The Arizona Cardinals came into Sunday with a 10-3 record, tied for first place in the NFC and a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The Detroit Lions came into Sunday with a 1-11-1 record locked in a battle with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the No, 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Naturally, the Lions easily defeated the Cardinals, 30-12.
How INSANE is the Lions win over the Cardinals?
It is the first time in NFL HISTORY, a team with 1 win or fewer beat a 10+ win team by double-digits. pic.twitter.com/lgWEUvZZlR
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 19, 2021
The stunning score came courtesy of a Detroit offense that played with the kind of intensity we haven’t seen out of them very often, if at all, this season. Jared Goff threw for 216 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions while Craig Reynolds racked up 112 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Jason Cabinda scored the first touchdown of his career and the defense found a way to bend but rarely break against Kyler Murray and the Arizona offense that out-gained Detroit on the day.
Perhaps the only way we should have known this was coming was when we realized Gus Johnson was on the call for Fox.
We should have known as soon as we heard Gus Johnson was the announcer, this would be a wild one. https://t.co/0Vnz0v1sd6
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 19, 2021
.@jasoncabinda's first career TD‼️‼️‼️#WPMOY #WPMOYChallenge#AZvsDET | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/fHIiPjOosf
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 19, 2021
The loss stings for the Cardinals, who could now find themselves in fourth place in the NFC if the Cowboys, Packers, and Buccaneers keep winning. Not to mention the Los Angeles Rams are right on their tail at 9-4 on the season. There wasn’t a worse time for Arizona to lose and there literally wasn’t a worse team to lose to.
The 10-3 Cardinals lost to the 1-11-1 Lions
This is the 3rd time since 1970 that a team w/ the NFL's worst record beat a team w/ the best record (incl tied records), min. 8 gms each
The prev. 2 teams to lose — 1995 Cowboys & 2004 Patriots — went on to win Super Bowl that season
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 19, 2021
As you can imagine, the NFL world was stunned on social media by the outcome.
Quick check on the Cards/Lions and… WHAT?!?! pic.twitter.com/5z4NpELEMu
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 19, 2021
"Winners of 2 of their last 3 games" has a nice ring to it.
— Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) December 19, 2021
Hey the Motor City rocking baby as @Lions get W # 2 vs @AZCardinals 30-12 ! The VBDI says as an @NFL fan that the DETROIT LIONS under DAN CAMPBELL in 2022 will make big noise – yes I believe his leadership is going to finally get the Motown fans VF excited .
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) December 19, 2021
and with that the Detroit Lions defeat the Arizona Cardinals just like we all expected. played some nice football out there gentlemen! let’s go!!
— Kellie Rowe (@kellierowe) December 19, 2021
Cardinals lost to Stafford and the Rams, now they lost to the Lions.
They can't beat Detroit, baby.
— John Whiticar (@Whiticar) December 19, 2021
Apparently, the last team you want to face right now if you’re an NFL playoff contender is the Detroit Lions. Who knew.
