(SNH) — The world got to see why the Lions have never been to a Super Bowl in the 58-year history of the championship game. It got to see Lucy pull the football back from Charlie Brown again.

The world got to see the pain Detroit has felt for years. The Lions jumped to a 17-point halftime lead against the San Francisco 49ers and gave it all back in the blink of an eye.

The Lions almost always have a mystifying play or a mystifying moment in big games. This time it was what should have been an incomplete pass to Brandon Aiyuk that bounced off the face mask of Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor. That allowed the ball to stay in the air long enough for Aiyuk to dive and complete a 51-yard pass inside the Lions five-yard line.

Aiyuk said a lucky ladybug landed on his shoe. Also, Lady Luck landed softly on the Niners’ shoulders.

The Lions were in control before that play. Then all hell broke loose for the visitors.

Suddenly the Lions could not run the football. Their receivers could not catch the football and the Niners’ pass rush became lethal.

Mayhem from those All-State commercials made life miserable for the Lions. Tears of joy all around Detroit turned into tears of despair.

This was the most anticipated football game in Lions’ history. Fans wanted to see their team finally secure a Super Bowl berth. They could taste it. They could feel it. And, all of a sudden, it was gone like a puff of smoke.

The Lions must wait one more year to get here. They must roll the dice one more time hoping to make a Super Bowl. But there is no guarantee the Lions make it this far again although this team of young guns should get better next year and the year after.

“It's hard when you lose that way," Lions coach Dan Campbell said. "You feel like you get your heart ripped out. But I'm proud of that group and I'll go anywhere with that group. You wish you could keep it all together, but that's not the reality. We did some really good things, but today, we didn't do enough. It's tough.”

The good news in Detroit is this is a youthful and up-and-coming team. The Lions will be in this position again. The key is not to fall apart when adversity hits. Stay poised. Stay confident no matter what happens.

The difference in this game may have been poise. The Niners kept their poise when the Lions threw the kitchen sink at them. The Lions fell apart when lady luck or the ladybug bit them.

Terry Foster is a writer for Sports News Highlights.

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