Detroit Wins Over Arizona, Lions No Longer in Line to Have No. 1 Pick

With Detroit stunning Arizona on Sunday in a 30–12 blowout, the Lions have paved the way for another team to have the top pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

No result was more stunning in Week 15 than the Lions boat racing the first-place Cardinals, 30—12, in a game in which Detroit’s defense kept Arizona out of the end zone for over 55 minutes. Come April, perhaps no game will have a bigger impact on the draft order, either.

With their second victory in three weeks, the Lions have played themselves out of the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft—a position the team seemingly had a vice grip on after going winless in its first 11 games. Now with a 2-11-1 record, Detroit is penciled in at the No. 2 spot in the draft, with the Jaguars—who are also in the market for a new head coach—in pole position to secure the top overall pick for the second straight year.

With the playoff picture still up in the air, the race to the bottom is another massive storyline to keep tabs on over the final three weeks of the season. Here’s a look at the current order of the top 10 picks as things stand now, with the draft slated to begin on April 28:

1. Jaguars (2–12)
2. Lions (2-11-1)
3. Texas (3–11)
4. Jets (3–11)
5. Giants (4–10)
6. Giants via Bears (4–9)
7. Panthers (5–9)
8. Jets via Seahawks (5–8)
9. Falcons (6–8)
10. Eagles (6–7)

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