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2022 NFL Draft order update: Lions no longer in the No. 1 spot

Lions are now slotted for pick No. 2 after smacking the Cardinals around in Week 15

By Erik Schlitt
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Arizona Cardinals vs Detroit Lions Photo by Amy Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Every week, since the bye, our own Jeremy Reisman has been presenting a rooting guide to help you enjoy that week’s games, while focusing on the best possible outcomes for the Detroit Lions and their current status in the 2022 draft order.

This week, the worst possible outcome would have been if the Texans and Jaguars' game ended in a tie because regardless of what the Lions did in their game, both would have jumped Detroit in the pecking order. Fortunately, the Texans got the win, and while the Lions also winning pushed the Jaguars into the No. 1 spot, it’s not as entirely all doom and gloom, because next week, the Jaguars play the New York Jets.

Before we go any further let’s take a look at where things stand after Sunday’s slate of Week 15 games, keeping in mind the Lions can secure no more than five wins this season, and therefore can finish no worse than the No. 8 overall pick.

  1. Jaguars: 2-12 (.508 strength of schedule)
  2. Lions: 2-11-1 (.537)
  3. Texans: 3-11 (.498)
  4. Jets: 3-11 (.502)
  5. Giants: 4-10 (.532)
  6. Bears—owned by Giants: 4-9 (.524) — playing on Monday Night Football
  7. Panthers: 5-9 (.507)
  8. Seahawks—owned by Jets: 5-8 (.515) — playing on Tuesday

The first thing to watch is how the week finishes out. If the Bears beat the Vikings on Monday, they will flop spots with the Panthers. If the Seahawks lose, the Bears would drop below them too. If the Seahawks win on Tuesday, they will have six wins and as a result, the Lions draft pick floor would be No. 7 overall.

The Lions' remaining games are against:

  • @ Falcons (6-8)
  • @ Seahawks (5-8)
  • vs. NFC leading Packers (11-3)

Realistically, the Lions have a legitimate shot at winning both away games in Atlanta and Seattle, while their home finale against the Packers seems like a long shot—although the former NFC leading team just walked into Ford Field on Sunday and limped out with a 30-12 loss, so we can’t rule anything out just yet.

For now, here are the three teams Lions fans need to be keeping a close eye on.

Jaguars schedule

  • @ Jets (3-11)
  • @ Patriots (9-5)
  • vs. Colts (8-6)

Texans schedule:

Jets schedule:

  • vs. Jaguars (2-12)
  • vs. Tampa Bay (10-4)
  • @ Buffalo (8-6)

We will worry about the rest of the teams after next week’s game.

Rams pick

Because of a COVID-19 outbreak at the Rams facility, their Week 15 game against the Seattle Seahawks won't be played until Tuesday. We are all big Seahawks fans for that game because it will help the Lions’ draft position for both their first-round picks. As mentioned earlier, it would make the Lions pick floor now worse than No. 7, and it would also keep the Rams a game back of the Cardinals in their division, thus potentially forcing the Rams to go on the road in the first week of the Playoffs.

Here’s a look at the Rams and Cardinals’ schedule over their final games.

Rams (9-4) schedule:

  • vs. Seahawks (5-8)
  • @ Vikings (6-7)
  • @ Ravens (8-6)
  • vs. 49ers (8-6)

Cardinals (10-4) schedule:

  • vs. Colts (8-6)
  • @ Cowboys (10-4)
  • vs. Seahawks (5-8)

Let’s hope the loss to the Lions serves as a wake-up call for the Cardinals and not a sign of things to come.

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