[224][225] Then came five losses in a row, including a Thanksgiving match with the New England Patriots where the Lions blew an early lead to lose 45–24.

[279] The Lions would bounce back by winning five of their next seven games to put themselves in the playoff race. Other notable #47: Jim Martin. Highlights: Big for his day (6-1, 194) and rough every day he played, with the famous "neck-tie tackles" that made receivers fear him. 26-50. From 0 to 99 -- yes, there was one player who wore No. The Lions returned to wearing silver pants (with white stripe between two blue stripes) on the road. Today: Nos.

[169][170] After two more losses, the Lions played their final game of the season on January 6, 2002. All rights reserved (About Us). [108][109] The bottom fell out in 1979 with a 2–14 record.

No question that he could play and dominate in this era. [92][93], Despite the loss, the 1970 Lions remains one of the best teams in franchise history and one of the most underrated teams in NFL history. Position: Defensive back Played for Lions: 1993-1996 NFL career: 1993-2003 Stat sheet: Intercepted 10 passes; recovered four fumbles; 221 total tackles. [283], On February 5, 2018, the Lions hired former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as head coach. [137], With such a young core, including the newest offensive picks, and with previous picks on defense, the Lions acquired eventual Pro Bowlers Bennie Blades and Chris Spielman in 1988 along with Jerry Ball in 1987, things were once again looking up for the Lions. All Decade team, 1950s. He had an opportunity to win the rushing title by going back in late in the final game of the season. [120], On December 31, 1983, the Lions faced the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round. [155] He would be succeeded by Bobby Ross. [23] The Lions would finish the 1943 season with a 3–6–1 record. They started 4–4, then lost their last eight games to finish 4–12. Hall of Fame induction, 1992. [19] This season would set the tone for the next decade.

[104] Another 7–7 record was produced in 1975, the Lions' first year indoors. 14: Punts by Carl Kinscherf of the New York Giants on Nov. 7, 1943, the most by an opponent against Detroit. In what was to be the final game played at the Pontiac Silverdome, the 1–14 Lions hosted the 5–10 Cowboys. [49] They faced the Browns in the NFL Championship Game for a third consecutive season. [166] The Lions fell apart in 2001, leading many to believe that they might become the first team to go 0–16 in a season. They would torch the Chiefs 48–3 to set a franchise record for both the largest margin of victory and the most points scored in a regular season game. Barry Sanders: Best runner in history, and a Lion all 10 seasons (1989-98). Highlights: One of the pioneering middle linebacker founders when teams replaced the middle guard in the five-man line with a linebacker. Looking back at history will not fix the Detroit Lions' 2020 season, but it can offer a glimmer of hope. [91][92] However, they lost to the Dallas Cowboys 5–0 after a long, grinding defensive struggle and did not see the postseason again for the rest of the decade. All-time Receiving Leader: Calvin Johnson 731 rec, 11,619 yds, 83 TD The Lions beat Cleveland 17-7 at Municipal Stadium on Dec. 28, 1952 to win the franchise’s second title and then 17-16 at Briggs (Tiger) Stadium the following year on Dec. 27, 1953 to win their third title. As the Lions return from the bye week, strengthening the run game to improve the pass rush will be one of the priorities for the defense. [127] However, his tenure was marked with much disappointment. [92] Also in 1970, the Lions were the opponent on the day Tom Dempsey of the New Orleans Saints kicked what was then the longest field goal in NFL history. The Lions announced Tuesday that several players had changed numbers. [240] The following week, the Lions defeated the Denver Broncos on the road 45–10. [269] This season marked the end of an era as Calvin Johnson retired after the season. He had plenty left in the tank when he got to Detroit in 1960 for what would be his last five seasons. As Utley was carted off the field, he flashed a thumbs up to his teammates and the Silverdome crowd. Other notable #32: Willie Clay, Bryant Westbrook. [209][210] On September 27, 2009, the team broke their 19-game losing streak with a 19–14 win at Ford Field against the Washington Redskins. He is the first African American head coach in the franchise's history.