The afternoon hosts of the local sports talk show agreed: if the Lions don’t win the Super Bowl, the season will be a failure.
Even playing in America’s biggest sporting event for the first time in 58 years wouldn’t be enough?
Then the fan picked up the phone. “I have to admit,” said the caller, “if they don’t win, I’m going to be devastated.”
Welcome to Detroit in the winter of 2025, where the obsession with the city’s long-declining NFL franchise is at an all-time high.
As the team begins its playoff run, fan expectations are through the roof at Ford Field. Local news stations may be renamed “The Lions News And Entertainment Networks.” Jared Goff’s songs are as common as snowflakes.
Even though GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell have built a roster and culture that should last a few seasons, there’s an “all or nothing” feel to this postseason. After the Lions came agonizingly close to the Super Bowl last season, dropping a 17-point halftime lead to San Francisco in the NFC Championship game, there is belief throughout the organization that this is their year.
Holmes set the bar before the start of the season when asked about his expectations.
“This season?” he said. “Win the Super Bowl.”
So, can the Lions do this? Definitely. They were the class of the NFC, riding an offense that produced an NFL-high 33.2 points per game.
There are two main concerns for the top-ranked Lions as they take on Washington on Saturday night: injuries and pressure.
Although their offense suffered very little damage, their defense suffered. The Lions had 13 injured players at the start of the month.
The biggest loss was star running back Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered a broken leg from “friendly fire” in the fifth game of the season. There is a long chance Hutchinson could return if the Lions land in New Orleans.
Defensive end Alim McNeill, the player who collided with Hutchinson, is out for the season with a torn ACL. Defensive end Marcus Davenport, linebackers Derrick Barnes and Malcolm Rodriguez and linebackers Carlton Davis and Khalil Dorsey are among the key players injured.
They suffered the injury in mid-December when Buffalo outscored this team for 559 yards and 48 points in the Lions’ second loss.
Detroit got a key player, linebacker Alex Anzalone, who is coming back from a broken arm at the end of his regular season. That, along with a masterful game plan from defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, allowed the Lions to spread Minnesota’s offense and claim the NFC North title and top seed.
A much-needed bye week allowed some of the Lions’ injured backs to return to the playoffs, most notably running back David Montgomery. He injured his knee in the loss to the Bills.
Not that the Lions offense has suffered much without him. Goff, aside from the odd 5-point road trip in Houston, has always chosen to defend behind the league’s best offensive line. Montgomery’s running back partner, the speedy Jahmyr Gibbs, leads the NFL in touchdowns.
The wide receiver group is led by All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown and deep threat Jameson Williams. The defense must deal with tight end Sam LaPorta and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s seemingly endless tactical plays.
The Commanders, despite their uber-talented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, don’t seem ready to slow Detroit’s juggernaut. A potential NFC Championship matchup with Philadelphia or the Los Angeles Rams, on paper, would have far greater challenges.
The Eagles have a powerful offense of their own behind 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley and quarterback Jalen Hurts. The Rams, led by Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, nearly eliminated the Lions in the playoffs last season. They will have the experience of facing a raucous Ford Field crowd.
This is where the pressure comes in. The Lions have shown resilience and resilience throughout the season. Can they handle the weight of high expectations when grief strikes in a do-or-die situation?
One thing is for sure: if they don’t, there will be a lot of disappointment and a lot of hurt fans.