The Lions qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season, doing a nice job of erasing a lot of harsh memories over those 11 seasons (that period, which featured an 0-16 season, is known as the Millen Era). But there is another streak the Lions need to consider: 20 years. That’s the last time the Lions won a playoff game, beating Dallas 38-6 in something of a fluke considering what happened to the respective teams over the next few years. Or there’s the 54 years since the Lions played for the NFL title, beating Cleveland way back before even I was born.
If the Lions stay focused for another week, they have a chance to get a good draw in the playoffs. Instead of facing a return to New Orleans, where Detroit was beat handily 31-17, the Lions could go to the winner of the Dallas-New York Giants showdown for the NFC East title........