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2024 Detroit Lions Predictions with Odds to Win the Super Bowl

by Ryan Cobbett - 8/1/2024

Detroit Lions predictions Jared Goff

The Detroit Lions were one of the best stories in the NFL from a season ago, as they went on to post a 12-5 record in the regular season before falling just three points short of a Super Bowl appearance. The Lions went 4-2 in division play, sweeping the Vikings while splitting with the Bears and Packers. This team has accelerated their rebuild and are now primed to be competing for the years to come.

Jared Goff was one of the best quarterbacks in the league last season, ranking second in passing yards with 4,575 and fourth in touchdowns with 30 passing touchdowns. Goff did have his two favorite targets, Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta. St. Brown finished third in the NFL in receiving yards as he hauled in 1,515 yards, while he and LaPorta were both in the Top 5 in the league in receiving touchdowns as they have 10 apiece. LaPorta finished with 889 yards, which was the fifth most among tight ends. As a team, the Lions ranked second in the league in passing YPG, fifth in rushing YPG, and fifth in PPG. The ground game was a huge compliment to Goff’s performance, as they nearly had two 1,000-yard rushers. David Montgomery finished with 1,015 yards on the ground and 13 touchdowns, while rookie Jahmyr Gibbs averaged over five yards per carry and totaled 10 touchdowns.

The defense was the weak spot for this team, specifically the secondary. The Lions gave up nearly 250 yards, in the air, per game. The run defense was the complete opposite and was a dominant unit. They finished second in the league, allowing just 88.8 rushing YPG. There are some key pieces on this defense that will continue to develop and round out the defense but there may be no one more exciting than end Aidan Hutchinson. He led the team with 11.5 sacks and was the only one to record more than five. Alex Anzalone led the team with 129 tackles, while rookie linebacker Jack Campbell finished second with 95 and the two linebackers combined for five sacks. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph combined for 156 tackles, 24 pass deflections, and seven interceptions.

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Detroit Lions Key Additions/Losses

The team lost backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, wide receiver Josh Reynolds, and guard Jonah Jackson to free agency. Reynolds may be the biggest piece they have to replace on the offensive side of the ball, as he finished third on the team with 608 receiving yards and five touchdowns. On defense, cornerback Cameron Sutton, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and tackle Benito Jones also departed for new teams.

Detroit did a good job replacing Jackson and will plug guard Kevin Zeitler in the same spot. The Lions then replenished the defensive line by adding tackle D.J. Reader and end Marcus Davenport. They also deepened the secondary by adding cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Amik Robertson.

Detroit Lions New Kids on the Block

If Davis and Robertson weren’t enough, Lions fans should be excited that the team spent their first two picks in the draft on two more cornerbacks. They drafted Terrion Arnold with the 24th overall pick and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second round. Arnold should immediately fall in as CB1, while Rakestraw Jr., Davis, and Robertson make this group much improved than last years.

Detroit used the rest of their selections to add depth. They drafted offensive linemen Christian Mahogany and Giovanni Manu while adding Mekhi Wingo to the defensive line room. Wingo is an exciting development piece to keep an eye on going forward as he has the size to play on the interior and the speed to compete on the edge.

Detroit Lions X-Factors

Jared Goff- Goff may have finally earned his spot in the conversation of league’s best quarterbacks. Last season was the fourth season of his career, and second in Detroit, where he recorded over 4,000 passing yards. His 30 touchdowns were also the second most in his career. With a solid offense around him, another big year from Goff and the Lions will be in route to another deep playoff run.

The Secondary- The Lions did a phenomenal job strengthening their weak spot from last season. If this group plays well, they could give Detroit one of if not the best defense in the league this season. Their division is full of questionable quarterbacks, which will help. If Arnold can live up to the hype, this Lions defense will be ridiculously dominant.

Detroit Lions Notable Odds

Super Bowl Winner: +1200

NFC Champion: +550

NFC North Winner: +140

NFL MVP- Jared Goff: +2500

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year- Terrion Arnold: +1200

Detroit Lions Schedule Breakdown

Predicted Win Total: 10.5 Games

Going undefeated in division play is not unreasonable to predict for this Lions team. The Packers are going to be better than last year, and Lambeau Field is not an easy place to play. However, if the Lions can go at least 5-1 in division play, the over win total seems highly likely. They could also start the year 4-0, as they host Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, and Seattle with a road trip to Arizona in the first four weeks of the season, not a bad tune up. Right after the Bye Week they head to Dallas, which could work in their favor thanks to the Bye. In total, there are 10 games that can be considered wins or at least winnable. This means the Lions would have to go 1-6 in the other games, and that is not likely to happen.

Detroit Lions Predictions

I think the Lions could be the best team in the NFC, and maybe even the entire league. The offense didn’t change much and should be just as good, while the defense improved big time. The over on their win total is a solid choice thanks to their start to the season and favorable home matchups. Jared Goff as an MVP candidate is not a sentence I thought I would ever put together. However, at +2500, there is tremendous value for a guy who finished at the top of league in multiple categories last season. Football is just more fun when these guys are good.

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