John Riordan: Why this weekend means so much to Detroit 

The Detroit Lions, shorthand for NFL ineptitude, are a game away from their first ever Super Bowl.

WHAT IT MEANS: Former NFL player Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions reacts during the first half between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs at Ford Field on January 14, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. Pic: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

If you’re craving an understanding of why this weekend's Detroit Lions NFC showdown with the San Francisco 49ers is already a lock for the second most intriguing American sports event of 2024, then do what I did and track down the documentary about Barry Sanders.

(I say second most intriguing because no matter what happens on Sunday, the two teams that emerge and advance to the Super Bowl will ensure a barnstormer that will be almost impossible to predict.)