3 reasons the Detroit Lions can win the Super Bowl and 1 reason they won’t

Why Detroit Lions won’t win Super Bowl: Unreliable defensive unit

It’s not hard to ignore the fact that there has been no mention of coordinator Aaron Glenn’s defensive unit, and with good reason. Yes, the Lions come off a 42-17 victory over Sean Payton’s Broncos in which they limited the Denver offense to 287 total yards. It was the first time since a 26-14 Monday night victory over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8 that Dan Campbell’s club limited a team to fewer than 26 points.

The Lions’ defense was playing much better in the early stages of the season. In the club’s first six games, Campbell’s team allowed only 113 points and have given up only 11 offensive touchdowns in those contests.

Even if you include the prime-time win over the Broncos, the numbers are not great when it comes to Glenn’s unit. Detroit has surrendered 25 offensive touchdowns and a total of 218 points.

The Lions currently rank 15th in the league in total yards allowed per contest, a number that needs to be better sooner than later. Campbell’s squad has a modest 15 takeaways and 30 sacks. Those are two statistics that the Lions need to improve on with the postseason just around the corner. Many a team has gone on to win a Super Bowl title with the aid of an opportunistic defensive unit.