The Detroit Lions have gone 23 seasons without a playoff win, and with less than a 0.1 percent chance of making the postseason this season (according to ESPN’s FPI), that streak is almost certain to reach 24 seasons.
What are the sources of the Lions’ futility? ESPN Stats & Information runs through some of the team’s most significant failures.
Poor drafting
Martin Mayhew's first draft as the Lions’ general manager was in 2009. The team has drafted 53 players in that time.
Of those 53 players:
-Two made a Pro Bowl (defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh four times and quarterback Matthew Stafford once). In that time frame, each of the other teams in the NFC North have drafted four players who have made a Pro Bowl.
-Eleven were drafted in 2010 or 2011, and none of those 11 are still on the roster.
-Seven have been selected in the second round, and defensive backs Louis Delmas (a 2009 draft pick now with the Dolphins) and Darius Slay (2013) are the only players of the seven who have played more than 30 games.
The Lions traded their 2010 second-round draft pick for Jahvid Best, whose career was limited to 21 games by concussion-related issues.
Top-heavy salary cap
According to Roster Management System, the Lions have more salary cap space allocated this season to both receiver Calvin Johnson ($20.6 million) and to Stafford ($17.7 million) than they do to their entire offensive line and all running backs ($16.9 million).
The Lions’ rank next to last in salary spent on the offensive line. They rank 16th in salary spent on running backs.
Among quarterbacks with less of a salary cap hit than Stafford: Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Andy Dalton and Peyton Manning -- whose teams are all undefeated.
Looking ahead to next season, the Lions have $46.6 million tied up in both Stafford ($22.5 million) and Johnson ($24.1 million), the most among any duo in the NFL.
Season not over, but not looking promising
Coming off an 11-5 season, the Lions are 1-7. According to Elias Sports Bureau research, they need to win four of their final eight games to avoid becoming the sixth team in NFL history to win four or fewer games the season after they had at least 11 wins.
