Considering they’re coming off a 3-13-1 record in 2021, ESPN still projects the Detroit Lions (+4.5)
have a decent chance at making the playoffs in 2022.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell ranked each team by offseason projections from ESPN’s Football Power Index, which also estimated each team’s chances of winning the Super Bowl. The Lions came in at No. 26 and were given a not-terrible 29.4% chance to make the playoffs—which was actually higher than two teams ranked above them in power rankings.
“It’s fair to wonder whether they really have a Super Bowl-caliber ceiling, which is reflected in their FPI odds; they have significantly higher playoff odds than the teams below them in these rankings, although their chances of winning a championship aren’t much different than the Steelers or Jaguars,” Barnwell writes.