WATCH: Dan Miller’s impassioned speech captures essence of this Detroit Lions team

On Thursday morning, the media staff over at DetroitLions.com released their latest installment of “Sights and Sounds” from the Lions victory over the Minnesota Vikings. After setting the stage by showing various Lions players arriving to the stadium, and both Penei Sewell and Isaiah Buggs giving some words of encouragement to their teammates on the field before the game, the voice of Lions radio—play-by-play announcer Dan Miller—washes over a montage of the scene at Ford Field last Sunday.

“What an interesting week it’s been. We knew this was going to be a big game once the Lions secured a victory, a convincing one last week against Jacksonville. Then the odds came out, and the Lions were favored against the team that was 10-2 and I think some people stepped back and said, ‘Whoa, are we worthy?’ And you know what, here’s the answer: yes, they are.”

Miller’s speech cut right through to the heart of every anxious Lions fan, assuring them this feeling they were experiencing, the uncomfortable one, was the newfound set of expectations that come with having a football team worthy of having them.

“Based on the way this team has played over the last five games, they’ve set a new standard for what should be expected from the Detroit Lions. It’s not about what’s happened in the past, it’s about what’s happening right here, right now. They’ve shown us what they’re capable of. They’re good enough to win this game if they play the way that they’re capable of playing.

“Let’s get comfortable with being uncomfortable because you know what uncomfortable is? It means you’re good. It means you have expectations upon you–and now this team does. Let’s see how they answer it today in a big game, in front of a packed house in downtown Detroit. I can’t think of any place I would rather be than right here, right now.”

Detroit sports has long been spoiled with a lengthy list of legendary voices calling the action. Voices like Ernie Harwell, George Blaha, and Ken Kal immediately put you right there in the thick of the action, and Dan Miller deserves a seat at that table. Not only is he able call all the action with unparalleled emotion across your radio dials, but it’s moments like this where you can feel him as invested as anybody else in this football team’s path to success.

You can watch the entire sequence here, but Miller’s speech begins at the 1:42 mark: