Maybe we all had some nerves to start – who can blame a snarf? We were damn excited for the shot at the division, which truly belongs to us. Some tackling was sloppy initially, but we stuffed Green Bay on seven tries at the goal line to begin the game. It was the dominant display of defense you’d seen all season from Detroit.

Our first bad luck struck on a punt returned for a touchdown after we’d worked so hard. I must say, on the road the last three weeks, the referees have been suspect. They weren’t calling any holding on the Packers while bending Detroit over on some crucial calls.

The defense forced a fumble in our own territory to stave off a charge. Eventually in the second quarter, they went up 14-0.  We easily could have folded. Instead, the Lions took advantage of a slap to Matthew Stafford’s face in the final two minutes of the half to work a drive that resulted in a Calvin Johnson touchdown. They had acted like assholes since the gate opened, and this time literally slapped Staff after he’d already thrown the ball. We stole momentum going into halftime.

Upon sacking Rodgers’ replacement to begin the second half, Detroit took the ball the length of the field to tie the game, again to Megatron on a slick catch in the corner of the end zone. Then, our punter who handles kickoffs kicked it straight out of bounds, helping another lucky moment as the field position led to putting Green Bay back up 21-14.

Strangely, it looked like we let the hobbled Rodgers, who has a lingering calf injury, dictate the pace too much upon his return. However, we finally figured out all he had was the short pass over the middle, and we stopped it.

Furthermore, we forced a fumble on a gorgeous hit right on the ball. The refs let the play continue. Only afterwards was it ruled the runner was down. Indeed, more home field bull shit. Not to be defeated, though, the Lions stole momentum once again on the same drive, blocking a fourth quarter field goal.

This set us up in prime position to win the game, but a bad handoff to Joique Bell lost a fumble in the snow. The Packers (so lucky) punched it in for a two touchdown lead. We still weren’t done.

The defense gave us enough chances, so from our own end zone, Stafford dropped back, and facing immediate pressure, hung in there enough to throw it out of bounds. Another screw job ensued. A devastating intentional grounding penalty ruled it a safety, fucking the Lions again. We still weren’t done.

The punter redeemed himself with a graceful onsides-safety-kick, skying it high enough so that the Packer player dropped the ball and we were able to make it down for the recovery!

Stafford drove us down the field for his third passing touchdown: 30-20. With hope on the line during our two-point conversion, Bell dove across the line successfully! But wait, said the referees, who overturned the call despite the best of video evidence. And this still wasn’t the final lucky straw.

We attempted another beautiful onside kick, tricking them into false attention and earning a golden chance for the recovery – but we couldn’t make it. Unluckness haunted Detroit all afternoon, and this was our final nail in the coffin.

All I can say to my Lions is we’re in. We finished 11-5 and definitely deserve this playoff spot. It was only a regular season game, albeit one we wanted badly. So we have to move on for the sake of the opportunity we’ve still got. The key will be to learn from this regular season, all of it, the good and the bad.

In the playoffs, it’s all about physical play: defense, the running game, power wide receivers. Everyone in our offense is finally healthy. Don’t forget, Golden Tate III won the Super Bowl last season. This year, we have a team that can do it, too. I BELIEVE.