Dan Campbell believes in fate, in the old saying that "things happen for a reason." The Lions were the only team in the NFL this season to win eight of their last 10 games and miss the playoffs. They were the only team to win seven games in their conference and miss the playoffs. They were the only team to win five games in their division and not win their division.
"It's part of the process," Campbell said Monday after the Lions finished with their first winning record (9-8) in five years. "I just believe that this happened for a reason. And I know this: the standards here will not change, but the expectations will. And our guys know that."
The Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL over the first two months. And one of the best over the last two, however you slice it. The only other teams who won at least eight of their final 10 games will all host playoff games this month: the Chiefs, Bills, Bengals and 49ers. You can bet at least one of them will play in the Super Bowl.
And speaking of the process, of the five teams that made at least a five-win improvement from last season, the Lions were -- yep -- the only one that missed the playoffs.
"Next year is on, bro," said right tackle Penei Sewell. "My mindset is already on next year."
After Detroit pounded Chicago in Week 17, Campbell spelled out the aim for the Lions next season: win the NFC North. Why shouldn't they? They were the only team in the division this season with a positive point differential -- and the only team in the NFL to finish with a point differential of at least plus-20 and miss the playoffs -- and they're poised to add two first-round picks and two second-rounders in the draft, plus whatever they do in free agency.
"We’ll only improve on this roster," Campbell said.
The improvements this season were huge, at virtually every position. The biggest one came under center, where Jared Goff, the two-time Pro Bowler left for dead by the Rams two years ago, re-established himself as one of the top-10 quarterbacks in the NFL. There is no denying that based on the stats. Goff flourished under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who stands to be Detroit's biggest loss if he lands a head coaching job elsewhere. The Lions were the only team in the NFL this season to finish with a top 10 offense and -- guess what! -- miss the playoffs.
"The expectations completely change for us now," Goff said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "We’ll see where the draft lands and where free agency lands and how healthy we are through training camp and stuff, but I think coming into OTA’s we’re going to have a way about us that’s expecting to not only win the division but compete in the playoffs and make some real noise next year and see where it takes us.
"There’s a lot of work to be done to get there, but we have a lot of pieces in place now. Guys we believe in, coaches we believe in, plays we believe in and a system and a culture that we all believe in, and I think it moves us in the right direction to be right there competing with anybody in this league."
In nine games against playoff teams this season, the Lions had a point differential of plus-25. As they packed up their things Monday ahead of an offseason that arrived too soon, two prevailing sentiments came out of their locker room: they would have been a problem had they made the playoffs and they will be a problem next season, which can't arrive soon enough. In other words, the rebuild is over.
"Definitely," said Amon-Ra St. Brown. "For us moving forward, going into next year, guys that are being drafted here, they watch football, they know what we did this year. They’re coming in here knowing, 'If I want to play, I’m gonna be playing for playoff football.' This is not just go out there and play. Whether it’s a free agent that we sign, they’re coming here knowing we want to make the playoffs. That’s our goal, but we want more than playoffs.
"I think that’s the biggest thing. Guys that are new to this team are going to understand that this isn’t the old Detroit Lions. This is a new team, a new culture that we’re bringing to this team and they’re going to have to come with that same energy if they want to be a part of it."
The Lions haven't won their division since they played in the NFC Central. They haven't hosted a playoff game since they played at the Silverdome. They also haven't had a future this bright -- "As bright as the sun," said Sewell -- in ages. They're about to add more young talent to a roster already full of it. They have the right veterans in place, a few of whom play with Sewell on one of the best offensive lines in football. With a couple more upgrades to the defensive line this offseason, the Lions could own the trenches in 2023. From there, heads up.
"We’re trying to have playoff games at Ford Field. We got to," said Sewell. "Especially after the season we just put together, I feel like that’s the next step."
The Lions came within one win -- or a couple calls in the Week 18 Seahawks-Rams game -- from one of the most improbable playoff berths in NFL history. As it is, "going from 1-6 to 8-2, that’s hard to do," said Sewell. "When you’re in that slump at 1-6, some people (would) want to quit, and that’s a testament the type of guys we got in this building."
This team did not quit. These players refused to fold, following their coaches on a 10-week rampage that sets the stage for 2023. If everything happens for a reason, the Lions will have some lessons for the NFL next season.