It looked like the Detroit Lions were going to have another winless season during their 2021 campaign.
Getting a draw against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10 was a breakthrough, considering that they lost their other ten games at that point.
But almost a year after their last victory, the Lions broke into the win column against the Minnesota Vikings.
They ended up winning three games under media darling head coach Dan Campbell.
However, their win total was two games less than their 2020 standing.
While Campbell gets massive attention for his press conferences, the Lions still regressed.
That reality could be the reason they don’t have any primetime games in 2022.
Amount of primetime games by team:
5: CIN, LAC, LAR, BUF, PHI, TB, GB, DAL, SF, NE, PIT, DEN, KC
4: TEN, IND, LV, ARZ
3: CHI, NO, BAL
2: CLE, WSH, MIA, SEA, MIN
1: NYJ, NYG, HOU, JAX, CAR, ATL
0: DET
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 13, 2022
Pro Football Focus writer Ari Meirov tweeted the amount of primetime games per team.
The Lions are the only team without a primetime game next season, while 13 teams are tied with five primetime games each.
Detroit is slated to have a Thanksgiving game but they will be in the morning time slot.
It’s understandable that marquee teams like the Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Kansas City Chiefs attract a lot of audiences.
After all, viewers would like to see the best teams play even on television.
The Lions are still a long way from being must-see football, but they are in the right direction if their 2022 draft class does well.
A Promising Draft Class For The Lions
The Lions could turn things around on defense after drafting Aidan Hutchinson with the second overall selection.
He was projected to be the top overall choice until the Jacksonville Jaguars took Travon Walker.
Detroit also drafted defensive end Josh Pascal in the second round to improve their pass rush.
Jameson Williams could also be a game-changer on offense, giving Jared Goff a deep target.
