From sad sacks to contenders: How the Lions became the talk of the NFL

Since losses in six of their first seven, the surging Detroit Lions have appeared on course for a rare playoff appearance. And if they make it, they'll be the team that no one wants to face

That the Detroit Lions, still only a .500 team at 7-7, have any chance at all of making the NFL playoffs is pretty dang impressive, as their coach might say. They opened with six losses in seven games. And they are still the Detroit Lions: historically the saddest of sad-sack teams.

Since their most recent playoff victory, on 5 January 1992, at home against the Dallas Cowboys, the Lions have been in eight playoff games and have lost them all. They have not even appeared in the playoffs since 7 January 2017, when they lost a wild-card game at Seattle.