The Lions’ journey to the 2024 NFC title game: key moments, game-winning performances, and season-long outcomes.

There may not be a club with a stronger sense of national support than the Detroit Lions at this point in conference championship weekend history. It’s safe to assume that, unless you’re a fan of the San Francisco 49ers, you are among the millions of NFL fans who will temporarily switch to the Lions for three hours on Sunday night.

Even though their present success may be described as a fairytale, Dan Campbell’s club is not a perfect team. Since the Lions defeated the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, you could legitimately argue that they have been the NFL’s most reliable club.

The Lions boast one of the most skilled attacks in the NFL, led by quarterback Jared Goff, and they’ve been particularly effective in the red zone. The Lions are a hard-hitting, aggressive defensive team that has adopted their head coach’s mindset. During Detroit’s recent postseason victories over the Rams and Buccaneers, the team experienced a number of pivotal situations.

How, then, did the Lions get up here? Let’s examine Detroit’s best free-agent selections, the team’s decisions throughout the draft and regular season, as well as the team’s major turning point and important victory.

2023 notable free agent signings

• RB Craig Reynolds (re-signed)
• CB Cam Sutton
• RB David Montgomery
• DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson
• LB Alex Anzalone (re-signed)
• DL John Cominsky (re-signed)
• OL Graham Glasgow

The Lions’ class of 2023 free agents produced a lot of quality players. Montgomery, a former Chicago Bear who is having his finest season to date, is at the top of that list. Particularly in the beginning, Montgomery’s performance lessened the load on rookie Jahmyr Gibbs and gave him more time to adjust to life in the NFL. Since then, the pair has emerged as the NFL’s best RB tandem.

The signing of former Steelers defensive back Sutton, who has aided the Lions’ youthful defense in numerous ways, was one of the team’s more underappreciated additions.

Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson told CBS Sports early in the season, “Cam’s been unbelievable, man.” He’s such a dependable presence on our team and in our locker room. He has an aging soul. I get the impression that guys gravitate toward him because they are drawn to his vintage soul aura. It’s quite soothing.

“I kind of characterize Cam like that. Calm, but when the game is on, yeah, he becomes intense. And when it’s game time, I adore having him as my corner. It’s excellent.”

After missing the majority of the season due to injury, Gardner-Johnson, another defensive back, is only now beginning to demonstrate his abilities for Detroit’s defense. In the previous week’s victory over the Bucs, he provided an early pick for Baker Mayfield while defending his pregame disparaging remarks about Tampa Bay’s quarterback.