GREEN BAY, Wis. -- A moment's paranoia has now spawned a phenomenon. The new mantra of "Fire Millen" spread its acidic tone to the Land of Lombardi, with scads of disgruntled Lions fans expressing their continued displeasure, displaying signs of protest and perhaps hoping for impromptu television time courtesy of overzealous stadium security.

 

But the Green Bay Packers' staff handled the situation appropriately.

 

They left the fans alone in their misery.

 

Why expel them? Make them sit there and watch the Lions.

 

That's punishment enough.

 

Let them sit and suffer through an offense that resembles slumlords trashing prime football real estate. Let them sit and shake their heads in disbelief at the Lions' incompetence.

 

They should have used the signs to cover their eyes.

 

When you've lost 14 straight in a single venue, the deplorable moments kind of meld together, creating one frightening mosaic. But the Lions' 15th straight Dairy State disappointment Sunday night provided the added nausea of four wasted opportunities inside the Green Bay 5.

 

Four times the Lions got inside the Packers' 5, and all they had to show for it was one touchdown, two field goals and one "What the hell were they thinking?"

 

It has never been more clear, in the blur of another collapse in execution and discipline, that the Lions are a waste.

 

They're a waste of time. They're a waste of emotion.

 

Interim coach Dick Jauron will deservingly do a slow turn on the spit, taking the heat for opting against the sure three points when faced with a fourth-and-goal at the Green Bay 1 midway through the fourth quarter and not capitalizing. And then he let 46 precious seconds needlessly drain from the clock as the Packers prepared to punt after the two-minute warning with time-outs available.

 

What's he saving time-outs for, anyway?

 

Can he exchange any extras after the game for his own "Fire Millen" sign?

 

The Lions' 16-13 overtime loss was but another meltdown worthy of the ever-expanding Lions' Hall of Shame.

 

There are no "Atta boys" for playing hard and not giving up when you let a backup running back like Samkon Gado, a guy nobody even heard of a few weeks ago, kill you on the ground for 171 yards -- including a back-breaking 64-yard touchdown.

 

There are no kudos for Roy Williams, who can effortlessly perform the spectacular but can't the master the basic. Jeff Garcia may never throw a better ball than the crossing route that hit Williams in the numbers, in stride, with nothing but daylight and a potential game-winning touchdown ahead of him late in regulation.

 

And he muffed it.

 

There's no forgiving Shaun Rogers' insane late hit during the clinching overtime drive, putting Green Bay 15 yards closer for kicker Ryan Longwell's winning field goal.

 

The Lions are a waste because they don't appreciate that opportunities aren't boundless in this game.

 

The Lions have steadily regressed offensively, drawing the ire of their fans and the delight of opposing defensive coordinators with their steady, two-yard progression down the field.

 

But they couldn't even muster two yards Sunday.

 

The problem on the fourth-and-1 play wasn't the decision, but rather the call. Why call a quarterback sneak behind an undersized center like Dominic Raiola? Why not a play-action fake, with Garcia on the bootleg, like he did for a touchdown on a similar fourth-down situation in Cleveland this season?

 

It's disappointing that, as wretched as the Packers currently are -- consigned to their worst season in the hallowed Brett Favre era -- there remains a light of salvation in the thought of the Lions coming to town. The Lions are the NFL's Tylenol. Take two and you'll feel better in the morning.

 

But the Lions fans' headache remains. The only relief coming is that only three weeks are left in the season.

The new prime-time late-season flexible schedule comes a year too late to help ESPN, which would have loved to pass off this dog to perhaps Animal Planet for something a little more compelling, like maybe the mating habits of the Japanese beetle.

 

There was no valor for the victor.

 

If new Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush is indeed some freakish hybrid of Gale Sayers and Barry Sanders, then the Packers gained nothing in spoiling another Lions visit to Wisconsin. They're a franchise in dire need of a tastefully orchestrated tank job in the season's final month.

 

But try as they might, the Lions just wouldn't let the Packers lose.