Las Vegas is showing some love for the Detroit Lions, the organization that hasn’t won a playoff game since the 1991 season.
According to Caesars Sportsbook, the Lions sit at +3000 to win the Super Bowl — the ninth-highest odds in the league. The Chiefs are the favorites to repeat at +550.
The Lions, who finished with a 9-8 record but missed the playoffs, have better odds to win the Super Bowl than 2022 playoff teams Miami, Baltimore and Minnesota.
It truly is the end of days.
The Lions are riding high after the team’s first winning season since 2017. They are also coming off a “Hard Knocks” appearance and have a soundbite machine in head coach Dan Campbell.
The team returns most of its starters and has ample cap space and two first-round picks, helping to set expectations high. There are also plenty of questions in the NFC North, where Aaron Rodgers appears to be done in Green Bay, division winner Minnesota is over the cap and Chicago was the worst team in the league in 2022.
With a few key additions, many believe the Lions can take a jump in 2023 and not only make the playoffs but compete for a Super Bowl berth.
But they won’t be fighting just the other teams in the league. They also will be fighting history.
As one of the league’s more inept organizations, the Lions simply winning a playoff game would be a major accomplishment. The last time they did it, George H.W. Bush was president.
Although the team finished strongly in 2022, it still has holes.
The Lions allowed more yards per game than any other team in the league, surrendering nearly 400 a game, and allowed 25.1 points per game (28th). The defense must be addressed if the Lions expect to live up to Las Vegas’ expectations.
The Lions have $13 million in cap space and could increase that figure with a few key cuts. That could make them a player for free agents such as defensive back James Bradberry (Eagles) or defensive tackle Daron Payne (Commanders).
Either of those additions could go a long way to improve the league-worst defense. Detroit has the sixth and 18th selections in the first round of the NFL Draft.
If the Lions become a middle-of-the-pack team in defensive stats and the offense repeats its third-best performance of 2022, Detroit could end its playoff drought.
