The Detroit Lions in 2023 and 2024 won the NFC North title. In 2025, things were a little different for Detroit. They finished with a 9-8 record and missed the playoffs. The Lions finished in last place in the division, and it was a very good division. The Chicago Bears won the division with a 11-6 record.
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Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) passes the ball against the Chicago Bears during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Lions finished with a 2-4 record in division play last season. Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator in ’23 and in ’24, but he became the Bears head coach. It will be interesting to see how Detroit will bounce back in 2026. They are going to still be one of the teams int the NFC to be predicted to make the playoffs next season. It all starts with head coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff.
PFF Believes That the Detroit Lions Have the Best Chance To Go From Worst to First In 2026
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Jan 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears defensive end Grady Jarrett (50) and defensive end Montez Sweat (98) sack Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Zoltan Buday of profootballfocus.com wrote about the eight teams who finished in last place in their respective divisions this past season. He feels like Detroit has the best chance to go from worst to first for the 2026 NFL season. Buday said about the Lions,
“The Lions simply have too much talent on their roster not to compete for the NFC North. However, staying healthy has been a recurring issue over the past two seasons, particularly on defense.
Defensive backs D.J. Reed, Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph and Terrion Arnold — all projected starters — were on the field for an average of just 44% of Detroit’s defensive snaps, with none of them playing more than 746 of the Lions’ 1,104 snaps on that side of the ball.
Offensively, the Lions still boast elite playmakers. Amon-Ra St. Brown’s 90.7 PFF grade ranked third among wide receivers, while Jahmyr Gibbs placed sixth among running backs with an 85.6 mark. Jameson Williams finished among the top 40 wide receivers for the second straight season, and a healthy Sam LaPorta at tight end would provide an additional boost.
The biggest concern for the offense in 2025 was the offensive line, but Penei Sewell remains arguably the best lineman in football, and Detroit has every reason to believe its young guard duo of Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge will take a step forward in 2026.”
Getting swept by the Green Bay Packers did not hurt Detroit last season. Losing to the Minnesota Vikings twice is what hurt the Lions chances of making the playoffs. The offense will need to be more consistent. Drew Pezting is the new offensive coordinator for the Lions. It would be a surprise to see them miss the playoffs again in 2026. It also wouldn’t be a surprise to overtake Chicago for first place in the NFC North next season as well.
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