Despite Winning Streak, Detroit Has Not Won Respect in the NFL

Alright Lions, I’ll give ya this: Things are starting to look up.
For a team that hasn’t won a road game in 26 tries, and is just two years removed from a disastrous 0-16 season, you didn’t look half bad.
But, if we’re going to be quite honest with each other, I think it’s important to realize that even winning one game would be an improvement from 0-16, and just three games would be an improvement on last year.
So hey, look at you! You’re improving.
The only problem is that the standards for improvement are incredibly low. There are high school football teams that have higher standards than Lion fans right now, which is indicative of the problem.
But hey, you’re looking better!
Good enough to take home to meet mom and dad perhaps! Nice personality, solid morals and good table manners. But, I’m still not about to put your picture in my wallet, and show it off to all my buddy’s at the bar.
You’re just not that hot yet!
Now, I have to give credit where credit is due. You beat the Packers in your house, and even with Aaron Rodgers at the helm they still looked unprepared, and taken aback by your defensive strategy.
Huzzah!! You got your first divisional win since Pangaea broke apart.
It was a solid building block moment, but no reason to pee your pants.
Next up was the road game in Tampa. Being that the Buccaneers were fighting for a playoff spot, and the fact that you hadn’t won a road game since Johnny Appleseed roamed the earth, it was a very impressive win for the Lions.
You fought hard to the very end of the game, and even after regulation. Your third string quarterback led you “forward down the field” to both the game tying, and game winning field goals.
And alas, it wasn’t even the ever so constant, Jason Hanson, who kicked them through! Nor was it that tenacious teddy bear, Ndamukong Suh! But, out came journeyman, Dave Rayner, to kick the two field goals that will now forever engrave him in Detroit sports lore.
Jeez, this is exciting stuff!
It’s time to calm down though. It’s time to take a few breaths, and realize that:
Nobody else in the NFL cares.
Your 4-10. In any normal NFL city heads would be rolling.
You’re not that special.
I say point No. 3, not to be mean, but just to be realistic.
Even bad teams in the NFL win at least one game on the road, and winning two games in a row is usually a good sign that your team at least has a pulse.
This should not be good enough. Even for Lions fans.
I realize that you are not used to these things, so a road win, and two wins in a row seem like the most extravagant thing to happen to you since prom night. But, now you’ve done it! You’ve crossed from NFL childhood into NFL adulthood, so congratulations!
Now, the pressure is on, and I’m not sure if you realize it just yet.
If you want to be a legitimate and respected football organization you are going to have to start acting like one. Next year it’s going to have to be go big or go home for the Lions.
So, shame on you if you accept mediocrity from the Detroit Lions from here on out! As fans, you have always whined and complained that nobody ever gave you respect, or took you seriously. So, now it’s time you start demanding it from your football team.
If you’re not in the playoff hunt come this time next year, you should be screaming for a change in regime and personnel. Elite football towns do not accept mediocrity from their teams, so start taking notes.
To be frank the rest of this season doesn’t matter much. You’re not going to make the playoffs anyhow, but I know that there are probably many of you thinking:
“Aw shucks! Well, we can evaluate players, and maybe Matthew Stafford can take a few snaps!”
I say: “Screw that attitude you losers!”
In good NFL towns its playoffs or bust, and nothing else matters. In great NFL towns, it’s Super Bowl or bust, and anything less then that is major disappointment. They don’t care about evaluating talent for next year, or looking forward to the draft, or endlessly defending a franchise quarterback that hasn’t taken enough snaps to even be considered a season in. They take care of that after the season.
Good football organizations and fans only care about two things: Winning and Championships.
I know that you are nowhere near close to that point yet, but at the very least it’s time for the change in attitude.
Stop accepting mediocrity. Don’t be happy if your team plays well enough to make it interesting! The only thing that should make you happy is a “W” in the win column for the Detroit Lions.
Stop accepting bad coaching moves, and blown draft picks! Schwartz and friends have certainly had enough time to learn how to run a football team, so now start demanding excellence from them! Next year the Detroit Lions need to be challenging teams for a playoff spot.
That is the only way getting these last two wins will mean anything more than a gold star on your foreheads.
So, like I said earlier: Kudos for looking a bit better! But, nobody is really that impressed.
It’s time to start changing your attitude as a football organization, and start acting like a winning team, not just on the field, but off of it, and even in the stands!
Expect greatness, demand greatness, and you will eventually get it. You gotta fake it ‘til you make it! You wanted to play with the big kids, now here’s your shot. You want respect, so go and get it.
It’s time to put on your big boy pants.
*Andrew Kulha is a contributing writer to TMSNX and The Bleacher Report. This article can also be found on TheBleacherReport.com