Terry Foster: Be Prepared For The Lions To Let You Down
By: Terry Foster
@terryfoster971
The Lions won't let you off easy this weekend during their playoff game with the Seattle Seahawks.
They will make you go through three hours of pain and hope before finally letting go of the rope and falling to their doom. They have a history of playing close games, only to lose in the playoffs. And those games hurt. With a Seattle team that is not whole -- but still better than the Lions, I can see that playing out again.
Older Lion fans are still tortured by 1993 when Sterling Sharp caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Brett Favre with 55 seconds to go to give Green Bay a 28-24 victory. Defensive back Kevin Scott thought he had deep safety help and let Sharp head to the right corner of the end zone when Favre scrambled left.
No one was there and Sharp caught one of the easiest game-winning touchdown passes in NFL history while stunning a Silverdome crowd. Barry Sanders ran for 167 yards that day, but a year later rushed for -1 yards as the Lions lost in Green Bay 16-12 in another head scratcher.
Younger Lions fans remember Dallas two years ago when tight end Brandon Pettigrew was interfered with by Dallas Cowboy Anthony Hitchens. The ref made the call and then picked up the flag. The Lions were ahead 20-17 at the time and would have had the ball deep in Dallas territory with about eight minutes to play.
Instead it became fourth down and one at the Dallas 45. Coach Jim Caldwell elected not to go for it on fourth down and Sam Martin shanked the punt 10 yards after a five yard Lions delay of game penalty. The Cowboys started at the 41 yard line and later scored and won 24-20.
That's what the Lions do.
So be prepared for a late Russell Wilson scramble of 20 yards on fourth and five to keep the chains moving late during a close game.
Watch out for Richard Sherman taking one to the house on an interception to erase a late Lions lead.
Don't become too angry when Zach Zenner fumbles during what appears to be a late-game winning drive.
The Lions won't do the decent thing and lose 27-7 so you can go about your evening and forget the season. They will put you in a torture chamber and wring the life out of you.
You will wake up Sunday morning in a bad mood complaining about an official's call, a bungled play or a Caldwell decision. That game will leave a bitter taste that will pain you the rest of the year. It will be one more bitter dose of bad Lions medicine.
The Lions won't go away quietly. But the biggest noise will be you pounding your head against a wall.