It’s time to drop tank talk and replace it with playoff talk. The Detroit Lions are closer to earning a playoff spot than you might think after spanking the New York Giants 31-18 Sunday afternoon at Met Life Stadium.  It is still a long shot for the Lions to earn one of the final spots in the NFC playoffs. But when there are a bunch of mediocre teams in front of you, why not?

When you can muzzle the best running back in the NFL, holding Giants running back Saquon Barkley to 22 yards on 15 carries, why not? When all the Lions need to do to improve is fire assistant coaches, why not? If Coach Dan Campbell is no longer making clownish mistakes, why not?

When the team plays with enthusiasm and discipline, why not?
When you’ve beaten two of the teams ahead of you, why not?
When your star defensive end, Aiden Island, turns into a shutdown corner, why not?

And when you can turn Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers into a whining bitch during and after a game, why not? Will the Lions sneak into the playoffs? Probably not. But today is a day to dream big. The Lions are not making the foolish mistakes that have plagued this franchise for decades. Younger fans believe the Lions lost games many years ago in blowouts. Nope. The Lions lost games because of blow ups, not blow outs.

Detroit Lions hitting into a groove

“We’re a team that no one wants to play right now,” said quarterback Jared Goff. “We’re kind of in a little bit of a groove and it is a good feeling.”The groove the Lions are in is minimizing mental mistakes. How many times have you cheered a big play only to see a yellow flag on the ground negate the play?Do you remember Jim Caldwell’s clock management? Jim Schwartz falling apart at the end of games? Or Dan Campbell being too aggressive and fool hearty?

“These guys are playing their asses off and they’re starting to figure out a way to win, they all are,” Campbell said. “It’s a credit to these guys and the coaches.”

Some of us are viewed as Lions haters. That’s not true. I hate what the Lions have done to this fan base. You get overly excited over three-game winning streaks that are shrugged off as part of the process in other cities. One of my neighbors let’s out a wolf’s howl whenever the team wins, when an enthusiastic golf clap should suffice.

This franchise does not talk about winning championships. The Ford family always talks about turning it around, whatever that means. You don’t need to hear me bitch and moan today. Your Lions are on a winning streak and that is something to celebrate.
Think big. Think playoffs. The Lions must pass the Atlanta Falcons (5-6), Washington Commanders (6-5) and San Francisco 49eres (5-4) to reach that goal. Are you afraid of these teams? I’m sure not.

Why not?

Follow me on Twitter @TFosterDET

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)