I’ve made a commitment to write about the Detroit Lions, so here I am. Call it dedication, call it stubbornness, or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment. It’s probably all of the above.

Another Thanksgiving Day game in the books, another loss to the Chicago Bears. The game-to-game Xs and Os breakdowns and who played well and who pooped the bed is becoming less important as this very strange season drags along. There is, however, one topic that has gotten my blood boiling in recent weeks. I’ve heard through the grapevine that some clowns on local sports radio have been laying the blame on Lions fans for enabling a losing culture. I stumbled upon a Detroit Free Press article that mirrored this sentiment. After we put a bow on the observations, I will spit some Dracarys flames all over this lazy and tired take.

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We need a new narrative

So much for the “Is Jeff Driskel a viable future backup to Matthew Stafford?” storyline I’ve been cooking up the past few weeks. He’s now on IR and done for 2019. Insert undrafted rookie David Blough off the scrap heap, who played pretty well, all things considered. Do we switch the narrative to “is Blough the backup of the future?”. Why bother? Guys are dropping like flies on this team. Detroit recently signed their 11th quarterback of the 2019 season. His name isn’t important. Like the old saying goes, “If you have 11 quarterbacks, you have none.” Let’s just see if Blough can string a few good performances and circle back.

How about the “Is TJ Hockenson a bust?” angle? That answer will have to be postponed until further notice, as his season is now over after suffering an ankle injury on Thanksgiving. To be honest, we shouldn’t be looking to label him anything yet. He was clearly unfairly cast as the second coming after his breakthrough performance in the season opener (I was as guilty as anyone of hyping him up). The TE position is notoriously difficult on rookies, and Hockenson proved to be no different. He should be much more consistent in year two. Heal up, young fella.

“Snacks Harrison has shown signs of life lately. Maybe he’s finally gotten his conditioning issues ironed out and is ready to be his dominant self again?”. Nope, can’t follow that storyline either. Harrison didn’t play in this game due to a mysterious back injury. If there was ever a guy who needed a pre-Thanksgiving dinner workout, it’s this guy. The timing of this “injury” may have been disastrous. I’m only half kidding.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say this will be a continuing trend for the rest of the season. The slightest boo-boo will be keeping players out of the lineup, while anything substantive will send guys to IR. Except Matthew Stafford, of course. He still wants to get out there and sling the pill around with the boys. Bless his heart. Every game will likely feature some new names you’ve never heard before. Losses will surely follow. And that’s ok, because we are used to losing ’round these parts. Damn good at it, too. 

And how does losing make you feeeeeeeel?

Comfortably numb.

On one hand, this team has won one game since late-September, and any playoff hopes had been realistically carved up well before the turkey. On the other hand, at 3-8-1 and a road date with Minnesota on deck, Detroit could be looking at a potential top-4 draft pick, which would be their highest selection in a decade. That’s not a bad place to be when you don’t need a starting quarterback, and multiple teams below you do (Miami, Cincinnati). No one thinks we need a starting quarterback anymore, right?

That’s right, the Lions haven’t picked in the top-4 of the NFL draft since selecting Ndamukong Suh at No. 2 in 2010. Their average first-round draft position over that time-frame: 15th. Say what you want about GM Bob Quinn, who has been all over the map in terms of draft hits (Golladay) and misses (Tabor), but it’s a lot harder to botch a pick that high. The last three Lions top-4 selections were all home runs (touchdowns?): Suh, Stafford, and Calvin Johnson. The general managers who made those selections: Martin Mayhew and Matt Millen. It ain’t rocket science, though Patricia has that in his back pocket, just in case. 

Blame the fans

Now for the main event of weak takes. Jeff Seidel of the Freep has the answer that will turn around the Detroit Lions franchise. It’s so simple, and it requires no work…literally. Just don’t show up, and things will change.

Detroit Lions fans have the power to fix this mess: Boycott Thanksgiving

Boycott Thanksgiving, and this “mess” will be “fixed”, eh? Seidel isn’t the first to suggest something like this, and he won’t be the last. It sounds to me, though, that Mr. Seidel, and anyone who shares this sentiment, may be suffering from a:

Delusion of grandeur –  An inflated belief in one’s own importance, such as having the power to change a [multi-billion dollar sports franchise]. Symptoms may include (from medicalnewstoday.com):

• difficulty getting along with others because of the delusion
• a persistent belief in the delusion in spite of contrary evidence
• dismissal of or anger at people who refuse to accept the delusional belief
• persistent attempts to get others to accept the belief
• behaving as if the belief is true

Don’t tell Seidel, but I went to the Thanksgiving game. In fact, I’ve been to all but one since about 1996. Do you know why? Because I choose to.

Not because I was making a statement in support of the team. Or because I wanted to give the Fords my time and money. And certainly not because I felt like my cheers and boos made any tangible difference in the on-field product. I went to the game, had a great time with family and friends, and, here’s the kicker…my life was better for it. 

Fans aren’t cattle being led to Ford Field to be slaughtered. They are people acting in their own self-interest, as humans are typically wont to do. And they certainly aren’t “sheep”:

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If you are of the belief that boycotting is the statement needed to incite change, how ’bout you start with the man in the mirror there, Seidel? He was at the game, covering the team as he always does. Writing about the team in the Detroit Free Press, which is then promoted nationally via the USA Today network. Getting people talking about the team. Contributing to the overall awareness of the Lions brand (all publicity is good publicity, they say). He did his typical, reactionary, perspective-less post-game analysis which consisted of telling you how mad you should all be that the Lions couldn’t get a largely meaningless win with a QB no one has ever heard of at the tail-end of an already lost season.

What do you think has a greater impact on the Lions’ bottom line? A few less tickets sold, or a loss in media coverage and advertising? Stop preaching to others what they should and shouldn’t spend their free time and money doing. If you want to go to the game and cheer on your team, go for it. Want to boo them instead? You do you, boo boo. Want to do something else with your Sunday? Go see Frozen 2, in theaters now.

Hey Seidel, my girl Elsa has something for your boycott take…

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