Caldwell On Playoff Fever: 'Our Guys Certainly Aren't Entertaining That'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - With the Detroit Lions at 7-2 and on a four-game win streak, playoff fever has run rampant among Lions fans. Head coach Jim Caldwell has no plans to let it spread throughout the organization.
"We don't have it," Caldwell said with a smile. "We're wearing a white mask around here, so we don't have to worry about it.
"It's like I've said every week - they don't give out any awards or anything after nine games in the season," Caldwell added. "We haven't done anything yet. We've been playing well, we've been playing tough and that kind of stuff, but this is a long season. It's a journey, and we're still on that journey, so our guys certainly aren't entertaining that, and they're focused in on this next game. We've got the team with the best record in the National Football League coming up. You better get focused in on them quickly."
Caldwell did not have much to say about the detriment of a team getting wrapped up in looking ahead.
"I don't know because I've never done it," Caldwell said. "You might want to ask somebody who has. It hasn't been me and it won't be this team, we'll make certain. So I couldn't tell you, to be honest with you."
The Lions have staged dramatic comebacks in each of their last three wins, their defense ranks first in the NFL in yards per game allowed and points allowed, and the offense has a potent new weapon in wide receiver Golden Tate, so there are reasons for fans to be excited about the team's chances.
Still, Detroit has only one more win than it did at the same point last season, and last season the Lions faltered down the stretch, losing six of their last seven.
Detroit faces the Arizona Cardinals (8-1) and the New England Patriots (7-2) in back-to-back road games these next two weeks.
