RANT SPORTS – Only a handful of regular season games remain on the 2024 National Football League (NFL) schedule, meaning the race to finish in a playoff berth is heating up. Detroit Lions fans can go into the final three games knowing that their beloved team has locked up a playoff spot, regardless of how things pan out.
Indeed, the Lions were the first NFC team to clinch a playoff spot after their 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 14, which left them with a 12-1 record. Can Dan Campbell guide his purring lions to Super Bowl glory and end the second-longest NFL drought?
The Detroit Lions have won four NFL championships, but they all pre-date the Super Bowl’s existence. The last of those titles came in 1957, giving the Lions the second-longest NFL championship drought behind the Arizona Cardinals. They are one of only four teams to have never played in the Super Bowl and have only won three post-season games since 1957. So why are the Detroit Lions favorites to win Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans?
A Poor Start to Life in Detroit for Dan Campbell
Dan Campbell took over as the Detroit Lions head coach in 2021, and it is fair to say that life in Detroit did not start well for the former Lions tight end. The 2021 season was the Lions’ first without star quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. While Stafford and the Rams went on to enjoy Super Bowl glory, the Lions slumped to a 3-13-1 record after starting the season 0-10-1.
The following season, Campbell’s Lions faltered to a 1-6 start, resulting in many Lions fans calling for Campbell’s head. However, the Lions had a mid-season turnaround, winning eight of their next ten games to finish the season with a 9-8 record. They missed the playoffs in the season’s final game, thanks to the Seattle Seahawks winning and having a better tiebreaker over the Lions.
Something clicked in 2023. The marauding Lons raced to an 8-2 start, their best since 1962. They finished with a 12-5 record, tying the franchise record for most regular season victories. The Lions then won their first playoff game since 1991 and navigated to the NFC Championship Game, where the San Francisco 49ers awaited them. Unfortunately, the Lions surrendered a 24-7 halftime lead, eventually losing 31-34. Campbell took some heat in the media for his overly aggressive play-calling, but the Lions had shown they could play football with the best of them.
The Roaring 2024 Lions Fear Nobody
The 2024 Detroit Lions fear nobody. They started the campaign with a 26-20 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams before slipping up 16-20 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since that defeat, the Lions have won 11 consecutive games.
Detroit has beaten the Seattle Seahawks 42-29, the Dallas Cowboys 47-9, the Tennessee Titans 52-14, and the Jacksonville Jaguars 52-6. Campbell and his coaching staff have created a team with a scintillating offense and a tight defense, a deadly combination on the football field.
Although the Lions rank 23rd in the league for passing yards allowed, they are eighth for passing yards allowed per attempt. They are fourth in the league for interceptions (14) and fifth for rushing yards allowed (1,221). Offensively, the Lions rank seventh for passing yards (3,354), third for passing yards per attempt (8.5), and fifth for passing touchdowns (27). It is worth noting that the Lions are the NFL’s highest-scoring team, averaging 32.1 points per game. Everything has come together at the right time for Campbell and his Lions.
Standout Players of the Lions’ 2024 Campaign
It is challenging to single out one or two players from a team that would run through brick walls for each other. That said, a handful of offensive and defensive players stand head and shoulders above the rest.
This season, Jared Goff has been superb for Detroit, showing how a top-tier quarterback can perform when his offensive line protects him. Through 13 regular season games, Goff has completed a career-high 72.4% of his 381 passing attempts, throwing 3,265 yards and 25 touchdowns. Goff is on course for his third passer rating of over 100; he is currently at a career-best 109.1.
Amon-Ra St. Brown has been Goff’s go-to wide receiver, catching 81 of 98 targets for 863 yards and nine touchdowns. Jameson Williams has also contributed 710 yards and four touchdowns.
The Lions’ rushing game has also been elite. Jahmyr Gibbs enjoyed an excellent rookie season but has already surpassed his rushing yards total with four games to spare. Currently, the 12th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft has 1,016 yards and ten touchdowns, while seasoned pro David Montgomery has 771 yards and 12 touchdowns, although his MCL injury could dampen the spirits around town.
Young linebacker Jack Campbell finished with 95 tackles during his rookie season in 2023 and already has 98 in 2024. Safety Kirby Joseph, now in his third professional season, has seven interceptions, the joint-best in the entire league.
Can the Detroit Lions Go All The Way?
The Detroit Lions (12-2) are currently the NFC’s number-one seed, narrowly ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles (12-2). Campbell could be forgiven for taking his foot off the gas and resting key players for a playoff run. However, he can ill-afford to do so because the Lions have some problematic fixtures to round off the regular season.
They then travel to the Chicago Bears (4-9) and the San Francisco 49ers (6-8) before inviting the Minnesota Vikings (11-2) to their Ford Field home.
Until last season, there was always a question mark about the Lions in the playoffs, but not anymore. Campbell and his talented roster will have learned from their demoralizing defeat in the NFC Championship Game and will not repeat the same mistakes.
Everything points to the Lions reaching their first-ever Super Bowl. If they do make it to New Orleans, it would take a brave person to bet against them lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time in their history.