Matthew Stafford knocks out Tom Brady in playoffs, Detroit Lions react to amazing finish

Detroit Lions fans had to deal with the reality that their franchise quarterback and perhaps the team's greatest quarterback since Bobby Layne was leaving.
In the days and months that followed, Lions fans had to be thinking the same thing.

Stafford will take the Rams to a Super Bowl.

I owe Matthew Stafford an apology after he won a playoff game.

Sixty minutes from now, we'll be able to see that after the Los Angeles Rams stunned the Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The social media reaction to Stafford reaching the conference title game was very entertaining. Lions fans who have had to watch one of their favorite sons have success elsewhere are more likely to be disappointed.
Matthew Stafford connected with Cooper Kupp to set up a game-winning FG to send the Rams to the playoffs.
What did the playoffs reveal about Matthew Stafford and the Lions?

Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions' future were revealed in the playoffs.

This one may be hard to swallow.
Andrew Hammond can be reached at aahammond@freepress.com. You can follow him on social media. You can check out some of the offers from the Detroit Free Press.