Ø Prior to my understanding anything in life as I was only three, a Lion player had a heart attack on the field in ’71 and died.
Ø Thanksgiving 1980. The Bears tie the game on the final play of regulation to force overtime. Bears return man Dave Williams takes the opening kick in overtime for a touchdown. Game over.
Ø
Eddie Murray’s wide right kick in the ’83 playoffs that would have won the game (Danielson throwing five interceptions didn’t help the cause).
Ø
Billy Sims knee injury in ’84. Ending his
career.
Ø
Lineman Mike Utley gets paralyzed in a ’91 game.
Ø
Lineman Eric Andolsek gets ran over by a semi in
’92 while doing yardwork at his home.
Ø
1993 playoff game against the Packers. Lions up
with a minute left. Brett Favre scrambles, finds a wide-open Sterling Sharpe in
the end zone for the win.
Ø
The Lions roll into the playoffs at 10-6 in ’95.
Lineman Lomas Brown guarantees a victory against the Eagles. Lions go down 51-7
at one point, end up losing 58-37.
Ø
Linebacker Reggie Brown suffers a spinal cord
contusion in a ’97 game. Career ended.
Ø
Christmas Eve 2000, win the game to clinch the
playoffs against the woeful 4-11 Bears. I was in attendance. Bears kicker Paul
Edinger, who hadn’t attempted a field goal longer than 50 yards all year, kicks
a 54-yarder for the win.
Ø
Which lead to the arrival of Matt Millen, a move
I honestly was excited about when it happened but….
Ø
Which lead to coach Marty Mornhinweg’s infamous motorcycle
ride out of practice in 2001. Respect of players lost.
Ø
Lions’ assistant coach goes through the Wendy’s
drive-through with his birthday suit on in 2006.
Ø
Dan Orlovsky drops back untouched out of the
endzone for a safety at Minnesota in 2008.
Ø
0-16 in 2008
Ø
Calvin Johnson catches a game winning touchdown against
the Bears in 2010. Replays confirm a catch. Referees say no catch.
Ø
The Lions vs the Titans in Nashville, 2012. I
was in attendance. The Lions throw a Hail Mary to the end zone, the ball is
tipped into the arms of Titus Young to force overtime. Down by three in
overtime with a kick to continue overtime, the Lions tried to draw the Titans offsides
on a 4th and short fake play. If no offsides, they would go on with
the field goal. The Lions center ended up snapping the ball in error, the
quarterback wasn’t ready for it, the play went nowhere. Game over.
Ø
Thanksgiving 2012 against the Houston Texans. The Houston running back’s
elbow touched the turf after a seven-yard gain but kept running for a 81-yard
touchdown. All touchdowns are automatically reviewed so the Lions coach just
needed to let it all play out and the play would be called back but…he threw a
challenge flag. A penalty for doing so and with the challenge flag being
thrown, no review of the play. Touchdown for Houston and the Lions ended up
losing the game.
Ø
The Lions up 20-0 at one point against the
Packers in 2015. Packers come back. Lions still up with six seconds left. The
Lions stop Aaron Rodgers on his first Hail Mary attempt but the play is called back
for a Lion facemask call. The second Hail Mary goes 61 yards for a Packer touchdown.
Game over.
Ø
The Lions up 17-16 against Baltimore in 2021. As
time expired, Ravens kicker Justin Tucker hits an NFL record 66-yard field goal
to win the game (which broke the previous record 63 yarder by Tom Dempsey
against the…Detroit Lions).
Trail Head
