The Detroit Lions didn't meet expectations on the field in 2025, failing to make the playoffs after being hyped as a Super Bowl contender. Heading into 2026, that could change in a hurry.
After an offseason of quietly restocking their roster and adding talented young players via a solid draft, pundits are starting to reset teams and their viability as contenders this coming season. Interestingly enough, the Lions are still coming up as a team in the mix to do some damage.
When it comes to the NFC and the league as a whole, the Seattle Seahawks remain on top until they get dethroned. The teams that have the best chance of doing that are up for debate, but NFL.com analyst Dan Parr ranked the eight he believes can get the job done this season.
Parr had the Lions check in at No. 7 on the list, just ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and just behind the Denver Broncos. He believes their struggles last year will serve as a major motivating factor for their roster.
"I’m expecting the bad taste in their mouths from the way last season ended to fuel a heightened sense of urgency in a prideful group. Yes, the NFC North remains tough, but overall, the Lions’ schedule is one of the most favorable in the league, with only two true road games against teams that won a playoff game last season. They catch a huge break by missing all of the NFC West heavyweights in the regular season -- the Cardinals are the only team they play from the division."
"While they wouldn’t go head-to-head unless they meet in the postseason, it’s worth noting that in the two years since Mike Macdonald took over as head coach, the Seahawks have allowed 40-plus points to only one team -- the Lions, in a 42-29 home win for Detroit on a Monday night in Week 4 of the 2024 season."
"It’s going to take a better performance from a reworked offensive line for peak Jared Goff to return. If that group jells and they can get a relatively healthy year from Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta, the Lions are built to give even the stoutest defenses fits."
Defense has been Seattle's calling card, but Detroit's offense is the driving force behind their success lately. As Parr aptly points out, should the franchise make any improvements on defense this season, they could quickly become a dangerous team.
"Of course, health is a major concern for the back end of the Lions defense, with Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch coming off injuries. There’s enough talent in the front seven, led by Aidan Hutchinson, to relieve some stress on the secondary, but head coach Dan Campbell has to find a way to get that group into decent shape to avoid more disappointment."
Providing the Lions sort out some issues in the secondary, they could find a way to do damage on two fronts rather than one this year. That could make them extra dangerous to a frontrunner like the Seahawks.
Lions have major schedule advantage on their push to rebound in 2026
While the Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers all rate higher than Detroit on this list, the Lions might have a built-in advantage to boost their roster coming up this season in the form of their schedule.
Arguably, the roughest stretch on that schedule will come around in mid-November, where Detroit will have three games in the span of 11 days including a date with the New England Patriots in Germany. That stretch culminates with a critical Thursday afternoon game against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day.
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Providing the Lions survive that, they could be in-play to win double-digit games and re-stake their claim as kings of the NFC North. Most of the teams the Lions play this season were in last place a year ago. Obviously, many of those teams will improve, but on paper, Detroit should have a chance to win more than the nine games they did last year with a tougher schedule.
The Rams and 49ers play in arguably the toughest division in football against Seattle, and will battle all season long. The Eagles have to deal with an improved NFC East, and there's no telling what their offense will look like this season. These teams could all beat up on each other while the Lions lay in the weeds waiting to pounce in an NFC North that could be hit or miss.
As of now, the Lions still look like a dark horse rather than a favorite to make a run to win the NFC. In spite of that, they are still lurking as a big threat to take down the reigning champions this season.
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