As we’ve reached the end of the work week and it’s nearly, truly NFL Week 1, it’s time to really lean into some of our heavier predictions for the Detroit Lions’ 2026 season.
If you ask the public, they seem evenly split about the future of the Lions. Some are convinced they’ll bounce right back and be in the contender conversation. Others think 2025’s 9-8 disappointment was the beginning of the end.
In today’s 2026 NFL prediction, we tackle two topics: What will the Lions’ record be in the regular
season and playoffs — and who wins the NFC North? Let’s tackle them one-by-one.
As always, you can make your own predictions by voting in the polls below each section.
Previous 2026 Detroit Lions predictions:
- Offensive MVP predictions
- Defensive MVP predictions
- Breakout Player of the Year
- Rookie of the Year
Who will win the NFC North?
Anthony Balaj: Detroit Lions
Ultimately they are the most complete team in the division with the most experienced quarterback.
Morgan Cannon: Detroit Lions
After a one-year hiatus from the top, the Lions will reclaim their grip on the NFC North crown. However, I do expect it to be a tight race for most of the regular season. Just like it has been the last several years, including in 2023 and 2024 when the Lions went back-to-back as division champions.
Jeremy Reisman: Detroit Lions
The Packers and Bears have far more questions about their defense than the Lions do, and only Chicago can match Detroit’s offensive performance, in my opinion. The Vikings are the wild card here, as I expect their defense to remain dominant. I’m not a big Kyler Murray believer, so give me the Lions.
Ryan Mathews: Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions will win the NFC North. The Green Bay Packers will not win the NFC North.
Al Karsten: Detroit Lions
The Bears’ defense will prove too vulnerable for their offense to make any real postseason run in a regression season, while the Packers will struggle to keep treading water under Matt LaFleur with one of the worst combined offensive line and cornerback groups in football.
The Vikings’ defensive attrition will keep Brian Flores’ unit from remaining quite elite enough. Their offense should improve under Kyler Murray and a refurbished rushing attack, but Minnesota will hover around .500 while flirting with a Wild Card spot.
Meanwhile, it will be apparent from the starting gun that the Detroit Lions are the most complete, well-coached, and relentless team in the NFC North race. Dan Campbell’s crew will claim its third black-and-blue division crown in four years, but with its sights set on much bigger achievements.
Erik Schlitt: Detroit Lions
Look for a refocused Lions team to take advantage of a friendly schedule in 2026 and prove last year’s struggles are behind them. This team has some injury obstacles to overcome early in the season, but they are still loaded with talent and should be the favorites to win the majority of their games.
John Whiticar: Detroit Lions
I think the Bears are primed for a regression after wildly outperforming their luck last season. The Packers will be competitive as usual, but unless they can find a running game without Josh Jacobs, they will be a one-dimensional offense. The Vikings are a mess on offense, but they still have a great coach leading that defense. It will not be easy for the Lions despite a fourth-place schedule, but I think they have enough talent on both sides of the ball.
Brandon Knapp: Detroit Lions
Easiest schedule in the NFL, a roster that is going to get players back as the season goes on (Isiah Pacheco, Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, Cade Mays) to help strengthen the team, and a new offensive coordinator who can fix the offense is a perfect combo for a winning season. The Bears and Packers have a tougher schedule, but also bigger question marks than the Lions do when it comes to their rosters. While the Vikings schedule is easier than the Bears and Packers, the offense needs to get fixed for them to be a true threat again as the defense can only take them so far.
What will the Lions’ 2026 record be, and how far will they go in the playoffs?
Anthony Balaj: 13-4, Super Bowl
A slight gift of the last place schedule, the Lions earn the 1-seed and home-field advantage through the postseason. Ford Field will be electric as the Lions are Super Bowl bound after defeating the Dallas Cowboys in a shootout.
Morgan Cannon: 12-5, Super Bowl
12-5 and I have them making it to the Super Bowl in Los Angeles. Can someone say storybook year for the likes of Lions quarterback Jared Goff and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.?
Jeremy Reisman: 11-6, NFC Championship game
I believe I’m a bit more skeptical than most when it comes to the Lions’ offensive line. Detroit did their best to improve from last year, but there’s only so much they could’ve done in one offseason. There are going to be a lot of bumps in the way, and that’s going to limit their efficiency early in the season. Conversely, I’m weirdly optimistic about the defense. And by the time the season ends, I wouldn’t be surprised if Detroit is sporting a top-10 unit on both sides of the ball. They ride that to the NFC Championship game, where the competition in the conference is just too challenging for a Super Bowl run.
Ryan Mathews: 11-6, Super Bowl
The Lions will go 11-6 this year, a firm step back in the right direction, returning to the playoffs in the process.
Al Karsten: 13-4, Super Bowl
The Detroit Lions will finish 13-4, securing the No. 2 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs before winning the NFC Championship on the road. From there, Detroit will show that the NFC remains the superior conference by bringing home the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season—and fifth time in the last seven years.
Erik Schlitt: 13-4, NFC Championship game
As is tradition, when the schedule came out, I shared my prediction for the Lions’ season, and I see no reason to move off that spot: give me 13-4 with an NFC North title. I expect the Lions to host at least one playoff game at Ford Field and reach the NFC Championship. From there… well, I don’t want to jinx anything.
John Whiticar: 11-6, Divisional round
I am optimistic about the Lions roster except for one position: cornerback. As good as the rest of the roster could be, they have a glaring weakness at corner, both in terms of starters and depth. The rest of the team should be good enough to carry them through the regular season, but once the playoffs roll around, you need lights-out defensive play. I like the front seven, but the secondary makes me nervous if faced with a deep playoff push.
Brandon Knapp: 13-4, NFC Championship game
13-4. NFC Championship game loss. The Lions take advantage of the weak schedule and win the division and claim the No. 2 seed in the NFC. I see them losing to the Bills, Patriots, and to the Packers and Vikings on the road. The loss to the Vikings is a game they shouldn’t lose, but that defense at home is tough to play. As for the playoffs, I think they lose to the Rams in the NFC title game, but this game isn’t as heartbreaking as the 49ers version. The Rams defensive line will be too much for Detroit’s young front and that will be the difference maker.
Make your prediction for the Lions’ 2026 record here:
