ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” host, Samantha Ponder, has apologized for picking the New York Jets to defeat the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Before Sunday’s game, ESPN’s panel offered their predictions for the winner of the Lions-Jets showdown at MetLife Stadium. Randy Moss, Rex Ryan, Tedy Bruschi and Matt Hasselbeck all chose the visiting Lions to win, and only Ponder picked the Jets.
Detroit Lions legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders posted a photo of the predictions graphic on Twitter, adding that Ponder didn’t appear “sold on her pick.”
Ponder noticed Sanders’ tweet and offered a friendly apology after the game, promising that it’s not going to happen again.
The Lions emerged victorious 20-17 to improve to 7-7 on the year. They are now just half a game behind the 7-6-1 Washington Commanders for the final wild card spot in the NFC. The Lions defeated Washington back in Week 2, so Dan Campbell’s squad would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker if it ends needing to be applied.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Detroit was trailing 17-13 after the two-minute warning. Facing a 4th-and-inches situation, Jared Goff found Brock Wright on a short pass that went 51 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a game-ting 58-yard field goal attempt that would have sent the game into overtime.
The Lions are close to pulling off one of the greatest second-half surges in NFL history. This team lost six of its first seven games and look poised for another top-two draft selection, but they have proceeded to rally for victories in six of their next seven contests.
Detroit hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016, and they last won a postseason game back in the 1991 season, when Sanders was in the midst of his prime. With the way the Lions are playing, nobody will want to face them in the NFC Wild Card Round.
That’s if they can manage to sneak into the postseason, of course.
