Why a 0-16 season Would be Bad for the Detroit Lions and NFL?

There is exactly one game left on the Detroit Lions’ 2008 NFL schedule.  On Sunday, the Lions will travel to Wisconsin to meet the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.  If the Detroit Lions fail to win on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, the Lions will be the first team in NFL history to finish a regular season with a record of 0-16.

Not only are the Detroit Lions’ fans and organization hoping for a win on Sunday, but also the NFL officials, most notably, NFL Commissioner Roger S. Goodell, have to be praying for the Detroit Lions in private, this week.

Nobody who is truly a fan of the sport wants to see a team finish 0-16, even if it is the Detroit Lions.  One year ago, the 2007 New England Patriots finished the regular season 16-0, a NFL record, before losing to the New York Giants in Superbowl XLII.  Now, the Detroit Lions can also secure their place in NFL history; however, it would be for the wrong reason, the “perfect losing season.”

History will probably blame former President and General Manager of the Detroit Lions, Matt Millen for the team’s shameful play this season, yet he was dismissed from his duties on September 24, 2008.  Prior to being fired, Millen had seven complete seasons to get the franchise turned around.  However, no one will disagree that Millen did little or nothing to improve the team during his seven complete seasons with the organization.

Nevertheless, Matt Millen is not the only person to blame for the Lions’ woes.  The other members of the Lions’ front office, players and coaches must share equally in the blame.  The front office did not assemble an NFL team that could achieve success because of the team’s lack of talent.  Furthermore, the coaching staff’s game plan has been unable to inspire a single victory.  The players also must take responsibility for their lousy play, this season. In theory, the Lions’ organization employs professional athletes to wear the NFL uniform and to compete on Sunday.  Unfortunately, last week against the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field, which is the home of the Lions, the Detroit Lions’ team seemed to quit in the first quarter, as they lost 42-7.

It is hard to imagine that a NFL team could go 0-16, especially when consider that the league has a salary cap, unlike Major League Baseball.  Therefore, the NFL claims to promote competition by limiting the amount of money league owners can spend on their football players.  We will have to assume that the 2008 Detroit Lions did not receive the memo about competing.  The collapse of the Detroit Lions can be compared with the ailing U.S. auto industry, which also plagues the city of Detroit.  But hopefully, the automakers will again be profitable before the Lions have a winning season.

If you are a Lions’ fan, I encourage you to find something else to do during the Lions vs. Packer’s football game on Sunday, because the 2008 Detroit Lions are destined to go 0-16.