(December 4, 2013 at 6:28 pm)Faith No More Wrote: The NFC North is the Lions' to lose unless Chicago gets its shit together, which doesn't seem likely given it just lost to Minnesota. The Lions are the Lions' worst enemy. On paper, they're easily a 12-4 team this year, but not playing up to their capabilities has left them at 7-5 at this point in the season. If they show up to their final four games, they won't have any problem taking first.
Other than the NFC North, however, I haven't really been paying attention to how the different divisions are playing out.
I don't disagree - the Lions have far more talent than their record would seem to indicate, which appears to be a perennial problem for them. I've said in prior the problems with the Lions are not in the on-field personnel, and I see no reason to change that assessment.
They're fortunate this year that despite themselves, they're in the division lead - the NFC North is just a huge mess. The Packers and the Bears are injury-ridden and drifting aimlessly, and the Vikings just plain suck. Had Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler not both been injured in November, the NFC North picture would certainly be more muddled.
As I said earlier, I wish the Lions all the best in picking up a playoff win this year, but man, it's a bad year to be a #3 or #4 seed in the NFC. I will be rooting for Detroit, though - right up until the point where Seattle might be playing them, because I know how that playoff victory drought feels - the Seahawks went ~20 years without one. The Lions fans could use a victory.
