Detroit Lions Need to Learn How to Win at Home

Will Detroit Lions fans be patient?

Yes, I know. Detroit Lions fans have been waiting for 52 years to have something to really be proud of.

Some fans can point to the 1990s where the Lions made six of their last 10 playoff appearances, winning only once.

Is the only thing we can hang our hat on is the 1991 38-6 dismantling of the Dallas Cowboys? Don't get me wrong—I always like a beat down on the Cowboys in any decade.

The new coaching staff is fighting a lot of negative history. True, there are a lot of new players on the Lions. But with the media and blog sites, there is always someone there to remind them...say isn't that a song?

But I digress. The current roster is going to have to overcome some serious hurdles. First and foremost, they have to learn to protect their home turf.

Since 2000, the Lions have a home record of 27-46. Teams have a very high chance to win when coming into Ford Field. How embarrassing is it, when I see the few rare nationally televised games, to see more opponent team colors in the stands than Lion colors?

Granted, the Lions have done very, very, very little to ignite team passion...I'm sure it's equally embarrassing for the few Lions die-hard fans to feel like they are at an away game.

So first things first Lions. Win your home games. This will regenerate fan interest and make it tough for fans of opposing teams to come in and buy up the tickets. It will also help you get the fans on your side for once.

Give them a chance to be your 12th man, to be able to yell and scream so loud, the opposing offense either gets false-start penalties or has to waste timeouts.

As for the road games, that's an even bigger hurdle to jump. With an abysmal 13-59 road record since 2000, including the memorable 0-24 streak from 2001 to 2003, the Lions need to shake the feeling they can't win in opposing stadiums.

Ever watch Lions players when they take the field at away games? Their collective body language shows they've already lost the game before even playing it.

Take care of business at home Lions. Do something to get hometown fans back in the seats. Winning at home will allow the team to build confidence to win on the road.

Give the fans what they've been waiting for: A REASON TO CHEER!