ALLEN PARK, Mich. — By the end, the Lions basically looked like a playoff team. By the start of next season, they should look exactly like a playoff team, as long as they keep playing the draft and trade games astutely.
How did the Lions get from there (3-13-1) to here, one of the NFL’s rising rogues after an 8-2 finish and a 9-8 record? They’ll explain it with Dan Campbell’s favorite word — grit. I’ll explain it with a slightly different word — fearlessness.
It’s reflected in Campbell’s renowned gambles, and we’re not just talking about fourth-down passes, or the occasional hook-and-lateral in the closing minute of a tight game in Green Bay. It’s reflected in Jared Goff, who played with remarkable poise through dire circumstances to become the team’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, no questions asked.
