Predicting the Detroit Lions Record in 2023

The Detroit Lions were one of the most surprising teams in the 2022 NFL season, getting hot in the middle of the season and almost clinching a playoff birth. With the 2023 NFL schedule being released on Thursday, May 11th, we know who the Lions will be playing this year. With this information, it is time to predict what their record will be by going week by week over all their matchups.

Week 1 @ Kansas City Chiefs Thursday Night Football (Loss)

Even though the Lions showed improvement and tremendous heart last season, opening this season against last year's Super Bowl champion is a tough test. With how high-powered the Lions' offense was last year and the fact it did not have much turnover, they should be able to keep pace with the Chiefs. Even with that in mind, the Chiefs will defeat the Lions in week one since they are the more experienced team.

Record 0-1

Week 2 vs Seattle Seahawks (Win)

This matchup is a rematch of their high-scoring week four game in the 2022 season. In that game, the Seahawks won by three points with a score of 48-45. We should be in for another close one this season since these teams are still a pretty even matchup. This year the Lions will come out victorious in another close battle.

Record 1-1

Week 3 vs Atlanta Falcons (Win)

Like the Lions, the Falcons are also a rebuilding team. However, these two teams are in two different parts of their rebuilds. The Lions are currently bolstering the better roster meaning they should win this game.

Record 2-1

Week 4 @ Green Bay Packers Thursday Night Football (Win)

In their first division game of the season, the Lions travel to Green Bay to face the Packers. Division games are always tough to predict since these opponents see each other so frequently. That said, the Lions should be able to win this game handily since this will only be the fourth career start for Packers quarterback Jordan Love.

Record 3-1

Week 5 vs Carolina Panthers (Win)

In another rematch from last season, the Panthers come into Detroit to take on the Lions. In their week 16 clash last year, the Panthers beat the Lions 37-23. However, a lot has changed over in Carolina at the quarterback position. The Panthers took Bryce Young, a quarterback, with their number one overall pick in this past draft. Young will be the Panthers starting quarterback, so who knows how good Carolina's offense will be. Not to say this game can't be close, but the Lions should win it with the more experienced quarterback and the better overall offense.

Record 4-1

Week 6 @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Loss)

In one of the more challenging games to call, the Lions Go into Tampa to take on the Buccaneers. If Tom Brady had not retired at the end of last season, it would be easier to predict the Bucceners to win this game. That is not the case, though, and the Buccaneers have Baker Mayfield at quarterback this season. Even though you could argue the Bucs have better skill position players than the Lions, it is harder to gauge who has the better quarterback. Even with being unable to gauge who has the better quarterback, the Bucs should be able to win with their slightly better defense.

Record 4-2

Week 7 @ Baltimore Ravens (Loss)

In week 7, the Lions take a trip to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Besides facing the Chiefs in week one, this matchup is the Lions second-toughest game of the whole season. By this point in the season, the Ravens will most likely be in their grove on offense, meaning they will be difficult to stop. On top of that, the Ravens still have one of the top defenses in the league. The Lions have very little chance in the game, meaning they will lose.

Record 4-3

Week 8 vs Los Vagas Raiders (Win)

in week 8, the Los Vagas travels to Detroit to face the Lions. This should be another close game, as neither of these teams has a very good defense. Both teams have evenly matched offenses. Even though Jimmy Garopplo is new in Los Vagas, he will be familiar with the playbook this late into the season, and the head coach Josh Mcdaniels knows Goroppelos strengths since he coached him in New England. With all that being said, the Lions should still be able to handle the Raiders and win this game.

Record 5-3

Week 10 @ Los Angeles Chargers (Loss)

The Lions head to Los Angeles to face the Chargers in this week ten matchup. The Chargers are the better team on both offense and defense. On offense, the Chargers have a better quarterback in Justin Herbert than the Lions do while also bolstering a better receiving core than the Lions. An issue, however, for the Chargers receiving core these past couple of years has been their health since their top receivers have been hurt often. With this game being a little more than midway through the season, there is a possibility that someone in the Chargers receiving core might be hurt tweaking their chances of winning.

On the defensive side, the Chargers have much more talent than the Lions but also have trouble staying healthy. If the Chargers can come into this game at mostly full strength, they will win.

Record 5-4

Week 11 vs Chicago Bears (Win)

The Bears travel to Detroit to take on the Lions in another division matchup. The Lions had two very different games against the Bears last year. In both the games, the Lions won, but one game was a close victory, 31-30, and the other a blowout victory, 41-10. These results show how drastically different two games against the same team can be. While the Lions will not blow out the Bears in this game, they will emerge victorious.

Record 6-4

Week 12 vs Green Bay Packers (Win)

The Lions take on the Packers in Detroit in their season series finale. Unlike earlier in the season, the Packers should be able to keep this game close. With the experience and gelling Love will have with his team by this point in the season, their offense should be able to put up a fight. Even though the Packers will put up a better fight than they did earlier in the year, the Lions should still walk out victorious.

Record 7-4

Week 13 @ New Orleans Saints (Loss)

In week 13, the Lions travel to New Orleans to face the Saints. This is one of the Lions tougher matchups to call before the season starts since we are not too sure what to expect from the Saints offense this year. While the Saints upgraded their quarterback this offseason with the signing of Derek Carr, we do not know what to expect from their receiving core since Micheal Thomas has missed the past two seasons. Thomas is slated for a return this season which will help the Saints offense. There is also a possibility that Thomas may not make this deep into the season since he has not played football in over two years, which would mean the Lions would not have to deal with him.

On the other side of the ball, the Saints have a more experienced defense that can minimize the Lions explosive offense. So even though the Saints offense could have injuries with their defensive play, they should be able to defeat the Lions.

Record 7-5

Week 14 @ Chicago Bears (Win)

Only two games removed from their first matchup, the Lions travel to Chicago to face the Bears. Much like their first clash, this will be a tightly contested game in which the Lions will emerge victorious. This victory will mean a second consecutive season sweep of the Bears.

Record 8-5

Week 15 vs Denver Broncos (Loss)

In week 15, the Broncos head to Detroit to face the Lions. Although the Broncos had a rough season year I do think they will bounce back and be better this year. That poses a problem for the Lions because the Broncos have a good defense and the potential to have a great offense. With a quarterback like Russell Wilson and wide receivers like Courtland Sutton and Jerry Judy, the Broncos have a chance to make this a tough game for the Lions. That means the Lions will lose this game.

Record 8-6

Week 16 @ Minnesota Vikings (Loss)

The Lions head to Minnesota to face the Vikings in a pivotal late-season divisional matchup. Last year these two teams split the season series, each winning their respective home games. The Vikings and the Lions is a fairly even matchup again this season. Since the Vikings are at home this game, they will defeat the Lions in this game.

Record 8-7

Week 17 @ Dallas Cowboys (Loss)

The Lions head to Dallas to face the Cowboys in what could be an important matchup for playoff seeding if the Lions can not win the NFC North. Last season these two teams faced off with the Cowboys winning 24-6 on that occasion. The Cowboys strong defense assisted them in stopping the Lions offense last year like they should this year. On the other hand, the Cowboys will have a different offensive play caller since they fired their offensive coordinator this offseason. However, they should be accustomed to the play-calling by this point in the season. The Cowboys also added another wide receiver this past offseason, Brandin Cooks, who makes their offense better. Considering all of this the Cowboys should win this game.

Record 8-8

Week 18 vs Minnesota Vikings (Win)

In their final game of the season, the Lions host the Vikings in what may be a game to decide the division champion. As covered when we talked about the week 16 matchup, these two teams are evenly matched. However, the Lions will have the edge they need to win due to the high stakes and the fact that they are playing at home. The Lions will emerge victorious in a game that will go down to the wire.

Record 9-8

In a season filled with ups and downs for the Lions, they will end with a winning record and a playoff birth for the first time since 2016.