Detroit Lions primed for a Super Bowl run

The Lions' quest for the Super Bowl starts Thursday night with the preseason opener against the New York Giants.

The big picture: NFL experts and gambling oddsmakers put Detroit among the top Super Bowl contenders following last season's playoff success and key offseason signings .

Zoom in: Thursday's matchup with the Giants has turned into more than a typical preseason snooze-fest.

• The NFL fined both teams $200,000 each for excessive fighting and unsportsmanlike conduct during their joint practices this week.
• Close to 10 scuffles broke out Monday, and Tuesday's practice was cut short because fighting continued, the Free Press reports .

State of play: The Lions' roster is stacked with talent on offense and the defense is solid.

• The offense that gained 395 yards per game last year — third-best in the NFL — could be even better with the return of QB Jared Goff, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, a dynamic backfield and a top-rated offensive line .
• Detroit's first-round draft pick, cornerback Terrion Arnold , and free-agent signing D.J. Reader — a run-stuffing defensive tackle — should help bolster its vulnerable defense.

What they're saying: After decades of misplaced optimism, Lions fans finally have a legitimate Super Bowl contender to back.

• "It's wild to say, but that's the new reality here in Detroit," Justin Rogers, a former Detroit News Lions reporter who just launched his own publication, the Detroit Football Network , tells Axios.
• "If they can fulfill their ultimate goal … beyond the hell-freezing-over jokes, how crazy is the [championship] parade going to be?"

Between the lines: This is the kind of team that fans love to root for. Homegrown stars such as St. Brown, Penei Sewell and Aidan Hutchinson are all on the cusp of their primes and seem invested in Detroit.

• Rogers likened the team's rise to the Bad Boy Pistons, who suffered plenty of heartbreak before winning the championship in 1989.

Yes, but: Before we get too carried away with preseason hype, we should note that the Lions have weaknesses to address, particularly at kicker.

• Last year's kicker, Michael Badgley, tore his hamstring and is out for the season.
• Jake Bates, who played for the UFL's Michigan Panthers , has struggled in training camp, the Detroit News reports .

What's next: Fox 2 Detroit (WJBK) will broadcast Thursday's preseason game at 7pm.

• The regular season starts Sept. 8 at Ford Field against Matthew Stafford and the L.A. Rams for a Sunday Night Football tilt on national TV.