Sunday open thread: When were you the most mad at the Lions?

The Detroit Lions can invoke a lot of emotions, most of them not so pleasant. Though they’ve recently given us some unforgettable moments of triumph, the troubled history of the franchise has resulted in a lot of depression and possibly even more anger.

So today I’d like us to release some of that anger. Take some of the pent-up energy from a frustrating moment in Lions history and release it into the ether to cleanse our collective souls. Today’s Question of the Day is:

When did the Detroit Lions make you the most angry?

My answer: This is tricky, because there are a lot of moments during Lions games in which I was angry, but the anger was not necessarily towards the Lions. For example, the Calvin Johnson rule game, I was likely the most irate I have ever been during a sporting event. But I wasn’t mad at the Lions, I was pissed at the refs.

However, while most Lions fans were fuming over a different bad call, I was the most mad I have ever been at the Lions. Detroit’s playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014 will forever be known as the pass interference game, but that’s not how I remember it. Don’t get me wrong, Lions fans have every reason to be upset over that bizarre sequence of events. But it was the very next play that had me clenching my teeth to the point where they must have come close to cracking.

After the flag was picked up, the Lions faced a fourth-and-1 play up 20-17 with 8:25 to play. With one simple yard, Detroit could have completely nullified the controversy and put their fate once again back in their own hands. Just go for it, Jim. Instead, the Lions tried, and failed, to draw the Cowboys offside, never intending to actually run a fourth-down play.

All I could think about for the final eight minutes of the game was how cowardly Jim Caldwell was in that moment. I could only shake my head in furious silence as Sam Martin botched the ensuing punt and Tony Romo led Dallas on an easy-looking, game-winning drive.

Although Caldwell has grown on me as a coach since then, I’m not sure I’ll ever fully forgive him for that moment.

Your turn.