Motivated Detroit and Buffalo gear up for divisional playoffs after enduring long challenges

The Detroit Lions facing off against the Buffalo Bills may not be the most glamorous Super Bowl matchup, but no teams and their enduring fans are more deserving of a moment in the gridiron spotlight than these two blue-collar Rust Belt cities.

Twelve teams have yet to secure a Super Bowl victory, and three of them – the Lions, Bills, and Houston Texans – are competing in this weekend’s divisional round. A win for any of these teams would propel them into the conference finals, bringing them a step closer to Las Vegas, the venue for the championship game.

Although Detroit and Houston have previously hosted the country’s most significant sporting event, neither has played in a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the Bills experienced the agony of four consecutive appearances in the showpiece match from 1991, losing all four – some in truly agonizing fashion.

In Buffalo, mentioning ‘Wide Right’ triggers death stares, recalling one of the region’s most painful losses. Scott Norwood’s missed 47-yard field goal attempt in the dying seconds of Super Bowl XXV allowed the New York Giants to secure a 20-19 victory.

While Buffalo’s pain stems from near misses, Detroit’s heartache spans decades. The Lions’ victory over the Los Angeles Rams in last weekend’s Wild Card game marked only their second playoff win in 65 years.

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The Detroit Lions reached a historical low in the franchise’s nearly 100-year history in 2008. During a period when the United States was grappling with a recession and the auto industry faced a meltdown, the Lions added to the gloom by enduring a winless 0-16 campaign.

In comparison to the Bills and Lions, the Houston Texans, the NFL’s youngest franchise entering the league in 2002, are still relatively low on the fan ‘feel-our-pain’ index, but frustration is gradually building.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, all five of the other teams in the divisional round boast multiple Super Bowl championships on their resumes. The San Francisco 49ers have clinched five Lombardi trophies, while the Green Bay Packers have secured four, including the inaugural title in 1967 when they defeated the Chiefs. The Kansas City Chiefs themselves have won three, including last year.

The Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each have been crowned Super Bowl champions twice. The upcoming matchups in the AFC Championship will be determined as the Bills host the Chiefs on Sunday, with the winner advancing to face either the Ravens or the Texans, who play on Saturday.

In the NFC, the Lions will host the Buccaneers in Detroit on Sunday, following the Packers’ journey to San Francisco to take on the 49ers on Saturday.

In Buffalo, where snowfall has been heavy and fans were even compensated for shoveling out Highmark Stadium for the Wild Card game, a potential need for further shoveling could provide the Bills with a wintry home-field advantage.

However, the emerging quarterback rivalry between the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Bills’ Josh Allen is becoming one of the NFL’s most captivating storylines.

The last five matchups between the two teams took place in Kansas City, with the Bills winning three regular-season contests. However, the Chiefs emerged victorious in two playoff games.

Kansas City is set to bring considerable star power, featuring reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes and their number one fan, Taylor Swift. The pop sensation is expected to brave the Arctic-like conditions to watch her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

“They (Chiefs) have been at the top of the mountain,” remarked Allen. “They know what it takes to get there. We’ve yet to do that. I know guys on this team have been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

All four games showcase intriguing quarterback matchups.

In Detroit, the spotlight is on a clash between two former number-one picks – the Lions’ Jared Goff and the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield. Both quarterbacks were traded away after failing to meet expectations and are now seeking redemption.

The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, the overwhelming favorite for this season’s MVP honors, faces off against Houston’s young talent, CJ Stroud, who is a leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.

Attempting to follow in the footsteps of Green Bay greats Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love will lead the Packers into San Francisco, where they will be up against Brock Purdy, the very last player selected in the 2022 draft.