Ford Field became anticipated to become the loudest venue during the NFL’s Wild Card weekend.
Long-suffering Detroit Lions fans waited three decades to see their beloved team host a playoff game. They earned their wish after 8 p.m. ET when the NFC North champions kicked off their playoff run against the Los Angeles Rams.
But now, one more wish came to an end: watching their team put an end to years of playoff futility. Detroit earned the emotional 24-23 win over a feisty Rams team. In the process, it ends 32 years of postseason futility mentioned below.
Exploring Past Playoff Disappointment for the Detroit Lions
While the NFC has seen teams undergo a title drought or still yearn for their first Vince Lombardi Trophy, perhaps no one in that conference has had worse playoff luck than the Lions.
The last time Detroit won a playoff game before Sunday night? That was before Bill Clinton was elected president for his first term when the Lions trounced the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 in the 1991 season’s NFL Divisional Round. That ’91 season also saw a young Barry Sanders dazzle the NFL.
Even Grammy-winning rapper and Lions superfan Eminem was a 19-year-old teenager during the Lions’ last postseason victory.
Here’s a look back at the Lions’ past playoff disappointments in chronological order.
- Jan. 12, 1992: Detroit advanced to the NFC title game. Awaiting them was a Washington team that breezed through the league at 14-2. The home team turned a 17-10 Lions deficit into a 41-10 trouncing. Gary Clark, Art Monk, and Darrell Green scored the final three touchdowns of the day to end the Lions’ season.
- Jan. 8, 1994: This date was the last time Detroit hosted a home playoff game, which was played at the old Pontiac Silverdome. The Lions even had a 17-7 lead in the third when Mel Jenkins picked off Brett Favre for a 15-yard touchdown return. Favre and the Packers, however, would outscore Detroit 21-7 the rest of the way to prevail 28-24.
- Dec. 31, 1994: These two divisional rivals would meet again, this time at Lambeau Field. Green Bay never trailed even despite a late Lions charge, as the Packers rolled to a 16-12 home win. Brett Perriman scored the only touchdown for Detroit on a three-yard pass from Dave Krieg.
- Dec. 30, 1995: The Lions were involved in one of the highest-scoring playoff games in NFL history … but also one of their more one-sided defeats. A Philadelphia Eagles team led by former Lion Rodney Peete routed the Lions 58-37 in the Wild Card Round.
- Dec. 28, 1997: Detroit then became a part of history — the wrong side of it regarding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tampa Bay ended its long playoff victory drought by beating the Lions 20-10 in the first round, a Bucs team featuring Tony Dungy as head coach and fast-rising defenders named Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, and John Lynch.
- Jan. 8, 2000: Detroit made its way back to Washington for the first time since the NFC title game loss. While the game was much closer in the end, Washington still pulled out the 27-13 win in the Wild Card Round. It was a game that saw the Lions face a 27-0 deficit.
- Jan. 7, 2012: In this appearance, Detroit ended a 12-year postseason drought through a young combination of Matthew Stafford and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson. The New Orleans Saints, however, prevented its first playoff win by rolling to the 45-28 win.
- Jan. 4, 2015: The Lions returned to the playoffs three seasons later. They even jumped to a 14-0 lead in front of the Cowboys’ fan base. Dallas, though, erased that lead and outscored the Lions 24-6 to win 24-20. Tony Romo was even sacked six times and the Cowboys still escaped.
- Jan. 7, 2017: This date represents Detroit’s last postseason contest, and it ended in dominating fashion on the side of the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle dismantled Detroit 26-6 behind Thomas Rawls’ wearing down of the Lions with 161 rushing yards. This game was also Stafford’s final playoff appearance as a Lion.
Detroit Legend Made Appearance for Historic Playoff Game
If the Lions were searching for a good omen ahead of the Rams matchup, they found it through one legendary Lion on the field.
MORE: NFL Playoff Bracket
Sanders himself was among the spectators for the playoff game — which surely had to energize the current Lion players. He was joined by one other franchise legend, Lomas Brown, who was on the Lions team with Sanders that won the last playoff game for the franchise.
Last time us three had a @Lions home playoff game, we were in uniform. Let's go. pic.twitter.com/Kgx7kdUobS
— Barry Sanders (@BarrySanders)
There was one other energizing moment that set the tone for the Motor City. It involved Lions superfan and Detroit legendary rapper Eminem dropping this hype video.
“There’s a storm coming,” the caption with the multi-platinum rapper says as his renowned hit “Cinderella Man” plays in the background.
There's a storm comin' ⚡️#AllGrit pic.twitter.com/NEjFXzVbdJ
— Detroit Lions (@Lions)
Detroit was bound to increase the decibel levels inside Ford Field, but now the fans clad in their colors saw their team end a 32-year playoff victory drought.
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