX.

For the Lions is it really a Cinderella story? From my point of view it is. All of the improbability, the failure, the loss, the underachievement, and the negativity all changing to eventually culminate in a Super Bowl Championship would make the press’ mouths water and more importantly, is what every Lions fan wants.

Everyone around the Lions has experienced so much pain and it seems the mission in 2014 is to alleviate that pain with a Gatorade shower. More importantly though, it’s to remember and keep WCF’s legacy strong and make his “burning desire to win (Lacy)” a reality. With William Clay Ford Junior (WCF Jr.) now running the day to day operations and WCF looking down from above, I have no doubt that it will happen. And when the Lions are world champions, I with my Father will look back at this story, the pain, the despair, and raise our fists in triumph, balling our eyes out, and party like never before.

From five years old going to games weekly, who would have known this, could be the story? But I’m a part of it knowing I’ll stay a die-hard Lions fan forever and remember one thing.

It’s got to happen sometime.

Works Cited

Caputo, Pat. "CAPUTO: Detroit Lions Left Picking up the Pieces of Shattered Season."

Press & Guide. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.

Lacy, Eric. "Former Detroit Lions Coach Bobby Ross Says Jim Caldwell Has a 'tremendous

Background'" M-Live. N.p., 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.

Samuelsen, Jamie. "Jamie Samuelsen's Blog: Three Keys the Detroit Lions Should Get from

Seahawks' Super Bowl Win." The Detroit Free Press. N.p., 4 Feb. 2014. Web. 26 Mar.

2014.

Twentyman, Tim. "Twentyman: Where Is the Lions Organization Heading?" The Official

            Website of the Detroit Lions. N.p., 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.