Less than two weeks from now, millions of football fans will be gazing upon the "Octobox" in their seven hours of nonstop football goodness on NFL RedZone.
To celebrate the upcoming return of football, NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson made an appearance during the premiere of John Fanta's new NBC Sports series "Fanta in 60." During his interview, Hanson expressed some high hopes for the Detroit Lions in 2026.
Hanson was asked which team people are sleeping on this season. Hanson hesitated, not sure if his pick even qualified as a sleeper, but went with the Lions, pointing to their "middle third" placement in Super Bowl odds.
"I think that Super Bowl window is still open, and you give Jahmyr Gibbs no -- or limited competition in the backfield and turn him loose for three downs. Jared Goff still playing, Amon-Ra (St. Brown) an elite wide receiver, the defense has gotten little pieces to get better. We know Dan Campbell can motivate the troops. Detroit Lions could be a sneaky team to make a run in the NFC."
Hanson is right that the Lions are being underrated a bit, and that their Super Bowl window is still open. They have a strong core, with nearly all of them locked into long term deals. That includes Gibbs with his new extension and newfound status as the "bell cow" of the Lions' run game. Gibbs has been a common prediction among analysts for Offensive Player of the Year, with some going as far as saying Gibbs could win MVP.
"Jared Goff is still playing" is hilarious taken as a direct quote, but what Hanson almost certainly meant was that Goff is still playing at a very high level, coming off three consecutive seasons throwing over 4,500+ passing yards and 30+ passing touchdowns. Goff still has St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta to throw to, and WR Jameson Williams has been turning heads all offseason with his highlight reel catches.
Their roster as a whole is among the youngest in the league and will benefit from a fourth place schedule. They've remade the offensive line, and the run defense looked fantastic in the preseason, allowing only 55.33 rushing yards per game, including 69 rushing yards total in the final two games.
The ingredients are there for a strong, bounce back, Lions season. However, the games still need to be played. The NFL is a tough league to predict, especially the Super Bowl, but Hanson isn't shy about who he wants to see in Super Bowl LXI this season.
Hanson shares the Super Bowl dreams of many football fans
After giving his sleeper pick answer, Fanta asked Hanson which two teams will meet in the Super Bowl. Hanson quickly brought up the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX, and how no one seriously predicted it entering last season.
It's why Hanson chose to not make a formal prediction. Instead, Hanson shared the matchup he "would like to see just as a football junkie, as a football fan." Hanson first named the Buffalo Bills and then the Lions, saying, "Two of the most starving fanbases in football, head-to-head, Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles. Bring that on."
READ MORE: 3 encouraging signs from the Lions preseason that should have fans excited
The Lions and Bills last met in Week 15 of the 2024 season in a thrilling 42-48 loss that saw the Lions fall just short of an epic comeback win. Goff matched eventual MVP Josh Allen stride for stride with five touchdown passes to Allen's four total touchdowns. That loss snapped an 11-game Lions' winning streak, giving them their second and final loss of the regular season.
We won't have to wait long to see a Lions and Bills rematch. They're set to play Week 2, but you won't be able to watch it on NFL RedZone. The two will meet on Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime to formally open the Bills' new Highmark Stadium on September 17.
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