The Detroit Lions have found a foothold during the second half of this 2022 season–going on a hot streak and creating buzz among football fans. Just when most people thought the Lions had gone to sleep, the team woke up with an astounding roar of power.

The Lions generated loads of excitement from fans headed into the 2022 season, as there was optimism surrounding the second season for new Head Coach Dan Campbell and new General Manager Brad Holmes. 

There was excitement about Detroit’s new rookies as well, such as Jameson Williams, a lightning fast receiver from Alabama who suffered a torn ACL at the end of the college season, but who returned in week 13 for Detroit. However, most of the anticipation was centered around Aidan Hutchinson, a defensive end out of Michigan selected second overall by Detroit, a Heisman finalist for the Wolverines whom many Lions fans spent their Saturdays watching.

“The relentless bulldog is the ideal leader in Dan Campbell’s locker room,” said NFL Writer Kevin Patra about Hutchinson shortly after his draft selection. “(He) provides Detroit fans with a familiar face to rally around as the Lions enter Year 2 in their latest rebuild.”

Detroit also gained attention from around the country as this year’s focus for the HBO series, Hard Knocks. The show took football fans inside the practices, locker rooms, and film studies of the Detroit Lions and created confidence in fans by showing just how much work and dedication the team had going into the season.

However, much of that hope was lost once the season began, as the Lions would lose six of their first seven games, landing them in last place in the NFC North. After week eight, most Lions fans would think that this year was “just another year of the same old Lions.” However, that attitude, along with their struggling long-time rivals being in town, was just the boost that Detroit needed to right the ship.

The Lions defense came to play at home against the Packers, forcing three interceptions (one by Hutchinson) and claiming a 15-9 victory over Green Bay. That game was the start of a three-game win streak for Detroit, who has now won five of its last six, the only blemish coming as the result of a last-minute 28-25 win for the Buffalo Bills in Detroit on Thanksgiving.

The Lions’ most impressive showing came in week 13 against Jacksonville at home. Williams debuted for the first time this season (although his first reception and touchdown would come a week later), and both sides of the ball looked powerful for the team in Honolulu Blue. The Lions defense was able to hold the high-scoring Jaguars to just 14 points, while the offense was able to put up 40, its second-highest point total of the season.

The Lions would then back that game up with an impressive home win over the then 10-2 Minnesota Vikings, whom the Lions were actually favored to beat. By defeating the number two team in the NFC, the Lions proved that their winning streak was no fluke, and that they had the ability to take down just about anybody in the NFL.

With that win, the Lions now hold a 6-7 record, and have not only jumped back into the playoff conversation, but are once again a main focus of fans and media around the league.

“I just like watching the Lions,” said Good Morning Football’s Peter Schrager. “There is no more entertaining team in football right now than the Detroit Lions.”

The entire nation has been blown away by what the Lions have been able to accomplish, especially given their young roster and the fact they traded away star TE T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings just before the streak began. Now, with their recent success, the 6-7 Lions have a 20 percent chance to jump into a playoff spot in the NFC, according to FiveThirtyEight’s playoff predictor.

The NFL is hyped that the Detroit Lions–a franchise infamous for a lack of success year after year–may now have a chance to make the playoffs and possibly do some damage once they get there.