The Detroit Lions are clearly a cut above all the other competition in the NFC yet the team with the best record through nine weeks is not guaranteed any postseason success. So this is the time when the pundits start cooking up out-of-the-box ideas about what could happen down the road if a certain side stays hot and stays healthy.

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky did just that on Tuesday's NFL Live, directing his attention at the Los Angeles Rams. After dropping four of their first five games, the Rams have rebounded to win three in a row. Last Sunday they outlasted the Seattle Seahawks in overtime to get back in the NFC West race and Orlovsky thinks their ceiling could be sky-high if they can stay healthy.

"I think if the Rams stay healthy, they win that division and they can beat anybody in that conference," Orlovsky said.

It's really not that scalding of a take. The Rams' record would be better if they weren't beseiged by early-season injuries. That's not a great sign for them staying out of the training room down the stretch, but on the other hand it contextualizes what they've been able to accomplish even with these setbacks.

Plus, Matthew Stafford has earned the benefit of the doubt as someone who can gut it out through tough times to get his team where they want to be in mid-February. There's a lot to like and things are trending up. Add that to the fact that Detroit appears to be the only seriously scary team in the NFC and there's definitely a path for Orlovsky to look smart in a few months.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dan Orlovsky Reveals Surprising Super Bowl Contender.