Detroit Lions: Will These Furry Cats Finally Catch Their Prey On Sunday?

Jim Schwartz said he didn't have anything to feel good about as his 1-5 Lions headed into the bye week. I can't say I disagree much. 

Although the Lions have made some semblance of stride in transforming from the playful furry cats to...I don't know, farm cats that aren't very good at catching mice, they still have a long long way to go.

Now, you can point to a couple things that might give us reason to think that Detroit isn't as bad as their 1-5 record.

Matthew Stafford has missed the last two games with a knee injury. The speculation about how serious it is varies wildly. I'll say this much; without Stafford, Detroit is just as bad as they were last year. Yes, that means they probably won't win another game without him.

However, all signs currently point to the rookie phenom returning next Sunday against St. Louis.

Secondly, Calvin Johnson has been injured to some degree for most of the season. He missed half of the Steelers game and all of the Green Bay game.

Seeing as Megatron is the Barry Sanders of this year's Lions, they don't stand much chance of winning without him.

Fortunately, Johnson is also slated to return next Sunday.

If these two players were healthy and playing, there is no way the Lions get shutout against Green Bay. In fact, they might have even won considering that Green Bay was obviously off their game. That's sad, being that they still blew the Lions out 26-0.

Again, if Detroit had Johnson and Stafford for the entirety of the Pittsburgh game, that's another game that Detroit wins believe it or not. They were close the entire game even without their two star players.

So with the cutesy St. Louis Rams coming to town next week coinciding with the return of the hope of the Lions' offense, it by all means should amount to a victory for Detroit.

It's puzzling to think about, but the Lions, even at 1-5 are not the worst team in the NFL. In fact, there are easily five worse teams. Three of them are winless—Tampa Bay, Tennessee, and St. Louis. The other two are the 1-6 Cleveland Browns who have forgotten what a touchdown is, and the 1-6 Kansas City Chiefs.

Yes, if the season was over today, for all of the Lions misfortune, they would still only be picking sixth in the draft. How's that for bad luck?

Might as well make the best of it. Detroit must beat the Rams because St. Louis simply doesn't do anything right.

They look the Lions did last year. They have one credible NFL talent in running back Stephen Jackson, and the rest of their team looks like they're kids on a scavenger hunt looking for footballs.

They have lost 17 games in a row dating back to last season. Yes, that means they are very close to topping Detroit's 19-game streak of futility.

Detroit can move them one step closer, and they should. Make some other team feel the pain we have felt for the past two seasons. Let it all out against these jokers.

Because as bad as Detroit is, they have an offense that can score points. St. Louis certainly does not.

Yes, we are accustomed to seeing our Lions blow games they theoretically should have a chance in. We have also seen our Lions be extremely competitive in games that they should have no chance in.

So next Sunday, when two completely garbage teams meet, and no one that isn't bored to tears will be paying any attention whatsoever, the Lions should take advantage and take another pounce towards that big ball of yarn in the distance, that golden saucer of milk.

There's a big, slow, stupid rat that's sitting there taunting them, and it is the St. Louis Rams. Pounce now or remain hungry for another year.