![The NFL shield logo is seen following a press conference held by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the George R. Brown Convention Center on February 1, 2017 in Houston, Texas.](https://www.thecoldwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NFL-logo-on-screen-1024x683.jpg)
The Detroit Lions were so close to the biggest game in franchise history.
Now, they’ll have to wait at least another year before getting off the list of the NFL teams that have never reached a Super Bowl.
Notably, they were in full control of the game.
They were running the football well against the San Francisco 49ers, and they were putting plenty of pressure on Brock Purdy and the defense as well.
Fast forward to the end of the game, and they blew a 17-point lead in a three-point loss that could’ve been even more lopsided.
That’s why NFL analyst Skip Bayless believes they ‘panicked’ in the second half.
Talking on Undisputed, he pointed out the fact that it wasn’t shocking to see them allowing a lot of points in the second half because their 23rd-ranked defense was due to regress at some point.
“The Lions panicked in the second half,” Bayless said.
“The Lions panicked in the second half.”@RealSkipBayless questions Detroit’s play calling in the second half vs. 49ers pic.twitter.com/F0MckqY1fd
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 29, 2024
Then again, the way they failed to move the chains and get anything done in the second half was just mind-boggling.
Dan Campbell opted not to take points and continued with his uber-aggressive coaching style, and while that worked just fine in the regular season, the stakes were just too high at this point.
The Niners were the best team in the NFC, and it wasn’t shocking to see them win that game; that’s what was supposed to happen.
Still, it’s hard not to think the Lions blew this game more than the Niners came back to win it, as great as they were in the second half.
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