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Fourth typical Thanksgiving

Lions' big victory brings holiday cheer and playoff hopes to Detroit fans

This was a picture perfect Thanksgiving Day in Detroit.

The Christmas tree was lit up in Campus Martius; and the streets were covered with a light dusting of snow for all the runners in the Turkey Trot and the folks in America's Thanksgiving Parade; and thousands of Lions fans were heading toward Ford Field.

"This one felt different," said Lions center Dominic Raiola, who has played in all of those Thanksgiving losses. "Now we get to enjoy the day. It meant so much for this organization to get this today. Not just for what we did today, but to propel us for the rest of the season."

Consider them propelled.

And yes, this did feel different.

With this win, the mood changes instantly for Lions' fans.

It's safe to get excited about this team again. It's time to start believing that this team has a chance for the playoffs, a chance to make some noise the rest of the season.

Is it a sure thing? Of course not.

But with four games left in the regular season, holding a tiebreaker over Chicago, it's safe to get excited again.

Same old start

Now, Russell Wilson Jersey here's the crazy part.

This game started off looking like it was going to be a typical Lions loss on Thanksgiving.

First typical Thanksgiving mistake: In the first quarter, the Lions marched down the field, into cheap nfl jerseys scoring territory, giving the ball to Joique Bell on the inside and throwing slants to Calvin Johnson on the outside. But Reggie Bush coughed up the ball when Clay Matthews swung his big left arm and it smacked Bush's chest, popping the ball into the air.

"I was really down on myself and really just disappointed that I fumbled the ball again," Bush said.

Second typical Thanksgiving Day mistake: Sam Martin kicked the ball out of bounds, giving the Packers great field position early in the second quarter. That led to the Packers' first score, a field goal that tied the game, 3 3.

Third typical Thanksgiving Day mistake: Early in the second quarter, Nick Perry, who grew up in Detroit, smashed Stafford a split second before he threw. Morgan Burnett scooped up the ball Wholesale NFL Jerseys here's an early Christmas present, Packers! and he rambled into the end zone, giving the Packers a 10 3 lead.

Fourth typical Thanksgiving Day mistake: Leaving the turkey in the oven too long.

OK. Wait. No. It was this: Less than 10 minutes left in the second quarter, Stafford forced a pass to Kris Durham. Unfortunately, Tramon Williams was way more open. Williams intercepted the pass, and Lions fans responded with an old fashioned Thanksgiving Day tradition: They started booing.

"We heard the boos," Raiola said. "Understandably. They didn't want to see that again."

Back on track

It felt like the Lions should have a comfortable lead, but they were losing, 10 3.

And in the old days, like last year, or the year before that, or the year before that, the Lions would have lost.

"A couple of years ago, we were easily sidetracked," Schwartz said. "I think we have grown as a team."