5 reasons the Lions will beat the Rams

💔 Stafford's playoff history: Matthew Stafford's dramatic return as an aging Super Bowl champion is the NFL's juiciest story of wild-card weekend.

• He left after 12 seasons without ever playing in a Ford Field playoff game — a burdensome legacy he won't shake just because he won the big game in a different uniform.

💥 Sack lunch: Detroit's pass rush finished strong with Alim McNeill's return and a jolt from Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson, who had five sacks in the last two games.

• Slow-footed Stafford has done a decent job avoiding sacks, but the Lions' pressure should force a turnover or two.

🫨 Home-field vibes: What happens when one of the NFL's most downtrodden fan bases hosts a playoff game for the first time in 30 years?

• The Rams are about to find out just how loud an indoor stadium can get. Demand is so high that resale tickets are going for nearly $600.

🐶 Lovable underdog: The Rams are a popular underdog pick among experts predicting L.A.'s offense will shred Detroit's underwhelming pass defense.

• The NFL is nothing if not unpredictable. Low expectations for the Lions are a recipe for success.

🪦 S.O.L. are dead: Lions lore is so enmeshed with heartbreak that fans have a well-worn refrain anytime something bad happens: Same Old Lions.

• It's time to bury the losers lament and expect victory on Sunday. This team has earned it.