Think The Lions Are A Long Shot Sunday? Here Are The Top 5 Times Detroit Shocked The Sports World With A Win
By: Jeff Riger
@riger1984
Would it be shocking if the Lions beat the Patriots? I say yes!
I would be totally shocked if the Lions found a way to win this Sunday against the Patriots in Foxboro. In fact, I can't think of another game in Detroit sports history where a win would have been this shocking.
No matter what stat you throw out, positive or negative, I just don't think the Lions stand a chance in New England. Brady, Gronk, Gray and Revis will outplay Stafford, Calvin, Golden and Suh. I have no proof of that right now, but I feel it. And, I even admit that what the Lions have done in the past probably molds my opinion as to why I think Detroit will lose.
But I'm sick of being negative. I'm tired of being the guy bringing up things like the struggling offense, an underwhelming QB or the feeling everybody gets when the Lions set up for a field goal. So, I'm going positive…
I still think they will lose on Sunday, but I will offer some hope…
Here are the top 5 games or series that I thought Detroit teams had no chance to win, but they did. I figured by sharing this list, maybe, just maybe the Lions will follow suit and shock the world come Sunday.
5. The 2004 Detroit Pistons.
I don't think anybody in Detroit, or the country for that matter, actually thought the Pistons would take down the Lakers in 2004 in the NBA Final. I don't have the expert's predictions in front of me, but I think every writer, broadcaster and media member picked the Lakers to win. And, how could you not pick LA? They rolled through the Western conference with names like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton and there was no reason to believe that the Pistons could stop them. Oh, how wrong we all were! The only reason I put this upset as number 5 on the list, and not higher, is because by the time they played game 5, the Lakers were such a train wreck that everybody knew their original picks were wrong.
4. Lions vs. Rams 1999
This could have been the best Lions game I've ever attended. Detroit was handling the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams by 9 points late in the 3rd quarter before St. Louis scored 15 points in the 4th to take a 27-24 lead. Gus Frerotte, the Lions QB at the time would put together a 77 yard drive to win it with 33 seconds left on the clock. I remember numerous Rams fans at the Pontiac Silver dome talking so much trash when the Lions were down but of course couldn't take it when the Lions eventually won the game. Detroit would then go to Arizona the next week and lose as coach Bobby Ross would decide to attempt a controversial 2 point conversion late in the game. The Lions finished 8-8 that season and lost in the first round of the playoffs, but I'll never forget that game against the Rams.
3. Michigan State vs. Ohio State 1998
I wasn't at this game, but I do remember watching it. MSU cornerback Renaldo Hill picked off a pass from OSU QB Joe Germaine in the end zone with 72 seconds left as Michigan State shocked the world. The game was in Columbus; Ohio State was ranked No. 1. in the country and they were 8-0 at the time. Guys like Bill Burke, Sedrick Irvin and Plaxico Burress were on that MSU team. The Spartans have won a lot of big games since that game against OSU but it no doubt holds a special place in the hearts of Green and White fans everywhere.
2. Michigan vs. Kansas 2013
The date was March 29, 2013, and Michigan was battling Kansas for the right to advance to the Elite 8 in the NCAA tournament. The Wolverines trailed Kansas by 14 points with less than 7 minutes to go and by 5 with 21 seconds to go. Trey Burke hit a miraculous 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds remaining as Michigan forced overtime and then eventually won the game in 3 OT's. The Burke shot, coupled by the Wolverines win could have been the most remarkable game I've ever seen. Michigan was a #4 seed while Kansas was a #1 seed. I still get chills looking at the picture of Burke's game tying shot form that night. Michigan rolled all the way to the National Title game that year before losing to Louisville.
1 Tigers vs. Yankees 2006
I'm not sure I even need to go into a description of this series. Nobody, and I do mean nobody, thought the Tigers stood a chance to beat the Yankees in the 2006 ALDS. In game one, Derek Jeter had 5 hits and the Tigers lost and I was certain Detroit would get swept. But they didn't. In fact, they won the next 3 games and were able to clinch the series on one of the most memorable nights in Detroit sports history. The players celebrated with the fans, the town was electric and the Tigers were heading to the ALCS. What an awesome night!
So there you go...
I thought in all of the above that the Detroit teams would lose and I was wrong, so hopefully I'm wrong about Sunday in Foxboro, too. (But I don't think I am.)
So what did I miss? What games or series were you sure Detroit teams would lose; but they shocked you and won?
