The dark clouds appear to be lifting, and the Detroit Lions have high hopes for their third season under Dan Campbell. The Lions went 9-8 and were in the running for a playoff spot right to the end of the 2002 season. Now, Campbell and Co. will try to build on the momentum and take the next step.

The Lions are the +120 favorites to win the NFC North this season, according to the latest 2023 NFL futures odds at Caesars Sportsbook. The Vikings are the +300 second choice, followed by the Bears (+400) and Packers (+420). Detroit is also the fourth choice to win the conference at +1000, behind the Eagles (+320), 49ers (+350) and Cowboys (+650).

The passionate Campbell has brought a spark to the team and has instilled discipline. Quarterback Jared Goff had one of his best seasons as a pro as he built a rapport with his receivers. Unfortunately for Lions fans, the defense was among the worst in the NFL, though it did show significant improvement as the season went on. That was to be expected, as the Lions were the youngest team in the league in 2022. 

Goff threw for 4,438 yards, with 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his seventh NFL season. In the final 10 games, he had 17 touchdown passes. His lone interception during that span came in a 15-9 victory against the Packers in Week 9. Detroit won eight of those games.          

Goff benefitted from playing behind one of the league's best offensive lines, led by Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow. Amon-Ra St. Brown was the biggest beneficiary of the quarterback's resurgence, as he caught 106 balls for 1,161 yards and six TDs. Iowa tight end Sam LaPorta, who can break tackles and make plays after the catch, was added in the second round of the draft to give Goff another weapon.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson rejected overtures to interview for head coaching jobs after a stellar first season as the play-caller. The Lions had the fewest turnovers in the NFL and ranked in the top five in scoring (26.6 points per game) and total yardage (380). 

The Lions backfield will look completely different in 2023. Jamaal Williams (1,061 rushing yards, 17 TDs) signed with New Orleans and D'Andre Swift (931 total yards in 14 games) was traded to the Eagles. Former Bears workhorse David Montgomery (3,609 rushing yards in four seasons) should be the lead back, and Detroit added a true home-run threat in the draft. The Lions grabbed Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th pick, and his speed and receiving ability will add a new dimension.      

The Lions defense ranked 29th in the league against the run and 30th against the pass. Shoring up the linebackers and secondary were priorities for GM Brad Holmes. In that pursuit, Detroit used its second first-round pick on Iowa linebacker and Butkus Award winner Jack Campbell. Safety Brian Branch out of Alabama also was added in the second round and gives the Lions a versatile playmaker who can play corner in a pinch. Emmanuel Moseley, Cam Stutton and C.J. Gardner-Johnson also were signed to completely rehaul the defensive backfield.

With those additions to a defense that featured 2022 No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson and surprise rookie James Houston, progress should continue. Hutchinson had 9.5 sacks, while Houston was second to the former Michigan star among rookies with eight sacks, and those came in just seven games. Safety Kerby Joseph, a fourth-round pick in 2022, had four interceptions.

Holmes and Campbell have changed the culture in Detroit, and the players are buying in. The youthful roster under the direction of Campbell should continue to progress, so a postseason spot will be a clear goal in 2023.

• 2023 NFL Futures betting guide: Win totals, prop picks and more

Below, you'll find the 2023 Detroit Lions schedule, win total and more futures odds from Caesars Sportsbook, followed by picks from top SportsLine NFL analysts, including:

• Larry Hartstein, who tied for 52nd place (out of 1,598 entries) in the 2022 Westgate Las Vegas SuperContest, going 53-34-3 ATS (61 percent). Entering the 2023 season, Larry is 521-427 all-time on NFL sides and props (plus $3,679 for $100 players, every bet 1 unit) at SportsLine.
• Alex Selesnick, who specializes in NFL, MLB and NBA prop betting, where he implements a combination of research, statistical analysis and mathematical modeling. He is arguably the nation's No. 1 props expert, and he is 309-231 (plus 61.09 units with every bet 1 unit) in the NFL entering the 2023 season.
  
• R.J. White, who consistently crushes the NFL and shares his SuperContest and Survivor picks at SportsLine during the season. R.J. went 535-450-30 on ATS picks from 2017-22, returning $3,532 to $100 players as SportsLine's No. 1 NFL expert in against the spread picks.

Detroit Lions 2023 schedule

Week 1: at Kansas City (TNF)
Week 2: vs. Seattle
Week 3: vs. Atlanta
Week 4: at Green Bay (TNF)
Week 5: vs. Carolina
Week 6: at Tampa Bay
Week 7: at Baltimore
Week 8: vs. Las Vegas (MNF)
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: at  L.A. Chargers
Week 11: vs. Chicago
Week 12: vs. Green Bay (TNF)
Week 13: at New Orleans
Week 14: at Chicago
Week 15: vs. Denver
Week 16: at Minnesota
Week 17: at Dallas (Sat.)
Week 18: vs. Minnesota

Detroit Lions 2023 futures odds

Win Total Over: 9.5 (-135)
Win Total Under: 9.5 (+115)

Make Playoffs: -170
Miss Playoffs: +140

Win Division: +120
Win Conference: +1000
Win Super Bowl: +2500

Will the Lions go over or under their win total for the 2023 season? And what other futures bets are worth making? ... Join SportsLine right now to see SportsLine's Detroit Lions 2023 futures picks, all from the acclaimed experts who have crushed the NFL for years!