If you're a fan of seeing technology confirm your own biases, especially as it pertains to the Detroit Lions, then ESPN's latest 2026 season simulation is for you.
Seth Walder recently ran multiple simulations to see how the NFL season could play out based on their own Football Power Index (FPI). Walder pulled one simulation out of thousands to write about, and it's one that's sure to make Lions fans very happy.
This one simulation predicts that Aidan Hutchinson will win defensive player of the year, that the Chicago Bears will be a lot worse off than projected, and that the Lions will defeat the vaunted Los Angeles Rams for the NFC title and a Super Bowl berth. Oh, and they'll be taking down the Los Angeles Chargers in the Super Bowl.
Absurd simulation might be too good to ignore for Lions
Of these predictions, Hutchinson winning DPOY over perennial winner Myles Garrett actually seems like the likeliest outcome. Hutchinson is going up against the second-easiest schedule this year, and with added reinforcements along the line this offseason, Hutchinson might not get as many chip blocks or double teams as he received in 2025.
Walder wrote of the Lions' Super Bowl victory in this simulation:
"After a chunk passing play to Jameson Williams, the Lions found themselves in field goal range with plenty of time remaining. They handed the ball to Gibbs several times to inch closer and burn Los Angeles' timeouts. Jake Bates connected on a 42-yard field goal as time expired to win the title."
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Relying on Bates to win the Lions the Super Bowl just gave me a stomach ache, so I'm guessing it gave you a stomach ache to read, too. It's also just very hard to imagine a world where the Chargers are the team to really give Detroit a tough time on a stage this large, and I'd venture to say that a meetup like this would actually very heavily go the Lions way.
A contentious game would be a lot of fun, but this seems like too easy of an opponent for the Lions to be dealing with when they're just four quarters away from finally winning a title.
The other prediction relevant to the Lions here, which is the Bears falling flat on the hype laid out for them this year, also doesn't seem very likely. Caleb Williams will probably be even better than he was in 2025, and a ton more accurate. Their defense remains their biggest concern, but, just like Detroit, their offense might be just potent enough to mask some of those deficiences.
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