The Detroit Lions got out to a 7-4 start in 2025 and were in a solid position to capture the NFC North title for the third year in a row. A 2-4 slip to end the season not only pushed the Lions out of the division race, but it also pushed them out of the playoffs entirely.
One year after going 15-2 and earning the NFC's top playoff seed, the Lions were suddenly out of the playoffs entirely, proving just how tough it is to win consistently in this league. What does stick out, though, and benefits Detroit, is just how strong this roster is and how stable head coach Dan Campbell has been during his tenure.
His tenure did get off to a rocky start, but an improbable bounce-back in 2022 has been the catalyst for this new era. Jared Goff also continues to churn out hyper-efficient seasons and is a lot better than people give him credit for. As a whole, this team isn't missing much of anything for a potential Super Bowl push in 2026, but the latest predictions continue to doubt the Lions.
Detroit Lions only predicted to go 10-7 in the 2026 season
Moe Moton, in Bleacher Report, isn't exactly that high on the Lions for 2026, only predicting the team to go 10-7:
"After winning a franchise-record 15 games in 2024, the Detroit Lions came back to earth with new offensive and defensive coordinators in an up-and-down 2025 season.
The Lions aren't going back to their dark years, though. They addressed their biggest coaching question mark by hiring Drew Petzing to fill the offensive coordinator vacancy.
Midway through the previous campaign, head coach Dan Campbell took play-calling duties from John Morton, who's no longer on the coaching staff. Petzing has a solid resume in terms of designing a productive run game, which bodes well for Jahmyr Gibbs and Isiah Pacheco in the backfield.
Petzing fielded the fourth- and seventh-ranked rushing offenses with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 and 2024. In the first of those two years, Kyler Murray only rushed for 244 yards. James Conner eclipsed 1,000 yards in both of those seasons. The Lions can re-establish a physical offensive attack to match their hard-nosed team identity.
Defensively, Detroit should be more resistant against aerial attacks with Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph healthy. The All-Pro-Pro Bowl safety duo missed 16 games combined last season.
The Lions get back to double-digit wins and the playoffs in the upcoming campaign."
Moton's argument here actually makes it seem like the Lions are going to return to juggernaut status in 2025. To be honest, the change at offensive coordinator from John Morton to Drew Petzing is significant, but with how talented the unit is, it can't be that heavy a lift to field an efficient unit.
Detroit ranked 4th in the NFL in points per game in 2025, 1st in 2024, and 5th in 2023. This unit has established itself - the floor is extremely high, as it's almost impossible for this unit to not be top-10 in scoring given how talented it is.
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The main point of emphasis heading into 2026 is the defense. This unit has struggled to stay on the field in recent years, and as Moton notes, two of the Lions best defenders missed a combined 16 games in 2025. However, the talent on this side of the ball is also undeniable.
General Manager Brad Holmes addressed the defensive line with DJ Wonnum in free agency and Derrick Moore in the 2026 NFL Draft. The secondary also saw new additions like Roger McCreary, Chuck Clark, and an NFL Draft heist in Keith Abney II.
What has made the Lions so good in recent years is Holmes' ability to go out and deliberately address positions of need - when there's a roster issue, Holmes addresses it. Unfortunately for the Lions, the issues the last two seasons have gone beyond roster holes.
Regressing to the mean with the injury bug is likely for Detroit in 2026 - teams don't stay injured year after year, and given how good this team was in the previous two seasons - a combined 27 regular season victories over 2023 and 2024, there's no reason to believe that this team won't again easily eclipse double-digit wins.
Sure, 2025's second-half collapse could still leave a bad taste in your mouth, but what can't be denied is the top-tier roster and being strong at the most important positions. A 10-7 record prediction that also would include a playoff appearance seems fair, but this team has the talent, coaching, and recent history to make that prediction seem off the mark.
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