Bettors Picking Lions to Win NFC North in 2022
From last place in the NFC North to division champs: Could it be the story of the Detroit Lions in 2022?
It's a tall task to ask of the Lions, after they went a dismal 3-13-1 a year ago in Dan Campbell's first season patrolling the sidelines.
It also looks like Detroit is much more of a seven-win team than a division winner, going into the '22 campaign.
However, the Campbell-led Lions have become the most popular team among bettors to capture the NFC North division crown, according to BetMGM.
While Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers enter the season as a -175 favorite to win the North (the third-highest odds of any team to win its division), over 61 percent of bettors are picking the Lions to make the jump from last place to first place. Detroit, by the way, presently has +900 odds to win the NFC North, per BetMGM.
If the Lions were to make such a jump, it would take the team making improvements on both sides of the ball, and it would take a more complete season from starting signal-caller Jared Goff.
Kirthmon F. Dozier, USA TODAY NETWORK
Goff, who is entering his second season in Detroit, recorded just 19 passing touchdowns and 3,245 yards in 2021, to go along with a 91.5 passer rating. He also threw eight interceptions.
The former Los Angeles Rams passer will need to be much more consistently productive in order for Detroit to have any shot at winning its division this upcoming season.
And, if the Lions were able to pull off the feat, you'd have to believe that Campbell would be among the favorites to win the AP NFL Coach of the Year award.
Now, let's take a look at the favorites to win the other divisions, per SI Sportsbook.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: +110
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -350
NFC West
L.A. Rams: +120
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: -225
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: +175
AFC South
Indianapolis Colts: -110
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs: +150
