The Detroit Lions are one of the most unsuccessful teams of the Super Bowl era, not so long ago they were the laughing stock of the NFL. But thanks to young players like Amon-Ra St. Brown and head coach Dan Campbell, their prospects are suddenly bright.

Amon-Ra St. Brown ended his second NFL season with an utterly spectacular move.

Quarterback Jared Goff passed for eleven yards to the German-American receiver, who initially let the ball slip out of his hands.

But St. Brown, hard pressed by opponent Darnell Savage, caught the seemingly already lost ball between his thighs as he fell.

As the ball never touched the ground, the referees eventually ruled that the catch was legal.

The Detroit Lions retained possession and were able to tick down the clock to win 20-16 at the Green Bay Packers.

That was a catch!? @amonra_stbrown

: DETvsGB on NBC
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/9hDtJVDM1m pic.twitter.com/yEPo2BKLhe

– NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2023

Head Coach Dan Campbell: “This is just the beginning “

The Lions could have taken it easy. After all, the team learned immediately before the game that the play-offs would no longer be attainable. But the team fought doggedly for every yard, played good football and also blocked the NFC North rival Packers’ way into the playoffs.

St Brown’s action was just a testament to the Lions’ outstanding morale.

“I couldn’t be prouder. We coaches couldn’t be prouder. Guys, do you understand what I’m saying when I say this is a very special team?” exclaimed Head Coach Dan Campbell to his players in his emotional post-game dressing room address.

“And by the way, this is just the beginning,” Campbell added. Then he repeated the sentence again, almost imploringly: “This is just the beginning!”

One couldn’t help but get the impression that head coach and team would love to start the new season straight away next week.

We didn’t doubt it at all pic.twitter.com/5HOArqwOfm

– Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 9, 2023

The Detroit Lions are on an almost eerie negative streak

The city of Detroit stands for a high crime rate, big economic problems. And bad football.

The Lions have never made it to the Super Bowl, and their four title wins all predate the Super Bowl era. In the 56 years since the start of the Super Bowl era, the Lions have only managed one playoff win, and that success against the Dallas Cowboys was also 32 years ago.

That the Lions now narrowly missed the playoffs with a record of 9-8 seems at first glance to fit this hapless franchise.

But somehow it feels different this time. The young and talented team seems ready to end the almost eerie season of suffering in the “Motor City. “

Amon-Ra St. Brown makes the jump to top receiver

There’s running back Jamaal Williams, who broke Barry Sanders’ franchise record with 17 rushing touchdowns. There’s Jared Goff, a quarterback as above average as he is underrated, whose power curve is finally starting to climb steeply.

And there’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, who managed to improve his numbers across the board in his second NFL season. With 106 catches and 1,161 yards with six touchdowns, the 23-year-old has made the leap into the circle of the NFL’s top receivers.

The O-line played a big part in Williams and Goff’s strong seasons, and the Lions’ defence is also good.

In return for the trades of quarterback Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) and tight end T.J. Hockenson (Minnesota Vikings), the franchise received high draft picks that can be used to further raise the team’s profile in the spring.

However, Head Coach Dan Campbell himself plays an absolutely key role. He played tight end for the Lions from 2006 to 2008. He knows the city, the franchise and the belief in one’s own failure that prevails in Detroit. And that’s exactly what the 46-year-old wants to clean up.

Dan Campbell: “We are on the right track “

“We’re on the right track,” said Campbell, also known as “Motor City Dan,” after the win over the Packers. “We’re not just looking at athletic talent, you have to have a certain mindset to play here. These guys have established that culture. That’s part of who we are.”

In 2021, the Lions still finished the season with a 3-13 record, this season they started with one win and six losses. But since then, their form has been on a steep upward curve.

Not so long ago, the Lions were the laughing stock of the NFL, but now they are thrilling even the fans of other teams with their spirited performances.

The turnaround seems to have finally succeeded. There are many signs that the time of suffering in the “Motor City” could actually be over.