We’ve largely prevented speaking in regards to the Matthew Stafford storylines this week, as a result of, frankly, we have been over it weeks in the past when it regarded just like the Detroit Lions could possibly be internet hosting the Los Angeles Rams within the Wild Card spherical of the playoffs. So as soon as that grew to become a actuality, the narratives had already been spun, and I might sense Lions followers have been already sick of it.
However now that the second is mere hours away, let’s face this head on. It’s unavoidable. The quarterback of this franchise for 12 years is coming again, and he’s going to do every little thing he can to forestall the Lions from advancing to the divisional spherical of the playoffs for the primary time since 1991.
As a lot as I attempt to deny it, this does certainly carry up conflicted feelings. For over a decade, this man gave every little thing he might to town of Detroit. He was my favourite participant since Barry Sanders, and I purchased the person’s jersey after he ultimately gained a Tremendous Bowl with Los Angeles. Fairly frankly, I completely despise that he’s now able to knock my workforce out of the playoffs. I hate it as a lot as I hate the truth that the one narrative of this sport appears to be Stafford’s return to Detroit and Jared Goff vs. Sean McVay.
Now don’t get it twisted. My allegiance lies with the Lions 100%. I hope Stafford fails in each single means doable Sunday evening. This franchise has proven me what the opposite aspect of success looks like, and now I’m insatiable. I don’t simply desire a playoff win, I NEED it. On this Sunday morning, nothing else issues.
For some individuals, the potential for beating Stafford solely provides extra gasoline to their fireplace. It might be a really symbolic solution to break from the previous—yet one more period of Lions soccer outlined by failure. It could not have been Stafford’s fault that this workforce completed subsequent to nothing throughout his time in Detroit—or a minimum of not largely his fault—however honest or not, the quarterback is totem of the franchise, and burying that totem would undoubtedly be cathartic to many Lions followers.
That has little or no significance to me. This workforce doesn’t want a symbolic win or an exorcising of demons to destroy the previous. They’ve already achieved it. They’ve already matched this franchise’s document win complete. They’re constantly breaking workforce data that haven’t been touched because the Nineteen Fifties. They’ve knocked divisional rivals out of the playoff race, and raised their first banner in three a long time. If the Lions lose to Stafford on Sunday, it’s not their previous catching up with them, it’s the pure development of a franchise: the losses are going to harm extra as a result of they really imply one thing.
I’ve meandered from the query of the day right here, as a result of clearly I’ve had loads of pent-up ideas about this sport that wanted to be flushed. In brief, it sucks that it must be this manner, however let’s beat the hell out of Stafford and the Rams—not as a result of it frees us from some invisible curse endlessly. As a result of that’s straight up nonsense in any case. You realize on the first signal of wrestle past this sport, the SOLers are going to come back out even when they do win on Sunday.
As an alternative, let’s win this sport as a result of it is a rattling good soccer workforce that ought to win this sport and larger issues are forward.
However immediately’s Query of the Day is:
Ought to Lions followers boo Matthew Stafford?
My reply: I’m not right here to police how you ought to be a Lions fan. There is no such thing as a “right” solution to be a Lions fan. You’ll be able to put on your Lions Matthew Stafford jersey, or you can burn it. I don’t care, and I wouldn’t decide you both means (I’d decide you a little bit for burning it as an alternative of donating it. I’d decide you much more when you posted video of you burning of your jersey to social media for consideration).
As for booing, I personally wouldn’t, however I don’t actually ever boo. I don’t assume Stafford ought to obtain any particular therapy; he’s the opposing quarterback, in spite of everything. However I believe Stafford will get booed the primary time his identify is introduced and that’s tremendous, I assume. If it helps you progress on, go for it.
However I believe most Lions followers respect the hell out of Stafford and every little thing he did for this franchise and metropolis. If you wish to put that apart and boo the hell out of the person as a result of he’s the enemy this week, that makes good sense. In case you’d quite sit quietly and simply pray he doesn’t beat the Lions, I get it.
On the very least, although, let’s make the person uncomfortable and get loud as hell when he’s within the huddle.
Go Lions.
