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The NFL has finally released the full schedule for the 2022 season, after a few days of trickling out the upcoming primetime and holiday games. Among those prime-time games are the big clashes one would expect from teams that were in the playoffs last season and teams that are on the verge of greatness with superstar rosters and new free agency additions.
However, there’s one team missing from the primetime lineup, which really comes as no surprise. The Detroit Lions have been one of the worst teams in the NFL for practically their entire existence. In fact, in the Super Bowl era, the Lions only have one playoff win and are the only franchise that’s been in existence for the entirety of said era that have never appeared in a Super Bowl.
Added to this unprecedented history of mediocrity is the fact that their long-time quarterback, Matt Stafford, left the team and won the Super Bowl the very next year with the Los Angeles Rams. Even during the 2022 NFL draft, most players seemed decidedly disappointed to be selected by the Lions, a team where talent seems to be wasted.
To add insult to injury, the Lions now get the news that they are the only team in the NFL that will not appear in a prime-time game. This seems like it would be a good motivativator to get better.
Can the Lions go out and prove to the NFL they deserved to be a prime time team in 2022?
The Lions are in a rebuild mode this season and will, no doubt, end up near the top of the draft next year. They will, mostly like, end up with the number one overall pick. With 2023's draft class heavy with quarterback talent, this will likely be where the Lions take a new franchise quarterback and look toward the future.
However, the Lions have had a history of great players over the years. Along with Stafford, Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson, and many others have seen their talent go to waste with a team that never seems to get over the hump.
Now, the Lions head into a new NFL season with something to prove. The coaching staff is, no doubt, pointing to the schedule and its lack of prime-time games featuring the Detroit team, and saying “This is what the NFL thinks of us.” More than ever, the Lions have the push to go out and prove the haters wrong.
Poll : Will the Lions have the number one overall pick in 2023?
Yes
No
74 votes
