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Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, left, watches as Tampa Bay safety Keith Tandy intercepts a pass in Sunday's game. (AP Photo)

DETROIT -- A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the Detroit Lions were 6-3 after beating the Bears at Soldier Field.

They had a cozy lead in the division, the third playoff seed in the conference and the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL. The postseason seemed like a lock, and a NFC North title within reach.

But as expectations recalibrated, the Lions disintegrated.

Since that day, they are 0-2. Against opponents with a combined record of 5-14.

What's more: Detroit held fourth-quarter leads in both games, but was done in by an ill-advised fake field goal (and a game-winning 97-yard drive) against Pittsburgh, and five turnovers (and a 95-yard game-winning drive) Sunday against Tampa Bay.

Detroit has talked endlessly about how this team is different than those of its past, which crumbled down the stretch. It has talked about how it learned to manage pressure and exceptions.

It's time to call BS.

This is the very definition of struggling to deal with expectations, regardless of whatever coachspeak is being dispensed. And it now becomes fair to wonder whether this team is a winner.

It's fair to question their mind-set, and whether they have the mental makeup to keep this thing together.

"Our mind-set just wasn't where it needed to be," tailback Reggie Bush said. "It's not our effort, because we play as hard as anybody. It's the little things -- the mental errors -- that's getting us beat. The turnovers, obviously. We just got to do a better job.

"I actually felt we were good. We were ready to play, and ready to dominate this game. But I guess not."

Detroit lost to Tampa Bay on Sunday, 24-21, despite the Buccaneers' insistence on losing this game. The Bucs missed a fourth-quarter field goal, and another field goal, and were playing without three of their best defenders.

No matter. Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford threw four interceptions, Kris Durham added a fumble and there even was a blocked punt. That's some hat trick.

And just like that, the Lions lost at home to the NFC's worst team.

"I feel like we're a better team," receiver Nate Burleson said, "but they played better than us today, they were a better team than us today."

This is a game that contenders win. When you're at home, against a team of Tampa Bay's quality and given repeated opportunities to maintain a lead -- then later retake a lead -- that's just what you do.

The Lions didn't.

Detroit's Ezekiel Ansah, left, is blocked by Tampa Bay's Donald Penn during Sunday's loss.

They have capsized under the spotlight, and their stranglehold on the playoffs went down with it.

The Lions suddenly are in a position where they have to beat Green Bay on Thanksgiving, or fall to 6-6 and seriously risk missing the playoffs.

"I didn't get the vibe we were kind of riding high, but we didn't handle the situation the right way," said Bush, again the voice of reason. "Didn't handle being in first-place in our division like we should have. We just didn't handle it right. We have to do a better job."

Detroit seemingly has regressed, and if you're curious as to why, look no further than its own self-destruction.

The Lions have forfeited eight turnovers in the past two games, without forcing any itself.

That's after committing only 13 turnovers in the first nine games, with a plus-two turnover margin.

"Regardless of somebody's record, if you give them that many opportunities, they're going to win," Burleson said. "We needed to win, and we should of won, but it's hard to win when you have that many turnovers. We can't do that. "Those are physical errors. You can look at film and point at something you shouldn't have done. Take away these things, fix them, correct them, we'll be OK."

True. These are fixable errors.

But my question is, why have we seen so many of these errors the past two weeks when they weren't really an issue in the first nine?

It could be a coincidence that they happened to occur just as Detroit became a trendy pick to win the NFC North. Jim Schwartz could also be the tooth fairy.

Detroit became a favorite, and then it crumbled.

This team prefers to play as the underdog, and thanks to their shenanigans the past two weeks, they'll be back to that status in no time.

And ousted from the playoffs, if they're not careful.