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In preparation for the start of the 2015 regular season, our writers and editors predicted how the Detroit Lions will look this year. Make your own predictions by voting in the poll at the bottom of this post.
Lastly: What will the Detroit Lions' record be in 2015?
Drew Erickson: 10-6
Joseph Buszek: 10-6
The 2015 schedule is much harder than last year, especially early, and I’m not counting on the Lions defense to bail them out in some of those close games like they did a year ago. They’ll be in every game, but won’t match their 2014 record.
Alex Reno: 11-5
I have absolutely no idea how the Lions will do this year, but I feel a lot better with where they're at than I did at this point last year. Realistically, the NFL is a crazy league, and crazy shit happens, so anywhere between 6 and 12 wins seems about right to me. But since I'm being forced to give a real answer, I'll go on record and say that the Lions will finish the year with an 11-5 record for the second straight year.
Chris Tomke: 10-6
This will look either brilliant or stupid by about Week 5. That schedule is brutal. But, I’m always in to chug some of that sweet, sweet Honolulu Blue Kool-Aid.
Ryan Mathews: 10-6
Of any prediction I was asked to make about the 2015 Detroit Lions, this is the one that I found the toughest to make in confidence. The Lions expected win-loss for the 2014 season was 9.2-6.8, but they ended up outperforming those expectations en route to an 11-5 record. With the loss of Suh much talent along the defensive front, it’s Fairley difficult to assess how the defense will perform with considerably less depth up front. The addition of Haloti Ngata, the return of Stephen Tulloch, and the emergence of DeAndre Levy as one of the top linebackers in the NFL, Teryl Austin’s genius has what I assume to be enough pieces to work with to make this defense good enough. It’s easy to envision the 2015 Lions regressing quite a bit. With the challenging schedule they face during the first half of the season, the talent lost on defense and all of the close games they ended up on the winning side of last year, it wouldn't shock me to see the Lions end up with a losing record. However, I’m predicting a winning season and a 10-6 finish for the Detroit Lions.
Kyle Yost: 10-6
I believe the Lions will finish the season at 10-6, just a step below last year's record. The first four weeks are quite a challenge, but escaping at 2-2 will be enough for the Lions to have a successful start. The middle of the schedule might also prove to be difficult with two games against the Packers, and home match-ups with the Cardinals and Eagles. I think the Lions need to go at least 5-3 during this stretch to stay competitive. To wrap up the year, I absolutely believe the Lions can snag three wins to give them an even 10 on the season.
Christopher Lemieux: 10-6
Brian Packey: 10-6
Starting (and finishing) the season with 3 out of 4 on the road has the makings for a heartbreaking season, but a deeper look at the schedule offers plenty of hope. If I'm right, it will be the first time in franchise history the Lions have won double-digit games in back-to-back seasons.
Justin Simon: 10-6
Vegas puts the Lions’ over/under at 8.5 wins. It’s always tough to predict specific wins this early, but I think this team has more talent than last year’s 11 win squad had. Even with a Suh-less defense, I still think the overall team is improved. If the Lions’ offense can learn how to put together consistent performances each week, I can see them getting at least to the 10 win mark in 2015.
Jeremy Reisman: 9-7
Again, I'm the Debbie Downer of the group. But isn't it nice to know that the most pessimistic member of the Pride of Detroit staff is predicting 9-7? Look at how far we've come.