Here in a Raven- heavy fan town, I intend to speak a little blasphemy. If I could, I would give you my address so you could come throw things at my house, but unfortunately, I like my house.
Last year an aging, bumbling team shocked the Broncos, exacted revenge on the Patriots, and won a Super Bowl against a younger, more aggressive 49ers team. Let's put a few things in perspective here.
The pocket quarterback is the most important piece to a winning team. Say what you want, but had Alex Smith been the starting quarterback for the 49ers, the world would have been draped in red instead of purple. He really is a great quarterback when it comes to staying in the pocket and delivering a solid game. He also went through the transformation of the 49ers as a rock bottom team to perennial contender. But there was no Alex Smith to save the day.
The Ravens have won a super bowl, (again) and are limping towards the playoffs with a terrible offensive line. With the number of changes and issues with protection, it's a wonder that Joe is alive right now.
The Lions have never won a super bowl, and Matt Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and Reggie Bush are the best they have to finally get there. As a team they have consistently struggled with their identity.
What they need is a Super Bowl. They need a change in their minds, and Jim Schwartz is giving them that change. The Packers and the Bears both have potential games this upcoming week where they can lose. If the Lions win, they have a chance to make it into the playoffs, another chance for them to be a better team. They just need to get through the Giants and the Vikings, and hope the Packers and Bears lose a game.
This is where it all comes down for this underdog team, consistently rejected and ignored. They are getting better. They WILL get better.
Why do I root for the Lions, you ask? The same reason I root for the Packers, the Bears, the Seahawks, the Dolphins and the Bills.
Because anyone of those teams plays the Patriots every year, (some of them twice) and no Ravens fan wants the Patriots to win. Yes, the Ravens are going to go duke it out with the Patriots next, but another year from now, a Lions team might go into Foxborough and snuff New England, allowing Baltimore to go back to the Super Bowl.
And because I like to root for the underdog and my favorite color is blue.
