The stakes are about to get high for the Detroit Lions this weekend. They face their biggest challenge of the season: last season’s Super Bowl runner-up, the New England Patriots. To make matters even more interesting, the two sides will clash thousands of miles from home in Munich, Germany.
Since the Super Bowl game, things have taken a different turn for the Pats this season. After just nine games, they have already lost more than last season, sitting at 5-4. On that note, Patriots legend Rob Gronkowski opened up whether a loss against the Lions this weekend could virtually wrap up their season.
“It is not a wrap if they (Patriots) lose a game. They are still 5-5; they are still gonna be second in the division. The Jets and Miami, they don’t have a chance. They can beat up those two teams throughout the season,” Gronk said on a recent episode of Up & Adams Show. “5-5 to the Detroit Lions; they are good if they lose them. You can’t just say the season is a wrap. No, not at all. There is still a chance, no matter what. If the Patriots lose a game vs. the Lions this Sunday.”
Unlike the cutthroat competition in the NFC North, the AFC East has become a two-team division, with the Jets and Dolphins virtully ot of the playoffs. A loss against the Lions could make their record 5-5, but they would still comfortably sit at second place next to the first-place Buffalo Bills, who have lost just one game this campaign.
Lions’ Four-Game Winning Streak Puts Patriots On Notice Ahead Of Sunday Clash
There is a notable difference in the recent run of the Detroit Lions and the New England Patriots. The Honolulu Blues are on a roll, winning their last four games and sitting second in their division with a 6-2 record. On the other hand, the Patriots have lost two of their last three games, including to the Lions’ divisional rival, the Packers, whom Dan Campbell’s side beat earlier.
Lions’ star-studded offense has been the biggest offense has been the driving force behind the success this season, ranking fifth in the league with total 3,038 yards. The defense was under fire earlier, but it showed significant improvement. While they were the last-ranked team in total defense in the first few games of the season, they now rank 26th. As long as the Lions keep building on the recent performances, they have every reason to believe they can get past the Patriots and make the season record 7-2.
The Lions are expected to have the upper hand this Sunday, but the history favors the Patriots.
Patriots’ Historical Dominance Gives Lions A Challenge To Overcome
The Detroit Lions and the New England Patriots have clashed 13 times in NFL history, with the latter leading 8-5. It is their regular-season record, and the two teams have never clashed in the playoffs.
While the Patriots have an edge in the overall record, they also have an advantage in their most recent games. The Lions lost 4 of their last 5 games against the six-time Super Bowl champions. The Lions’ most recent win against the AFC East side was in 2018 when they were victorious by 26-10. But Sunday will give Dan Campbell’s side a chance to rewrite history.
Rob Gronkowski Reacts to Lions Potentially Putting Patriots’ Season in the ‘Wrap’