Despite the Detroit Lions facing a difficult schedule loaded with playoff opponents, they have a roster that is good enough to handle the challenges and win a third-straight NFC North division title.
The Lions have navigated difficult stretches in each of the last two seasons to win the division, including a 2024 campaign in which they finished 15-2 despite having a significant portion of their roster on injured reserve.
Because of the firepower the Lions are returning, along with the battle-tested nature of the organization, they are still viewed as the favorite in the division. In a recent discussion as part of the ‘Bussin With The Boys’ podcast, former Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews tabbed the Lions as his choice to win the division.
“I think Detroit (will win the division),” Matthews said. “I’m interested to see how buddy from Michigan (J.J. McCarthy) does for Minnesota. They’ve obviously got a great team, the Vikings, but Detroit, they’ve just got that it factor right now until someone dethrones them. The Packers are right there. I think that’ll be the best division.”
Matthews played 11 NFL seasons, including 10 with the Lions’ division rivals in Green Bay. In that span, he totaled 482 tackles and 83.5 sacks for the Packers.
After playing his final season for the Rams in 2019, Matthews has begun a career in sports media.
He was recently officially hired by ‘Bussin With The Boys’ and co-hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan, who departed Barstool Sports to take their show independent as part of a new sponsorship deal with FanDuel Sportsbook.