The Lions are currently 8-8 and in last place in the NFC North

THE Detroit Lions may have missed their only shot at the Super Bowl two years ago.

 

 

 

Back in the 2023 NFL season, the Detroit Lions lost in the NFC Championship game, the closest they’ve been to the Super Bowl.

 

Detroit Lions v Los Angeles Rams - NFL 2025Dan Campbell bows his head during a loss to the Los Angeles Rams

 

NFL: Detroit Lions at Los Angeles RamsDan Campbell looks on during Detroit Lions warmups

 

 

After this season, it will be two years since the Lions made it to that game, but the team doesn’t look anywhere near as scary as it did back then.

In fact, Lions head coach Dan Campbell might have predicted this exact scenario after that NFC Championship loss.

After the team blew a 17-point lead in the second half of the game, he warned that they might not return.

“I told those guys, this may have been our only shot,” Campbell said.

 

 

 

“Do I think that? No. Do I believe that? No. However, I know how hard it is to get here. I’m well aware.

“And it’s gonna be twice as hard to get back to this point next year than it was this year.

“That’s the reality.”

 

 

 

Since then, the Lions lost their first playoff game in the divisional round after a 15-2 season and missed out on the playoffs entirely this year.

Now this doesn’t mean that the Lions’ playoff window is closed, but it is certainly at a crossroads.

The team really needs to nail down its coaching staff, identify the holes in its roster, and properly adjust over this offseason.

 

 

 

However, they need to do all of this while the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers grow in strength within their own division.

If anyone is determined to turn the team’s tides it’s Dan Campbell.

Still, it is going to take a lot of work and a lot of soul searching.