Oddsmakers Make Bold Prediction About Lions 2020 Record

Wes Hills

Getty Wes Hills celebrates a touchdown for the Lions.

The Detroit Lions are pushing toward and important offseason in 2020 in order to set themselves up for a successful season.

Just how successful will that season be when all is said and done? Nobody knows at this point, but some guesses are being made and some bets are being hedged as it relates to what the Lions can do next season.

Detroit hasn’t been pegged for a big year, with their expected win total hovering right around 6.5 games. Interestingly, though, that’s a total that people might like to look at and be bullish on regarding futures. As a Pro Football Focus piece by Eric Eager explained, folks could look favorably on the Lions win line next season

In a piece detailing favorable over and under win totals for 2020, the Lions total was mentioned with the caveat people should look at the team going over 6.5 wins. That’s notable, as most wouldn’t think twice about betting against the Lions to go under that amount of wins.

Obviously, the reasoning behind this has to do with improvements the team could make, as well as getting the squad healthy for 2020. The Lions should be able to do all of that, and should be primed for a bounce back season as a result.

Perhaps folks are gun shy about betting on the Lions, but it might make a decent amount of sense.


Lions 2020 Record Odds

According to the oddsmakers, there is a chance at some modest improvement for the Lions next season, but not the kind that would get many people very fired up whatsoever. An early look at some of the odds for next season shows the Lions expected to improve upon their 3-12-1 record, but not in the way most people probably expect.

To not see anyone hyping the Lions chances in 2020 is not a surprise. The team has been inconsistent at best under Matt Patricia, and it seems to be a safe bet to say the Lions won’t achieve more than 6 victories for folks in Las Vegas right now.

Even such, the chance does exist for a turnaround considering the health of the team and offseason replacements that can be made in terms of personnel. If that’s the case, dedicated folks could stand to cash in if they believe the Lion will indeed be better than this projection.

At this point, though, there isn’t much excitement about the Lions being anything other than close to a last place team.


Lions 2020 Playoff Hopes

Detroit started the 2019 season in decent enough shape at 2-0-1, but things took a turn after that point. Injuries piled up across the roster, and Detroit lost quarterback Matthew Stafford for an elongated amount of time to a back injury. The Lions never hit their stride and lost plenty of close games through the middle of the season as their roster got worse and worse hit with the injury bug.

The struggles of the team to stay healthy certainly does little to excuse the inconsistent play of the team’s defense. Offensively, the Lions looked to be heading for a solid season under Darrell Bevell until the bottom fell out. The defense was a wreck from start to finish, however, and that could be the side of the ball that needs the most turnover if the Lions are to be contenders.

Another big question was who will be coaching the Lions in 2020. While many questioned whether Matt Patricia would come back or not, the team revealed his return, meaning it will be Patricia leading his team into these games in 2020.

Perhaps that leads to some of the low win total expectations.


Lions Schedule Difficulty

The Lions have been no stranger to playing a last place schedule lately. Just this season it happened for the team after they went 6-10 in 2018. Prior to that, the Lions had played a much better schedule given their higher finish from 2017, but were not able to capitalize. Detroit has found life just as difficult with an easier schedule, and will once again have that to deal with in 2020.

An easier schedule hasn’t led to great results before, but in 2020, the Lions might quietly be primed for a nice rebound.

READ NEXT: Lions Reportedly Working Extension With Best Defender