Every year, all teams are hopeful. I think if the Carolina Panthers had had this cheerleader give them a pep talk before each game, or maybe just strike this pose, they would have run through a wall for her.
And now let's go from DOORMAT TO CONTENDER. 1. After 300 years of losing, the first step to becoming a contender is to beat all those teams you used to hang out with. You let them know you’ve moved to a new neighborhood. Next you actually rise up and clock teams that have winning records, and put that seed of doubt in their minds about the playoffs, should they see you again.
Which of our new playoff teams have done this?
Detroit Lions (10-6)
First appearance in playoffs since 1999
Beat Doormats? Yes. Vikings (2), Bucs, Panthers, Cheaps
Beat Winners? NO.
Other victories: 8-8 Club- Bears, Raiders, Chargers, Broncos, Cowboys. All 8-8.
LOSSES: Saints, Packers (2), 49ers, Falcons, Bears. Basically, every playoff team and the Bears would have been one if Jay Cutler stays healthy (but would have counts for nothing in the NFL..or anywhere else).
Denver Donky Bunco Bunks (8-8)
Sorry I just can’t help it.
First appearance in playoffs since 2005 (these guys are the 8-8 kings)
Beat Doormats? Yes. Cheaps, Chargers, Dolphins, Vikings.
Beat Winners? Yes. Bengals (it counts!)
Other Victories: 8-8 club: Jets, Chargers, Bears, Raiders.
Losses: Bills, Cheaps, Lions, Chargers, Packers, Titans, Raiders. That’s losing to a wide variety of teams.
Doesn’t look good. Need Miracle.
Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)
Last Playoff appearance: 2009 (won AFC North)
Beat Doormats? YES. Browns (2), Colts, Jaguars, Seahawks, Lambs, Bills.
Beat Winners? YES. Titans
Other Victories: 8-8 club- Cardinals
LOSSES: Broncos, 49ers, Ravens (2), Steelers (2), Texans
They lost by 1 point to the Texans. 1. They have a solid chance to win this time.
San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
Last playoff appearance: 2002
Beat Doormats? YES. Seahawks (2), Bucs, Browns, Redskins, Lambs (2)
Beat Winners? YES. Giants, Lions, Steelers, Bengals (ok, admittedly, these are 2 ex-doormats, but that’s crucial to establishing who belongs in the new neighborhood.)
Other Victories: 8-8 club: Eagles, Cardinals
Losses: Cowboys, Ravens, Cardinals
These guys belong in the new neighborhood. Still going to have rough time against Saints, if Saints beat Lions. If Lions win, then it is Giants-Falcons winner.
Yes, put the cheerleader in the end zone. Great analysis, the Lions have snuck into the playoffs by beating 9 losing teams. They may be on the Doormat Cave Barcalounger by mid-season 2012. But, in the meantime, as a long-suffering Lions fan, it feels pretty good today. Maybe a miracle will happen and the Saints will play their worst game in three years (fingers crossed).
ReplyDeleteWe do have some teams hanging around the cellar steps and the couch downstairs, like the Eagles and the Colts, but these teams have no idea what it means to have institutionalized losing like the Raiders, Browns, or Lions. They are more like tourists, and we are happy to sell them some pickled eggs and PBR at the bar, but they will be gone next year and will probably not even save the Polaroids we took of them on the couch.
Playoffs are on, three traditionally doormat teams are in, and now we can all do what Doormat fans do best, pinch ourselves that we are in the playoffs, and start praying. In Detroit they are dreaming of a Super Bowl, and why not? After all, anything can happen.
And I love the retro helmets.
ReplyDeleteI hate the current Broncos helmets. They and the Pats probably have the same designers. Wind Tunnel designs.
ReplyDeleteHow about those Duck helmets? I thought they were going to look pretty stupid if they lost. As it turned out, they looked BITCHIN'!
ReplyDeleteThe Lions will not be Kittens again for a while. The Saints are going to be a handful for the Niners.
ReplyDeleteLivin' for the weekend!
Duck helmets not as bad as special unis for bowl. The jerseys had way too much stuff going on. the cheesy plastic applique' feathers looked really low quality and like some 13 year-old's bad glue job. The odd square of black on the belly. the...just you know what? UGLY. Ugly also is the Army Green color that, in you look in the stands, not a single fan wears. The unis were the same color as the turf. BARRRRRFFFFFFF. But they won, so they can wear pink for all I care.
ReplyDeleteAt least the Niners have some linebackers. Lions don't have any.
ReplyDeleteYes, the annou.cers in the Lions game mentioned that good tackling technique was getting scarce in the league.
ReplyDeleteLions could have won if (1) the fumble recovery is not blown dead ( that was a 6) and they catch two of the four interception opportunities they dropped. Lions get some good LBs and another receiver and they go somewhere. But it IS the Lions. They have won one post season game in 53 years.
1991- Lions 38, Cowboys 6 ( I bet that felt good.) They got pummeled in the NFC championship by Washington 41-10. Erik Kramer, Rodney Peete QB tandem...Sanders of course and Herman Moore in the twilight of career at WR.
ReplyDelete1991 is also the last time the Falcons, Saints and Lions were in the playoffs. also, the ONLY time.