Thursday open thread: What is a ridiculous, yet plausible, prediction for the upcoming season?

The new season will be here before we know it, and most of the narratives regarding the Detroit Lions are overwhelmingly positive. It does feel good to be the national darling, and the analytics—and betting markets—support this optimism as well. Still, things rarely play out exactly as expected.

With a few months to go before the campaign actually begins, it feels like a fun time to throw some bold predictions out there. Each season kicks off a unique sequence that feels like something that could divert between millions of different pathways, so might as well call your shot now!

Today’s Question of the Day is:

What is a ridiculous, yet plausible, prediction for the upcoming season?

My answer: The fact that the Lions are projected (expected?!) to win the NFC North almost necessitates that some crazy things are bound to happen. Should Detroit finally return to the playoffs, it means that some players must break out, and there are no shortage of candidates to make a big jump this season.

Looking into my crystal ball, I can see a timeline where Jared Goff gets injured for a couple weeks, leading to a magical few games from Hendon Hooker. The fanbase goes crazy, begging for a Wally Pipp-esque usurping for the rookie quarterback, only for Goff to (rightfully) retain his job and lead the Lions back to the postseason.

Your turn.