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Winning in the NFL is hard. Staying on top? That’s almost impossible. If you’ve been following the Detroit Lions win loss record over the last two years, you know exactly what I’m talking about. We went from the absolute high of a 15-2 regular season in 2024 to a 9-8 finish in 2025 that left everyone in Michigan feeling a little bit like they just stepped off a rickety carnival ride.
Honestly, it’s been a weird stretch.
One minute we’re the undisputed kings of the NFC North, sweeping the division and looking like a juggernaut. The next? We’re finishing fourth in that same division and watching Ben Johnson lead the Chicago Bears to a division title from the opposing sideline. It’s enough to give any fan whiplash. But if you look closely at the numbers and the way Dan Campbell is talking lately, there’s a lot more to the story than just "they got worse."
The 2025 Reality Check: By the Numbers
Let's just put the cards on the table. The Lions finished the 2025 regular season with a 9-8 record.
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On paper, that’s a winning season. For about 60 years of this franchise’s history, 9-8 would have been cause for a parade down Woodward Avenue. But coming off a year where they set a franchise record with 15 wins, this felt like a punch to the gut. They missed the playoffs entirely. The season officially died on Christmas Day in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and even a gritty Week 18 win over the Bears couldn't save the "tourney" hopes.
A Quick Look at the Recent Detroit Lions win loss Record
- 2024 Season: 15-2 (NFC North Champs, Lost in Divisional Round)
- 2025 Season: 9-8 (4th in NFC North, Missed Playoffs)
- All-Time Franchise Record: 615-717-34 (roughly)
The drop-off wasn't about a lack of talent. Penei Sewell and Amon-Ra St. Brown are still absolute studs. However, the loss of Ben Johnson (OC) to Chicago and Aaron Glenn (DC) to the Jets created a massive leadership vacuum. John Morton and Kelvin Sheppard stepped into those roles, but the "swagger" just wasn't the same. Dan Campbell even gave himself a "freaking F" grade for the 2025 season. That’s about as honest as it gets in the NFL.
Why the Defense Took a Step Back
You can't talk about the Detroit Lions win loss trajectory without mentioning the injuries. The secondary was a revolving door. When you’re starting guys who were on a practice squad three weeks ago, you’re going to get exposed.
The defense allowed 413 points in 2025. In 2024, that number was 342. That’s more than a touchdown difference every couple of games. In a league where five of Detroit's eight losses were decided by a single possession, that gap is everything.
The Pressure Problem
Jared Goff is a great quarterback when he has a clean pocket. We know this. But the offensive line, long the pride of Detroit, struggled with injuries to Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper. Goff was sacked a career-high 38 times in 2025. When he wasn't pressured, his completion percentage was a ridiculous 76.5%. Under fire? It plummeted to 41.4%.
Basically, if the big guys up front aren't healthy, the whole machine breaks down.
Is the Window Closing or Just Opening?
There’s a lot of doom and gloom lately. People see 9-8 and think the "Same Old Lions" are back. I don't buy it.
The Detroit Lions have won 24 regular-season games in the last two years. That is a level of sustained success this city hasn't seen since the 1950s—back when Bobby Layne was under center and the "Super Bowl" wasn't even a thing yet. The foundation is still there.
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Brad Holmes has a massive offseason ahead. We’ve got young pillars like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Brian Branch who are all eligible for extensions soon. The bill is coming due, but that's a "good problem" to have because it means you drafted well.
The Road Ahead: 2026 and Beyond
The 2026 schedule is already looking like a gauntlet, but Campbell seems energized by the failure. He took over play-calling in Week 10 of the 2025 season and the team went 4-4 down the stretch, including that win against the Bears. He’s looking for a new offensive identity, and honestly, a "hungry" Dan Campbell is usually when this team plays its best football.
If you’re looking for actionable ways to track this team’s progress, keep a very close eye on the "Net Points" stat. In 2024, the Lions were a +222. In 2025, even at 9-8, they were still a +68. That suggests they were much better than their record indicated and caught some bad breaks in close games.
Practical Steps for Lions Fans This Offseason
Don't let the 9-8 record sour you on the future. If you want to stay ahead of the curve on where the Lions are heading, here is what you should be watching:
- Watch the Offensive Line Personnel: If Taylor Decker retires, the Lions MUST move with urgency in the draft or free agency. This is the "engine" of the offense.
- Monitor the Play-calling Hire: Who Dan Campbell brings in to replace the Morton experiment will define Jared Goff's 2026 season.
- Look at "One-Score" Game Trends: Regression to the mean is real. The Lions lost five close ones in 2025; usually, those bounce the other way the following year.
The Detroit Lions win loss history is a long, often painful story. But the current chapter isn't a tragedy—it's a mid-movie setback. The talent is there, the cap space is manageable, and the coach is more motivated than ever.
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Focus on the trenches and the health of the secondary this spring. If the Lions can fix the depth issues that exposed them in December, there is no reason they won't be back at the top of the NFC North in 2026.