Detroit Proving to Not Be 'Same Old Lions' in Late-Season Stretch

It's a good thing style points don't matter in the NFL, because the Detroit Lions' 16-14 win in Week 15 over the visiting Minnesota Vikings didn't earn many. The Lions barely averted a disastrous loss with some timely big plays and a little luck, proving once again that this Detroit team is a different animal.

This was the exact kind of game seasoned Lions fans commonly refer to as "Same Old Lions." The Same Old Lions would have found a way to lose this game, to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 

"

"Same Old Lions" is a ridiculously overused phrase, but this game so far checks off pretty much every box on the list.

— Noah Trister (@noahtrister) December 14, 2014"

Look no further than last year's edition, when the Lions held fourth-quarter leads in seven of their nine losses and collapsed from 6-3 and controlling their own playoff fate to 7-9 and enduring a coaching change. 

Opp.	4th-Quarter Lead	Final
Arizona	21-16	21-25
Pittsburgh	27-23	27-37
Tampa Bay	21-17	21-24
Philadelphia	20-14	20-34
Baltimore	12-10 and 16-15	16-18
New York Giants	20-13	20-23 OT
Minnesota	13-7	13-14

Minnesota provided one of the biggest daggers with its comeback win in the final week of the regular season, propelled by a Cordarrelle Patterson touchdown reception. It was disheartening, embarrassing and utterly predictable.

These are not the Same Old Lions, though they sure tempted that inglorious fate. It took every last second off the clock, until a 68-yard field goal from Blair Walsh came up a little short and left, before the dreaded moniker finally passed into the quiet night. 

Old nemesis Patterson even had a chance to be a major thorn in the Lions' paw once again. His kickoff return to near midfield after the Lions seized their first lead provided a late spark for Minnesota. 

"

Cordarrelle Patterson with a big return, 51 yards. That'll make it easier to get in field goal position. At the MN 49 now. #Vikings

— VikingUpdate.com (@VikingUpdate) December 14, 2014"

Pulses quickened. Antiperspirants were taxed. Eyes rolled. Here comes the Same Old Lions.

Except they didn't. Minnesota crumbled with a holding penalty and a couple of errant throws from Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater while under pressure. A couple of completions to the dangerous Patterson were safely snuffed out. 

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Some conservative play-calling from coach Jim Caldwell brought the dreaded moniker back into play once again, as a quick three-and-out with a troika of predictable runs breathed life back in the Vikings...and the doubting Lions fans ready to rain down with the Same Old Lions. 

Even the ending brought back disturbing memories of failures past. When Walsh walked out and lined up his long field goal, Lions fans' stomachs recoiled at the memory of Justin Tucker's 61-yard walk-off field goal for Baltimore in Week 15 last year. 

The Lions dodged that bullet, as well as a couple others. The sights on Walsh's scope were off, and it cost the Vikings dearly. Meanwhile, Detroit's previously embattled kicker redeemed himself with a great game.

"

Difference in today's game: Matt Prater 3-for-3 Blair Walsh 0-for-3

— Pride Of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) December 15, 2014"

Matt Prater missed two field goals in the first meeting this season, a 17-3 Detroit win back in Week 6. At that point the Detroit kickers had missed more attempts than the three of them—Nate Freese, Alex Henery and Prater—had made. 

This was not a pretty win. There were lots of missed tackles, notably from Ezekiel Ansah and Rashean Mathis. There were dropped passes, including a would-be clinching touchdown from Jeremy Ross. Normally reliable punter Sam Martin had an off night, too. 

In prior seasons, that would have been enough to equal a heartbreaking loss. The Same Old Lions would have found ways to blow it.

Not Caldwell's Lions. When push came to shove, it was the Lions doing the shoving instead of being shoved into the loss column. It wasn't easy on the eyes, or the cardiac, but these Lions continue to seize victory instead of the dreaded inverse. 

Opp.	2nd-Half Deficit	Final
New Orleans	23-10	24-23
Atlanta	21-10	22-21
Miami	16-13	20-16
Minnesota	14-10	16-14

Instead of choking under pressure, these Lions show pride when challenged late. Entering the Minnesota game, Detroit was averaging 6.5 points (13th in the league) and surrendering just 4.8 points (good for fifth) in the fourth quarters of games. Sunday's 3-0 margin only helps the positive differential. 

These Lions are making the key plays to turn games around instead of allowing the opponent to make those same plays. 

"

Glover Quin makes it 11 straight games with an interception for the Lions; the longest active streak in the NFL

— Detroit Lions (@Lions_Insider) December 14, 2014"

It's hard to put years of failure and ineptitude in the rear-view mirror. Objects there tend to appear closer than they are, after all. Yet it's time to stop with the Same Old Lions with this team. 

"

There is nothing "same old" about the #Lions winning 10 games. Now only nine seasons of 10+ wins since moving to Detroit.

— SideLion Report (@SideLionReport) December 15, 2014"

With the win and Green Bay's loss in Buffalo, the Lions are in first place after 14 games. A win next week over the fading Bears clinches a playoff berth and allows Detroit to control its own fate for the NFC North title. That was the case last year, too, but these are not the Same Old Lions.