What Is Lions' Best-Case, Worst-Case Scenario in 2024?

Can Lions' 2024 season be considered success without winning Lombardi Trophy?

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions are not shying away from the lofty expectations they face ahead of the 2024 season.

After a run to the NFC Championship last season, Dan Campbell's group has its eyes set on the ultimate prize. It won't be an easy journey, and no two NFL seasons are the same, but the Lions believe they have a stable core in place.

However, sometimes fate has other plans. With training camp drawing near on the horizon, here is every NFC North team's best-case and worst-case scenarios.

Detroit Lions

Best case: If all the core players stay healthy, Detroit will contend for the top seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Dan Campbell’s team has its eyes on the Lombardi Trophy.

Worst case: An injury to one of its key contributors such as Jared Goff or Amon-Ra St. Brown. If Detroit deals with injuries that it cannot overcome, the rigorous schedule could lead to the team ultimately battling for a wild-card spot late in the year. —John Maakaron, Lions On SI 

Green Bay Packers

Best case: Last year, Jordan Love threw for more than 4,000 yards without a single receiver or tight end with more than one year of NFL experience. Now that all of those receivers have accumulated a lot of big-game experience, they use it to vault the passing attack into one of the NFL’s best. There might not be a No. 1 receiver but there might be too many weapons for any defense to stop.

Worst case: Sometime before the start of training camp, Love is going to sign a contract extension worth more than $50 million per season. It’ll be based on a stupendous late-season run that included the full-fledged demolition of the Cowboys in the playoffs. What if Love is a good quarterback who played great for nine games and not a great quarterback?  —Bill Huber, Packers On SI

Jake Bates: 'I definitely felt the love' from fans in Michigan pic.twitter.com/m70XSmTxqt

— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) July 2, 2024

Minnesota Vikings

Best case: Sam Darnold has a Rich Gannon-like career revival and the offense proves to be extremely efficient while Year 2 under Brian Flores’s defensive scheme yields significantly better results. The Vikings have a very tough schedule but if they get requisite play from the QB position they have enough talent to compete for a playoff spot. 

Worst case: Darnold flames out and J.J. McCarthy is thrown into the fire before he’s ready, and the Vikings tailspin to the bottom of the NFC North and potentially the entire NFL. Internal expectations are high but there are valid concerns all over the roster. —Joe Nelson,Vikings On SI

Chicago Bears

Best case: A soft schedule early in the season allows quarterback Caleb Williams to build confidence before Chicago moves into NFC North games after midseason, where it seizes upon momentum for a division title thanks largely to a defense among the league’s best at producing takeaways.

Worst case: The Bears finish last in the division again as Williams struggles, forcing too many passes into coverage for interceptions. Their defense never develops a second pass rusher to assist Montez Sweat and can’t produce pressure to force turnovers like it did during the second half of last season. —Gene Chamberlain, Bears On SI