The Detroit Lions couldn’t escape the bottom of the NFC North table despite securing more wins than defeats last season. However, given their offseason progress and the talent on their roster, ESPN’s Mike Clay believes they could make a surprising push towards winning the Lombardi Trophy next season.
“The Lions are primed for a Super Bowl push.” noted Mike Clay recently, making the bold prediction.
The Honolulu Blue finished at the bottom of their division last campaign despite a 9-8 record because the division was competitive from the start. They lost the head-to-head tiebreaker game against the Minnesota Vikings, who wrapped up the season with a similar record.
Nevertheless, Mike Clay expects a huge turnaround this season, as the Lions are projected to go from finishing at the bottom of the division to winning the NFC North crown next season. Additionally, the analyst also predicted a strong 12-5 record for their regular season. Naturally, the impressive display could propel them deep into the playoffs and even secure their maiden Super Bowl appearance.
The Lions’ talented roster isn’t the only reason to believe the prediction could indeed become a reality— their NFL schedule could also work in their favor.
The Lions Will Play Ten Games Against the Teams That Didn’t Make the Playoffs
On paper, Dan Campbell’s team couldn’t have asked for a more favorable schedule in the next campaign. Out of the seventeen games, ten are scheduled against the teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs in the last season.
Considering the Detroit franchise ended fourth in the NFC North, it came with hidden benefits. Due to the league’s rotation formula, they have matched up with three separate bottom-finished teams from three divisions instead of going against division kings.
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For instance, the Honolulu Blues are going head-to-head against the last-placed team of the NFC West— the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5. They will also square off against the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants in Week 14 and Week 16, both coming off their last-place finishes in their respective divisions.
Additionally, playing the NFC South teams gives the Lions a golden opportunity. It allows them to kick off the season against the New Orleans Saints, who finished fourth in the division last year, and they will lock horns with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 13, another team that didn’t make the postseason.
The AFC East teams, the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, are also among the non-qualified playoff teams facing the Lions in the regular season.
Four Teams Went from Finishing Last to Winning the Lombardi Trophy the Following Season
The St. Louise Rams were the first team to make such a remarkable turnaround in the NFL in 1999. Following a bottom table finish in 1998, they bounced back and won Super Bowl XXXIV.
Over the years, the New England Patriots (2001), the New Orleans Saints (2009), and the Philadelphia Eagles (2017) followed a similar road to win the football’s grandest prize. While the odds are there, the Detroit Lions have a legitimate shot at their first Super Bowl title in the 2026 season.
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