The NFL regular season is a quarter of the way through, and there are only two teams left unbeaten. They are the defending Super Bowl champions the Green Bay Packers and the surprising Detroit Lions. The Packers are proven winners, of course, but what is going on in Detroit this year? Are they serious contenders or is their start just a fluke?
The Detroit Lions have been one of the worst teams in the NFL for over a decade. In 2008, they lost every game they played, finishing with a 0-16 record. They have had eight top ten selections in the NFL draft since 2000. However, it appears that all those draft picks are now beginning to pay dividends.
Calvin Johnson, 2007 draft pick, has had two touchdowns in each of the first four games. Matthew Stafford, 2009 draft selection, finally injury free this year, has 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Stafford also has a 100.4 passer rating. Ndamukong Suh, 2010 draft choice, is playing great with 12 tackles including two sacks.
The Lions are confident and have a no quit attitude this year. The past two weeks they have made unbelievable comebacks. They were down 20-0 at halftime of their game against the Minnesota Vikings, but this relentless team fought back in the second half to win the game 26-23. One comeback is tough, but the Lions did it again last Sunday. They were trailing the Dallas Cowboys by 24 points in the third quarter and still managed to pull out the win. Both of these comebacks took place on the road.
If you include the Lions' two road wins at the end of last season, the Lions have now won a franchise record of five straight road games. They have proven they can win on the road and that they are resilient, but they still haven't been to the playoffs since 1999. Is that likely to change this year?
Right now, according to NFL.com, the Detroit Lions have an 82 percent chance of making the playoffs based on recent history. Starting with 1990, there are 61 teams that have started 4-0. Out of those 61 teams, 50 have gone on to make the playoffs.
Sure, the Lions are finally coming out of the National Football Conference (NFC) cellar, but how do they compare to the other unbeaten, NFC North division rival, defending Super Bowl champions the Green Bay Packers?
Green Bay has taken down every opponent they have played this year by at least seven points and just recently embarrassed the Denver Broncos 49-23 at Denver. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers quarterback, is making the name "Favre" a distant memory in Green Bay by torching every defense by throwing for no less than 297 yards in every game so far. Rodgers even rushed for two touchdowns last game.
Even though the Packers won it all last year, they are even stronger this year. Running back Ryan Grant and tight end Jermichael Finley are back, healthy and adding more to an already potent offensive team. The Packers have to be the favorites to win the Super Bowl and repeat this year.
The last team to repeat was the New England Patriots. They won Super Bowls in 2004 and 2005. It is extremely difficult to repeat as Super Bowl champions, but the Packers definitely have one of the best chances to repeat than many other teams did in recent years.
With these two exciting teams playing in top form, their first meeting in Detroit on Thanksgiving will definitely be a game worth watching. Tell grandma the turkey has to wait, ‘cause we got a good one coming our way.
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