Lions, Commanders Voted Top Teams to Fall Short of Expectations in 2025 by NFL Execs

Two NFC playoff teams from last season are facing questions about their chances to remain contenders during the 2025 campaign.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe revealed that the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders were voted as the top teams most likely to fall short of expectations this season in a poll of 23 NFL coaches and executives who were given three votes each. The Lions received 16 votes, while the Commanders garnered nine votes.

DraftKings Sportsbook gave both Detroit and Washington the eighth-best odds at +2,200, respectively, to finish with the most wins in the league this year.

Howe noted that the Lions "drew more votes than any team ever has for this question." Many are questioning how the team will fare after losing both its coordinators, with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson becoming the head coach of the Chicago Bears and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn taking the helm for the New York Jets.

"It's hard to lose two coordinators," a general manager said.

Still, some around the league feel the Lions will be able to mitigate those losses thanks to the continuity from head coach Dan Campbell.

"They'll still be good even with all the turnover," one voter said. "They still all have the same identity as the head coach. And they'll continue to play good defense."

For the Commanders, Howe noted that some voters "wondered if they'd fall back to earth after catching lightning in a bottle with Jayden Daniels' incredible rookie season." Washington went 12-5 and made it to the NFC Championship Game with the Offensive Rookie of the Year leading the way.

The Commanders added veterans this offseason and have one of the oldest rosters in the league, adding to the concerns about their chances to sustain their success from last year.

Detroit and Washington will have the chance to silence their doubters when the 2025 season begins this weekend. The Commanders will take on the New York Giants on Sunday, while the Lions will meet the Green Bay Packers.