SI Has Three Encouraging Bold 2026 Predictions For Detroit Lions Season

The Detroit Lions are a team that many pundits believe has a realistic opportunity to turn around their fortunes quickly. In fact, several pundits believe Dan Campbell's squad will be among the team's in 2026 that go from worst to first.

In a recent piece revealing 100 bold NFL predictions for the upcoming 2026 NFL season, Sports Illustrated NFL writer Conor Orr included three encouraging projections for Campbell's squad.

First, Orr believes that when the season concludes, the Lions will be the winner of the NFC North.

"One of the most underrated aspects of a team’s schedule, in my opinion, is the runway with which to build momentum. That momentum overpowers the basic fact that many of those wins were against opponents that the team should have beaten," writes Orr. "Those wins create a false confidence those teams carry with them into more neutral matchups or matchups in which a team should be considered an underdog.

"I love the beginning of the Lions’ slate, even if Detroit has all of its road divisional games over the final weeks of the season. My thought: If the Lions can bank four wins from their opening stretch against the Saints, Bills, Jets, Panthers and Cardinals, they will be in a much better position to lose ground later in the season in Green Bay or Chicago."

Additional Lions Insider Analysis: Updated Depth Chart After First Week of 2026 OTAs

As a result of a 9-8 season and finishing in last place in the division in 2025, Detroit will now play a fourth-place schedule this season, giving many hope the team will rack up a significant amount of victories.

Orr believes the Lions will end up leading the NFL in regular-season victories, following an 18-week season.

"More accolades for the Lions, who have one of my favorite stats from the 2025 season: Despite finishing last in the NFC North and undergoing a midseason offensive coordinator change, the Lions had a plus-68 point differential," Orr highlights. "That was better than seven teams that made the playoffs."

Despite the front office revamping the offensive line further this offseason, there are very high expectations for the offense, led by offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and quarterback Jared Goff.

Orr's final bold predictions has the Lions scoring the most points of any team in the league.

"The Lions, who are admittedly a big winner in this year’s 100 bold predictions," Orr writes. "Detroit had an abysmal schedule and a coordinator who needed to be replaced mid-stream, yet still scored just two fewer points per game than the Rams and totaled roughly 400 fewer yards. The indicators are there."

For more comprehensive Detroit Lions coverage and NFL insider analysis, follow us on X, @detroitpodcast, head on over to our Facebook page and give it a like, follow us on TikTok, subscribe to the Detroit Lions On SI Lone Wolves YouTube Channel.

Add us as a preferred source on Google