Why Lions Believe 2025 Team Could Be Better Than 15-2 Squad

Dan Campbell prepared his team for ups and downs of 2025 season.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks with quarterback Jared Goff (16) in the third quarter against the Vikings | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have been prepared to weather the storms that come throughout the course of a season.

Dan Campbell, speaking to reporters prior to practice on Friday, was asked the last time it felt like the team was operating in the shadows.

Since losing to the Minnesota Vikings, a team many expected Detroit to defeat easily, there has been growing doubt the team may not be able to meet their lofty goals.

The trade deadline occurred after the loss, so many supporters and pundits felt the team would make up for any deficiencies by making trades at the deadline.

Unfortunately, Detroit did not significantly upgrade the talent along the offensive line via trades, opting instead to sign several offensive linemen to their practice squad.

“I know where that’s going, but I think more importantly – this does not surprise me," said Campbell. "This does not surprise me because I told the team before it started - the reality is when you win 15 games and you only lose two in a season, then boy. It’s going to be looked at differently when you lose a game. And surely if you lose more than two games, you only last two last year, so you lose three, ‘What’s going on?’ So, I told our guys to be ready for that.

"Hell, ‘There’s a chance we may lose more than two games this year, guys.’ And that doesn’t mean anything. We could be a better team. By the end of the year, you’re a better team than you were with 15-2. And I don’t know what that record is, but that’s a real thing. I think that’s going to happen.”

Last season, Detroit was the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC, putting a target directly on them. No longer are they a franchise under the radar. Instead, each week, other team's are looking to make a statement by defeating Campbell's squad.

With growing doubbt, their is now a perception Detroit is a hunter, instead of being the hunted.

“I know, I kind of like it though. Nobody likes the – it’s good to be a little bit of an afterthought again. It’s nice," said Campbell. "It’s like, ‘Hey man, all good.’ There are some teams playing some good football, and we’re whatever, and that’s all good, man. This is good. We’ll just go about our business over in the corner and get our stuff right and come out humming. So, it’s good.”