"Maybe Calvin Johnson deserves more credit for the Lions' turnaround than anyone realizes.

After all, it was the Lions' superstar receiver whose saber rattling 13 months ago apparently spurred the Lions to a nine-game winning streak and the playoffs this season.

On Dec. 9, 2010, fresh off the Lions' fifth straight defeat of the '10 season, Johnson went on his weekly radio appearance on WXYT-FM (97.1) and said: "I've been used to winning. And if this thing can't get turned around, man, like I said -- I'm just going to leave it at I can't get used to it. I want to win."

The Lions must have felt like Metropolis residents hearing Superman was packing his bags.

Johnson downplayed his comments a day later, and the Lions assuaged his fears by promptly winning their next four games to close out the season, followed by a 5-0 start this season."