The Detroit Lions open training camp in just a few days, and with projections flying from every corner of the internet, A to Z Sports decided to try something different and ask SkyNet (Grok, the AI platform) to simulate the Lions’ entire 2026 season. The result? A 12-5 record, an NFC North title, and a playoff run that ends one game short of the Super Bowl.

The regular season prediction

Grok’s 12-5 prediction lines up exactly with what I had for the Lions. It just makes sense. Detroit has the easiest schedule in the NFL, and you can understand why it’s hard to predict this team finishing with anything less than double-digit wins.

The game-by-game breakdown has the Lions starting hot with a 31-20 Week 1 win over the Saints, then dropping a 31-24 Thursday Night Football game in Buffalo in Week 2. From there, Detroit rattles off wins against the Jets (35-17), Panthers (28-21), and Cardinals (27-24) before the bye. They beat the Packers at home 30-23 in Week 7 and take down the Vikings in Minnesota 28-20 in Week 8.

The head-scratcher is Week 9, where Grok has the Lions losing to the Miami Dolphins 28-21. I had them beating Miami. I don’t know how that happens, but that’s what the machine says.

After that, Detroit beats New England 24-17 in Munich, Germany, handles Tampa Bay 34-27, and then delivers what every Lions fan dreams about: a 38-17 Thanksgiving blowout over the Chicago Bears on the national stage. The Lions then pick up road wins over the Falcons and beat the Titans at home before dropping a 27-20 loss in Minnesota in Week 15. They close out with a Monday Night Football rout of the Giants (35-10) and clinch the NFC North in Week 17 with a 30-27 win in Chicago.

The playoff prediction

Here’s where it gets both exciting and painful. Grok has the Lions as the No. 3 seed, hosting the No. 6 seed Los Angeles Rams in the wild card round. Despite the Rams trading for Myles Garrett, Detroit wins 31-27 and moves on to face the No. 2 seed San Francisco 49ers.

The storyline writes itself. The Lions get their revenge from the 2023 NFC Championship Game loss, winning 27-23. Grok even provided details: Lions linebacker Jack Campbell forces a fumble near the goal line, tight end Sam LaPorta catches nine passes, and quarterback Jared Goff leads a 75-yard fourth-quarter touchdown drive.

But the run ends in the NFC Championship Game. Grok has the Philadelphia Eagles beating the Lions 34-24, then going on to beat the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl. Look, I get it. That’s not what anyone wants to hear. Making the NFC Championship Game isn’t bad, but the Lions are at a point where fans expect them to get that far. The conversation now is about winning the whole thing.

The stat predictions

Grok’s individual stat projections are aggressive but not outlandish. It has Goff throwing for 4,700 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions with a 70% completion rate. It has him finishing 5th in MVP voting after briefly entering the race in December.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs gets 1,450 rushing yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 550 receiving yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns for exactly 2,000 scrimmage yards. That conveniently round number tells you a little something about what we’re dealing with here with the AI. Grok also has Gibbs in the Offensive Player of the Year conversation by season’s end.

Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the receivers with 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Jameson Williams puts up 1,100 yards and 9 touchdowns. LaPorta gets his bounce-back season with 85 receptions, 950 yards, and 9 touchdowns.

Defensively, Grok projects Aidan Hutchinson for 13 sacks in what it calls the best season of his career. DJ Wonnum comes in with 8 sacks, and rookie Derrick Moore adds 4.5. The total comes to 48 to 50 team sacks, which would be right around where Detroit was last season when they finished 4th in the league. Campbell leads the defense with 120 tackles and 3 sacks, and Brian Branch returns with 90 tackles and 4 interceptions.

The storylines to watch

Grok flagged a few narratives worth tracking. It predicts Drew Petzing’s offense will stumble early before finding its rhythm. It says the offensive line will be good but not dominant. It projects Kerby Joseph’s knee becoming a weekly source of anxiety for Lions fans, though he won’t miss a game. And on the negative side, it identifies the cornerback room as Detroit’s greatest weakness, even with DJ Reed, Roger McCreary, and Ennis Rakestraw starting.

We’ll revisit all of this next January and see how accurate SkyNet actually was. Until then, let’s hear what Lions fans think.

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