We Can't Stop Here.

"We can't stop here - This is bat country." - Hunter S. Thompson

A lot has happened since I last posted in this space. The Lions predictably started losing games they deserved to lose, demolished Tim Tebow and his apostles, and have now embarked on a three-game winning streak with playoff positioning still at stake in week 17.

That's right, playoffs.

As in, the Detroit Lions are going to the playoffs.

I have a lot of difficulty putting this season into its porper context. On one hand, the job done by the Schwartz/Mayhew/Lewand triumverite has been nothing short of magical since taking the reigns from Matt Millen three years ago. From 0-16 in 2008 to 10, possibly 11 wins and a playoff berth in 2011 is remarkable on a cataclysmic scale and all Lions fans should appreciate it. The Lions have looked downright scary at times, scoring just under 30 points a game despite being without highly drafted backs Jahvid Best and Mikel Leshoure for the majority of the season. The defense has been opportunistic, leading the NFL with 7 return touchdowns. They've mounted several big, historical comebacks. They are resilient, the passing attack is lethal, and the defense has been coming up big.

One must not also ignore the mounting evidence - especially during the Lions midseason swoon - that this team still needs another good offseason before they can be considered an upper-echelon outfit in the NFL. The offensive line has been horrid in run-blocking, making the offense one-dimensional(not that Jim Schwartz minds). The defense has had serious issues stopping the run, an alarming carryover from last season. They were beaten pretty handily by the meat of their schedule, a clear sign of a team still trying to gain some consistency against quality opponents.

Ultimately, I think the Lions combination of Stafford-to-Johnson and their momentum from the playoff chase can carry them to a Wildcard win, but their glaring flaws will probably doom them against an elite opponent like Green Bay or New Orleans. If the Lions draw the 49ers and one of those aforementioned teams gets upset, though, than we might have an Arizona Cardinals-esque Super Bowl run on our hands. One thing I do know, though, is the fact that we're even having a conversation about the Lions chances in the playoffs is a much prettier reality than the one Lions fans were faced with three years ago. And if the Lions use Hunter S. Thompson as inspiration, the best is still yet to come.