Breaking News: A moment 32 years in the making: My favorite night ever as a Detroit Lions fan
I had been wondering how I would feel the day they actually did it for a very long time. the day that the team we love, the Detroit Lions, vanquished some of the evils that have plagued this franchise and its supporters for many years.
The bulk of Lions supporters were not around to see the jubilation that followed after the Lions defeated the Minnesota Vikings a few weeks ago to secure the NFC North. But the division title also meant a home playoff game, and that gave me pause for thought.
When the Lions hosted their first playoff game in Detroit since 1957, what kind of atmosphere would it be? It was not long before I received a response to that query:
The enthusiasm inside the building was evident as soon as we walked in. We made the decision to go to our seats more than an hour before kickoff because it was so crowded. Thousands of other Lions supporters followed suit, so we weren’t the only ones. The end effect was a situation where chaos was almost certain.
As far as environments go, I’ve never been in one better than that one,” Lions coach Dan Campbell remarked. “You could just feel it, and it was very electrifying. What’s funny is that I was coming down for the pre-game warm-up.” It was buzzing.
And throughout the whole game, it remained that way. Four solid hours of intensity.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone of the Lions made a clear and loud call to the crowd. The crowd would always swell while the Los Angeles Rams were in offensive mode, becoming louder every time the team tried to speak.
The crowd would quiet down to a controlled murmur when the Lions were playing offense, but would erupt into cheers whenever their offense moved the ball for a huge play or first down. The commotion would resume as soon as the Rams regained possession of the ball. For the entire game, the noise would teeter-totter back and forth in that manner.
The final eight minutes of the match seemed to go on forever. That being said, a few people in my social group started doing the math when the Lions regained possession of the ball with less than four minutes remaining.
A pair of first-downs.
It would only take that to put the game away. And Detroit was in attack mode, which the Lions found appealing. David Montgomery converted the first down after breaking a tackle. And we all knew it was over when Jared Goff connected with wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, an All-Pro, on the last first down.
I witnessed other grown adults crying uncontrollably, their faces full of tears. Some had ecstatic, incredulous looks on their faces as they screamed incoherently. Joy, relief, and hope filled the hearts of friends who had sat together for years and grown to know one another. It was all for the families who had visited Ford Field and the Pontiac Silverdome for generations.
Sincerely, I’m still getting a handle on it all. And I anticipate that things will stay that way for a few more days. Furthermore, what do you know? That’s acceptable at all.
I hope you felt the energy, whether you were one of the 65,000 spectators at Ford Field, watched from home, followed along on the radio, or in any other way. There will undoubtedly be more evenings like Sunday in the future, with general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell in charge. It was a memorable night for a special city.
So relish this one. Lions lovers, you’ve earned this. Fasten your seatbelts; this week we get to repeat everything.
