Fansided

One silver lining for every team that missed the playoffs

By Luke Dahlgren

Nov 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns fans in the stands against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens won 33-27. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns fans in the stands against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Ravens won 33-27. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 15, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) reacts after dropping a pass on a two point conversion attempt during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Detroit won 18-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2015; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams (17) reacts after dropping a pass on a two point conversion attempt during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. Detroit won 18-16. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Detroit Lions (7-9)

You won at Lambeau.

This was not exclusively an accomplishment of the Lions; it was a victory for the entire NFC North. Green Bay, winners of five consecutive division titles, ended the season at 0-3 at Lambeau Field playing their divisional opponents. Each team’s Lambeau victory was the highlight of the season.

For the Minnesota Vikings, their Week 17 win was a de facto divisional title game. Both teams entered at 10-5. In hostile conditions on Sunday night, the Vikings prevented a sixth consecutive title in Green Bay and saved the soul of the NFC North.

The stakes for the Chicago Bears victory were lower, but the victory was still quite sweet. On top of it being Thanksgiving in front of a national audience, the Bears disrupted the disgusting Brett Favre number retirement ceremony. Jay Cutler legitimately outperformed Aaron Rogers en route to a dramatic victory.

But the Lions get to claim the best victory of all. The Packers held a 24-game home winning streak against the Lions entering Week 9, but the visiting team was able to stave off the Packers within the last minute following two failed opportunities: a dropped two-point conversion by Davante Adams and a missed 52-yard field goal by Mason Crosby. Lions 18, Packers 16.

Sure, the team took a step back after reaching the playoffs in 2014-15. Even so, you can throw out the 1-7 start. You can throw out the firings of GM Martin Mayhew and team president Tom Lewand. You can even throw out the Packers’ revenge victory three weeks later, when Richard Rodgers caught a last play Hail Mary to lift Green Bay 27-23.

This Lions’ biggest success was finally winning at Lambeau Field and getting that monkey off their back.

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