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Lowly Lions Finish Year 0-16

The Associated Press

Published: December 29, 2008

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Nobody will remember the Detroit Lions came close to winning their last game. All anyone will know - now and forever - is 0-16.

The worst record in NFL history, a dubious distinction that will permanently stain everyone involved.

The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.

"I've got to live with this," center Dominic Raiola said. "I've been here eight years. This is on my resume."

It's also on the resume of Lions coach Rod Marinelli, who faces an uncertain future.

"No competitor wants to go through something like this," said Marinelli, a former Bucs assistant. "This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there's people going through a lot worse than this."

Asked what the next step might be if he does keep his job, Marinelli said, "Let me get through step one first."

The Lions' last loss didn't come without a fight. After falling behind 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Kevin Smith's 9-yard touchdown run put Detroit back within a field goal.

But Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers responded with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver and the Lions' Dan Orlovsky threw an interception on fourth-and-27 with 3 minutes left, dooming Detroit to futility of historic proportion.

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Lowly Lions Finish Year 0-16