DETROIT – The Detroit Lions won their seventh game in a row on Sunday night, and this one was by far the most improbable of them all.
The Lions turned the ball over five times, averaged 3.3 yards per carry, gave up 61 penalty yards, trailed by 16 points and still -- still -- found a way to survive.
It’s starting to feel like this is a team of destiny.
Even more impressive than Detroit’s winning streak is the work it has done on the road. Over the past five games, the Lions have gone into Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay, and Houston and come away with four victories.
The Cowboys are falling apart, but at the time of their game against Detroit, they were 3-2 with a healthy Dak Prescott. Essentially, the Lions beat four playoff contenders on the road in the span of a month.
So here we are, more than halfway through the regular season, and the Lions are 8-1. And the schedule is going to get quite a bit more forgiving.
It’s hard not to start thinking about what that win total might look like by the beginning of January.
Remaining schedule
The Lions have already beaten five teams with .500 or better records, including the 7-2 Vikings, the 6-3 Packers, and the 6-4 Cardinals and Texans.
Now, they‘re entering a stretch where they’ll play three losing teams in a row: the 2-8 Jaguars, the 4-6 Colts, and the 4-5 Bears. Three of their four toughest remaining games -- Green Bay, Buffalo, and Minnesota -- are at Ford Field.
The week 17 return to San Francisco will be a challenge, and the Bears are always pesky in Chicago. But it really feels like the schedule is setting up for the Lions to post a big number.
Race for No. 1 seed
What‘s really important for the Lions isn’t actually their win total. It’s where they stand in the NFC.
Right now, they’re in great position for the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. But that race is far from over.
The Vikings and Eagles are both one game behind the Lions at 7-2, and the Commanders and Packers have three losses apiece. There don’t seem to be any real contenders beyond those five.
Even the 49ers, who are sure to factor into the NFC equation when the postseason arrives, are unlikely to be the top seed in the conference. They’re already at four losses, and even if they win out, the Lions might not finish with that many.
Detroit has head-to-head wins over the Packers and Vikings, so beating those teams in the home rematches would pretty much knock them out of the race.
That leaves the Eagles and Commanders. Fortunately for the Lions, those two have both head-to-head meetings remaining, which means they can’t both win out. Philadelphia also has to play at the Rams and Ravens.
Super Bowl talk
The Lions were talking Super Bowl on the very first day of training camp, and so far, they’ve done nothing but back it up on the field.
Alongside the Chiefs, Bills, and a few others, the Lions are among the top championship contenders in the league.
Last year, they came one play away from the Super Bowl after a 12-5 season. This year, they should enter the playoffs in an even better position.
