Copyright M Live Michigan
The midway point in the NFL regular season is fast approaching and the Detroit Lions are among the top teams in the league with a 5-2 record heading into Week 9. The Lions were among the Super Bowl favorites going into the season and despite losses to the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs, coach Dan Campbell’s squad is second among current Super Bowl odds at numerous sports books, including FanDuel and DraftKings. According to BetMGM, the Lions are +600 to win the Super Bowl after opening the season at +850. The only team with stronger odds to reach the pinnacle of football this season are the Chiefs, who are sitting around +450, currently with a 5-3 record. Despite Detroit’s season-opening loss to the Packers and the NFC North rival’s 5-1-1 record, the Lions have edged them out according to the oddsmakers. Green Bay is +700 to win the Super Bowl according to odds from DraftKings and BetMGM. Even though the Lions have equaled last year’s regular-season loss total with 10 games to go, there’s plenty of reason to be positive on the squad. They’ve bounced back with big victories the week after their losses, the team ranks 3rd in scoring in the NFL and 11th in scoring defense despite dealing with a litany of injuries, particularly to its secondary. It’s no easy path to even get into the postseason for the Lions. Their schedule ranks as the 12th-toughest in the league with highlight games against the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2), Los Angeles Rams (5-2), Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) and a rematch with the Packers. But with five games against current sub-.500 teams — including two matchups with the Minnesota Vikings — the Lions should have some opportunities to bolster their win total and set themselves up for a postseason run. The Lions have yet to make a Super Bowl appearances in franchise history, one of four teams alongside the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns to never do so. They’ve made a pair of NFC Championship appearances in 1991 and most recently in 2023.
