We’ve mostly avoided talking about the Matthew Stafford storyline this week.
Because honestly, we already finished that story a few weeks ago when it looked like the Detroit Lions would host the Los Angeles Rams in the wild round of the playoff card. So when it became a reality, there was already talk, and it felt like Lions fans were already sick of it.
But let’s face it, this moment is only a few hours away. It is inevitable. The franchise’s 12-year veteran quarterback is back, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep the Lions from advancing to the divisional playoff round for the first time since 1991.
No matter how hard you try to deny it, it brings up really conflicting emotions. For over a decade, this man gave everything he could for the city of Detroit. He was my favorite player since Barry Sanders, and I bought his jersey after he won the Super Bowl in Los Angeles.
To be honest, I absolutely despise the fact that he is now in a position where he could eliminate our team from the playoffs. I hate it as much as I hate the fact that the only narrative of this game seems to be Stafford’s return to Detroit and Jared Goff vs. Sean McVay.
Now don’t get it twisted. My allegiance lies with the Lions 100%. I hope Stafford fails in every single way possible Sunday night. This franchise showed me the downside of success and now I’m insatiable. I don’t just want a playoff win, I need it. Nothing else matters this Sunday morning.
For some, the possibility of beating Stafford just adds fuel to the fire. It will be a very symbolic way of saying goodbye to the past, another era of Lions football marred by failure. It may not have been Stafford’s fault that this team accomplished next to nothing during his time in Detroit—or at least not mostly his fault—but fair or not, the quarterback is totem of the franchise, and burying that totem would undoubtedly be cathartic to many Lions fans.
That has very little significance to me. This team doesn’t need a symbolic win or an exorcising of demons to destroy the past. They’ve already done it. They’ve already matched this franchise’s record win total. They’re consistently breaking team records that haven’t been touched since the 1950s. They’ve knocked divisional rivals out of the playoff race, and raised their first banner in three decades. If the Lions lose to Stafford on Sunday, it’s not their past catching up with them, it’s the natural progression of a franchise: the losses are going to hurt more because they actually mean something.
I have meandered from the question of the day here, because clearly I’ve had a lot of pent-up thoughts about this game that needed to be flushed. In short, it sucks that it has to be this way, but let’s beat the hell out of Stafford and the Rams—not because it frees us from some invisible curse forever. Because this is generally nonsense. At the first sign of struggle outside of this game, you know it will come out, even if the SOLers win on Sunday.
Instead, let’s win this game. Because this is a really good football team that needs to win this game and there are big things ahead.
But today’s question is:
Should Lions fans boo Matthew Stafford? My answer: I’m not here to police how to be a Lions fan. There is no “right” way to be a Lions fan. You can wear or burn your Matthew Stafford Lions jersey. I don’t care and I won’t judge you either way. (I would judge you a little for burning your shirt instead of donating it. I would judge you more if you posted a video of yourself burning your shirt on social media. Media to get attention)
As far as booing goes, I personally wouldn’t do that. But there was no actual booing. I don’t think Stafford deserves any special treatment. After all, he is the opponent’s defender. But I think Stafford will get booed when his name is first announced, which I think is okay. If it helps you move on, do it. But I think most Lions fans respect Stafford and everything he’s done for this team and this city. If you want to put that aside and boo this guy because he’s the enemy this week, that makes sense. If you want to sit quietly and pray that he doesn’t beat the Lions, I understand.
But let’s at least make men feel uncomfortable and make a huge noise when they get together.
Go ahead, Leos.
