The Detroit Lions made a run to the NFC Championship Game in 2023 before losing to the San Francisco 49ers. Their first victim on the way to that game was the Los Angeles Rams, who the Lions beat in the Wild Card Round, 24-23.
The contest was the first playoff game in Ford Field history and Lions fans certainly showed out, as you'd expect. In fact, they showed out so much that they impressed Rams head coach Sean McVay.
During a recent appearance on the "Pardon My Take" podcast, McVay revealed that he was blown away by how loud Lions fans were and ranked the atmosphere at Ford Field ahead of the New Orleans Saints' building, where the Rams had to play during the 2018 playoffs.
“But that was the loudest, by far," McVay said of the Caesars Superdome. "In Detroit, it was way louder. It was sick. It was a sick atmosphere. Credit to Detroit, and I’m telling you, my dad loved it. They were already out on the field. I came out like 60 minutes before kickoff, the stands are full. My dad said, ‘I heard these guys, these people booing their ass off at somebody. I watched you walking out.’ He was laughing, it was so funny. Everyone is booing, talking to me. It was great. I loved it.”
Every playoff game in the NFL has some extra juice, but Lions fans were particularly amped up for the one against the Rams as it was the franchise's first playoff since the 2016 campaign, and the first home playoff game since 1993 season.
The Lions ended up winning a pair of home playoff games last season before losing on the road to San Fran. Hopefully Detroit can secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in 2024, because clearly Ford Field is a tough place to play.
