Heading into the 2022 regular season, I projected that the Detroit Lions‘ playoff hopes would come right down to Week 18 when they faced the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Unfortunately, the Seattle Seahawks eliminated the Lions from playoff contention by defeating the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the day, but they still played their butts off and defeated the Packers to finish the season with a 9-8 record. (My prediction was 10-7).
What did Louis Riddick say about the Detroit Lions?
I know I may be getting a bit ahead of myself right now, but there is a solid chance that when my final 2023 predictions come out after training camp, I will predict the Lions to make the playoffs AND win at least one game in the playoffs.
But NFL analyst Louis Riddick is even more confident than I am (tough to do).
On Wednesday, Riddick made the prediction that the Lions will be a Super Bowl contender in 2023.
“I’m going to say this now. I believe this team is a Super Bowl contender in 2023. I think what Dan Campbell is doing is just absolutely phenomenal in terms of culture setting,” Riddick said. “I think young offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, what he did with Jared Goff this season — when Jared Goff had basically thrown on the trash heap. He was blamed for everything that L.A. couldn’t accomplish offensively out there with the Rams. You see what he did last night.
“Now he’s getting lauded for a lot of the things that the Detroit Lions are accomplishing,” Riddick explained further. “Along with that great offensive line, those two running backs that can absolutely just bludgeon you and a defense that right now has some young players that are standing up and saying, ‘Look, you better start noticing us.’ Just like Jamaal Williams said in his postgame comments, look out for Detroit in 2023. I think they for once now are going to truly be looked at and be given the respect they deserve.”
Nation, what are your feelings about the Lions in 2023? Do you agree that they will be Super Bowl contenders?