The Detroit Lions have seen plenty of record predictions get thrown out this offseason, but with training camp underway, have expectations changed for the team?
Most folks still believe the Lions are on track for a decent bounce-back season, and see the team as one of the better potential growth stories in the league. Though that is the case, most do still acknowledge the problems the team has.
As a result of that, the Lions are still seen as a good bet to finish under the .500 mark. But, perhaps not by much at all.
Recently, Bleacher Report took a look at updating some 2022 projections, and they still see the Lions as a team that will struggle this season. Writer Ian Wharton took a look at discussing how he thinks the team will perform and why.
As Wharton wrote, he thinks the offense will improve and the defense has some pieces, but thinks the group still has a “lack of back-seven talent.”
“This season will be another one of growth for the Lions, but their lack of experience and defensive stars will lead to close losses against better teams,” Wharton writes in the piece.
The site then predicts the Lions to go 7-9 in 2022. That would represent a full four game turnaround from the three win year the Lions endured in 2021. In the end, it wouldn’t be that bad a year.
Detroit’s Start Holds Key to Season
As it was revealed pre-schedule release, the Lions won’t be traveling many miles this season. The team will play at home three out of the first four weeks of the season.
Detroit starts with Philadelphia and Washington at home before hitting the road to take on a Minnesota team they narrowly lost to on the road in 2021. Then, they come back home to take on a changed Seattle team that has seen some reconstruction this offseason. The Commanders aren’t trending toward being one of the best teams in the league, and whether the Eagles look as good as they did 2021 is anyone’s guess. That’s a very friendly way to start the year for Detroit.
On paper, there is a good shot for the Lions to start out 3-1, or at the very least 2-2 with this home-friendly setup. The playoffs or a division title can’t be attained in the first four weeks, but a team can certainly play their way out of contention with a tough start and create some quick doubts about their season. If the Lions start hot, they could also finish strong with games against the Jets, Jaguars, Panthers and Bears.
This year, it is setting up well for the Lions to get off to a much better start and perhaps get themselves on some radars nationally. If they do that, they might finish better than 7-9.
How an Ideal Season Looks for Lions
If the Lions are able to double or even triple their win total from 2021, that would have to be seen as a huge win for the franchise at this stage of their rebuild. The team has struggled to win games in the last few years, and the fact that the Lions scratched out a 3-13-1 record in a lost season is notable for 2021.
This year, it feels as if the Lions could grab seven or eight wins at best, which could leave them in playoff contention. That would be a big turnaround based on what the recent past has looked like, and could leave the Lions in good shape smack dab in the middle of their rebuild.
At this point, that still is seen as the most likely outcome by many pundits. This kind of year would represent a great start for the franchise amid their ongoing rebuild.
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