The Detroit Lions might be the most hyped-up team in the NFL for the 2023 season. Despite missing the playoffs last season, many are looking forward to see this team succeed in 2023. There's a good reason why: Detroit has a strong offense and some interesting players on defense. Many are even picking them as the favorites to win the NFC North!

How do the Lions feel about these expectations set upon them? Well, their GM certainly isn't shying away from these expectations. Brad Holmes said that his confidence in Detroit winning the division is “very high”, per Dave Birkett.

“Brad Holmes on his level of confidence Lions can win the division: “Very high. I do think that we’ve took our medicine in the past couple of years .. We've come through a lot of darkness to get to this place.””

For the last few years, the Lions have been the butt of many jokes amongst NFL fans. They struggled mightily before last season, even going through a rough winless stretch in 2021. For a team that hasn't seen success, let alone regular season success, the pain was a little too much for the fans.

Towards the end of the 2021 season, though, fans started to see some potential with the Lions. That potential was nearly fulfilled in 2022. A reinvigorated Detroit defense destroyed most of their opponents. They were genuinely one of the best offenses in the league: which was a surprise given their QB was Jared Goff. Their defense faltered mostly, but they have some intriguing talents like Aidan Hutchinson.

This season, the Lions have made some adjustments to their roster. In particular, their backfield has been retooled: gone are Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift. In goes rookie Jahmyr Gibbs and veteran David Montgomery. They also signed safety CJ Gardner-Johnson and LB Alex Anzalone.

The NFC North is looking like it's going to be wide-open this season. The Vikings severely overperformed last season, and are set to regress this year. The Packers, after losing Aaron Rodgers, look like a middle-of-the-pack at best team. The Bears have potential, but they're incredibly young and are volatile. The Lions are in prime position to take control of the division. Can they do that?