The Detroit Lions are the real deal. Anyone who grew up a Detroit Lions fan knows that this team has suffered plenty of difficult seasons. It had actually become a running joke that the Lions, basically, would never be any good. How long does the rebuild take? Fifty years? But, that’s all in the back window. The Detroit Lions are living up to the hype, and they’re proving everyone wrong this season.

Now, the question isn’t whether the Detroit Lions are the deal. It’s whether they’re going to go all the way. The final two undefeated teams in the NFL this season, the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, both lost last weekend. Subsequently, the Detroit Lions’ win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have nudged the Lions to be tied for the No. 1 team in the NFL right now. So, where do the Lions go from here?

Looking at Detroit’s upcoming schedule, it’s pretty doable. What’s great is that the Lions don’t have the Eagles or 49ers on their schedule, so they don’t have to worry about going up against those super strong teams, unless, of course, it’s during the postseason. On that topic, one hot game coming up is the 49ers vs. the Eagles on Dec. 3 in Philadelphia.

So, what’s caused this major turnaround for the Detroit Lions? Really, it’s all about defense. Last year, the Lions were strong, but they lacked in defense. The coaches took notice and beefed up the defense, both by bringing on new players to fill the gaps and by developing the talent that they currently have on the team. One shining example is Aiden Hutchinson from the University of Michigan. The 2022-23 season was his first with the Detroit Lions, and the rookie had impressive stats. But, he’s been working hard and developing, and now, Hutchinson is really a star EDGE. He’s one of the Lion’s main weapons on the field.

Looking at the upcoming schedule for the Detroit Lions, they have Baltimore and Las Vegas, followed by their bye week. Then, they take on the L.A. Chargers (which should be a tough game), followed by Chicago, Green Bay, New Orleans, Chicago again, Denver and Minnesota. Then, the Lions round out by playing Dallas and Minnesota again. Looking at this schedule, it’s not hyperbole to say the Lions could win anywhere from 12-15 games this season. Believe it or not, the Lions haven’t won more than 12 games in a season since 1991, when Barry Sanders had recently joined the team. In 2014, they won 11 games, which got them into a wild card game, but they lost that game.

Yes, the Detroit Lions are the real deal. For those who have been longtime fans, you should embrace this moment and feel some ownership in the victories. We’ve stuck with the Lions through thick and thin. We’ve been the brunt of many NFL jokes. But, nobody is laughing at the Detroit Lions right now. Find the full schedule of NFL Week 7 games and the top games to watch here.