In another month, we’ll be getting ready for Detroit Lions football. That means we’re going to see overreactions from fans and analysts. But we’ll also see reality start to set in. Obviously, we know the pre-season doesn’t count for anything other than what your depth chart looks like for the season.
When looking at the Lions depth chart, it’s safe to say that they’ve gotten better. So much so, that many NFL analysts believe that this Detroit Lions team can win the NFC North and make a push into the playoffs.
Yes, some even believe they can win a Super Bowl.
I’ll hold off on that and just take a division championship or a playoff win at this point. Meanwhile, I’ll start preparing my bank account to put a mortgage payment on the Lions winning the NFC North. If you don’t feel as confident as winning a division championship as others, including myself, you could very well look at the Lions win total for the season.
This past week, that’s what Pro Football Focus (PFF) did for all-32 teams in the NFL this season. In the article, they ran simulated win totals for each team in the NFL and compared those totals to what DraftKings has each team set at for the season.
According to DraftKings, they have the line set at 9.5 wins for the Lions. If you bet the over, the odds are set at -120 and the odds of +100 are for the under. In the article from PFF, their simulated win total for the Lions is at 8.79 wins.
This would put them behind the Minnesota Vikings, who are projected 8.89 wins. It’s essentially a toss-up between the two teams and much of it could come down to the final three weeks of the season where they have two matchups against each other. It’s predicted that their end of the season tilts could determine who walks away with the NFC North title.
If PFF’s simulated win totals do come to fruition, then the Lions would pick 22nd overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Also, they would have the 6th spot locked up for the playoffs.
My question to Lions fans is very simple. Do you think the Lions can win the NFC North? If you don’t think they can, do you think they will make the playoffs this season?
