The Detroit Lions have notoriously been one of the worst franchises in NFL history. Since their founding in 1930, they have yet to appear in the Super Bowl, never mind win one. But this year, they seem to actually have a fighting chance.
2023 Season
Last season the Lions finished the season first in the NFC North with a 12-5 record, tying their franchise record for regular season wins. They made it deep into the playoffs in 2023, first beating the Los Angeles Rams 24-23, and then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23. In a closely contested game for the NFC Championship, they lost 31-34 to the San Francisco 49ers, falling just three points short from their first Super Bowl appearance. This year, many of their star players have returned to fight the battle to the top of the NFL.
This Season
So far, the Lions have once again topped the NFC North and have won all but one of their games sitting at an 8-1 record as of week 10. Some of those wins include a defeat of the Seattle Seahawks 42-29, a 47-9 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys, and a 52-14 blowout against the Tennessee Titans. The Lions have been running up the score on some teams, but not all of their wins have been so one sided. In their most recent win over the Houston Texans, for example, they came back from being down 23-7, winning by a last-minute field goal from Jake Bates. In that game, their quarterback, Jared Goff, completed only 50% of his passes and threw five interceptions, yet the Lions somehow found a way despite their star quarterback having a bad game. Whether they are winning by twenty or playing from behind, the Lions have proven they can win.
The Run Game
Part of what makes the Lions’ offense so threatening is its run game. This year, they have two standout backs that have both done serious damage to opposing defenses. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have run 727 and 520 yards, respectively. Between the two of them they average about 150 rushing yards per game and have scored 15 touchdowns. Most teams only have one running back that can put up these kinds of numbers, but the Lions have two. With this kind of ground attack, opposing defenses become distracted, which opens up for the Lions’ expansive arsenal of passing weapons to score.
Super Bowl LIX
This season’s Super Bowl will be held in New Orleans in Caesar’s Superdome. Will the Lions represent the NFC in the highly anticipated game? Currently, the sportsbooks have them as the second most likely at 460/1 odds. The Lions have an opportunity like never before and seemingly the ability to reach their ultimate goal. For now, we can only wait and see if this year’s Lions can do something the franchise has never done before.