Lions fans crowd downtown Detroit with renewed hope of participating in the Super Bowl

Detroit — At 3 p.m. on Sunday, five hours and 20 minutes before kickoff of the season opening game, the city center had become a hotbed of Lions fans.

Sidewalks and restaurants were swarming with groups of people wearing Honolulu blue or the new black and blue jerseys. Parking lots, which cost between $60 and $80 a day, were mostly full. And many fans said they were confident the Lions would make it to the Super Bowl.

“It feels really weird, I have to admit. But I'm more optimistic than nervous about attending the Super Bowl,” said Shane Gibson of Oxford. He and his wife, Kelly, were among the people standing in the street in the parking lot of the Detroit Opera House, about three blocks from Ford Field. Both venues have seen many dramatic performances, and many have ended in tragedy. The Gibsons are no exception: They have been Lions season ticket holders for 15 years.

Their faith never wavered, they said. “I love the Lions. I grew up with them,” Shane said. “Even when they lost a lot of games, I always thought the next season would be better.”

Now is the season when the Lions are, according to many analysts, serious contenders to make it to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. In the crowded parking lot of the Opera House on this bright, warm September day, many Lions fans had high expectations.