DETROIT – It’s only one game, but boy does this loss by the Detroit Lions feel deflating.
On Sunday, the Lions returned to Ford Field after one of the most satisfying wins in recent franchise history. The fans were unbelievable. The atmosphere was electric.
But they left bitterly disappointed.
The Lions had all the motivation in the world against Seattle. Not only did the Seahawks singlehandedly keep Detroit out of playoffs a year ago, they’ve scored 96 points on the Lions in the last two years.
Now, one week after getting destroyed at home by a Rams team that isn’t expected to be very good, the Seahawks came into Ford Field and beat the Lions for the third year in a row.
Again, it’s only one game. But it feels so much worse.
It’s been decades since the Lions made fans feel how they’ve felt over the past 10 days. This team might still be good enough to compete for the NFC North title, but that doesn’t make Sunday any less deflating.
Seattle came in wounded and vulnerable. It played without both of its starting offensive tackles, and yet the Lions’ only sack came when Geno Smith scrambled for a full 15 seconds and essentially gave himself up.
The Lions committed crippling penalties. Goff threw a pick-six. Obvious holding penalties went uncalled. The secondary left receivers running so wide open you could hardly see any Honolulu Blue on the TV screen.
It all felt very familiar. We aren’t going to say those dreaded three letters after one bad game, but Sunday almost seems like a cruel prank on a fan base that’s finally feeling some genuine hope.
Green Bay lost. Chicago lost. Minnesota is 0-2. The NFC North is ripe for the taking.
Maybe the Lions will bounce back and this game won’t ultimately mean much. But it was an early home loss to Seattle that doomed them last season. With everything fans have been through, it’s hard not to wonder what this missed opportunity could mean.