5 Years Later: A Look Back At The Past Of The Detroit Lions
By: Kyle Barker, 87.9 Sports Talk Broadcaster
Detroit, MI-- 5 years ago I was finishing up my bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan. I was sitting on my couch, casually getting ready to watch the draft.
Little did I know, the NFL would change forever that day.
Specifically the Lions.
I remember Roger Goodell's words: "With the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select....Baby Snoots, the QB out of Michigan.
Then, again.
"With the 22nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select....San McGigabobber, the HB out of Michigan.
These two players would provide so much excitement to a franchise that lacked it. I was ecstatic about the draft and couldn't wait until the season started.
Then it did.
The Lions started out with a loss to the Broncos, but they picked it up. They won 6 straight before falling to the Bears 41-38. The Lions struggled down the stretch, going 4-3 after the loss, but that was still good for an 11-5 record and the 5 seed, which featured a date with the 49ers at Candelstick Park. The Lions got off to a slow start, but came back and won 31-21. Next up were the New York Giants. There was a blizzard that Saturday night, and it definently affected the Lions. Detroit got off to another slow start, but this time they couldn't recover and lost 38-17. I was quite satisfied with our year, as after going 2-14 we went 11-5 and got to the divisional playoffs.
In 2011 the Lions were heavily praised around the league and were expected to win the division. The Lions started out 5-0 before falling to the Bears again (a common theme in these days). Detroit won their next 5 before falling to da Bears (yet again). Detroit finished the year at 12-4, good enough for the 5 seed. The Leos proceeded to shellack the Dallas Cowboys, 41-14 in the Wild Card round. In the next week, they knocked off the #2 seed Falcons, 17-14 before setting up a showdown with the Chicago Bears. The game was hyped up all week as the game of the year, and it didn't disappoint.
At least in the early going.
The Bears won the toss and chose to receive. They immidiately took the ball down the field and scored on a Jay Cutler TD pass to Johnny Knox to make it 7-0. The Lions went 3 and out, so the Bears drove down the field and made it 14-0 on a Matt Forte TD run from 5 yards out. Snoots and the Lions pulled it together, and drove down the field and scored on a 5 yd Snoots TD run to make it 14-7.
That was as close as it would get.
The Bears would roll, 59-21, en route to losing to the Colts, 29-25 in the Super Bowl. However, this would be the end of the Lions as we knew it.
In the offseason, chaos ensued in the Lions locker room. WR Calvin Johnson and TE Brandon Pettigrew started to complain about QB Baby Snoots and how he only throws to his best friend, HB San McGigabobber. Then, TMZ released an article that Snoots was involved in point-shaving (something that Snoots denied and proved to be only a rumor), and through all this the Lions traded Snoots and McGigabobber to the Chiefs for 1st and 2nd round picks.
That was, I think, the worst day in Lions history. And that's saying
A LOT. I was considering cutting my ties with the Lions until 87.9 Sports Talk gave me a phone call. They wanted me to intern there, which meant I was one step closer to my dream job.
Soon, Draft Day 2012 came around. The Chiefs had a bad year last year, so we were given the #4 pick in the draft. There, the rebuilding process began, as we drafted QB Caleb Henderson out of Michigan. The guy I wanted was David Sills, but he ended up going to Miami at #1. With our other first round pick, we picked up HB Quentin Thomas out of Minnesota. Overall I thought these were solid picks, but still not as good as Snoots and McGigabobber.
In 2012, the Lions definently took a step back. It was clear that Henderson and Thomas were going to need time to develop and that would be a few years. The Lions finished 7-9 and missed the postseason for the first time since 2009. Henderson was alright, throwing for 3,060 yds, 20 TD's and 11 interceptions.
This led to 2013, the year the experts picked Detroit to win the NFC North and go 10-6. The offseason started with a bonehead pick by the Lions, taking change of pace HB TJ Fordham with the 9th overall pick in the draft.
WHO DOES THAT! Anyways, I almost forgot to mention, I got my dream JOB! For the 2013 season, me and Terry Gabrielson broadcasted a few Lions games live on 87.9. But here, I'll let you guys see the way the Lions did yourselves.
Week 1-vs. Vikings L, 23-17
Week 2-vs. Texans L, 31-17
Week 3-at Titans W, 36-13
Week4-at Bears L, 35-28
Week 5-vs. Packers W, 31-28
Week 6-at Colts L, 33-31
Week 7-at 49ers L, 30-17
Week 8-vs. Bears W, 19-3
Week 9-BYE
Week 10-vs. Rams L, 27-17
Week 11-at Cardinals L, 38-17
Week 12-vs. Jaguars W, 30-24
Week 13-at Packers L, 27-10
Week 14-vs. Seahawks W, 34-27
Week 15-at Giants L, 37-0
Week 16-vs Falcons L, 16-13
Week 17-at Vikings L, 31-20
*-Game at 7:00
The one game I would like to point out is the Week 5 game against Green Bay. That game was the most exciting I had seen in my life. The Lions were down by 18 with 6 minutes to play in the 4th. But they came back. It started with a drive that led to a FG. 28-13 Pack. Then, Nick Renner threw the first pick of his pro career that led to a Henderson TD pass to Megatron. 28-20 Pack. Then, the Packers went 3 and out, meaning the Lions had another shot. Henderson heaved up a jump ball to Megatron, one in which he caught, for a 50 yard completion to the Packer 14. Henderson would find Calvin on a TD pass in the endzone, and the rest is history. The Lions would get the 2 point conversion, and kick the game winning field goal in OT to win, 31-28. The best part? I got to call that game.
However, that game was one of the only bright spots for Detroit in a year of disappointment. Caleb Henderson hit his sophomore slump, throwing for 3,341 yds and 22 TD's, but 22 picks as well, doubling his total from his rookie year. The Lions finished 5-11, last in the NFC North where you only needed 9 wins to win the division. It should be noted that Henderson was benched in Week 8 for backup QB Brynn Drexon, but for some reason Henderson started Week 10 against the Rams. Probably because the franchise felt that tanking was the way to go.
This takes us to 2015. After a year of no football, the Lions are projected to do absolutely nothing this year, probably a good thing. Personally, I expect them to go 3-13 this year, but you never know. All I know is that this year it will be just me covering Lions games, and the journey starts January 13th against Minnesota. See you there!
11-17-2014, 04:59 PM
