This Detroit Lions defense has long been thought of as the thing that could hold this team back from accomplishing bigger things. Now as the Lions head into the NFC Championship game, the thought on this defense has changed. Now they're looked at as group that's helped the Lions get to this point. Things have changed a bit on that side of the ball. Not a lot, but enough to get over.
To me, the Lions are Muhammed Ali in the jungle in 1974 and every week they have to face George Foreman. Ali couldn't beat Foreman straight up. He had to change his game in order to win. That resulted in the infamous rope-a-dope. Ali absorbed the blows and then took advantage late in the fight. Lions head coach Dan Campbell sort of alluded to that being something the Lions are doing right now in his presser on Wednesday.
"We may get hit on a couple of things. I know for me, I'm willing to give up something to get something and sometimes you got to, you know, things may happen but that's okay because it'll pay dividends by the by the time you get to fourth quarter, and I think that's what we're doing."
Every game the Lions have played since the start of December has really played into that strategy except for their matchup with the Broncos. That was just a beat down. Outside of that, the Lions have been absorbing the big body blows all game long with huge chunk plays before they come off the robes or out of the corner and get their own big shots in with sacks, turnovers, big hits and being staunch in the red zone. They've been finding a way to win with this strategy. Just playing their game and then capitalizing on their opponents mistakes.
The Lions play George Foreman again this week when they take on the 49ers. They're as Foreman as they come this time around. But the 49ers are not exempt from making mistakes. This team has turned the ball over and they've let their quarterback get sacked and they've left points on the board. They're not perfect. The Lions are going to get beat up a lot in this one. It might be more of a Ivan Drago beating up Rocky Balboa type of thing in this case. But Drago made mistakes just like Foreman did and they lost becasue of it. By the way, I totally believe a Lions won could stop the Cold War just like the Balboa win did.
We'll see what happens on Sunday, but the reality is that this defense is going to take some punishment. Can they take it and still make sure they get their licks in? I guess we'll find out in the jungle.
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