ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Inside the locker room of the Detroit Lions this week, between a morning of practice and an afternoon of meetings, offensive linemen Larry Warford and LaAdrian Waddle engaged in a quick, but heated, game of table tennis.

Soon linebacker Travis Lewis and wideout Corey Fuller had their own game of tossing bean bags going and later cornerback Darius Slay and safety James Ihedigbo debated who was better – Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.

"Jordan," Ihedigbo said dismissively, like it shouldn't even be up for argument.

View photos Matthew Stafford is 3-1 under his new offensive coordinator. (AP) More

"Kobe," Slay countered. "He's the GOAT."

"Ridiculous," Ihedigbo, who turns 32 Thursday, responded, arguing that Slay, who is just 24, is too young to appreciate MJ and thus doesn't know any better.

The two laughed through the dispute, as did everyone else listening in. It was a brief moment of levity in a packed workday, the product of an unlikely three-game win streak that has turned the 4-7 Lions into the NFL's most unlikely playoff contender heading into Thursday's home date with the Green Bay Packers.

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"It's always fun when you win" linebacker Josh Bynes said. "It always brings some laughter."

For much of the season this may have been the most laugh-free and miserable room in the league. The Lions went from playoffs a season ago to a pathetic, nothing-is-working 1-7 start, capped by an ugly 45-10 loss to Kansas City in London.

Along the way, franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford was benched for a half and three assistant coaches were fired, including the offensive coordinator. Head coach Jim Caldwell remained, but only, it seemed, because someone had to coach the team.

In lieu of that, 90-year-old owner Martha Firestone Ford came out and dumped the general manager and team president. She then wrote a letter of apology to season-ticket holders for the Lions' prevailing repugnance.

View photos Jim Caldwell avoided the wrath of team owner Martha Firestone Ford. (Getty Images) More

"You deserve much better," Ford wrote.

Pretty much everyone's job was on the line, from coaches and scouts, to veteran starters, right down through support staff and secretaries. Ford looked ready to clean house. She still may be.

Fans were apoplectic. The media nuclear. The players couldn't really argue.

"Frustrating," Stafford said. "Obviously."

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