Beyond strictly looking at wins and losses, DVOA by Football Outsiders gives a clear picture of team performance.
The following Infographic shows the past 10 years of DVOA rankings (2008-2017) for the Detroit Lions.
Following their 0-16 season in 2008 and 2-14 in 2009, the Lions have firmly been a middle of the pack team, reaching the playoffs three times, even in 2016 when they ranked 27th in DVOA.
Ten-Year DVOA Rankings: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Washington Redskins