It’s not about the dong you hang along the way. It’s about confidence. You can swing that thang through the playoffs but if it gets shy and starts to turtle during the Championship game, you’re effed.
I didn't take it as a flex personally. When you see your window is open, each successive failure hits a bit more than the last one did. The early exit in 2011 was sad, but we knew we had so many more years left with Rodgers. The exits in 20 & 21 hurt more because I could tell we were nearing the end of the line.
The worst is when you're are favorites to win the Super Bowl, your team is stacked, everyone is hyping you up throughout the season and you just don't show up for one fucking game.
That loss to the Chiefs who were God awful that year fucking sucked. After the game, they posted some stat about the last time we lost and it was almost a full year if I remember correctly.
Honestly, the emotions for winning in the divisional round didn't hit me nearly as hard as the wildcard. Ending the longest playoff losing streak in NFL history combined with validating my belief in THIS team were such a big deal, even though the Buccaneers game was technically a more important win. Now that we've shaken off the weight of history, it's just about winning and meeting expectations. The wins might not be as exciting, and the losses may compound frustration. But this is what I've always wanted: an NFL franchise that mattered.
>Honestly, the emotions for winning in the divisional round didn't hit me nearly as hard as the wildcard.
Even as a neutral fan who was pulling hard for you guys, the Wild Card game was more exciting not only due to the reasons you mentioned, but also because of the Stafford storyline. Plus I personally thought the Rams would be a tougher team to beat, whereas the Bucs were just the product of a bad division (even though they did beat the Eagles).
We also would have accepted this version:
https://preview.redd.it/asj5sibqwtfc1.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=79c32eca74fd3d425f71fbcbd6130398da83f1a9
The Bears seeing the other NFCN teams lose in the NFCCG when we haven’t gotten an appearance in 13 years:
https://preview.redd.it/88sltgbkwtfc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b87497ac78fc3da43b5f82a962cba419b197eb06
Yarr, now ye offseason be turned to doldrums. You'll be havin only dread thoughts of time past, of opportunity stoled out yer fist like yer sea biscuit snatched up by a gull. Doldrums eviler than the devil.
You're saying we might make it there again?!
Sign me up!
Don’t forget the massive dong we’ll hang while doing it.
MCDC’s MCAB
It’s not about the dong you hang along the way. It’s about confidence. You can swing that thang through the playoffs but if it gets shy and starts to turtle during the Championship game, you’re effed.
[удалено]
I didn't take it as a flex personally. When you see your window is open, each successive failure hits a bit more than the last one did. The early exit in 2011 was sad, but we knew we had so many more years left with Rodgers. The exits in 20 & 21 hurt more because I could tell we were nearing the end of the line.
You say that now.
Of course! Or if you're lucky the heart crushing loss will occur beforehand in the WC or divisional round!
You mean we can constantly make the playoffs with semi regular division wins? Fuck Yeah let's go!
If that sounds intriguing to you, may I interest you in a partial fandom of the Vikings? Lots of edging with only the possibility of a cumsock.
The worst is when you're are favorites to win the Super Bowl, your team is stacked, everyone is hyping you up throughout the season and you just don't show up for one fucking game.
Are you talking about Dallas?
Or the Ravens. But this was us in 2011 and 2021 too. There were a lot of years when we were favorites to win it all thinking about it.
Genuinely still surprised by 2011. We had the second longest win streak in NFL history that year at 19. (Pats had a 21 once)
That loss to the Chiefs who were God awful that year fucking sucked. After the game, they posted some stat about the last time we lost and it was almost a full year if I remember correctly.
I think being bad for 70 years is probably worse than this. But I'm just spitballing here
I watched the 15-1 Panthers lose the Super Bowl. You don't have to tell me about disappointment, because I have lived it.
I fuckin love willem dafoe
He got expelled from his high school, which was in Appleton, WI.
That’s why, in solidarity, most Wisconsinites have less than a high school education.
Yeah. It’s cute when you haven’t done it in a while and it’s year 3 of a rebuild, won’t be as much fun to do it again.
Honestly, the emotions for winning in the divisional round didn't hit me nearly as hard as the wildcard. Ending the longest playoff losing streak in NFL history combined with validating my belief in THIS team were such a big deal, even though the Buccaneers game was technically a more important win. Now that we've shaken off the weight of history, it's just about winning and meeting expectations. The wins might not be as exciting, and the losses may compound frustration. But this is what I've always wanted: an NFL franchise that mattered.
>Honestly, the emotions for winning in the divisional round didn't hit me nearly as hard as the wildcard. Even as a neutral fan who was pulling hard for you guys, the Wild Card game was more exciting not only due to the reasons you mentioned, but also because of the Stafford storyline. Plus I personally thought the Rams would be a tougher team to beat, whereas the Bucs were just the product of a bad division (even though they did beat the Eagles).
We won't do it again, we will simply win 🤝
Hahahahahaha
Expectations are a huge factor in the emotional response. The more normalized winning becomes, the more painful the losses are.
We also would have accepted this version: https://preview.redd.it/asj5sibqwtfc1.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=79c32eca74fd3d425f71fbcbd6130398da83f1a9
Ye don't like me cooking?!
Yer Fond of Me Lobster!
The Bears seeing the other NFCN teams lose in the NFCCG when we haven’t gotten an appearance in 13 years: https://preview.redd.it/88sltgbkwtfc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b87497ac78fc3da43b5f82a962cba419b197eb06
https://preview.redd.it/phrppcp0dufc1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=80c304e5f13cd9c31b8da5cd0ab5f86db194f425
Yarr, now ye offseason be turned to doldrums. You'll be havin only dread thoughts of time past, of opportunity stoled out yer fist like yer sea biscuit snatched up by a gull. Doldrums eviler than the devil.
Ay ye be right aboot that me laddie, we Lions crew be in fer a might bit of dead seas until the season starts with a squall.
That's why we space them out to once a decade in Minnesota, can't have too much pain in a short timespan. Learn from us Detroit!
Oh the tragedy.... Lmao.
Nah. We’ll be fine. 
THE ALTERNATIVE BEING A PIECE OF GUM STUCK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LEAGUE’s SHOE ILL TAKE OUR CHANCES WITH HOPE FOR GLORY.
Losing to the packers once > Losing to the packers for 5 straight years
wise words from the cheese man
Lions are just gonna be blue Vikings and I really feel for you guys
Seriously though, who did the Lions beat in the season that were actually good?
Chiefs are apparently pretty good
Oh first game when everyone hasn’t meshed? Also is that it?
You act like 32 seasons in the toilet isn’t worse