It’s been a few years since the Detroit Lions were in the NFL postseason. The 2016 Lions, under Jim Caldwell, were the last to make the playoffs.
According to ESPN’s latest Football Power Index, the drought will end this year. The 9-3 Lions carry a probability of making the postseason of 98.5 percent. Winning the first NFC North title in franchise history carries an 89.5 percent probability, too.
It makes sense. With five weeks left, Detroit has a three-game lead on the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, who are both 6-6.
Once in the postseason, the Lions carry over a 60 percent chance to win their first game, according to the ESPN index. That’s the seventh-highest in the league. The probability of advancing beyond the divisional round falls off precipitously, but that’s true of every NFC team not named San Francisco.
As for the Super Bowl? Detroit’s 2 percent probability of winning the NFL title ranks eighth.
