Getty Matt Prater celebrates with the Lions after a big win in Atlanta.
The Detroit Lions have seemingly come back from the dead to even up their record at 3-3, and that good news has folks feeling a bit better about where their season could be trending in the months ahead.
One such person is ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky. A few weeks back, Orlovsky was directing some pointed and justified criticism to the Lions, but now he is giving the team credit for the subtile changes they have made in recent weeks and hinting they could be a team on the rise in the NFL.
As Orlovsky wrote on Twitter, the Lions could suddenly be in position to win 9 or 10 games this season, a total that may have felt unthinkable a few weeks back given the struggles of the team.
It’s nice to see for the @Lions a few things
1) Their HC has adjusted and played more zone coverage. Credit him
2) @jeffokudah has started to play really well (that 2q PI call on him was trash)
3) @kgxix is a 1
4) if they steal a win/game they shouldn’t-they can win 9-10 games
As a whole, it’s interesting to see Orlovsky coming around on the Lions, but as a former player he would know as well as anyone how a win can galvanize a team. It’s more than possible that the Lions have benefitted from this momentum and could get on the right track with another big win and gain even more confidence.
Lions Upcoming Schedule
Is 9 or 10 wins actually doable for the team as Orlovsky hints? It’s more than possible looking at the lay of the schedule right now into November for Detroit. After this weekend’s key game against Indianapolis, the Lions play the Vikings, Washington, Carolina, Houston and Chicago. The best team in that stretch are the Bears, and they have shown some definite vulnerabilities. Theoretically, the Lions should be favored in at least 4 of those 5 upcoming games.
It’s possible, then, that Sunday’s game against the Colts is a major swing game for Detroit. With a tougher finish to the season, it could be the difference in Detroit winning 8, 9 or 10 games, and perhaps being in a stronger position to make the postseason or have a big finish to the year or having to sweat things out and feel pressure come late December.
Schedule strength looked like a big variable for the Lions down the stretch, and it figures to remain in play, especially as Detroit gets back into the playoff picture. Detroit could lose any of the games on their upcoming schedule, but they could also rattle off a big win streak and go on a run if they take care of business.
To this end, Orlovsky might be proven right in the end.
Current 2020 NFC Playoff Standings
Sunday’s win moved the Lions to 3-3 and firmly back in the mix in terms of the NFC playoff picture moving forward. The Lions will be battling teams like Carolina, New Orleans, Arizona, Los Angeles and other contenders in the weeks ahead for playoff hopes this year. The pair of wins off the bye have done a good job to help Detroit keep pace and keep them in the picture for the rest of the season.
With the expanded NFL postseason coming in 2020, the Lions need only keep winning to give themselves a shot to crack the playoffs and perhaps even make some noise down the stretch run. Detroit could have been positioned significantly well with a better start to the season, but they are firmly back in play for the second half of the season to chase down a playoff bid.
The team could also be in play to finish the season in a sneaky good way if Orlovsky is to be believed.
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‘They Could Win 9 or 10 Games:’ Analyst Hypes Lions Playoff Hopes