Notes: Lions are 12-3 since exorcism of Bobby Layne curse

Putting an end to the discussion of whether curses are real, it’s been discovered the Detroit Lions are on an incredibly hot winning streak since the curse of Bobby Layne was lifted last fall.

In an episode of the Omaha Production series “Peyton’s Places,” Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning enlisted the help of Hollywood actors and Lions fans Jeff Daniels and Keegan-Michael Key to break an infamous curse that has hung over the franchise for decades.

Legend tells (*said in spooky voice*) that former Lions quarterback Bobby Layne cursed the Lions to 50 years of bad luck after he was traded just two games into the season after Detroit won the 1957 championship. Layne was among the league’s biggest stars and led the mighty Lions of the ‘50s, who also won championships in 1952 and 1953. He was furious, reportedly saying aloud the Lions would not win for another 50 years before leaving the locker room for the last time.

Apparently the hex was real. Detroit would go on to win just one playoff game in five decades. You might be saying, well 50 years? It should be over then? Yeah, well.. it “expired” in 2008 — the year the Lions went 0-16. It appears the curse lived on past 50 years, so Manning and friends decided to exorcise the it last year. The 24-minute video can be watched here with a subscription, but here’s a short clip:

Basically they talk about the hex and attempt to lift it. Turns out, they were successful. I’m not sure who originally discovered this fact to give them credit, as I’ve seen this image here posted a lot of places, but the Lions are 12-3 since this episode aired on Sunday, October 30, 2022.

Let’s check it out.

• 2022 Week 9 - Beat Green Bay Packers
• Week 10 - Beat Chicago Bears
• Week 11 - Beat New York Giants
• Week 12 - Lost to Buffalo Bills
• Week 13 - Beat Jacksonville Jaguars
• Week 14 - Beat Minnesota Vikings
• Week 15 - Beat New York Jets
• Week 16 - Lost to Carolina Panthers
• Week 17 - Beat Bears again
• Week 18 - Beat Packers again
• 2023 Week 1 - Beat Kansas City Chiefs
• Week 2 - Lost to Seattle Seahawks
• Week 3 - Beat Atlanta Falcons
• Week 4 - Beat Packers AGAIN
• Week 5 - Beat Panthers

Lo and behold, 12-3. I don’t know what more proof you need. The Curse of Bobby Layne was real. The Lions are winning because the crew lifted it on “Peyton’s Places,” and it definitely has nothing to do with a new, incredibly talented regime that loaded the roster with equally talented players and inspired an entire culture turnaround.

TAKE THAT, CURSE!

And onto the rest of your notes.

• Lions hype train conductor Peter Schrager featured Ben Johnson’s trickery in his best plays of the week segment.

• Enjoy this wholesome moment between Taylor Decker and Dan Campbell after his 100th game.

• CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin offers some notable names who could be shopped at the trade deadline. One includes Arizona Cardinals All-Pro safety Budda Baker, and the writer thinks the Lions may be a suitor.

• “A team doesn’t get to 4-1 to start the season without a number of players stepping up and playing good football.” Detroitlions.com’s Tim Twentyman names five Lions who have stood out in the past five weeks.

• We love to see players supporting players.

• A couple of picks from the CBS Sports crew — Pete Prisco thinks the Lions lose to the Bucs on Sunday afternoon, while John Breech thinks Detroit pulls it off on the road 20-17.