The Detroit Lions had been sending mostly good signals throughout this season, showing a resiliency that's needed to make the playoffs in the NFL.
So what in the world happened Sunday?
Was the loss at home to the 2-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers an aberration for Detroit? Or was it a big red flag to indicate another late-season collapse is in the process?
Perhaps we'll get a better understanding Thursday when the Lions play the Green Bay Packers in Detroit's 74th annual Thanksgiving Day game.
Here are five storylines to watch:
1. THANKSGIVING RECORD
Only five players on the Lions' 53-man roster - center Dominic Raiola, kicker David Akers, receiver Nate Burleson, quarterback Shaun Hill and cornerback Rashean Mathis - were even in the NFL the last time Detroit won this holiday classic.
Of those, only Raiola was with the Lions.
It was 2003, a 22-14 victory over Green Bay when Joey Harrington was the Lions' quarterback and Brett Favre was still Packer. Green Bay scored two touchdowns, Detroit only one, but Jason Hanson kicked five field goals to help the Lions prevail.
Larry Warford, a rookie offensive guard for the current Lions, was 12 years old at the time.
Detroit, incredibly, has since lost nine straight Thanksgiving Day games while being outscored 319-144.
During the streak, they’ve lost to Green Bay three times (2011, 2009 and 2007) and once each to Houston (2012), New England (2010), Tennessee (2008), Miami (2006), Atlanta (2005) and Indianapolis (2004).
What's more, the Lions have been underdogs on Turkey Day 12 straight years. The last time they were favored was in 2000 when they were a six-point chalk and defeated New England, 34-9, in the game that Tom Brady made his regular-season debut in mop-up duty.
This time, they're a six-point favorite because quarterback Aaron Rodgers (broken collarbone) is expected to miss his fourth straight game for the Packers.
"It's such a big tradition," Raiola said of the Thanksgiving game that dates back to 1934 in Detroit. "Everybody's watching.
"Our team is not like some of those back in the day. It was, whew, it was hard. All we can focus on is right now, 2013, and what we're going to do Thursday."
Maybe this time the turkey won't taste so stale.
2. NFC NORTH RACE
Misery loves company in the NFC North.
Detroit has lost back-to-back games. Green Bay is 0-3-1 in its last four. Chicago is 3-5 since winning its first three.
Who is going to regroup and get hot over the final five weeks to win the division title? Or will the other two simply continue to give it away?
The Lions and Bears (6-5) are tied for first place, half a game ahead of the Packers (5-5-1).
All three teams seem to be reaching the crossroads of their seasons.
"I think a win will take care of all that," Raiola said. "That's the perfect medicine. There's no ifs, ands or buts anymore. Other teams have helped us out enough.
"We need to farm our land and take care of our business because we've had enough chances."
Quarterback Matthew Stafford believes the best is yet to come.
“We haven’t played our best football,” he said.
They're running out of time.
3. THE MEGA-DROP
Call it the Mega-drop.
Calvin Johnson is coming off a rare mere-mortal moment when his dropped pass resulted in a game-clinching interception against Tampa Bay.
"He is human," Burleson said. "I joked about it with him after the game. 'It proves that you are mortal.' It doesn't happen often."
That improbable failure likely assures that Johnson will have an out-of-this-world performance against the Packers, provided the two games in five days isn’t too much of a problem for his lingering knee injury.
"You want to get that bad taste out of your mouth," Johnson said. "It's good because we have a short turnaround."
One additional motivating factor for him is that he missed the first meeting of the season against the Packers, a 22-9 loss in Green Bay on October 6.
Asked if it would have ended differently if he had played, Johnson said, "Yes."
This could be the day that Megatron becomes the all-time leading receiver in Lions' history.
He needs 141 yards to pass Herman Moore, who had 9,174 career receiving yards from 1991-2001.
4. EXPLOITING THE SECONDARY
Even ordinary quarterbacks are exposing the Lions' secondary these days.
Tampa Bay's Mike Glennon finished the game with a 138.4 QB rating. His rating for the season is 91.6.
A few weeks earlier, Cincinnati's Andy Dalton put a 135.9 rating on Detroit. His season rating is 85.2.
The Packers are without playmakers such as Rodgers, receiver Randall Cobb and tight end Jermichael Finely.
Minus that trio, Green Bay has been relying heavily on rookie running back Eddie Lacy, who leads the NFL in rushing over the last eight weeks with 755 yards.
Nevertheless, they will likely try to exploit Detroit's back line - who wouldn't? - with quarterback Matt Flynn, who threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns against the Lions two years ago.
Rookie cornerback Darius Slay could make his first start since the second game of the season because of a foot injury suffered Sunday by Chris Houston.
It's been a tough year for Slay, but he's been improving slightly in recent weeks in a reserve role.
"I'm ready," he said.
5. 200-GAME RAIOLA
Raiola, a second-round draft pick in 2001 out of Nebraska, will become only the third player in club history to play in 200 games, joining Hanson (327 from 1992-2012) and linebacker Wayne Walker (200 from 1958-72).
His rookie year was the final season that the Lions played at the Silverdome in Pontiac before moving to Ford Field in downtown Detroit. He has started 183 of his 199 games.
"It's special," Raiola said of the 200 milestone. "It's a nice round number. Two-hundred starts would mean a lot more., but playing in 200 games in the NFL, if you would have told me that when I got drafted, I would have said, 'You're crazy.' It's a pretty cool thing."
Raiola just doesn't want a loss to spoil the moment.
"The state we're in right now, it would mean a hell of a lot more if we win this game," he said. "It would be a fun game to celebrate. We can talk about that after the game. Let's get this win. That would make it that much more sweeter."
Teammate Louis Delmas, who has had his share of injury problems in his career, admires Raiola's durability and longevity.
"It's a big accomplishment," Delmas said. "Not too many people can be healthy enough to play 200 games. I don't think I've played 200 games in my life from Optimist (youth football) to NFL.
"That goes to show you how far hard work can take you."
INJURY REPORT
Houston is listed as doubtful. Rodgers has been officially ruled out.
All other current starters on both teams are probable.
EXTRA POINT
The Lions announced Wednesday that offensive guard Rodney Austin has been elevated from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Austin, an undrafted free agent out of Elon last year, has never been active for a NFL game. The club released defensive end Austen Lane.
PICK:
LIONS - 6
(Dye's season prediction record: 7-4)
