Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders has shared his thoughts on the team’s impressive performance this season, while offering a bit of constructive criticism.
As one of the greatest players in Lions history, Sanders is uniquely qualified to comment on the team’s resurgence. Speaking about their climb to the top of the league, he discussed what Detroit must do to sustain their success and take the next step.
During his appearance on the Get Got Pod with Marshawn Lynch and Mike Robinson on November 14, Sanders emphasized the importance of capitalizing on their current momentum to reach their ultimate goal.
Sanders Challenges Lions to Make Their Super Bowl Run
On the podcast, Sanders said the Lions need to maximize their potential and aim for a Super Bowl victory this year.
“They absolutely have to,” Sanders stated regarding Detroit’s need to win it all this season. “In this game, nothing is guaranteed. Over the past three years, you can see how they’ve steadily built this team, both offensively and defensively.”
Sanders also addressed the lingering frustration from last year’s NFC Championship game, voicing what many fans have felt. He recalled how the Lions held a commanding halftime lead before it slipped away.
“Every year, they’ve added wins,” he noted. “Two years ago in Green Bay, we fought hard for respectability even though we were out of the playoffs. Then, last year in the NFC Championship game, we don’t need to revisit the details, but we were in control at halftime.”
Despite their strong position, the Lions ultimately fell to the San Francisco 49ers in the second half, missing their chance to advance to the Super Bowl in the 2023-24 season.
Still, Sanders acknowledged the Lions’ growth, highlighting their status as one of the league’s strongest teams last year and their continued dominance this season.
Offensive Consistency Remains Key
Looking ahead, the Lions’ offense will need to deliver if they hope to reach the Super Bowl. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson addressed their performance following the team’s sole loss this year to the Buccaneers.
“Overall, I’d say the last three weeks have been inconsistent, dating back to the Tennessee game,” Johnson told reporters on November 14. “We scored 52 points there, but I felt a lot of that was gifted to us, rather than earned. The same goes for Green Bay.”
Johnson acknowledged areas for improvement, saying, “We’ve played well in parts of games but haven’t finished strong. Last week, we didn’t start the way we wanted either. We’re striving for 60 minutes of consistent football. We’ve shown flashes of being a dominant unit, but we need to execute at a high level more consistently. We believe in our system; now we just need to put it all together.”
