What does it take to wake a sleeping giant? For the Detroit Lions, 90 years of hibernation has given way to a resounding roar that is shaking the NFL landscape. The Motor City’s gridiron heroes have kicked their engines into high gear, speeding to a blistering 10-1 start that hasn’t been seen since the days of leather helmets and the Model T.
Lions Notch Historic 10-1 Mark
The year was 1934. Franklin D. Roosevelt was in the White House, a loaf of bread cost 8 cents, and the Portsmouth Spartans moved to Detroit to become the Lions. That inaugural season saw the fledgling franchise roar out of the gate to a 10-1 record. Fast forward nine decades, and head coach Dan Campbell’s 2024 squad has matched that torrid pace, mauling the Indianapolis Colts 24-6 to hit the 10-win mark after just 11 games.
“We’re so locked in on the here and now that it’s hard to look back,” Campbell said after the game. “We’re just going. We’re rolling.”
– Lions head coach Dan Campbell
Road Warriors
The Lions’ den may be in Detroit, but this pride has proven it can hunt far beyond the confines of Ford Field. Sunday’s win in Indianapolis kept the Lions unbeaten in six road tilts this season, the only NFL team to still boast a perfect record away from home. It’s a stark contrast to just two seasons ago, when Detroit limped to an 0-11-1 mark as the league’s worst road team.
“We love it. We come together on the road, and we have an us-against-the-world mentality,” quarterback Jared Goff said of the team’s road warrior mindset. “It’s fun when we can get our own fans here. The way they show out, it’s really unbelievable.”
Dominant Defense
While the Lions’ high-octane offense often steals the headlines, it’s the swarming, stifling defense coordinated by Aaron Glenn that is shutting down opponents. Detroit hasn’t allowed a touchdown in a staggering 10 straight quarters, holding teams under 10 points in three different games this season—the franchise’s best showing since the Reagan administration.
“We expect to win. It’s not a feeling where you’re guessing whether it’s gonna happen,” said nose tackle DJ Reader, embodying the mindset shift under Campbell. “Guys expect excellence out of themselves and others on the team.”
A Pride of Misfits
The Lions locker room may not boast an All-Pro at every locker, but it’s fueled by a band of brothers united by their underdog status. “This place is the ‘Land of Misfit Toys,'” said running back David Montgomery, who found the end zone against Indy. “We got a place where people say you’re not good enough or this team is not supposed to be who we are. We in the mix to prove ourselves right.”
Staying Hungry on Turkey Day
The Lions will look to avoid tryptophan-induced sluggishness as they host their annual Thanksgiving Day clash at Ford Field. Welcoming the rival Chicago Bears to the table, Campbell’s crew hasn’t tasted victory on the November holiday since 2016. But with the winds of change gusting through Detroit, expect this pride to be ravenous rather than satiated as they aim for a franchise-record 11-1 start.
Make no mistake: These Lions are no paper tigers. The sleeping giant has awoken, and the rest of the NFL is officially on notice.
