Ex-NFL star critical of Lions as playoffs draw near: 'Hard for you to take them that serious'
The Detroit Lions won a division title for the first time since 1993 as they’ve put together their first double-digit win season since 2014 and their first playoff berth since 2016.
Even as the Lions offense is third in yards gained and fifth in points scored, NFL great Larry Fitzgerald isn’t exactly sold on their Super Bowl aspirations.
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"Look, you can say that I’m the Grinch right now, but a team that hasn’t won a division championship since 1993, it’s hard for you to take them that serious," Fitzgerald said in a recent episode of the "Let’s Go!" podcast. "It’s just been a long time coming. Yes, they’re playing really well, but they are the Detroit Lions.
"It’s just tough to get excited about what they can do in the playoffs. You want to see this great matchup they have against the Cowboys. It’s a wonderful test before they go into the playoffs."
The Lions are a much different team than they were 30 years ago and even five years ago. Head coach Dan Campbell has changed the trajectory of the franchise since he took over.
Now, it’s about getting through the rest of the regular season and maybe picking up some momentum in the final two weeks of the year.
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"It’s important. We checked the box on one thing and now it’s to the next one and so at this point, now, we’re fighting for the two seed," Campbell said on Tuesday. "And look, if you’re able to get to the one, so be it. But right now, what we know we can achieve on our own is the two and that’s no easy task. We have to go to Dallas.
"They haven’t lost in I don’t know how many games at home, and they play really well there. It’ll be loud, but we’re looking forward to it, and I’m looking forward to going out there and playing a really good opponent at their place again. We’ve done pretty well on the road, we handle it well. And then to go out there and play for (former Cowboys head coach) Jimmy (Johnson) too, this’ll be great, man. Jimmy Johnson, so make him proud."
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