Getty Lions fans show their frustration in Detroit.
The Detroit Lions aren’t being projected for a good season in 2021, but the law of averages says they should be able to win at least a few games no matter how difficult their schedule.
Interestingly enough, the oddsmakers might not agree with that. A fresh look at some odds for games during the 2021 NFL season was recently presented, and to say the Lions aren’t projected for good things would be a considerable understatement.
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Recently, MGM revealed their look at some odds for the 2021 season game by game, and the Lions aren’t favored in a single contest. That’s a perfect 0-17 in terms of predictions for the team heading into every single week of next season on the field, ensuring the team will head into the year as underdogs in the biggest possible way.
On the flip side of things, the Lions have been favored in games before and not pulled out wins, so this fact isn’t exactly the end of the world for the team. The Lions will come into the season without much fanfare and will have a chance to sneak up on some teams that might overlook them thanks to factoids like this.
Let the overlooking commence, because it’s clear the Lions aren’t going to be anyone’s favorites in any game they play this coming season.
Lions Called ‘Overlooked’ Into 2021
While some believe the Lions are heading for bad things, others are reminding folks not to ignore Detroit so easily in terms of teams that could make a big splash during 2021 on the field.
Bleacher Report writer Chris Roling recently put together a list of teams who could surprise folks during the 2021 season because they’re being overlooked. As he said, the Lions qualify as such a team, and while they might struggle, they won’t be as miserable as some are predicting.
He wrote:
“While the Matt Patricia era dragged on too long and deserved every bit of the criticism it got, and swapping out Matthew Stafford for Jared Goff would seem to signal a rebuild, there’s little reason to think Detroit should sit tied for the longest Super Bowl odds (+20000).
That puts the Lions even with the dramatically overhauling Houston Texans, an organization that ran franchise legend J.J. Watt out of town through ineptitude and has a question mark at quarterback.
That’s absurd. Sure, based on trade compensation with the Los Angeles Rams alone (two first-round picks and a third-rounder), Goff is clearly a downgrade. But he’s also a passer with a 42-27 record who’s capable of executing a well-coached attack, as seen under Sean McVay during the Rams’ Super Bowl LIII run.
And well-coached remains an emphasis. If Dan Campbell and his new staff give 2020 second-rounder D’Andre Swift more than the 114 rushing attempts he got last year behind a 36-year-old Adrian Peterson, Goff could excel behind a line bolstered by No. 7 pick Penei Sewell.
Patricia’s squads never lived up to his defensive billing, but it’s not like the unit lacks talent thanks to the likes of Trey Flowers. Defensive tackles Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill, both taken in the top 75 this year, have plenty of upside, as does 2020 third-overall pick Jeff Okudah.
This is far from suggesting the Lions will contend for a Super Bowl in 2021. But onlookers expecting a Texans-level performance might come away disappointed.”
This assessment seems spot-on and reasonable. The Lions won’t be as bad as everyone who mocks them thinks, which seems obvious given some of the meaningful changes they have made on the field for this coming year. Finding a way to unlock the talent might be the biggest issue the team faces, and if that plays out, the Lions could be better than many expect.
Lions Predicted to Struggle During 2021
The Lions have been picked as a team that will finish last in the NFC North, and if not last, certainly near the basement. The same is true for the NFC as a whole. Not many see the Lions making a big enough impact on the field to do consistent winning in 2021. Some even believe the Lions will be bad enough to finish in last and have a chance at one of the top overall picks in the 2022 NFL Draft when it comes up.
Obviously, being favored in no games could be a good way for the team to get on the way to having a tough year.
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