The year was 1997. I was in the midst of my last semester of high school during the fall of that year, and the Indianapolis Colts were in the midst of a terrible season. They began their campaign losing 10 straight games. Everyone was predicting they would run the table in reverse. I was caught up in this backward euphoria, only to be disappointed as Indy beat the Packers to get win number 1. From that point on, I began every NFL year keeping track of potential heirs to the winless throne. There were certainly close calls - The 2000 Chargers began 0-11, last seasons Dolphins were a tantalizing 0-13, and most notable the 2001 Detroit Lions were 0-12. In fact, those Lions were the subject of late night punchlines throughout that run, which made 2008 all the more fitting. We can now be assured it was certain that the Lions franchise would be the one to complete the seemingly impossible task of losing EVERY game out of 16 game schedule. Remember, this isn't college ball. Presumably every NFL team can come out victorious against any other - see Giants vs Browns this year. The NFL expanded its schedule to 16 games in 1978 - the year I was born - and it took 30 years in the interim for the Detroit Lions to complete an imperfect season. We'll never remember off the top of our heads who this year's Super Bowl winner will be down the road, but what the Lions accomplished will be set in stone in everyone football fan's mind. It may never happen again this century...well, assuming the Lions get a decent quarterback in 2009.
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