Analysts offers a very exciting assessment about Lions heading into 2026

The Detroit Lions had a disappointing 2025 season due to the fact that they didn't make the postseason, and that has left some with a sour taste in their mouth as the year wraps up.

While it's been enjoyable to watch the Lions compete in the playoffs and have fantastic regular season finishes the last few years, the franchise will have to take a hard look in the mirror in order to reset themselves for a stronger push next year.

How much of a reset is needed? Perhaps not much at all when looking deeper at statistics. Aaron Schatz revealed a very telling fact about the team centered around DVOA, or Defense-adjusted Value Over Average. It finds that the Lions have good company on the list with three teams that would end up in the Super Bowl the next season after average finishes the year before.

Outside of statistics, there's a belief amongst those who watch football closely that the Lions will be alright in 2026. As Brett Kollmann tweeted in response to a fan lamenting Detroit coming up short in the NFC Championship a few years ago, he feels like the Lions will be fine next year.

In Kolmann's mind, the Lions simply need to get back to being more proficient on fourth-down in order to flip the script and find a few more critical wins next year.

While there is a lot for the Lions to tighten up and key roster questions to answer, the fact is, the franchise has been close in all their losses this season and have excelled in many wins. There's major things to decide on both sides of the ball, but the ingredients could be there for a resurgence assuming a few things are sorted out.

It might not mean much right now, but once the offseason begins in just over another month, there could be ample reasons for fans not to panic about a frustrating end to the season.

Dan Campbell not ready to think about offseason or 2026 just yet

While many fans have already mentally moved on and aren't thinking of the largely meaningless season finale against the Chicago Bears, the fact remains that the Lions still have to finish the year, and the opportunity exists to end the season on a very strong note.

Much like the Lions blasted into the 2023 offseason with a big win over the Green Bay Packers, the chance exists to send the rival Bears into the playoffs on a two game losing streak with cracked confidence and sweep the season series.

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Campbell has had thoughts about the offseason, but isn't allowing that to cloud his preparation for the season finale against Chicago, which he feels is very important to set a tone for next year.

"I think there's things that you can't help but think about that go through my mind a little bit, but at the same token, I know we have one more. I owe it to these guys to be locked in for another game here because it's not fair to go out there and say that we're going to do everything we can to prepare to win, but we're not really doing that. Then we shouldn't even go out there. So I'm not there yet. There's things that have crossed my mind, but I'm so far from all that."

Once the offseason begins, the Lions will have a chance to answer the critical questions. While frustration has been rampant, there might be hope simply because the calendar is turning to a new year.